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At Dan Ryan Builders, we know that buying a new construction home represents a huge investment in your family’s future. You have worked hard to save up for your perfect new home and you deserve to see your dream home become a reality. A new home from Dan Ryan Builders is the picture of quality construction because we are proud to walk with you and your family on your journey to owning a new home. For the past decade, Dan Ryan Builders has intently focused on excellent customer service resulting in over 93% of customers recommending us to family and friends who are looking for a new home. Our team of dedicated support staff and skilled craftsmen do not consider your new home finished until you and your family are settled in and loving your new life. To ensure that your home is the quality home you deserve, we devote our time and skill to building homes that are beautiful to look at and stand the test of time and hire a third party inspector, 2M to inspect all of our newly built homes. Commitment to crafting quality new homes is our passion at Dan Ryan Builders. We build our beautiful new homes to last because, at Dan Ryan Builders, we know that your home is more than a collection of building supplies used to create it. We know that your new home is where your family comes together at the end of the day, the environment that fosters your joy and contentment, your island of serenity and security. Read some of our recent Customer Testimonials from satisfied homebuyers to learn about our commitment to our craft and homeowners. We are writing to let you know about the great staff you have working for you in your Seneca Ridge development. We just purchased our very first home from you and could not be happier with the decision we made. Your staff has done and continues to do an exceptional job. Megan Miles and Kerri Graff have been fantastic people to work with throughout the process in answering any questions we had. Your staff has done and continues to do an exceptional job. Megan Miles and Kerri Graff have been fantastic people to work with throughout the process in answering any questions we had. Their attitude and knowledge made our decision in choosing Dan Ryan Builders an easy choice for our first home. They treated us with utmost respect and were extremely courteous; they were not typical sales people we were used to coming across. They were very professional and seemed as though they weren’t there to just make a sale but to help us in making one of the most important decision in our life. Mark Pritts from MLEND was great to work with. MLEND and their entire staff guided us through the mortgage process and were very kind to answer any questions we had regarding it. It was our first time applying for a mortgage and we were extremely nervous on the entire process, but with their help, we had a very pleasant experience in getting our mortgage. The production staff did a great job building our home. Matt and Fred were very courteous and professional every time we had spoken with them. They were very thorough in explaining everything and answering any questions we had during the pre-drywall meeting and pre-settlement walk-through. They went above and beyond in answering any questions or concerns we had during the construction phase of our home. Your customer service is by far the best. Ron Snyder is an exception person and is very thorough and proud of his work. He is always available to answer questions or address concerns we have had since we have moved into our new home. We have sent him an email with a minor question in the evening and he has called us back that same night after hours to either answer the question or offer to come out and explain it to us. To us, this is one the most important parts of the entire experience, is to have someone there after settlement to address any concerns or questions we may have as first time home buyers. Throughout the entire process, your staff has been exceptional to work with. In our opinion, they have gone above and beyond to make sure we were happy throughout the entire process. We would recommend to anyone looking to buy a new home to buy from Dan Ryan Builders. If the rest of your staff is even half as good as the staff you have working in the Seneca Ridge development, they will have a great experience. Robert A. Jr. and Melissa C. Mr. Rubin was by far the most straightforward, honest, and knowledgeable person we had dealt with. His professionalism and politeness leads the pack in regard to all the sales associates I have dealt with in all of my real estate endeavors combined. I asked Andy Rubin, Sales Consultant at Market Square, to give me the contacts for his managers because I wanted to leave some feedback on his performance from an objective, customer standpoint. I understand that feedback on employees is an essential part of running a good business. My girlfriend, Cindy, and I have been through the home buying process multiple times before and currently own property elsewhere in Maryland. Cindy and I have been looking for a new house for quite some time and were mostly interested in new construction. We investigated multiple locations throughout Frederick and Baltimore, MD. Of the dozens upon dozens of places we explored, Mr. Rubin was by far the most straightforward, honest, and knowledgeable person we had dealt with. His professionalism and politeness leads the pack in regard to all the sales associates I have dealt with in all of my real estate endeavors combined. He has an eagerness about him without being overbearing and he emulates a candid sense passion for his job. He made Cindy and I very comfortable and it was enlightening to deal with someone that truly knows the product he is selling, the construction process, and was accessible anytime we needed him, even off-hours. Mr. Rubin is an extremely valuable asset to your development real estate team and he is the sole reason that we were able to close a deal at Market Square. Thank you for your time and please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you request any further feedback. Happy Homeowners in Hunters Bend! Our overall sales experience with Penny and Dan Ryan Builders was just phenomenal and there are not enough words to thank her. Our production supervisor answered every question and took care of every detail immediately. Our overall sales experience with Penny and Dan Ryan Builders was just phenomenal and there are not enough words to thank her. Our production supervisor answered every question and took care of every detail immediately. He is wonderful and we were so lucky to have had his expertise to build our dream home! Thank you thank you thank you for all the hard work you, Penny, Jay and the rest of the crew have put into our dream house!!!! We are in love with it. Just wanted to send a quick hello & a heartfelt thank you for helping my client, Katrina R. buy her first home & having a successful closing with Bank of America (Novia Miller). She is on cloud nine this morning when I touched base to inquire how their 1st night in their new Dan Ryan home went. Her exact words were, "It's like I'm dreaming. I walk around in there in awe that I live there." That my friends is a true testament to why we do what we do every day!! So, thank each of you very much for allowing our deal to be executed. It's been a pleasure working with such a great team of professionals. The 3 of us stopped by the main office to say hi yesterday after closing, but I guess everyone was at lunch. Sorry we missed y'all to say thanks in person. Have an awesome weekend! Ryan and I stopped by today and saw the house. It looks so fantastic!! I cannot begin to thank you all so much for the hard work that is going into our new home. My mind is reeling with all the options for furniture and paint that I can furnish this home with! We can't wait to see what else happens in the coming weeks! We love our new home, as well as the neighborhood, and look forward to many years in the neighborhood. We sing your praises to everyone – You three make a great team – and we are happy to have met each of you. Dan Ryan is lucky to have you three. We wanted to say thank you all so much for everything that did for us while we were in the process of building our home. You guys are so busy – and yet you always took the time to answer any and all of our many questions, and you were never too busy to return our calls or e-mails. Thank you for guiding us through everything we needed to know during the process. You all made building a house so less stressful than we thought building a house would be. Now that we are in our home it is so nice to know that you haven’t forgotten about us. You all still take time for us with anything we might need. Brad in particular has so many workers coming at him non-stop that he’s dealing with on the work-sites – and yet he always makes the time to help us in any way we need. Brad has always returned calls and been so kind and helpful to my husband and myself. Susan and Lisa always welcome us in the door with a smile, and are always there for anything we need. Thank you all so very much for your meticulous attention to every last detail of our beautiful new home both inside and out! We are so excited to move in and enjoy all that this great community has to offer! You've built us our dream home in every way we could have ever imagined and then some! We cannot wait to cook for our first gathering in our amazing new kitchen! Best of luck as you continue to build here at Stone Gate! Thanks For Building Great Homes! We Love It! I wanted to take a moment to say “Thank You” to all of your team. We recently purchased the Hamilton floor plan in Keystone Crossing. Your staff was absolutely wonderful to deal with! Theresa Braswell and Craig Mickelson were Great every step of the way! When buying a house it is a very scary process and very stressful. I have to say this was the smoothest transaction we have ever had in buying a new home! We decided one day to sell our house in Holly Springs and move closer to RTP and closer to work. When I first met Theresa we were looking at the Harding floor plan, I loved this plan, so I went home and called a realtor and put our house on the market and we were going to build a Harding, however we had sold our home in two days and we needed something that was close to completion. Theresa showed me the Hamilton floor plan which was going to be ready couple of weeks before we closed on our home in Holly Spring. My husband and I fell in LOVE with this floor plan and the details of this home. We LOVE it! We signed all the papers she helped me get in touch with Wells Fargo for our mortgage everything just was so super easy (wish everything went this smooth)! When we met Craig for our walk thru he was very detailed explained everything to us and even noticed a few things that we didn’t and we put them on the list to be repaired. We still see Craig from time to time and every time we see him he asks us if everything is still ok. This is a very well built home and we look forward to being here for many years. Thanks to all your staff including all the builders. It has been one month and I still can’t believe that we own this beautiful home! Thanks so much to you and your team and Thanks for building Great homes! We love it. They went above and beyond what most representatives would have done. They had a genuine interest in getting me into the right home. I hope to continue to work in same vein with them during my stay in the new property. I recently moved into a Dan Ryan property at Providence Place, Morrisville, North Carolina. It gave me an opportunity to work with Theresa Braswell and Craig Mickelson. I would like to convey to you my appreciation for their professsionalism and patience during the various formalities before I moved into the new house. We Cannot Tell You How Much We Love Our Home! We are writing to tell you about the experience we had with Dan Ryan Builders. We cannot tell you how much we love our home. The layout, the design, the quality, the people were amazing through the process. Being first time homebuyers, we cannot express enough the wonderful experience Theresa, Craig and Tom gave us. We had so many questions, but having someone experienced and knowing the market and avenues to take when something did arise, made the experience easy. Explaining details that would have been overlooked, taking the time to make sure we understood everything and having patience. Even after we closed they are still very helpful. Thank you for building a home that we plan to raise a family in, and can sleep at night knowing we can count on Dan Ryan Builders to deliver an amazing product. Wonderful Communication and Exceptional Focus on Customer! Bonnie in sales has exceptional focus on the customer and has wonderful communication. The Core of any endeavor/relationship such as this is communication. Throughout this process it has been outstanding! The World Needs More People Like Them! We absolutely could not have worked with a better group of people. The world needs more people like them (Washington West Division/Fairfax Crossing). As you probably already know; my client Jason Harris and I both purchased a home in your Shearon Farms subdivision. I wanted to take a quick moment to let you know how wonderful it has been to work with Dan Ryan Builders. With twenty years of real estate experience, I have never worked with such a wonderful team. Everyone from Carla Sevilla (Carla is especially great) and the girls in the office, Mariam Poole, Nicole Haggerty, the rest of the team and yourself made both our home buying experience a delight. The purpose of this e-mail is simply to say thank you and your team for your hard work, honesty and integrity. As a REALTOR® and a Dan Ryan home owner, I will always know that I can take pride in introducing any of my future clients to a Dan Ryan Community. Please reassure your staff of how pleased Jason and I are to be in Shearon Farms and part of the Dan Ryan Family! It has been an absolute pleasure to represent clients in multiple Dan Ryan Builders' communities in the Raleigh Division. Your sales professionals are just that! Both my clients and I are well informed throughout the process and kept abreast of any changes in information or possible challenges. Thanks for making my job easier! I wanted to personally let you know how easy it is to work with Sales Professionals at East View in Chambersburg and Upland Estates in Fayetteville. It has been a wonderful experience representing several homes with Dan Ryan Builders at both of these new homes communities. I have especially enjoyed getting to know Rebecca Bowling and Christina Barclay and working closely with them to get many of you new homes sold through the local multi-list service. It is also gratifying to know that as a result, many realtors have learned first hand how easy it is to work along side Dan Ryan Builders to get their buyers into a truly affordable brand new home! From the initial consultation to choosing the right options and all the way through settlement both realtors and buyers really appreciate the time the Sales Associates spend to get each buyer the house they want. Satisfied customers are the foundation of the good business that is the Exit Preferred Realtys® hallmark, and I appreciate hearing from my clients and Realtors that I have referred to Dan Ryan Builders and your Sales Associates. I remain committed to your real estate need, and thank you for your business and support. My wife and I purchased a new home in Martinsburg this year. I felt compelled to share our experience with you. We have built 3 other homes since 1998, by a wide margin our experience with your company was the best we have ever had. From the start of our search everyone associated with your company was very helpful and never tried to blow us off even when they knew we would not build in their community. The entire selection, financing, and build process was painless and without the slightest “bump” in the road. Although everybody we encountered was helpful and professional one person stands above the crowd. That would be Todd Wolfe, our site supervisor. As I have said, we have quite a bit of experience in dealing with local builders, and the experience with Todd was painless and perfect. Can a person imagine building a house with no errors in selection or schedules? I frankly would have thought this impossible. Well Todd pulled it off! We love our house; the attention to detail is clearly obvious. When we are presented with an opportunity in the future to give our opinion on our house and Dan Ryan you can be sure it will be a glowing recommendation. I'm sure you hear about it when things don't go as well, I thought you might like to hear a consumer's view of your company and it's high quality employees. We Love Our New Home in Chambersburg! We love our new home in White Church Meadows, and our Sales Consultant was an important part of our buying experience. She listened and respected our needs and dreams, and she took a personal interest in finding just the right fit for our budget and our future plans. We never felt pressured or overlooked by her. She made herself available for any questions and gave them her full attention. Dealing with Ms. Hines has been the most satisfactory home-buying experience we have ever had. I am writing this based on my experience with Dan Ryan Builders over the past year. Dan Ryan has clearly distinguished themselves by their legacy of service and high-quality construction. If there is ever an issue you will come to expect the responsive and prompt professional service that is often overlooked or even disregarded by many builders in today's market. I have been in the building industry for four years. I'm proud to admit that many of the quality products I sell are in all the Dan Ryan Homes. With that being said, Dan Ryan does not cut any corners and truly provides a value added home. When we first started looking we found the home of our dreams in Frederick Maryland. It had been several years since we had owned a home and we wanted it to be perfect. As soon as we saw the "Avalon" model we knew it was the house for us. The lay out and open floor plan that this house offered was incredible. We started to research pricing and quickly found out that the price of the homes in Frederick Maryland were beyond our budget. The following weekend we decided to venture out to see other communities that offered the "Avalon" model; First we went to Jefferson County and then into Berkeley County. We met with Laurie at the community and she was so friendly, helpful and considerate of our wants and needs. Laurie showed us different lot and discussed the various options that were offered and allowed us to take our time when deciding on our home. We knew right away that this was where we wanted to build; Laurie made us feel so comfortable. Once we went to contract and the house was underway, we enjoyed coming each weekend to see the progress of our new home, but also to visit Laurie, it was our Sunday ritual for many weeks. As each week grew closer no matter what question or bump in the road we had - Laurie had the answer or would find out immediately what the answer was. We commend and appreciate her for that! Since moving into our home on January 15th, it has been a dream come true for us. We love the Avalon, the amount of house we got for our money and the community. We thank "Laurie" for helping us through this process and we thank "Dan Ryan Builders" for building us such a well built, energy efficient home!!!! We thought so highly of your organization that we convinced our good friends to purchase a Dan Ryan Builders' home too. Thanks for making our dreams come true. I want to thank you so much for everything that you and your team of professionals did to make my dream of affording a home come true. Every time I come home I look at this beautiful house and still can't believe this is mine. When I was growing up I experienced things in life like sleeping in my car with no job and a pocket full of change. Since then life, though difficult at times continued to improve and get better. On November 15, my son was born and this in itself changed my life again. At this point I was living in a crammed one bedroom apartment and I knew that I needed to provide a better living environment for my son. Since this was my first time buying a home, I looked at several areas until finally choosing the house I presently reside in. I must say that I never felt more relaxed through my home buying experience, only because the people that you employed made it this way. The first person I want to mention is Ben Shively. Dealing with Ben was like talking to a friend of mine and not the typical sales person who always seems to talk like there reading from a script. He made things so easy for me understand and when I had a question he was upfront and honest with me. Ben was always in contact with me and when things weren't right he went the extra mile to make sure it was right. Second person I wanted to mention was Michael Crist with your mortgage company. I can't thank him enough for everything he did to ensure that I was going to be living in this house. It seemed like it was his personal goal to do whatever it took to get me into this house. And though my mortgage went through another lender that Mike personally knew, he was there from the beginning all the way to the end. Since moving in, everything has gone great. I've called the service number a few times for some minor things, but they have always been courteous and prompt. Ray Brice has been very helpful and has quickly responded to everything I needed to make sure I was happy. Once again I want to thank you for not only making this home a reality for me, but to ensure that my little boy has a place that he can call his house. Thanks for all the hardwork!!! Ryan and I stopped by today and saw the house with Jay. It looks so fantastic!! I cannot begin to thank you all so much for the hard work that is going into our new home. My mind is reeling with all the options for furniture and paint that I can furnish this home with! Hope you all have a great 4th of July and we can't wait to see what else happens in the coming weeks! Exceptional Experience with the DRB team! Dan Ryan Builders is very well represented by these two individuals. With people like them on your team it's easy to see how well your company will do. Please pass onto them our personal thanks for a job well done. My wife and I have recently moved into our Dan Ryan home in the Magnolia section of Cane Bay Plantation. The road here was a long one for us, especially since we have had no prior experience in new construction. Building a home was the last thing on our minds. However, after an exhaustive search spanning four months we, fortunately, ended up in Magnolia. Jenny Sain, your field sales representative, was immediately responsive to our needs and concerns. Her professional, courteous and sincerely friendly disposition put us at ease. She was able to provide us with all the information we needed to make solid decisions. Even after repeated visits, dozens upon dozens of questions and changes, she remained poised, patient and ever helpful. Will Herndon, your Project Manager, was next in line to assist us. Will always had time for us. Whether it was face to face conversation (we interrupted countless times), telephone calls or a slew of e-mails he continually came through for us. His mild manner and smiling face were always able to dissuade any fears or concerns we had. Over and over he was at the ready to handle whatever the perceived problem or question was. We look forward to working with him as we progress. I wanted to take a moment and thank you very much for your hospitality and kindness through the building and buying process. It was certainly a pleasure working with you and your diligence, as well as your persistence has definitely made for a great experience with Dan Ryan Builders. I can definitely see why you are so successful. I also want to thank you for the wonderful gifts you left. It was very kind of you and unexpected. We are so excited with each trip up to the house. Yesterday after we left your office we went by. They are putting down the floors, tile is in and the granite counter tops are almost complete. It’s like Christmas morning with each visit. Fabulous Experience with Dan Ryan Builders Sales Team! It is not often that I feel compelled to write about my experiences working with other real estate agents. However, my experience working with Lisa Jackson and Susan Muizieks at Stonegate was nothing short of fabulous. We all know that the home buying process is not an easy one and that there are bumps in the road to navigate. Lisa and Susan went above and beyond to work with my buyers and make the experience a great one. Lisa and Susan stood by the commitments they made, what they did not have answers to, they researched. They were accessible and their communication skills were excellent. The entire sale was handled with an incredible amount of professionalism and graciousness. I know there are many other employees behind the scenes at Dan Ryan Builders that also contributed to the success of this sale so please also know that I appreciate their efforts as well. I have nothing but glowing praise for the entire team. Felt like it was important to let Lisa, Susan and Brad know how awesome a team you are! Thank you so very much for all your hard work on Phil and Becky G’s. home. The house is gorgeous, I know they are thrilled – could not have gotten there without all of you!! Thank you! "I must say how incredibly impressed I was with Dan Ryan Builders. They were great from the first time I called the number my realtor gave me, all the way through to present day and I am sure that they will continue to provide me and my family with the very best customer service they have to give. The people that we got to work with actually treated us more like family, they made us feel comfortable and welcomed. I also need to add that this isn’t the first time that we have gone through a builder to purchase a home and honestly we were hesitant at first to go with Dan Ryan Builders due to rumors we have heard. But through our own research and their dedication to provide their best, I can say that they have MORE than proven everybody wrong…including myself. I can defiantly say that they have built our dream home and that they can count on me to refer my friends and family to them. Thank you so much to Dan Ryan Builders for all the wonderful work you have done!! We look forward to many years of memory making here in our lovely home. It's individuals like this that make it an honor to deal with a company like Dan Ryan Builders. Courtesy and professionalism is diminishing in today's commercial industry, I am happy to see that these values still exist with the wonderful staff at Dan Ryan Builders. Ms. Diana Herring, and Dave Lebo came out to my home to complete a 120 days final walk-through on 16 September 2013. Ms. Herring and Mr. Lebo were very friendly towards my family and they were genuinely concerned about the issues surrounding their visit. I am a Sergeant First Class in the United States 21 years, I deal with a great number of people daily, but I've never met individuals as friendly, kind, and respectful as Ms. Herring and Mr. Lebo. Ms. Herring and Mr. Lebo are indeed a wonderful team, their level of excellence and professionalism is above and beyond normal standards, it was a delight to have people of this caliber in my home. It's individuals like this that make it an honor to deal with a company like Dan Ryan Builders. Courtesy and professionalism is diminishing in today's commercial industry, I am happy to see that these values still exist with the wonderful staff at Dan Ryan Builders. When we started looking for a builder we weren’t just looking for a portfolio, we were looking for a feeling. With Dan Ryan Builders we found both. Everyone involved with the construction of our home made us feel like a priority. From start to finish it was a wonderful experience! Building a home is about more than dollars and cents, you are constructing a sanctuary for your family. With that in mind, Dan Ryan helped us merge our lifestyle, needs and wants into a warm and inviting family home. Dan Ryan Builders exceeded our expectations and created what is truly a dream home for us. Thank you to your company and to your exceptional employees for making our journey a pleasant one. We couldn't be happier in our new Dan Ryan home! We would like to take this opportunity and introduce ourselves to you; we are proud owners of a Dan Ryan Home, Paul and Bonnie R. My wife and I recently built a beautiful home in the Shadow Creek development of Greencastle, PA. We settled on our dream home, which has been something we've wanted for quite some time, especially as we plan for our future and retirement, as well. Several years ago when we began the search for houses and contractors, we knew we found what we were looking for when we toured a Dan Ryan home. In March, adding to our positive experience with your company was the opportunity to work with Ms. Stephanie Riffle, Sales Representative and Manager of Shadow Creek. Stephanie maintained a high level of professionalism throughout our journey, and was very informative, knowledgeable, and helpful. We had worked on a set of floor plans of a "Nottingham". The model home in Shadow Creek was so beautiful and displayed to what we were looking for. We added a few specifications of our own, such as requesting the master bedroom suite on the main floor. After our plans were set in motion, contracts signed, details worked out, placing a deposit, we were on our way of owning a Dan Ryan home. After a week or so passed by, Stephanie called us in informed us that Dan Ryan could not build our house to our specifications. This was truly a major setback for us, our disappointment were beyond words. I then place a phone call to Dan Ryan Homes in Frederick Maryland, stating our disappointment. After a day or so passed by, Stephanie called and informed us that Dan Ryan was not going to give up on us of owning our dream home. Stephanie then showed us floor plans of a "Canterbury" and arranged for us to take a tour through a Canterbury in Charlestown WV. After seeing this home completed and finish, this home had met all of our needs and expectations. Stephanie worked diligently to make sure things came together as we wished. How reassuring it was to have her in our corner! We then signed another contract, placing a deposit, once again, the excitement, enthusiasm, and anticipation began. Not only were we privileged enough to work with Stephanie, but we also had the good fortune of working with Mr. Art Miley, Project Manager. It was clear to see that Art was a busy man during the construction of our home, as well as all of the others being built in the same timeframe. However, he often took time to speak with me on-site, keeping me updated of the progress on our home. To an excited home-owner, small details as such were greatly appreciated. I would also like to mention, there was not one day passed by that I didn't see our home being built, I have many photographs to show this. A week before our settlement date in November, we did our walk through with Art. Our home was so beautiful, Bonnie and I personally thank God for making our hopes and dreams come true. From start to finish, we were thrilled with the Dan Ryan experience. In addition to our beautiful home, we feel fortunate to have gained two new friends in Stephanie and Art. It's people like Stephanie and Art makes a business or company successful, we can see why Dan Ryan is successful. Since we moved in almost three months ago, we've enjoyed visits from many friends and family members. How proud we've been to receive numerous compliments and kind words regarding our home. Thank you to your company and to your exceptional employees for making our journey a pleasant one. We couldn't be happier in our new Dan Ryan home! We have bought several homes in the past and the service by other companies pales to the service we received from your team of dedicated professionals. We recently bought the first Santee home in Royal Oaks and we are very pleased with the attention to detail, and hands on service we received from all of the great Dan Ryan employees. Of special note to us was how Pam was genuinely eager and willing to accommodate all of our needs and even changed her schedule to take care of us in a first class way. It was great when Joe took us through the home room by room, and step by step in the finishing process never delaying the end product despite several upgrades we asked for very late in the timeframe. He enlightened us on our many questions on how the home was built and never failed to alert us to what was next in line. I am writing today to inform you of the exceptional service provided by your team at Saddle Ridge Estates in Chambersburg, PA. My husband and I began our home buying process in August. From the moment we met your staff to well after closing on our home, we received nothing but superior service from both Heather McCulloch and Mike Toms. I am writing today to inform you of the exceptional service provided by your team at Saddle Ridge Estates in Chambersburg, PA. My husband and I began our home buying process in August. From the moment we met your staff to well after closing on our home, we received nothing but superior service from both Heather McCulloch and Mike Toms. These two employees define team, are completely customer focused and have expertise incomparable to any other builder in our area (and trust me we researched many builders prior to choosing Dan Ryan). Heather went out of her way to make our home building experience stress-free. She kept us well informed of delays (that were completely out of the builder's control) and was always quick to answer questions or concerns we had regarding our home. She is a true asset to your company and a true customer focused sales representative. Mike was also a blessing to us. Mike was quick to answer our calls (within an hour) and took time during our walk-through inspections to explain all of the details of our new home. He truly wanted to be sure that the home not only met, but exceeded our expectations. He, as well, is truly customer focused and another wonderful asset to your top-notch team. My husband and I want to thank you all for everything you have done to help us build our dream home. We closed on our home in April and still love every square inch! It is truly everything we could have ever wanted, and more. Thank you again for making this process enjoyable and stress-free. I have and will continue to recommend Dan Ryan Builders to everyone I talk with when discussing our home building experience. I am writing you today in regards to my recent experience with two of your associates: Andrew Litchfield and Dawn S. Words cannot express the gratitude of my family for the hard work and dedication of Andrew and Dawn. I can honestly say that without them our dream of purchasing a new home would never have become a reality. Like many people today, my wife and I have had some financial difficulties. With a first and second mortgage and debt barely under control, we decided that we need to make some changes to better our financial situation. We sold our house in Virginia Beach a year ago and moved to the area so that I could take a better job in DC. This move allowed us to pay off our debt and start fresh. Although we knew we had made the right decisions, our credit history followed us. Speaking with several other lenders, it was apparent that we were merely a low credit score, and not individuals trying hard to build a better life. Their conduct left us feeling embarrassed and belittled as they scolded us for our past mistakes while never acknowledging the decisions we had made in the past year to better our situation. We had resolved our selves to waiting another couple of years for our credit scores to improve before we would go through that process again. This all changed on May 31st of this year. We visited the subdivision of Archer's Rock and met a great Dan Ryan associate. He showed us a beautiful house at a price that was just too good to be true. We decided that it was worth the effort to try again. We would buy the house…if we could get the mortgage. That same afternoon, I talked to Andrew for the first time. I frankly explained our situation, the mistakes we had made and the steps we had taken to get ourselves back on track- you see, contrary to the way we had been treated by other lenders, we were not ashamed of our past. Yes, we had made mistakes. Yes, there were misjudgments along the way. Yes, we had worked hard to build a new and better future for ourselves. Talking to Andrew was like no other conversation with any other lender I have had. He treated me with respect, was very accepting and understanding, and even thanked me in the end for being honest about our situation. He told me that he could help. I trusted him immediately. The next two months were filled with anxiety. I knew our past credit history and could not believe that we would be able to get a mortgage. I expected that at any minute I would get a phone call, or a letter explaining that we had been turned down for our mortgage. It was very difficult for me to be excited about the new house. It was the confidence and the support of Andrew and Dawn that pulled us through. It went far beyond a simple job of getting us a mortgage. They were committed to making our dream come true. They gave us a second chance that we had been convinced we did not deserve. They gave us hope. We closed on our house on July 31st. Andrew was actually on the phone with me to offer his congratulations as we walked into the conference room to sign the papers. My wife cried as we put the key in the lock and opened the door to our new home. We all grow up hoping to make a difference in people's lives, and so few of us ever get that chance. Andrew and Dawn certainly made a difference in the lives of my family, and for that, we are extremely grateful. They are responsible for our dream coming true. Thanks for taking the time to read this and express our gratitude to Andrew and Dawn. We began looking for a new home in the Martinsburg area. We were impressed by Dan Ryan Builders' floorplans and affordable quality. We found the Ridges of Tuscarora community to be an ideal setting. Working with our sales consultant has been such a pleasure. She combines a wealth of knowledge with enthusiasm and attention to each customer. Working with our sales consultant has been such a pleasure. She combines a wealth of knowledge with enthusiasm and attention to each customer. Because we were not local, Cathy's follow-through and excellent communication were especially important to us. She truly made the whole process enjoyable. We've built a number of homes and she is exceptional in every regard. Our personal plans took a twist when we had concerns over how our new home would sit on the chosen site right before ground-breaking. Cathy was with us every step of the way as we worked through the dilemma. As always, she listened and helped us find the right solution. Today we are enjoying our new home in this lovely neighborhood that combines a country setting with a convenient location. We have wonderful neighbors and look forward to seeing the Ridges of Tuscarora community mature in the years ahead. My girlfriend and I were new to the new home buying experience. We had a lot of questions since this was our first brand new home. When we bought our home there was not a model home built yet. Beth always went the extra mile to make sure that we knew what the different housing options would look like. My girlfriend and I were new to the new home buying experience. We had a lot of questions since this was our first brand new home. When we bought our home there was not a model home built yet. Beth always went the extra mile to make sure that we knew what the different housing options would look like. She was more than happy to guide us to other Dan Ryan communities that had examples of the different options we were interested in so we could see them. Beth did an exceptional job of answering all of our questions and helping us determine which options would add the most value to our home both financially and aesthetically. Her support did not end once we closed on the house. She went above and beyond her Sales role and continued to assist us with any questions or issues that arose to make sure that we were happy with our new home. As a first time home buyer, looking for our forever home was stressful, to say the least. However, when researching Dan Ryan Builders homes, we saw a few that we were interested in at their different locations. Our decision to build our home with this company and which community was the best for us was greatly influenced by Beth Schneider. She was so kind and very understanding. As a first time home buyer, looking for our forever home was stressful, to say the least. However, when researching Dan Ryan Builders homes, we saw a few that we were interested in at their different locations. Our decision to build our home with this company and which community was the best for us was greatly influenced by Beth Schneider. She was so kind and very understanding. First taking us on a tour of the community and then showing us different homes. Followed by several meetings to decide all the choices we had to make for our home. She would offer her opinion if asked and was very helpful. She went above and beyond to make sure our home was perfect for us and always made sure we were happy. After the purchasing process was complete, she continued to check on us to make sure we were still satisfied with our home. She has continued to help our community grow tremendously. If you are looking to purchase and/or build a home with Dan Ryan, we would highly recommend working with Beth! We will be forever grateful to Beth for helping us build our dream home and making it such an easy and fun process! We wanted to send a note of gratefulness and thank you for the support and all your dedicated help through our home buying purchase. It's been longs months waiting for our home to be built.....but every minute was worth it! We did our walk through yesterday and so very happy with the final outcome! We LOVE it! Connor, Chandler and team did a fantastic job on our forever home! It's perfect :)! My apologizes for interrupting the process, asking questions or having doubts, it's exactly what we wanted and couldn't ask for anything more. We are very grateful and honored to have this wonderful opportunity to live in Wake Forest and have a beautiful place to call home. Thank you ladies for all your time, assistance and professionalism, always willing to help with the process and keeping us informed with every detail. We are grateful and blessed to have our house a home! Thank you again for all your help, happy holidays to you and your families! Excellent Company and Well Crafted Product! Matt and Josh deserve tremendous thanks! I truly can't say enough or express fully and adequately how incredible these two gentleman were through our home building experience (and still are :)). Having built our first home in Knoxville, TN a short 14 months ago, I am a wee bit familiar with the process and the madness that comes with undertaking such a task. I truly can't say enough or express fully and adequately how incredible these two gentleman were through our home building experience (and still are :)). Having built our first home in Knoxville, TN a short 14 months ago, I am a wee bit familiar with the process and the madness that comes with undertaking such a task. Unfortunately, the relationship with our first builder was less than desirable and quite the headache throughout the entire 6 month ordeal. There was zero to no communication, our first walkthrough the morning of closing and more issues than I have time or energy to list. Because of this horrible experience, I have such appreciation for these two men and the experience they afforded my family and I. Building with them was an exceptional experience, and to this day, Matt and Josh are available and ready to help in any way I need. The level of customer service is above all. Josh went over and beyond to provide us with the perfect home and to this day, is still ensuring that all punch list items are handled. Matt and Josh have rarely missed a call from me and certainly never left a text or voicemail unanswered (I joked that my husband wasn't even that good ha ha ha). All this to say, outstanding job by these two! I can't say enough good! They deserve some serious recognition and praise! I'm thinking major bonus and award ha ha! In all seriousness, thank you thank you thank you! You have some excellent employees here! Thank you, Dan Ryan (Builders) and team, for an excellent company and well crafted product! We are so happy to be home!

2019-04-26T00:44:38Z

https://www.danryanbuilders.com/the-dan-ryan-builders-difference/testimonials/

Whether it is a place to call home, a country getaway or simply a bespoke studio in the bottom of your garden; a log cabin may be the perfect balance between nature and home. Regardless of what you think, you cannot do this without instruction unless you are going for the’pile of wood on the floor’ approach. You need to lay out the bearers which will outline the framework of the cabin. These should be treated against mold and decay as they’ll be in contact with the ground permanently. Consider screwing these bearers into the concrete for extra safety. Walls of log cabins are built by adding layer upon layer to the bearers. Slot-in cabin kits are fairly straight forward, but the same rule applies for build from scratch projects. Make sure that each new layer is firmly attached to the bottom and doesn’t overhang to create an unbalanced wall. The most important point is to make sure the bottom layer is quickly to the bearers, or else you’ll find the walls literally closing in on you. Before they fall on you. Build the walls up to 5 or 6 logs high and then start on the doors and windows. Be sure that you add the gable ends before the roof itself, as you want it to be sloping for rain. Construct the roof in two sections, one slanting upwards from every wall and ensure that they all fit correctly. Roof covering is only there to protect the wood, go for practicality over style. You’ll rue your choice to go for pretty blue over suitable grey when there are puddles in your armchair. 5.) Finishing Touches All that is left to do is treat and stain the wood. Treating is essential, staining is not. You may opt for whichever paint colour you want but make certain you have the right coating to protect against the weather. With the kids in the backseat buckled up tight, you’re headed for grandma’s house, an all-day drive. A time for pulling your hair out one by one. As long as Americans pile the kids in the car for a family vacation, they are doomed for the anxieties that come with the mind-numbing boredom of a lengthy road trip. The inevitable discussion about who hit whom first is under debate. As it happens, once the kids have seen a couple grazing cows and a horse pasture, they pretty much don’t need to see it again. Rolling hills and scenic mountains served their purpose a terrific many miles back, but now, who really cares? And who really gives a hoot what they’re growing in those widespread fields anyway! Never fear! Remember those awesome car trip games we used to play as children? The age-old”I Spy” game where another player tries to guess your object. Then, of course, the license plate game options: See if you can spell all 50 states, make a phrase from the plate letters or see who can add up the numbers correctly. Car trip games are really terrific entertainment for the kids, but when 20 Questions abruptly turns into 20 reasons why you’re bothering me, then it is time to move on until the scuffling accelerates. Unlike past generations, today there is a simple solution. Just slide that little disc boldly into the slot, and the family road trip takes on new scenery–Shrek, Nemo, Woody and Buzz. The whining stops. Restless little bodies settle down, and the car mercifully becomes surrounded by contentment. Unexpectedly, the trip becomes a lot simpler. Okay, so now you are thinking enjoyment of this journey is lost. The family vacation is a bust. Relax, already! True, the countryside is becoming just a faint flicker in the background, but consider the fact that if you make the most of getting to your destination, then you will bring home Rat Poop of the whole trip. In fact, TV gives a welcome sanity for the long road trips. Thus, let modern technology take over. Enjoy it! If you’re still having difficulty accepting defeat to the state-of-the artwork, consider yesteryear when fidgety children were free to move around. Perhaps you can recall sitting in the back of the station wagon or hatchback playing board games or working on little paper projects. Can’t do that today. For safety, the little ones are strapped in their special seats and the older ones are buckled up tight. Not much freedom there. The great American road trip has forever changed. So next time you hit the road, throw in these DVD movies. Your sanity may depend on it. A word of warning I must add. As parents come to rely on DVDs as their survival against hours of back-seat complaining and clashing, DVD players won’t solve all issues. There can be fewer”are we there yets,” but finally new squabbles of”it’s my turn to pick” or”I don’t need to watch that” will erupt. Isn’t modern technology great? When it comes to your home it needs to be just as beautiful as the stuff of your dreams because it is your opportunity to make a haven of peace and tranquility. Having everything you want at once may not be something which you could do right now, especially with the constricted budgets that folks are having right now. Luckily today there are great opportunities to financing furniture from trusted sources that could make your plans a reality without you having to spend too much money on it all. Just because you’re renting a place or staying somewhere for a short time does not mean you must compromise on comfort. You can have absolutely everything you want and save money at exactly the exact same time. The only way to do that’s to rent to own high quality furniture at affordable prices which you can find online. Living room furniture may be extremely important to you since that’s where you need to relax at the end of the day and have fun with your loved ones and friends. It’s representative of who you are so that you definitely need a couch there and a few armchairs to help your relax and spend quality time doing something which you love to do most. When it comes to choosing between comfort and style modern furniture can really provide both of those features without compromising one for the other. That is what you need to take into account and actually think about when you are trying to take advantage of your living situation. A sofa bed can add elegance to any room but you could also use it like a bed whenever required. Additionally it is a good idea to get high quality couch covers and then you can alter them if you get tired of the same one or want to try a new color palette. Another thing you can do is see if you’re able to mix it up with bed throws and pillows which always liven up the room and help you get the most out of the furniture. The wooden fence is one of the most loved and commonly used fencing options in America today. It symbolizes America’s heritage as far back as the farmers and settlers having to fence their barns, farms and homes using wood and they come with many wonderful advantages. One of the numerous advantages of a wood fence is that it’s quite friendly to the environment in comparison with its vinyl and aluminum counterparts. Wood is obviously a natural material that matures synergistically. Trees used for making wooden fences could be grown in large scale and old fencing panels could be disposed of without the risk of harming the environment. Unlike other types of fences like vinyl and wrought iron, a timber fence is quite easy to install. Vinyl and metal poles are fabricated, meaning that their heights aren’t easy to adjust. It is also easy to affix fence panels to wooden fence posts, which can be an advantage over vinyl and metal posts which are prefabricated to firm tolerances that have to be adhered to during the installation procedure. Wooden fencing plays an important part in adding the much-needed aesthetic value to homes. The aesthetics of wooden articles can be accomplished through a variety of ways including staining, painting and breaking. Water resistant paints and stains can be purchased from local hardware or paint stores and homeowners have the choice of choosing their favorite colors or hues of blot. In addition, wooden posts can be repainted on a regular basis to change the look of the fence and also to stop it from looking dilapidated or worn out. In comparison to a lot of fencing options, wooden fences are inexpensive. The materials for making a wood fence cost considerably less than other fencing materials such as metal. As it pertains to repairing or replacing wooden articles or planks, a homeowner can work on individual pieces instead of having to take out entire sections of the fence to get the job done. Interestingly, many repairs and replacements of timber fences can be carried out by homeowners using cheap materials found at local home improvement stores or items available in the tool shade like nails, hammers and pliers. The expense of doing repairs or replacements is low and the time needed to do it is typically very short. Fences made from wood are available in various impressive designs that homeowners may pick from. Notable wood fence designs include picket, table top, post-and-rail, stockade, split rail, lattice top, French Gothic, spaced board, and paddock. There is also a wide array of caps which may be purchased for wooden posts, which range from standard wood caps to aluminum caps that are outfitted with solar light to supply beautiful lighting during the evening. First of all, you ought to secure a few corbels. It should not be so hard as it seems, as corbels have been widely spread in house structures for some centuries now. Mainly they were used for roof supports, but depending of the design, an individual can find them as flooring supports as well. Consider searching for nice dilapidated houses. I man houses that would be fine if they weren’t dilapidated. Old style design, mostly. They’ve a whole lot of corbels. Or you can go to some city honest or estate auction, where they sell everything really very cheap. You will certainly find one. After you have the set of corbels you may want to do a little refurbishing on them. And by that I mean a proper painting and sanding. And an eventual professional cleaning to be able to remove wood parasites, if any. Next you will need a glass top. That’ll be the actual length of your desk , so select your own value. The width of the glass top should be the actual width of the corbels. Because the corbels will be connected to the wall and thus be the desk’s toes, the glass top will be secure on top of them. So the width of the corbel should match the exact width of the glass top. I suggest choosing a thick glass top. Not just it’s safer for you but it is also looking better. The corbels are sturdy thick pieces of work, so using a thin glass top on them will look very flimsy and out of proportion. For securing the corbels to the wall I suggest using some corner mounts. You can fix them in four areas each, two in the top and 2 at the bottom, which will give a tight and most of all a secure fit. If you are not a fantastic hand with drilling you’d better ask a friend who’s to do it. Next set the glass top and secure it in place with anything. The gently drill four holes in it. Two holes along the left margin, two along the right, and use a screwdriver to fix it in place on top of the corbels. There you have it: it’s as unique as corbels get and I bet you friends don’t own one. Did you know that there are certain foods that may lead to bad breath? That spoiling action is because of anaerobic bacteria breaking down proteins in that specific food. In milk, the odor of sour milk results from relatives of those bugs that produce bad breath when they break down proteins in the milk (and essentially in all dairy foods). The same analogy applies to beef if it sits out too long. Everybody knows that garlic and onions will make bad breath. It is because the odorous molecules in garlic and onions are sulfur compounds themselves known as Mercaptans. Sulfur is nature’s way of producing odors. You are all familiar with the skunk. Its odor is made by a defense and/or attack mechanism. Skunk odor is composed of skatoles, which can be naturally occurring sulfur compounds. In a similar manner, bacteria in your mouth generates the volatile sulfur compounds of bad breath and taste disorders. Let us look carefully at each of these food groups and how they provoke bad breath! The most frequent drying agent in food is alcohol. Alcohol of course, is the cornerstone of all”adult” beverages like beer, wine, and hard liquor. Additionally it is used, sadly, in many mouthwashes that you see in the grocery stores, which only makes a bad breath problem worse. Alcohol, known as a desiccant, is used quite often in labs to”dry out” difficult to reach areas in test tubes and beakers. The same end result occurs in the oral cavity. Although cigarettes aren’t really food, smoking may be the fastest way to dry your mouth out, with alcohol being the next. If you smoke, you’re sure to have bad breath! Dairy foods have a reputation for creating bad breath. An article that appeared in the”Los Angeles Times” once noted that over 50 percent of the populace in Southern California had been”lactose intolerant”. With respect to bad breath, a number of these people (numbering in the tens of millions) end up with more dense proteins accessible as poor breath gas for the bacteria than those who don’t have any issue with dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.. The outcome is a buildup of amino acids, which can be easily converted to volatile sulfur compounds from the anaerobic bacteria found inside the surface of the tongue and throat. To a lesser extent, individuals have the identical problem with other kinds of food that are thought of as dense in protein like poultry, beef, and fish. This condition is named TMA (Trimethylaminuria) and may be called the”Fish Odor Syndrome,” since the odor produced is very similar to decaying fish. The odor includes sulfur compounds, plus nitrogen compounds (amines). Individuals with this condition must abstain from beans and other kinds of food which are dense in protein. Wouldn’t it be great if we can eliminate bad breath by chewing on M&Ms? That is what the makers of Altoids would have you think. Altoids, and other products of the same ilk, are attempting to fool the general public into thinking that a powerful”good” taste in your mouth is equal to the”freshness” of your breath. This is so anti-scientific it is absurd! If you consider it for a moment, it really does not make any sense. But, Altoids contains two different types of sugar that again, are a fuel for the bacteria to reproduce and produce more sulfur compounds – hence bad breath. Additionally, the frightening part is that other germs can take the sugars and produce glycan strands, which then wind up causing thick layers of plaque on the enamel of your teeth and around your gums. As you can not smell your own breath, then you just go merrily along with this terrific strong mint flavor in your mouth, while others near you’re backing off – backing away from the increased bad breath, jagged teeth, and gross, swollen, bleeding gums! Keep away from candies, mints, and chewing gum should they contain sugar! Foods with a high acidic content are a problem also. A few of the foods that you should watch out for are java and several citrus juices. However, tea is fine. One of the citrus juices that the ones with the greatest acidic material include tomato juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grapefruit juice. So as to lower the production of odorous sulfur compounds, the acid environment has to be neutralized. What can you learn from all of this? Avoiding foods that lead to, or even causebad breath is critical if you would like clean fresh breath. While this is a tricky task, being mindful of those halitosis causing components is the first step in creating confidence in your breath. Additionally, it’s necessary to employ oral care products that are free of sugar, alcohol, which also have a high pH level. Chocolate – the beverage of the Gods, has forever been man’s sinful indulgence. Chocolate comes in many shapes and sizes, and it’s used for several recipes, but none surpasses the chocolate cake – first place in popularity. A chocolate cake can be made from any type of chocolate. It can be made from plain, dark chocolate or”sour” chocolate that contains little or no additional sugar. Cakes can be made from white chocolate, which tastes sweet and is quite rich and smooth, almost with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. However, this sort of chocolate is extremely expensive. Innovation is the buzzword in chocolate circles now and along with chocolate you’ll find varied other ingredients added to the cake to woo your taste buds. There’s the orange and chocolate angel cake, the tangy cinnamon cake, the hot spicy chocolate ginger crunch cake made with ginger syrup and chocolate cake topped with a mildly tempering Banana Sauce to name a few. In fact, it seems that almost everything that’s palatable in the kitchen can be used as a flavoring in chocolate cakes. Hazelnut is great in chocolate cake and is beetroot (used in chocolate layer cakes), redcurrant torte chocolate cake is fabulous and baked chocoate and rasin cheese cake. Chocolate cakes come with vast selection of toppings and decorations. Since chocolate cake by nature has a rich flavor, the toppings are intentionally kept light. You can have dates, almonds, honey toppings, fruit sauces or you can have decorations made out of chocolate. When it comes to decorating with chocolate, the”Covertures” kind chocolate with a shiny finish is the choice of many. There are loads of options when it comes to decorating with chocolate. Anything made out of chocolate is sinfully delicious. In this era, there are numerous people who work at home on a regular or on an on-and-off basis. The reasons could be numerous, beginning from Wildlife Removal health issues, long commute, maternity, and so on. The belief that a worker has to be in the office to be efficient is now gradually changing, with benefits of working from home arising . However, for some people, especially if you have just begun to work from home, things can get a bit overwhelming. Here are a few things you can do to arrange your’home office’. Setting up one room (or a portion of a space ) as your office can go a long way in developing a sense of mood and motivation which may otherwise be lacking when you are not in office. Fix a desk, an ergonomic chair (yes, it’s an investment you will not regret if you work from home regularly), and other essentials you may need for work, for example, a charging station for your computer or mobile phone around this area. Stick to that place the best you can while working and move away when you aren’t. You can still see that area when you are not working, but make certain it’s not near the bed that you sleep in. In smaller houses this might be tricky to arrange but try to establish your workplace in a different room than your bedroom. This isn’t because you could accidentally climb on your bed, and sleep during working hours, but because your quality of sleep at night may be impacted by the existence of your work things. While you are indoors through the significant part of the day, it is important to ensure you get sufficient ventilation, and good excellent air to breathe. If you live in an area where the pollution level is low, keep your windows open at all times for the fresh air to stimulate your brain, and improve your efficiency. If, unfortunately, you live in an area where the outside air is dreadful, an air purifier is recommended. Keep in mind, your health is of utmost importance regardless of from where you work. Although exercising is a mandate for everybody, it is even more crucial for men and women who work from home. When you are in office, you could take frequent breaks down to the cafeteria or a roadside tea/coffee store, but when you are home, these fractures are removed from your routine. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to exercise regularly. Make it a point to get out of the house at least for ten or fifteen minutes daily. You could either run a quick errand such as going to the ATM, picking up dry-cleaning, buying dinner, and so forth, or you could take a brief walk in your neighbourhood in the very least. Going outside once in a day and seeing other people on the street helps your mind relax, because, after all, we are all social beings. Many people, especially in the beginning, often feel guilty about not working from the office. They feel that they are not working , or something is missing. Some people have it even worse because others who visit office regularly have a tendency to point fingers and condemn those who work from home. Snide remarks like”Oh, what do you really know about the hectic traffic we proceed through”, or”You work from home, that must mean you’ve got plenty of time”, to”I do not think people working from home really get any work done”, are quite commonly heard. Don’t get bogged down by such things. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you should work longer hours. Fix your work hours as you would if you were in office, and adhere to it. With the above-mentioned ways, an individual may find working at home a genuine bliss in the center of all the chaos. According to many, the Ford-Mustang is your ideal car brand. Whenever we talk about the best car then it implies car with the best technology, possessing the best features and having super efficient machine system. Undoubtedly, Ford is one of the most acclaimed manufacturers in the automobile industry. On a yearly basis, the automobile businesses try to design and fabricate new cars which are supposed to meet requirements of customers. The car is a popular car as it has several attributes, attributes and therefore many prefer to invest in these vehicles. The brand new 2019 Ford Mustang will hit the market by 2019, it’s as determined by the Ford team. The exterior appearance of the 2019 Ford Mustang is charismatic. It has approximately 4.7 liters straight, small block V8 engine. There’s available distinct shades of this vehicle. The vehicle is available in various shades. It’s a rain detection wiper that creates the key exterior attribute. In any case, the car has other features like the tire camo wheels, attractive headlights, metallic body. Though the new car has certain features that are different from the previous versions, the wheelbase is still the same. There is a marginal lower light controlled by reserve frameworks. The new model is expected to have fog lamps, attractive rear spoiler and quad edge, useful drainage canals. The wheels of the 2019 Ford Mustang are made of tire camo. The outside if the car is attractive and the interior is spacious. There are controlled independently. Inside of the car has a scope for entertainment for those who like to use it for traveling purposes. Other features of the automobile include control wheel, power window, control switches, lights, lights of automobiles, rain sensing wipers, telephones. There are security features that none should not be missing in the automobile. Stops censor, rear camera, airbags make the car ideal for travel. The 2019’s version of the car is supposed to have engines which produce 300 horse power if electricity, 280 lbs of torque. The engine of the vehicle gives the rider 6-acceleration. It’s reported that all the car engines will be equipped with turbochargers. The starting price of the vehicle is about $45,990. It can be said that the vehicle is expensive for the average people. The purchase price of the vehicle can reach $66,490 in some cases. 2019’s Ford’s version of the vehicle has a number of features which make it popular amongst the users. It inherits some of the features of its previous versions. Besides, there are some additional features of this car which make it truly amazing to ride. The car has attractive exterior and interior features. It has a high-performance engine which makes it truly amazing to ride. The car exterior includes a super metallic body which lends to it a truly charismatic appearance. However, for the fair, it can be a costly affair to invest in these vehicles. For additional information about the vehicle, it’s advised to see relevant contents available online. A recent report by the BBC on the continuing investigation into Diana’s death after a French assessment left me rather intolerable. In it was an accusation that the photographers that were pursuing her contributed to the accident and, thus, her death. While this can’t really be contested it would appear that the commitment of those men is such that they have very little respect for the privacy of the subject. Apparently a photograph of her boy-friend, Dodi, made its founder and the press for which he worked millions of dollars. The paparazzi were fired up while seeking to find another’exclusive’ shot of the exact same or similar. This woman was big news and well liked globally and magazines and newspapers were hungry for anything that would indicate she was romantically involved with someone. The kiss seemed to be just what they needed. Looking past the photographers, however, caused me to question the mentality of the public who swallow this stuff. They are those who but the magazine and newspapers. They are likewise hungry for gossip and snippets of information from the personal lives of the famous. If they did not there would be no demand for what happened that night in Paris. Equally as dedicated were the investigating police from Scotland Yard who re-examined every detail of the French investigation and found nothing amiss with it. The BBC, however, sent their own team to follow up and low and behold they discovered evidence that the vehicle was smashed up and composed two years earlier. Sold to a firm who repaired and sold it on it was purchased by a limousine provider to the rich in Paris. It was apparently under wraps in the basement of the Ritz Hotel when it was brought out to take Diana and Dodi away from it to his apartment. Since the photographers were chasing the car it was going at speed when it crashed into the pillar of the tunnel through which they were travelling. It was a case of situation and the blame has to be distributed to several situations, not least of which is the hunger for the public and the media for that type of gossip. The world lost an icon that night and the media lost a victim. The British people and the two boys she left behind still mourn her loss. We don’t know why things like this happen but in my opinion we die when our time is up regardless of who we are or what we are doing. The things that are unexpected and, heads or in untimely, are done precisely when they are meant. We have all reincarnated and our death and birth is timed just to fit into that design. Our commitment should be to the Spirit rather than to any icon or idol. Numerous reasons have been given by many people and entities why they go for green homes and buildings. Through the years, developers have been very keen on abiding by the standards set by police aimed at promoting sustainable living. Despite the discussions and data drive, a lot of us are still left clueless about the advantages of such efforts. It’s estimated that with the rest of the article, you, as a reader, will be shared with valuable information which will help you grasp the genera idea of green building. One of the foremost advantages of investing in a green home is the multitude of financial benefits it provides. It may be an expensive investment, but as years pass, the operator can actually reap the advantages of lower water and electricity bills. Operating costs will likely depreciate in figures as compared with operating or maintain a non-green compliant home or building. The market value of green properties surges as time passes by. Demand for this kinds of homes are projected to go up by 2020 with more millenials leaping into the realization that owning a dream house ought to be tasked with adopting environmental obligations as well. If time comes that the owner decides to sell his bit, gain is most likely on his edge. Life span of green houses is projected to be longer than their non-compliant counterparts. Families invest in homes because of their kids. Basically, the social welfare of younger family members is in the high positions of consideration when a house is built or bought. With this come the related health advantages that owners will get. Planned ventilations and well-located air flow appliances contribute to improved air quality. In general, windows of green houses are also designed to let natural air and natural sunlight pass based on controlled amount or as needed. Green homes would not be called such if without for the benefits that the environment receives. These types of homes and structures generally are built using hybrid raw and raw ingredients. This reduces trees cut for use as boards, lumbers, and hardwoods. The trees are given more time to grow in their natural habitat. Well-planned water sewage and waste disposal systems are also incorporated in the designs of green houses. If you’re planning of building a green house, the several benefits discussed above are more than enough reasons to give your strategy a green sign. Enjoy An Event Like EGX? We are going to forget the fact that a dodgy pint of lager curtailed my trip (I have only myself to blame) and crack on with trying to answer the key question – can a gaming dinosaur truly enjoy EGX? Give me a PS1 and FFVII and you’ve got a 10/10 rating from me. Therefore, if you are like me you are probably wondering if or not a gaming convention (warts and all) is worth going to. My trip was the brainchild of my lovely girlfriend who on wanting to bump up my birthday present (March if you are wondering) Googled”retro gaming event”. Google being Google proceeded to load up the biggest gaming event of the year only because it had a”Retro Gaming Keyboards”. I fought my natural instincts to flee and consented to this union. Six months down the line and our romantic trip to Birmingham was upon us. For people who have not been there believe me when I say it is rather a nice city to visit and has more restaurants than you can shake a selfie stick at. Anyhow, I digress. Excitement meant a 5am start was had, hardly ideal when your train only leaves at 10am. After a relatively painless train travel we arrived at Birmingham International. The NEC is rather conveniently attached to the station. What is rather unhandy is the cross Birmingham hike through the channel to get to it (I kid of course), but we came nevertheless. The first thing that struck me was how dark it was. “It’ll damage your eyes son!” She used to say,”You will need glasses when you are old!” She is right but I’d never remind her of it. I pondered the alternative, office-type squint-inducing fluorescent light and concluded the organisers knew best. Right by the entrance are the indie games which I had to applaud. Tell a gamer the new COD or FF is lurking around somewhere and they’ll hunt it out, two hour queue and all, however they are somewhat more reluctant to seek out those indie gems. The standard of the indie games on show was quite phenomenal and it is going to also reassuring to see that the retro gaming vibe remains powerful (watch out for features on Conga Master and Modsork soon). It’s definitely given me something to aim for with my current job. Given it was a Saturday afternoon there was still ample room to move about and talk to the developers whilst having a gander at their wares. Indie-only events are most likely still a better bet for seeking them out but seeing as this was a small part of a enormous pie you can’t complain. A ginormous banner for Final Fantasy XV attracted me hurtling back to reality. We were in it now. The queues were long (apparently much shorter on a Thursday or Friday if the kids are in school) but I did manage to get a glimpse of said new COD, new Gears of War and also new FIFA and you know what? I barely felt a thing. I don’t know who to blame for my complete lack of attachment to current gen gaming. I could blame Sony but then I’d have to ignore my love for the PS1 and PS2. But I’ll choose to blame the part inside of me that refuses to commit to a video game and my perform these games require that (FIFA17 apart). The line between video games and movies is now distinctly blurred (this is what you wanted Nintendo!) And I am not sure I like it. Give me three buttons and a spiky blue hedgehog and I am happy. Which brings me nicely to the hallowed Retro Gaming Corner, a lot bigger than I’d imagined (a nice surprise). Atari 7800s, Spectrum ZXs, SNES, Mega Drives, Master Systems as far as the eye could see. That is a slight exaggeration but my were there a lot of these and all with cathode ray tubes to boot. Maybe it was the heat from all of the CRTs, maybe it was the beginning of some kind of bug but I couldn’t stop sweating. But throughout the sweat my eyes could make out the many kinds of stated blue hedgehog, manic miners, an under-fire from plenty of barrels plumber and all was well. What pleased me more were the swarms of younger generation folk enjoying these gems. In a world in which you’ve over six buttons to master, the two/three button universe must be a doddle. The games were also split by genre – the light gun games in 1 area (still far better than anything Kinect as to provide IMO), the”newer” rhythm games in another, platformers, shooters etc.. . There was something for everybody. Would I like to have seen more of a fuss made of the retro gaming corner? Perhaps with a little more interaction? Of course I would, but EGX is not about retro gaming, it’s about previewing new things and being a step ahead of the game. The all-day ticket is quite pricey (about #20) but the afternoon session from 2pm – 7pm was around half that. Would I recommend it to an avid gamer? Only if you’ve got a bit of an interest in current gen gaming as particular retro gaming events offer a lot more for less money. I’d also take a couple of days off work and go on a Thursday to beat those pesky queues. And steer clear of this beer. Should you get a pet skunk? There are a great deal of people that prefer to have unique and exotic pets. A skunk is one of those special and exotic animals that you can turn into a house-pet. You have to be prepared to care for this animal, and ready for their particular behaviors so as to enjoy having these little creatures around. Typically a skunk that is going to be kept as a pet will be taken to the veterinarian so they can have their scent glands removed. If you do not do this then your pet could spray you any time they become irritated with you, frightened, or startled. The vet will check the animal for any signs of illness and will vaccinate them from things like the diseases that dogs and cats can get. There’s no vaccine for rabies that’s been determined to operate on only skunks so you may not be able to get them this sort of vaccine. You have to call around and ensure that the local veterinarians in your area will accept your new pet as their new patient. These little creatures are extremely active and very curious. They’ll investigate everything they see and they frequently will steal anything they think will make their bed softer to lie on. Training them requires some patience and commitment but it can be achieved. Teaching them they cannot explore some regions of the home might end up being more difficult. They do not like to be simply ignored and will require that you pay attention to them. They like to play and can be very persistent when they would like to play with you. They can also be very loving and extremely entertaining. Their playful and curious nature makes them delightful to just watch. Before getting one of these animals you’ll have to make sure that it’s legal for you to have one as a pet on your state. There are laws in various states governing the ownership of exotic animals. You may call your county courthouse and ask if it is legal for you to have one, and if you will need a permit to own one of those animals. To feed this animal you are going to want to prepare cooked poultry meat such as chicken. Vegetables that are fresh and they are also able to eat some cooked vegetables. They like nuts, grains, melbourne fl rat removal and can be fed cereal. Avoid high fat foods and processed meats in their diets. You’ll also find some foods that are specially formulated to feed into these animals in captivity. There’s a whole lot of social debate about the character differences which set cat and dog people apart. Scientific results are inconclusive, and in which specific patterns exist, the differences are often attributed to the behavioral differences of both animals. Despite that, there are some logical questions that can determine whether you’d be better suited for a feline companion or a puppy. Would You like a Loyal Companion? Cats tend to be more solitary than puppies. Cats are more active at night, and dogs are daytime animals. . It’s rare to find a cat that will allow you to put it on a leash, while dogs adjust to the idea quite fast. Convincing a cat that it needs to be available at your slightest beckoning is difficult, while a dog is anxious that you call it’s name. Dogs are obedient and submissive. Cats are independent and aloof. Cats are indifferent or timid. Dogs are generally larger and less coordinated. This is not to say that cats aren’t great companions. When a cat wants to be petted or cuddled, it may be insistently loving. But, cats are not waiting around for you to notice them, while dogs appear to relish the slightest bit of attention. A cat is pleased to play alone with a ball, while the dog would rather you participated in a game of fetch. Except for smaller dogs, canines require more care and upkeep. Cats are happy with a litter box and are more finicky, though most dogs need to be taken out, and are ready to help themselves to table scraps. Because of these differences, a dog person ought to be enthusiastic about spending more time interacting with their pet, while a cat person ought to be willing to accept that the cat needs and expects very little disturbance. There’s also the thought of pet hygiene. Both types of pet have to be groomed regularly, including cutting their claws. Dogs need to be bathed regularly or they will develop an odor. Cats clean themselves frequently and require human-assisted bathing only on rare occasions. Flea and tick prevention was once the significant reason for giving your cat a bath, but there are products on the market now that remove flea shampooing for both species, unless you simply wish to use it. More people are allergic to cat dander in relation to a dog’s. Whether they like cats or not, those people may require medication in order to be exposed to their cat on a regular basis. A dog will roll in foul-scented items, while a cat will not. By nature, cats are hunters and dogs are scavengers, and even the best of breeding won’t get rid of those traits from the creature because it’s an instinctual part of their existence. The ultimate factor of whether you are a cat person or a dog person is which one you find more attractive. This has nothing to do with behaviour or dining customs, and everything to do with your personal tastes of what you’re attracted to. It could be something as straightforward as the fact that most cats take up less space on the bed at night, or that dogs give you a better feeling of security. The animal kingdom has ever co-existed with humans for centuries. The symbiotic relationship between the fauna species in the environment was interdependent. However, the recent injustice against animals is on the high rise and as such must be addressed. Animals that have been adopted as pets face domestic violence, issuing from their owners who are impatient towards the weaknesses of these species that are delicate. As such, some expose them to the harsh weather condition like rain and the intense heat from the glowing rays of sunlight. Other people starve their pets because of the fact that they ruined their high earned property from sheer ignorance. These pets must not obtain this domestic violence. Others who are insensitive to the needs of the pets, especially healthcare, leaves them in the cold hands of the dangerous diseases like Lyme, Canine Parvovirus, Rat Control, Diabetes, Arthritis, Rabies and several others. These animals are life agents who require constant medical checkups as humans do. They have to frequent to veterinary centers for them to be analyzed on new health hazard developments so that they can be attended to immediately. A balanced diet is a necessity for the health advancement of each life agent. Animals in our care must be recipients of well-nourished meals eaten at appropriate times and intervals daily. They must have enough rest and should not be exposed to any kind of activity that would waste their strengths. Starving pets as a punishment is an insanity on the part of owners because its aim would not be achieved, after all, they’re not mental agents like humans who can easily ascertain the moral lessons of these activities. Some believe that spending untold sums and resources for caring for animals is a mere drain on the market but this assertion is not justified. The benefits earned from such fauna species are astronomical and this write-up can’t exhaust all them. Aside from they offering recreation, physical protection, and business, these terrific creatures offer spiritual protection and can ward off bad attack targeted to a particular household. Cats, dogs, parrots and other fauna species are charged with special spiritual protective abilities. They can give signals of imminent risks in their abrupt change of mindset which a responsible owner can easily recognize. This should incite individuals to constantly care for the animals in their care. As scholars, we glean many powerful lessons from such creatures in our environment if we carefully analyse their lifestyle. As an example, we learn how to defend our wards and shield them from all possible risks from how the fish goes out to protect her chicks. There is actually a listing of foods which are called the healthiest foods in the world. For a food to make it onto this list, it has to meet certain criteria. We’ll outline this below along with a sampling of some of the healthiest foods in the world. What this signifies is that every food must be very rich in nutrients in connection with their calorie content. That is they should not have any artificial or synthetic ingredients, nor must they be processed foods. The foods are also classified as daily meals, those that you consume daily. All the healthiest foods on earth has to be readily available to people and reasonably priced. This is why certain exotic fruits aren’t on the list. Despite the fact that they may have superior nutritional quality, they’re either way too expensive or simply not available to the majority of people. Plus they are all extremely inexpensive foods. Now that you’ve got a good idea of what the healthiest foods in the world are. Your objective is to use them in regular recipes as much as possible. Many of these foods are great tasting by themselves and with the majority of the vegetables it is advised that you steam them with a few herbs to improve their flavor. Cooking vegetables until they are only done will make certain you preserve all of the nutrients. The same goes with eating fresh fruits, eat them as they are supposed to derive the maximum benefit from them. Because each of these foods are common ingredients it will be simple to find recipes to turn black beans and tofu to a delight your family will be willing to eat. If you take a good look at the list of the healthiest foods on the planet you will see that all of these foods would be great when included in a weight loss plan. It will be pretty easy to include different foods from each food group on a daily basis. You will have no trouble in losing a couple of additional pounds. Making a concerted effort to eat fresh local fruits and veggies will permit you to feed your family nutritious foods that are vital for good health. Plus you will be eating from the healthiest foods in the world regularly. When it comes to culture in the USA you will find a lot of it in Boston, Massachusetts. They have their own way of speaking and a uniquely Bostonian way of doing things. A big influence on town has become the Irish and lots of members of the city are of Irish decent. Boston has also been strongly influenced by Italian, British, Melbourne Wildlife Removal, Hispanic, and West Indian culture. The city has its own unique dialect that has been strongly influenced by Hiberno-English. In popular culture Boston is renowned for the Cheers bar, and you can still go to this today. Do not be too disappointed when you find that the inside of the bar looks like the TV show; the outside looks precisely the same though. The interior of the Cheers bar was created in another part of the city for those die-hard lovers who wish to experience the show in real life; unfortunately Sam Malone won’t be there to tend bar. As well as low-brow entertainment shows Boston is also the home of several nice cultural treats. This is a college city so that it places a whole lot of weight in people’s educational achievements. In other areas of the United States they might judge a many by his pocket, but in this town it is brains that gets the most respect. Boston Common is where to go if you fancy a bit of theatre and everywhere in the city three you will find different forms of the arts represented. If you want music with a little more oomph then you will find that the town has been home to some of the greatest rock and pop band. Many indie bands came from here and many others moved here to make their name. The Pixies come from Boston and they are credited with inspiring the whole grunge scene with Nirvana listing the group as their primary inspiration. More mainstream pop bands like Boston (band) and The Cars also come from town. A good deal of Hip Hop has also been created in here. The town is home to a fine museums like the Museum of Fine Arts and the National Museum of African American art. Harvard University and Boston University also home some nice artwork. There are loads of festivals in town and it has one of the largest St Patrick’s Day parades in the world. The Boston Jazz festival and Boston Film festival are also well worth adding to your social calendar. Boston is a great place to travel to if you’re looking for a bit of culture or simply want to find the city that brought you the Cheers bar. If you have an artistic soul then you will find plenty to keep you motivated and entertained. Boston can provide you a lot of things, but a dull moment wont’ be one of them. Is Dog daycare right for you? Day care for dogs is a growing trend among pet owners across the nation. While it might seem like something for the idle rich, it isn’t just for those who have money to burn. It is for any pet owner that loves their dog and works long hours; however, some dogs go to day care only to be socialized with other dogs. The objective of any good dog day care centre is to provide a healthy and safe encompassing for puppies. The space should enable them to interact and socialize in healthy quantities with both other dogs and humans. While there are a few chain or franchise dog care facilities, a number of the companies are stand alone organizations. The men and women who run doggie day care organizations are typically people who love dogs and want to spend their days together. These facilities are their mind kids and so provide Satellite Beach Wildlife Removal based on what the owner can dream up. Because day care amenities are the products of a person’s creativity, they are as deep and broad as the imaginations of company owners. Often, dog day care facilities will unite day care with overnight boarding, training, and grooming facilities. Others will consist of vet services on site or have a vet come by on a particular day of the week to perform dog check-ups and administer vaccines. While this may sound goofy, if a dog’s owner works long hours, they might not have the time to send the dog to each location for the services required. Having all services on site makes it far easier on the dog owner. Other amenities include canine massages and aromatherapy treatments. This sounds goofy to many people but older dogs or young dogs with health problems are sure to appreciate a good massage. To cover these various amenities, doggie day care centers will have a variety of cost packages that are sure to meet the needs and budgets of the vast majority of dog owners. The facilities used by day care centers are typically big to start and then split into smaller regions. This helps to ensure that nobody is hurt in a rough and tumble game of fetch. There are also outdoor exercise areas in many day care centers. To gain admittance to some dog day care facility, a dog must pass a rigorous screening process and have had all of his or her shots. Wildlife door or doggy door? Yup, I truly did believe that adding a doggy-door to get my back yard are the best present I could give to my small dog. Well, I do not think that way anymore. It turns out that our city-raised raccoon neighbours now understand how to use these doors themselves. If this has happened to you, and you have a doggy-door, or perhaps a cat flap installed in an outer door, than you know the problem. Raccoons have really dexterous front paws that let them open doors, bins, and even cupboards almost as easily as a human does. Cute? Not so much if this little invader enters and ruins your home, and I assure you a raccoon will make short work of any dwelling if given half the opportunity. Raccoons have been known to eat live, caged birds that they get access to so in the event that you’ve got a pet bird, this issue is much more important to know. However, it is easy to learn how to live in harmony with raccoons (and other forms of wildlife for that matter) by remembering simple things such as; NEVER feed your pets outdoors, keep garbage indoors until your collection day, and use compost containers which deter wildlife while allowing for ventilation, call Merritt Island Opossum Removal for trapping.. TIP : I found that hanging my big green bin (for kitchen compost) on my fence from the handle so that it dangles, tilting in toward the fence at the bottom, works flawlessly. Even opossums can’t get to it anymore. Keeping your home in good repair is another simple method of discouraging raccoons and other critters from going in. Squirrels, raccoons, and even starlings are notorious for moving in rather quickly to incomplete and failed buildings. To-date there are no known repellents for raccoons, so please understand; it’s significantly simpler to take the necessary steps in discouraging their even thinking of invading your property, than to correct the damages caused after they have been removed. And, last but not least; if your pet has been bitten by a raccoon or any other wildlife, it might have been infected by rabies, so you should contact your vet immediately. Keeping your pets inside overnight will lessen the likelihood of their ever coming into contact with a raccoon. Right now there are about 5 million wild hogs running around America. With 2 million of them living in Texas alone. Hog hunting has become so popular in Texas that many counties and cities have their hog cook-offs and BBQ’s annually. There are currently 37 countries that have wild hogs in them. Back then wild hogs were a logical choice to bring and attempt to populate the area, because of their toughness and ability to multiply easily. The typical female wild pig can give birth to 24 piglets annually. That’s plenty of babies. So this is where Satellite Beach Opossum Removal step in and become a massive asset. In Texas alone, hunters kill about 24,000 hogs a year. Can you imagine if hunters were not killing this many pigs each year? Texas would be overrun with these animals. Florida is another state that is totally overrun with these creatures. They’re in each and every county in Florida. With the terrific weather and abundance of food there, it’s no surprise that they flourish and spread like a disease. One thing Texas landowners should and could do is open their gates to more hunters and allow them to help control this from control animal. It has been said that if the landowners were to open their gates to hunters there wouldn’t be an over population of these animals. At least not to the extent it is now. Not only do these animals destroy and decimate the property. They carry serious diseases that can spread to every other living thing. Deaths have occurred from people consuming vegetables that were contaminated by wild hog feces. This could be avoided. Hunters are more than willing to go out, hunt and take down these creatures. Hunters do everyone a service, also putting food on their own tables. Just imagine what great an additional billion dollars could do to the economy? This issue could definitely be avoided. Our neighborhood Fish and Game departments do not have the money or resources to handle this problem. If you’ve got these animals in your state. Be safe and decent hog hunting my friends. Do you own a property and have issues with wild animals who passes by your garden every now and then? Then it may be time for you to put up a backyard fence of some sort. You should have a look at various alternatives and choose the one that fits your needs. It’s possible to purchase a deer fence if that’s what you need and you may also pick a ground hog weapon or a rabbit fence if that turns out to be everything you need so as to protect your garden from harms. To purchase a complete deer fence kit is a great option if you would like to keep the animals away from your backyard permanently. The perfect fencing solution will cover all your gardening needs and you’ll be able to keep all of your flowers and trees in excellent shape. It will definitely be a relief for you to be able to relax in the nighttime, knowing that wild animals can’t get into your garden. The good thing with a deer fencing is that it will help keep other animals, like rabbits and ground hogs off as well. You can purchase a ground hog fence if you would like, but that’s not essential because the deer fence kit will include everything you have to keep the enemies of your garden away. It’s very tough for deers to permeate this new garden fence and a lot of them won’t be able to make it at all. A rabbit weapon can be a great alternative if rabbits are the only problem. You’ll have everything you need to build and install the fence in the same package and it will not be too difficult to put this up. When you have got a ground hog fence or a deer fence you will have the ability to sit back and relax and watch your beautiful flowers. No animal will have the ability to ruin your happiness and you will have the ability to maintain your garden in perfect shape during the whole summer. Calling Melbourne Squirrel Removal for humane trapping is the best solution for everyone who’s experiencing difficulties with wild animals causing damage in the backyard. With this solution you won’t need to appear at other alternatives and that’s a terrific thing! Wild baby rabbits are very edgy and nervous especially when they’re near people and other animals. The lifestyles of bunnies have reduced rates when they’re being kept. The is their home. Wild infant rabbits have a big difference from domestic rabbits. Domesticated rabbits came from European breeds and have many kinds of bunnies like the Angora rabbits, Feral rabbits, Holland Lop as well as Flemish Giant rabbits. Domesticated rabbits are typically raised to be house pets. Domestic rabbits are known for their fuzzy furs. Wild bunnies are the forefathers of domestic rabbits. They were the ruler of bunny world. There are many kinds of infant rabbits but the common bunny is the cottontail rabbit. Normally, hare are the ones that are wild and rabbits are the tamed ones. Here are some important rules when you happen to see any bunnies in your premises: First thing you should check is if the rabbits are hurt. Biting or nipping is out from their traits. The main way for them to defend themselves is by kicking their hind legs. Rabbits have a way of escaping your grip. They’ll relax their bodies against your grip and when you think it’s okay to relax your grip as well then it is their perfect cue to leap away fro your hands. Examine the baby rabbits for these next lives threatening condition: pneumonia, severe bleeding, seizure, spinal or brain injury, poisoning, shock, difficulty of breathing, hypo or hypothermia. If one or two of these conditions exist, immediately call your veterinarian or any rehabilitator for help. If you notice that the rabbit is jumpy and nervous, Please don’t try to examine them with your hands because this may only add up to their own stress. But rather wrap them with towel and put them somewhere in your house which is dim and free form any activities from the outside world such as human voices as well as predators. Two months and half baby rabbits must be kept under the incubator to keep their bodies warm. Baby rabbits are prone to dehydration. If this occurred, feed them whenever possible with Pedialyte. 7. Unlike aged or domesticated rabbits, wild rabbits aren’t much fond of eating foods so do not overfeed them. Overfeeding may results in Diarrhea. 8. See to it that they’re not having any messy fecals. Once you fed the wild baby rabbits, set them free. Bring them back to their nest. Keeping wild rabbits as pets aren’t advisable. You can call Satellite Beach Bat Removal for assistance.

2019-04-18T15:06:18Z

http://ifishlakestclair.com/

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2019-04-24T18:14:17Z

http://reyreyrey.moritaro.com/archives/299

Strategies for Shoeing the Horse With Palmar Foot Pain (T Shoe) | Grand Circuit Inc. I have used the T Shoe (therapeutic shoe) marketed by Grand Circuit products in my practice for a few years. The advantage of this shoe is that the biomechanics necessary to correct many foot problems are included within the shoe. The shoe has a wide heel base, the toe of the shoe is wide offering protection, it provides heel elevation and has the breakover set well back into the shoe. The shoe can be further modified using a hand grinder if desired. When the shoe is applied to an appropriately trimmed foot, the biomechanics are applied to the foot through the shoe without losing the weight bearing function and integrity of the hoof capsule. Many changes can be appreciated following application of the T shoe. Immediate changes are usually an increase in comfort for the horse as well as an improved hoof-pastern axis and a better palmar angle of the distal phalanx; both can be noted radiographically. Changes observed at the first reset are an increased sole depth, increased hoof wall growth at the coronet (both rate and consistency) and often an improvement at the heels depending on the prior damage. Horses having the long toe under run heel hoof conformation and cases with palmar foot pain have shown the best results. Author's address: Northern Virginia Equine, PO Box 746, Marshall, VA 20116; e-mail: sogrady@look.net. © 2006 AAEP. Palmar foot pain is thought to be the most common cause of lameness in the horse.1 The diagnosis of palmar foot pain using palmar digital perineural analgesia is relatively straightforward, whereas diagnosis of the site of injury in the palmar section of the foot is often difficult or confusing. The source of pain could originate from the bones, joints, or ligaments enclosed within the hoof complex. An example of this would be navicular disease or perhaps, a lesion in the impar ligament. Additionally, the pain could arise from the hoof complex, which for the purpose of this paper is composed of the hoof capsule, sole, frog, digital cushion, ungual cartilages, and deep digital flexor tendon. The hoof complex can be subjected to acute and chronic insidious mechanical overload as a result of repetitive trauma, conformation abnormalities, or farrier principles, which can lead to injury of these structures. An example of this would be various hoof-capsule distortions such as long-toe under-run heel, club feet, or sheared heels with pain originating from the dermal structures of the hoof.2 To further complicate the problem, palmar foot pain may result from a combination of pathology within the hoof and the compromised structures of the hoof complex. This creates a dilemma for clinicians when trying to manage the lameness and design a shoeing plan. The treatment of palmar foot pain through trimming/shoeing remains empirical and is often based on the previous experience of the equine clinician rather than careful evaluation of the structures that can be affected. In contrast to an empirical approach is an approach that attempts to predict where abnormal stresses are occurring within the digit, because it is well recognized that many conditions, both degenerative and traumatic, are related to excessive stress on a given structure.3 This requires a fundamental understanding of anatomy and foot function. Understanding what may have caused abnormal stresses to arise can then be used to devise therapy and reduce the stresses. It is rare to find a case of palmar foot pain that is not caused or accompanied by some type of hoof capsule distortion. Correcting this abnormal hoof conformation will always be part of the initial treatment plan. With this in mind, the significance of equine podiatry becomes apparent when we consider that some form of therapeutic shoeing will form part or in some cases, all of the treatment for palmar foot pain. The soft tissue structures comprise the palmar/ plantar section of the equine foot. The frog should be thick and well developed, and its width should equal 60% of its length.2 The frog seems to assist in the expansion of the heels, provide traction when in motion, and dissipate the energy of impact through its soft, elastic nature.5 The digital cushion that mirrors the frog below extends from the toe ventral to the deep digital flexor tendon and along the solar surface of the distal phalanx. Finally, paired ungual cartilages shaped like an irregular rhomboid plate are attached to the distal phalanx. Approximately 50% of the distal border is attached to the palmar processes of the distal phalanx and extends palmarly; 50% of the cartilage extends proximal to the hoof capsule.3 Along the distal border of the ungual cartilage is an axial projection that extends toward the midline and overlies the bars of the hoof wall.6 The pressure asserted on the bars during weight bearing may assist the outward movement of the ungual cartilages during hoof expansion. The deep digital flexor tendon exerts considerable influence on the conformation of the hoof complex and its function.7,8 A club foot will be present when there is a shortening of the deep digital flexor musculotendon unit, whereas a low or under-run heel conformation will be present with a lengthening of this unit. When any component of the hoof capsule is weakened by genetics, overload, injury, disease, environmental factors, or farriery practices, the force of the deep digital flexor tendon can cause or exacerbate distortion of the hoof capsule. The relationship of the structures become obvious if we consider that the distal phalanx occupies twothirds of the hoof capsule and the remaining onethird is occupied by soft tissue structures - the deep digital flexor tendon, frog, digital cushion, and ungual cartilages. This relationship provides the functionality of weight bearing combined with support and an anti-concussive mechanism. When any of these components or any combination thereof fail, excess stresses are placed on the remainder of the hoof, which leads to overload. Fig. 1. Heel base consisting of hoof wall, buttress, angle of sole, and bars. The digital cushion and the heel base of the hoof capsule are two major components of the palmar foot that are susceptible to overload. The digital cushion forms the bulk of the soft tissue structures and shapes the bulbs of the heels, but when subjected to excessive stresses, it will lose structural integrity and decrease in mass. The decrease in size seems to occur through three mechanisms. First, some horses are born with genetically weak feet that fail to develop a strong palmar foot. Second, recent studies describe a period in which the cushion adapts or matures and the tissue changes from collagen bundles to fibrocartilage.6 This is a logical sequence if we consider that young horses entering training are often confined to stalls with limited or no turnout. This confinement places constant pressure on the supporting structures of the palmar foot and when coupled with limited turnout, may not provide the stimulation necessary for maturation of the cushion. During this period, the horse may receive brief periods of excessive training on immature feet, which compounds the problem. Third, if the heels of the hoof capsule are allowed to grow forward, this places a weight bearing function on the soft tissue structures of the foot, resulting in abnormal compression. Increased pressure on the digital cushion over time leads to a change in the architecture and size of the structure. The heel base of the hoof capsule is composed of the hoof wall, heel buttress, bar, and angle of the sole (Fig. 1).2 A well-developed heel base is critical to the health of the hoof. The terms low heel or under-run heel are used interchangeably and denote the angle of the heel to be 5° or more lower than the angle of the toe, yet the structures of the heel remain intact forming a base.9 This definition may not be viable, because there are very few horses that wear shoes where the angle of the heel approximates that of the dorsal wall at the toe. Under-run heels are present when the end of the heel is located well forward of a vertical line drawn through the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone and extending to the ground. This line denotes the preferred extent of the ground surface of the heel for functional weight bearing. If the heel is allowed to grow forward, it decreases the weight-bearing surface of the foot and often precludes the heels to collapse. To formulate a rational approach to treating under-run or collapsed heels, it may be helpful to understand the process in which the heel is damaged thus showing the dilemma encountered by veterinarians and farriers when trying to improve this condition. Fig. 2. (A) Under-run heels showing damage to the heel base. (B) Lateral view of hoof capsule with under-run heels. The traditional treatment for under-run heels was to use an egg bar shoe that was often accompanied by a wedge pad to raise the angle of the heels and correct the broken-back hoof-pastern axis that is usually associated with this condition. These shoes are fitted back to the bulbs of the heels with the thought being that the increased ground surface of the shoe will support the palmar section of the foot and the egg bar will support the heels, thus correcting the problem. It is questionable how one can support compromised structures (heels) that no longer have the ability to accept weight. The egg bar shoe places the bulk of the weight bearing on the soft structures of the palmar foot, which over time, will damage these structures further; the egg bar shoe further acts as a moment arm or lever on the heels, creating excessive pressure. This increased pressure will prevent hoof wall growth at the heels. Hoof balance is a vague term used by veterinarians and farriers to describe the theoretical ideal conformation of the foot and the position of the hoof relative to the limb above.2 The term hoof balance was seldom used in early farrier texts. Hoof balance is often used during lameness evaluations to communicate aspects of therapy to the farrier rather than relying on specific biomechanical principles or therapy related to structure and function. When the term "balance the hoof" is used, multiple questions may arise, because the term has no inherent meaning. For example, "hoof balance" has been subdivided into various types such as geometric, dynamic, three dimensional, and recently, natural balance.2 Insofar as attaining overall "balance" goes, it may not be possible to satisfy all these concepts simultaneously. Geometric, dynamic, and natural balances are simply descriptive methods of hoof assessment that are used to teach the art of observation. Biomechanical efficiency of the hoof must be evaluated in both a dorsopalmar/plantar plane and mediolateral plane. Dorsopalmar/plantar orientation is extremely important. It ensures that the entire solar surface of the distal phalanx is loaded during weight bearing, which avoids weight bearing being concentrated on the dorsal or palmar/plantar aspects of the sole and underlying distal phalanx. Poor dorsal palmar/plantar alignment may contribute significantly to the long-toe/under-run heel conformation, the compromised heel structures, and the altered biomechanics that accompany this condition. Poor mediolateral orientation of the hoof is thought to be associated with foot problems such as sheared heels, distorted hoof walls, and hoof cracks. These problems seem to arise from disproportionate forces placed on the lateral or medial aspects of the foot during the landing phase of the stride, most often as a consequence of limb conformation.10 No one standard method of trimming/shoeing will achieve optimum foot conformation for every horse. An option to the term hoof balance would be to use a set of biomechanical principles as guidelines that could be applied to every horse. The term hoof balance could easily be replaced with hoof mechanics, which could have a universal meaning. The foot should be evaluated, trimmed, and shod in such a manner that considers the following mechanics. The hoof - pastern axis. The extension of the heels to the base of the frog. These principles could be used by the clinician in the evaluation of every hoof and could be modified for trimming/shoeing according to hoof conformation, hoof capsule distortions, limb deviations, and landing pattern of the foot. The usual ground surface is paramount to the effect of trimming/shoeing on the horse with palmar foot pain, and yet, it is often disregarded. During weight bearing on a hard surface, load is placed entirely on the hoof wall, but when weight bearing takes place on a deformable surface, the wall is still load bearing while the sole and frog becomes load sharing. Shifting some of the load from the hoof wall may reduce the compressive forces placed on the heel during weight bearing. A deformable surface allows the hoof to rotate about the distal interphalangeal joint, and it does not restrain movement.4 Sand surfaces will reduce loading to tendons and thus, the navicular bone and navicular ligaments.a The forward rotation of the dorsal hoof into the surface acts as a heel wedge to reduce the moment of force about the distal interphalangeal joint and thus, relieves stress on the navicular bone. Egg bar shoes have been suggested as an effective measure to reduce lameness in horses with palmar foot pain. Egg bar shoes do not reduce stress on the navicular bone on hard non-deformable surfaces but may have some effect on horses that perform on a loose, deformable surface. Egg bar shoes or any bar shoes may provide a flotation effect, because the increased ground surface of the bar does not allow the heel to readily sink into the ground.11 Rotation of the foot into a soft, deformable surface may, in fact, have the same effect as a rolled-toe, rocker-toe, or natural-balance shoe.11 If the horse is standing on a soft surface, the toe will be pressed into the soil as the deep digital flexor tendon flexes the distal interphalangeal joint. If the horse is standing or working on a hard surface, the toe has nowhere to go as the tensile forces are transferred from the distal phalanx to the dorsal hoof wall through the laminar attachment. Fig. 3. Lateral radiograph used to illustrate hoof-pastern axis, center of articulation, sole depth, palmar angle of distal phalanx, breakover, and placement of the shoe. Fig. 4. Lateral radiograph shows the palmar angle of the distal phalanx relative to the ground. Radiography can be used as both a diagnostic tool and an aid in assessing all structures within the foot. An unknown but commonly encountered situation is identifying the existence of foot pain in the absence of demonstrable radiographic changes. Considerable information can be obtained from the image of the overall shape of the hoof capsule, the soft tissue structures, and the position of the distal phalanx within the hoof capsule. It should be remembered that many lamenesses localized to the foot are caused by hoof capsule distortions, poor foot conformation, improper landing patterns, and soft tissue damage, which results in inappropriate biomechanical stresses being placed on the navicular apparatus and the distal interphalangeal joint. With or without radiographic lesions indicating disease, the clinician will be able to use the lateral to medial and dorsopalmar views as a precise guide to implement therapeutic trimming and shoeing. From the lateral medial view, we can readily measure the hoof-pastern axis, center of articulation, sole depth, palmar angle of the distal phalanx, breakover, and placement of the shoe (Fig. 3). When the solar plane of the distal phalanx shows a negative palmar angle, we can also access the need for heel elevation and the amount to apply (Fig. 4). The dorsopalmar view will allow the clinician to evaluate the lateral medial orientation of the distal phalanx within the hoof capsule, the position of the distal phalanx relative to the ground, and the effect of the position of the distal phalanx on the joint spaces of the digit; the clinician can then make the appropriate shoeing changes. The need to access the position of the hoof capsule relative to the long axis of the digit is often overlooked. Therapeutic shoeing could be considered the "art and science" of affecting/influencing the structures of the foot. The scope of therapeutic shoeing can be somewhat limited if the structures of the foot are compromised, which renders the foot incapable of accepting the forces placed on the foot by a therapeutic shoe. Trimming is the "mainstay" of therapeutic shoeing, and trimming will be directly influenced by the amount of hoof mass present. Shoeing maintains what has been trimmed (protection), compliments the trimmed foot, and provides foot mechanics. The shoe is able to offer protection, increase ground surface, decrease concussion, unload areas of the foot, affect breakover, and provide heel elevation. Therapeutic shoeing that can be applied to the foot through trimming and/or shoeing can change the dorsopalmar orientation of the foot and the mediolateral orientation of the foot as well as the forces associated with breakover, the forces associated with the deep digital flexor tendon, and the amount of concussion the foot receives during impact. In the event that there is insufficient foot mass present to effect a change with trimming, mechanics can be incorporated into the shoe. Breakover, heel elevation in the form of a wedge, and a roller motion configuration are some of the mechanics that can be built into the shoe. Rails can be added to the shoe for heel elevation, and the axial placement of the rails may reduce torque on the laminar interface of the hoof capsule in a medial or lateral direction. Various forms of bar shoes offer protection, increase the ground-surface area of the foot; stabilize the vertical movement of the hoof capsule at the heels, and in some cases, offer support. Silastic materials and various anticoncussive pads can be combined with shoes to decrease concussion. Rest or controlled exercise should, but seldom does, form part of the therapy for horses with palmar foot pain. With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we are able to image structures within the foot such as the deep digital flexor tendon, navicular bursa, impar ligament, and collateral ligaments. When a lesion involving one of these structures is present, enforced rest of 6-12 mo is generally required. Although the duration of the rest period associated with palmar foot pain is variable, 3-4 wk of rest or limited turnout allows the medical therapy to become effective and the soft tissue inflammation to subside; it also allows structures in the hoof complex, which have been addressed with therapeutic shoeing, to improve. A recent study showed that when evaluating the effect of shoeing, an adaptation period of 2-3 wk is necessary to achieve pain relief.11 If the lameness has resolved after a period of rest, a gradual increase in exercise is recommended before returning the horse to normal use. Although rest may be a beneficial part of treatment, owner or trainer compliance may not be forthcoming, because the desire to continue with competition may take precedent. Conventional wisdom on shoeing the horse with palmar foot pain is that each case should be regarded as an individual. It is rare to find a case of palmar foot pain with confirmed pathology in the navicular region that is not accompanied with a damaged hoof complex. Central to our current knowledge of therapeutic shoeing is the interaction of the structures of the hoof, the manner in which the foot loads, and the surface on which the horse is asked to perform. Our approach to therapeutic shoeing should address three parameters: the visual structures of the hoof complex, the function of the distal interphalangeal joint, and the areas of pathology confirmed through diagnostics and imaging. The ability to improve structures of the foot will be dependent on the structure(s) involved, the amount of damage to the structure, the duration or chronicity, its dependence on adjacent tissue, and its ability to replenish. Damage to various sections of the hoof is generally accompanied by some form of hoof-capsule distortion resulting from inappropriate loading during weight bearing. Dorsal-palmar and medial-lateral orientations are dictated by form and placement of the distal phalanx within the hoof complex. Decrease in the angle between the palmar margin of the distal phalanx and the ground surface results in greater loading of the navicular bone, whereas differences between the toe angle/heel angles has not been correlated to increase in loading of the navicular apparatus. Fig. 6. Solar view of the foot with a line drawn across the widest part of the foot and corresponding lines drawn to the toe and the heel. Fig. 7. Aluminum shoe with breakover moved palmarly/plantarly. Fig. 8. So-called "Onion" shoe used to protect and possibly load and stimulate the bars. To implement trimming and shoeing, guidelines are established using careful evaluation of the foot along with good quality radiographs. Trimming and shoeing techniques are applied to the foot using the biomechanical principles that address the center of articulation, the hoof pastern axis, the trimming of the heels to the base of the frog, and breakover. Trimming begins with a line drawn across the widest part of the foot that corresponds to a vertical line dropped from the center of the distal end of the second phalanx (Fig. 5).12 This line drawn across the widest part of the foot will approximate the center of articulation. Other than excessive hoof wall, no horn material is removed from the solar surface of the foot. The heels are trimmed with a rasp to the base of the frog, when possible, with the intent being to create a solid heel base. If insufficient hoof wall is present for the end of the heel to reach the base of the frog; this distance can be lengthened with the shoe. The medial or lateral wall can be lowered cautiously relative to the other when changes to the lateral-medial alignment of the foot are necessary. Excess length of the hoof wall at the toe of the hoof is determined at the sole/wall junction, and it is removed, being careful to leave the adjacent sole for protection. A line drawn from the existing line across the widest part of the foot to the base of the frog should be equal to another line drawn from the widest part of the foot to the toe (Fig. 6). This places the center of articulation in the middle of the foot or in the middle of the shoe when shod. The foot is shaped by removing flares from the outer surface of the hoof capsule to concentrate weight bearing on the hoof wall. This constitutes a basic fundamental trim to which a shoe can be applied to compliment the trim, protect what has been trimmed, and change the biomechanics of the foot further when necessary. The shoe should be as light as possible with a wide web width (0.63-0.75 in) attached with as few nails as possible of the smallest size. Biomechanics is the study of the mechanics of a biological structure.4 A working knowledge of the biomechanics of the foot as we perceive them is essential for the clinician to implement changes through farriery. Hoof mechanics are used to return the biomechanics of the foot to normal and to change the stresses exerted on structures of the foot. Various hoof mechanics are applied to the foot through the combination of trimming, shoes, composites, and urethane products. Elevation of the heels induces flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint, decreases tension in the deep digital flexor tendon, reduces pressure applied to the navicular bone, reduces stress on the hoof capsule, and decreases deformation of the hoof capsule.13-15 Heel elevation is also used to change the position of the distal phalanx within the hoof capsule (i.e., when the angle of the palmar margin of the distal phalanx is negative relative to the ground). It is the author's feeling that when possible, heel elevation should be incorporated into the shoe and placed under those structures of the foot designed to bear weight. Wedge pads or wedge inserts placed between the shoe and the foot are used to elevate the heels but often at the expense of overloading the supporting structures of the foot, which can lead to further deterioration of the hoof capsule at the heels. Wedge pads or wedge inserts should only be used if there is an adequate heel base present along with a substantial frog. Moving the breakover in a palmar/plantar direction has been shown to decrease the moment arm exerted on the distal interphalangeal joint as the foot leaves the ground, but it has not been shown to speed up the timing of breakover (Fig. 7).16 Heel elevation seems to be complimented by moving the breakover back by reducing any delay in breakover that exacerbates stress in the distal interphalangeal joint.17 Many commercial shoes are available that have heel elevation and enhanced breakover included in their design.b Various types of bar shoes are useful in the treatment of palmar foot pain. They offer protection, an increase in ground-surface area, the ability to unload areas of discomfort, stabilization of the heels in a vertical direction, and support. Support is a widely used term that is seldom defined and often ambiguous. Support as defined means to hold up a structure or to keep it from collapsing. Support as a concept applied to structures within the foot, such as collapsed heels caused by excessive compressive strain, has little overall applicability in farriery. However, supporting the foot with heel pain may be accomplished by preventing the palmar aspect of the hoof from descending into the ground surface. This can be accomplished by increasing the ground surface area around the periphery of the foot or at the heels. The author prefers a straight bar shoe over an egg bar shoe. This shoe can be fitted in close approximation to the hoof capsule, and the forces can be more concentrated under the foot, yet still accomplish the flotation effect. With the egg bar shoe, the branches of the shoe will invariably extend beyond the heels of the foot, which creates a moment arm or lever that places excess pressure on the heels of the hoof capsule. Fig. 9. Glue-on OT shoe with breakover and heel elevation designed into the shoe. Protection Protection to weak, damaged, or overloaded areas of the heel can be provided by shoes or shoes combined with various silastic or urethane products. Shoes can be forged or metal plates can be attached to shoes that cover structures susceptible to damage, such as the heel base of the hoof capsule, or structures overlying the frog. Collapsed or weak heels often represent a source of pain and can be effectively protected by modifying the heels of a shoe or by attaching a small plate to the shoe that is shaped to fit over the heel base (Fig. 8). Impression materialc can be placed under the wide expanse of the shoe at the heels; it may decrease the compression placed on the heels during weight bearing, and at the same time, it may load the bars with the thought being to improve the function of the ungual cartilage. Horses with pain localized to the palmar foot often benefit from liquid polyurethaned being placed in the solar surface of the foot. This material forms a soft, deformable substance under the solar surface of the foot that increases the surface area of the foot, adds protection, decreases compression, and enhances the descent of the distal interphalangeal joint during weight bearing. The use of acrylic composites,e not only to attach horseshoes but also to raise, reconstruct, or extend the ground surface of a weak or collapsed heel, is extensive in therapeutic shoeing.18 The composite used to glue on the shoe, when placed between the foot and the shoe at the heels, can have the following effects: elevates the heels when necessary, adds mass to the heels so that they can be loaded, extends the ground surface area of the hoof wall at the heel, and creates an interface between the shoe and the foot that will eliminate the movement of the heels against the shoe during expansion, which decreases wear of the heel structures. Glue-on shoes can be useful with horses that have palmar foot pain with decreased hoof mass because it allows the hoof mechanics to be incorporated into the shoe, and then, the shoe is placed on the foot in the proper position without the need for nails (Fig. 9). Treating hoof disease is the only area of veterinary medicine where another profession needs to be involved. A skilled, knowledgeable farrier plays a significant role in treating palmar foot pain. A working knowledge of the form and function of the equine foot is essential for equine practitioners and farriers to formulate a shoeing plan and implement the appropriate hoof mechanics. The anatomical and medical knowledge of the veterinarian, when combined with the mechanical and technical skills of the farrier, provides a comprehensive team that can only enhance the management of palmar foot pain. Turner TA. Shoeing principles for management of navicular disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1986;189:305. O'Grady SE, Poupard DE. Proper physiologic horseshoeing. Vet Clin North Am [Equine Pract] 2003;19:333-344. Parks AH. Form and function of the equine digit. Vet Clin North Am [Equine Pract] 2003;19:285-296. Rooney JR. The lame horse. Wisconsin: Russell Meerdink Company, 1998;21-28. Redden RF. Clinical and radiographic examination of the equine foot, in Proceedings. 49th Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 2003;169-178. Bowker RM. Contrasting structural morphologies of "good" and "bad" footed horses, in Proceedings. 49th Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 2003; 186-193. Hickman J, Humphrey M, eds. Hickmans farriery, 2nd ed. London: J. A. Allen, 1988;136-175. Redden RF. Hoof capsule distortions: understanding the mechanisms as a basis for rational management. Vet Clin North Am [Equine Pract] 2003;19:443-449. Dabareiner RM, Carter GK. Diagnosis, treatment and farriery for horses with chronic heel pain. Vet Clin North Am [Equine Pract] 2003;19:417-428. O'Grady SE. Shoeing management of sheared heels. In: Robinson NE, ed. Current therapy in equine medicine, 5th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, 2002;528-532. Schoonover MJ, Jann HW, Blaik MA. Quantitative comparisons of three commonly used treatments for navicular syndrome in horses. Am J Vet Res 2005;66:1247-1251. Colles C. Interpreting radiographs. 1. The foot. Equine Vet J 1983;15:297-303. Wilson AM, McGuigan MP, Fouracre L. The force and contact stress on the navicular bone during trot locomotion in sound horses and horses with navicular disease. Equine Vet J 2001;33:159-165. Hinterhofer C, Stanek C, Haider H. The effect of flat horseshoes, raised heels and lowered heels on the biomechanics of the equine assessed by finite element analysis. J Vet Med A Physiol Path Clin Med 2000;47:73-82. Scheffer CJ, Back W. Effect of 'navicular' shoeing on equine distal forelimb kinematics on different track surfaces. Vet Q 2001;23:191-195. Eliashar E, McGuigan MP, Rodgers KA, et al. A comparison of three horseshoeing styles on the kinetics of breakover in sound horses. Equine Vet J 2002;34:184-190. Chateau H, Deguerce C, Denoix JM. Three-dimensional kinematics of the equine distal forelimb: effects of a sharp turn at a walk. Equine Vet J 2005;37:12-18. O'Grady SE, Watson E. How to glue on therapeutic shoes, Proceedings. 45th Annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention 1999;115-119. Clayton H. Personal communication. 2006. OT Shoe, Grand Circuit Products, Freehold, NJ 07728. Equilox EHS-soft pink, Equilox International, Pine Island, MN 55963. Equi-pak, Vettec, Inc., Oxnard, CA 93033. Equilox acrylic composite, Equilox International, Pine Island, MN 55963.

2019-04-26T15:45:04Z

https://www.grandcircuitinc.com/articles/strategies-shoeing-horse-palmar-foot-pain-t-shoe

Wow, Today was an incredible day. The only thing missing was you. One of the baseball fields you played on your entire childhood was dedicated and named after you! Although the rain threatened our event, the weather held out long enough! All the teams attended in uniform. The honor guard was there from the Thornton Police Department. Some were the same men who performed the flag ceremony when your casket was flown from Dover, Delaware to Arvada, Colorado. I thanked them. There was a balloon release for you. The balloons were red, white and blue, and many of the players tied small American flags to the strings. Many wrote words of thanks on their before sending their balloons up to you! Jake was born 07/14/1992 in Louisville, CO. He was raised in Thornton, CO attended Eagle View elementary, Rocky Top middle school and graduated from Horizon, High school in May, 2011. He attended Front Range Community College in 2011 and 2012. Jake’s first love with sports was always baseball. He loved it as a little league player, and a fan. He played baseball his entire childhood. As a young teenager, Jake believed his calling someday was to serve his country, and in May, 2013, he realized that goal by joining the US Army. He attended basic training at Fort Benning, GA, and graduated as a proud infantryman in August, 2013, where he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, CO. 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, Alpha Company. Because he showed a high level of proficiency and skill as a soldier, Jake was chosen to be one of a select few to join an Arial Reactionary Force to fly on Blackhawks supporting combat missions in Afghanistan. In January, 2013, Jake’s Alpha company was deployed to the Zabul province in Afghanistan, where they joined the “Red Warriors” task force operating out of Forward Operating Base Apache. Since that time, Jake was dispatched on countless chase missions and support operations assisting both NATO forces and Afghan National Security troops in contact engagements and medical emergencies. On May 28, 2014, Jake was dispatched on a medi-evac rescue mission with his squad-mates, and made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life when his helicopter crashed. We grieve his loss and thank Jacob for his service and sacrifice. Jake’s infantry Commander in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Colonel William Voorhes said of him……. “Never one to complain, Jake’s smile and presence kept his squad and platoon’s moral high. Also a prankster and practical joker by nature, his sense of humor enabled others to laugh at him, and in turn laugh at themselves in tense and anxious moments. This soldier seemed to defeat fear with his mere presence. A rarity for someone so junior in rank, but very senior in heart and courage. PFC Wykstra was a great soldier, but he was an even better human being. I hold him in the highest regard as a professional soldier, and a person. His service to this nation – exemplary. His training proficiency and aptitude – the top 1%. His potential for future responsibility and leadership – without bounds. His notoriety, attitude, and laughter among his peers – infectious. His squad mates loved him – and he them. GK Chesterson’s quotation best represents Jake when he said, “The true soldier fights not because he hates what’s in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him”. “I want to introduce the wonderful men who were deployed with Jake. These men were his brothers in Afghanistan, they were with him when he was killed, many were wounded and many worked to recover Jake’s body so that he could be returned home to us. Please join us in thanking them for their courage and willingness to serve our great nation, allowing us our freedom… And we, Jake’s family thank you for the love and friendship you showed him. We love you and will always keep a special place in our hearts and prayers for each one of you. Jake was a great son, husband, brother and friend to many. He loved his family and friends and he had so many friends in his 21 years of life! He was a prankster and had an awesome sense of humor. He loved nothing more than to make people laugh and to raise the spirits of those around him. He was one of those who lived each day to the fullest. “Jake started playing for NLL when he was five years old and continued to play here at these very fields until he played his freshman year at Horizon High School. (If you haven’t seen his photos along the fence line, I encourage you to see them on the way out). This organization and the time Jake spent on these fields greatly influenced his life. He made friends here, he learned to accept the wisdom of his coaches, even the rare times when he didn’t agree. He learned about winning and losing and that life isn’t always fair. He learned to work hard to improve himself, to compete and most of all, he learned to have fun! We are so grateful for this organization and the opportunity it gave Jake to learn to fall in love with the great American past time. As parents, we all use bribery to some extent. It’s no secret that schoolwork wasn’t Jake’s favorite thing, especially homework, but if I promised a game of catch after homework, it usually got done. As he got older he often worried that his throwing would hurt my hands, but I happily endured it, because of the fun we had. Jake’s dad spent hours with him, working on his batting and pitching. These special memories will forever be engraved in our hearts because of the joy this sport brought to our precious son. For us, Jake and baseball are synonymous. We rarely received phone calls from Afghanistan, so when we actually got to hear Jake’s voice, we were thrilled. I especially remember the time he called with a bit more excitement than usual. He said, “Hey Mom, we have baseball gloves!” We talked for a bit about who he played catch with and so on, but one part of the conversation especially touched my heart. He said, “When I’m throwing the ball, I feel like I’m back home again. For a short time, it makes me forget about this war.” It seems baseball was a “happy place” for Jake, no matter where he was and for this we are grateful. It was a busy day with lots of laughter, a few tears but mostly smiles! The next day, after church I felt compelled to go back to the field on my own. I sat in your bleachers, as a team practiced on your field. The sights, sounds and smells were all so familiar. I felt as if you were there with me. I think this truly is your place. I can’t wait to go back next month and watch a game on your very own field! I miss you, Buddy. More than you can imagine, but I am trying to do the things that are right so I can be with you again. I love you, Jake. A Battle Fought and Won! My deepest apologies for the misunderstanding regarding the criteria surrounding the memorial plaque. It was never anyone’s intent to cause any additional pain for you, your families, or friends. I have the highest regard for those who serve our country, as my father also served in Korea, and I have always admired those that have sacrificed for all of us. I hope this email will help resolve this issue. First there are two different groups involved with two different memorials. The City of Thornton Memorial which I believe you are aware and is located outside of the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center (VMAC) and is operated by the City of Thornton with assistance from the Thornton Veteran’s Memorial Association. The other is the Fallen Heroes Wall inside the VMAC and is operated by the School District. I understand that Mr. Branaugh was adamant about the criteria of the purple heart however, the district believes that the designations of KIA and MIA should be the criteria for being honored on the Fallen Heroes Wall. We will reach out to Mr. Branaugh and the TMVA so that we are on the same page in the future in regard to the Fallen Heroes Wall. The issue of whether Jake Wykstra will be honored on the Fallen Heroes wall has been confirmed. I spoke with Casualty Officer Sgt. 1st Class Chad DeLouis today. He has confirmed Jake as being KIA. So the district will be honoring Jake with a plaque on the Fallen Heroes Wall within the VMAC. While we do not have a ceremony for the placement of the plaque, we will inform you of when the plaque is placed on the wall. If you would want to have a ceremony to honor Jake the district would be happy to work with you to accommodate an event. If you have any questions on any of the above information please do not hesitate to call me at my office number below. Also my understanding is that the Thornton Veteran’s Memorial Association has procured a brick in honor of Jake to be placed in the Thornton Veterans Memorial. It is also my understanding that the city provides the service to have the bricks placed on their memorial. Similarly the do not host ceremonies for the individuals honored there. Since this memorial is managed by the City I would refer you to them for any additional information about their procedures for the memorial. Once again please accept my apologies for the misunderstandings. My hope is that the plaque in honor of your son Jake will provide the respect he most certainly deserves for his ultimate sacrifice to our country! Jake, There’s a part of me that came back to life during this struggle, and it might sound crazy to some, but I was given the opportunity to advocate for you once again. This is something that parents do, and although it can be a frustrating situation each time, it is a part of parenting. I’ve lost my role as your mom, but this battle gave me the opportunity again if for just a short time. I miss being your mom so much, Jake. I miss helping you as you grow and develop and move through various stages of your life. It was so unfairly brought to an abrupt halt the day you died and I have yet to recover. I fear that I will never recover. But try, I must, so I will continue to fill the hole in my life with service to others in your honor. I will try my best to make you proud of me in this war that I fight daily. I know you are close to our Father in Heaven, so I too will try my best to be close to Him as well. You inspire me to be a better person because of your goodness. You have always been a shining light to everyone who knew you, and for many you remain their inspiration. This is true for me. You are beautiful and I cannot wait until the day when I will see you again. Until then, please know what you mean to me, please stay close to me and please keep lifting others with your smile and good nature. I see KIA here, don’t you? I sit in disbelief and feel completely helpless. Our country, your state and your small town have worked so hard to honor you and as I’ve said before, it’s not over yet. We still have the Little League season opener next week when a field will be named after you. In May we will attend the ceremony adding your name to the granite wall at the entrance of Ft. Carson, listing last year’s casualties. The problem is, I don’t know what will happen after that. Will you still be remembered? You have no descendants to remember you. What happens when we’re all gone? I can’t bear it. This year will end and then what? This week has been especially upsetting. For the first time, a group refuses to honor you. Your school district (the one I taught in for so many years) will not be putting your name on the “Wall of Honor” at the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Center because a small Thornton organization is telling us that you are not KIA. That putting your name up there might reduce the integrity of the wall. Instead, you’ll get a brick outside in the garden. I am so upset and I feel so helpless. My son Jacob Henry Wykstra was killed in action 10 months ago in Maruf Afghanistan. He was selected from the infantry to be in a small medevac unit, trained to recover casualties and wounded soldiers from all NATO countries within the combat zones of Afghanistan. On May 28, 2014, Jake’s team was dispatched to recover Afghani casualties. Upon approach, the helicopter hit a dark communications tower and went down. There were 14 wounded and my son was the only casualty, as the Blackhawk landed on him crushing his body. Hello Mr. Forsythe, your question was forwarded to me from Tammy at the VMAC. Here is the background. First thank you for your interest in honoring Jake. We have been working with the Thornton Veterans Association who helps us identify those Adams 12 Students honored on the wall. When we opened the VMAC and put the wall in to honor Veterans it was determined that the wall would be reserved for those that have been designated KIA, MIA, DWRIA. The designation for Jake does not meet that requirement, however we will be honoring Jake with a brick in his name at the Memorial outside of the facility, there will be a ceremony later this Winter or early Spring. We have been in contact with the Wykstra family to ensure we honor their privacy and recognize their feelings in whatever we do. We will also be convening a group to discuss how we honor those Adams 12 Alumnae that have been killed or died during their service to the country, however did not meet the above designations. I believe we may end up with another wall with a plaque and name plates identifying those Adams 12 Alumnae that died during their service to their country. I hope this provides the information you were requesting. If you have further questions please feel free to contact me at the number below. Thanks again for your interest in Honoring Jake Wykstra. Jake was killed on May 28, at 11:38 p.m. when his platoon was assigned a mission to fly on a Blackhawk and medevac rescue a wounded International Security Force soldier. The Blackhawk crashed attempting to land at the medevac site. Seems pretty clear this is a combat mission? Please advise the Principle of Horizon and others at Adams 12 who are involved in this that our family would like to be included on any ceremony in which Jake is honored at the aquatics center. We appreciate your consideration and ask that you continue to help us honor and remember Jake. Thanks. Last question – who designates “the criteria” for this wall?? Is it you – is it the full board of the Thornton Veteran’s Memorial Foundation? The Mayor of Thornton and the full City Council have recognized Jake as a hero, and his sacrifice, so if the decision is to NOT include Jake on the fallen hero’s wall, we would like to appeal. Are you stating that in order to be on the “Fallen Hero’s Wall” inside the building, then he must be awarded the Purple Heart?? Jake has not been awarded the Purple Heart (yet – still in review by top brass – so we are told). He was clearly in a combat zone, on a combat mission, and we can provide other documentation to support that. Yes, we do have the engraved paver. The school district has been notified, waiting on the principal at Horizon high school to see how they want to proceed. As we have previously discussed, the criteria for the fallen heroes wall was established as death as result of enemy action and wounds suffered in combat, the individual being awarded a purple heart and declared killed in action (KIA) by the branch of service in which they were serving; and, a graduate of Adams 12 – 5 star schools. Mr. Weber – please see the below email exchange between myself and Mr. Branaugh. Again – we need clarification as to who sets the criteria for the heroes wall – and if the decision is to NOT include Jake, how we might appeal that. Jake was killed on a combat mission – not much else to say. The Fallen Heroes Wall of Honor is owned and maintained wholly by Adams 12 Five Star Schools. While the Thornton Veterans Memorial Foundation (TVMF) provided guidance into its creation and the criteria used for determining names attached to the memorial, we have no control over the actual display. We do assist Adams 12 in identifying potential candidates for the Wall of Honor. The City of Thornton is a non-party to the Wall of Honor and has nothing to do with it and never has. The Wall of Honor is located inside the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center; the building and the property it sits on are owned by Adams 12. The information the DOD released regarding Jake’s loss said it occurred as a result of an “aircraft accident.” Contemporary news reports at that time indicated the same. To our knowledge, none of the reports pointed to hostile activity. Given those public facts and the lack of a Purple Heart award, Mr. Webber was correct in the assessment he provided back in January. A loss as a result of an “aircraft accident” in its most basic form would not meet the bar. I mentioned the Purple Heart because that is virtually always awarded to a Hostile Casualty. As I type this, I don’t know that I have ever heard of the Purple Heart not being awarded in those cases. The Purple Heart award has always been one of the requirements. Please know that it is not anyone’s goal to make this difficult for you and your families. The commentary and decision was based on the information available to TVMF and Adams 12 at the time. Obviously we all deeply value the service and sacrifice of all service members as is evidenced by the Thornton Veterans Memorial, the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center and the Fallen Heroes Wall of Honor. Jake was very clearly an extraordinary young man and one worthy of admiration and every honor possible – there is no doubt about that. I am sure you can appreciate that it is simply everyone’s desire to keep the spirit and intent of the Wall of Honor intact. To do otherwise would dishonor those whose names are on it. If you have documentation to show Jake was a KIA / Hostile Casualty as defined by the DOD and a recipient of the Purple Heart, I am quite certain that Mr. Webber and Adams 12 would re-evaluate Jake for inclusion on the Wall of Honor. One more point – by your own email, the memorial inside the Aquatics center is called “Fallen Heroes Wall of Honor”. So this wall is reserved for Heroes – right? I appreciate your “criteria” and that those who are killed by “hostile action” are indeed heroes – I couldn’t agree more. I pray for their families. What about a soldier who is killed trying to save another soldier’s life in a medevac operation. Is that soldier a hero? What is offensive – is your recommended criteria that “hostile action” is a requirement – to qualify Jake for the “Heroes Wall”. And the further suggestion that including Jake on this wall therefore “would dishonor those whose names are on it” – is also offensive. Jake was in Afghanistan – at war – in a combat zone – was ordered by his Commanders to fly on a late-night mission to rescue other soldiers, had locked/loaded his weapon so he could establish a perimeter to secure the landing zone, by following the order of his Sergeant he had unbuckled his seat harness because they were 30 seconds from landing, and then the helicopter crashed while attempting to land – and he died on that mission. I’m sorry if you don’t consider that situation – those actions – worthy of a “hero” status. We do. Your letter is offensive to our family who has suffered a great loss. Your lack of compassion as a veteran is shocking. I recently spoke to a full-bird Army colonel who bluntly informed us that the Purple Heart is basically given to only those who are shot or blown-up. “Killed in Action” is NOT reserved for only these recipients. Those killed in action are troops deployed to a war zone and killed as a result of any combat situation, even accidents. You are misinformed, or have not taken the time to learn the details of my son’s death. He was killed while on a combat mission when the medevac unit he belonged to was dispatched to recover Afghani casualties. During the mission, his helicopter crashed killing him and wounding 14 others. He was and always has been designated as KIA by everyone but you. Your letter infers that our son’s sacrifice is not worthy of a plaque on the VMAC. You state, “The DOD’s definition of Hostile Casualty states, “A person who is the victim of a terrorist activity or who becomes a casualty “in action.” “In action” characterizes the casualty as having been the direct result of hostile action, sustained in combat or relating thereto, or sustained going to or returning from a combat mission provided that the occurrence was directly related to hostile action.” If this is the case, then Jacob’s death meets the criteria. You are confusing the Purple Heart award with KIA. I apologize for my frustration, but your lack of understanding has caused our heart-torn family added grief, as it has only been 10 months since we lost our sweet son. I received kind and compassionate phone calls today from Tim Shaffer and Ron Webber; therefore I believe this will be rectified. Here are two of many websites that list Jacob as KIA. I can get more if needed. Tomorrow, Mr. Webber will receive information from the Department of the Army and I trust that he will take care of this. It seems this is where the information should have come from in the first place, rather than your personal and inaccurate understanding of the rule. It seems that the school district is relying on a small group of old veterans (The Thornton Veteran’s Association) from our small town to decide who is deserving to be on the “wall of honor” or if they should be on a brick outside of the building. You have always been designated as KIA by everyone but these people. You belong on a plaque on the inside of the building because you made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. I love you Jake and this will not end. You will be memorialized as you should be, and I will fight anyone to make sure this happens! Wow! What a fun night! I keep thinking that I wish you were there, but I am certain you were, since all of your favorite people attended to honor you! These things remind me how loved you are, and at the same time I’m feeling a bit of anxiety. My anxiety come because these celebrations will soon come to an end. What happens when they do? Will you be forgotten? Will people still remember and honor you? Logically, I know many of us will never forget that you lived and that your life improved ours. Emotionally, I worry because I am your mom and that’s my job. I remember the day I became a mother, your grandpa kissed me and said, “Congratulations. Now you get to worry for the rest of your life.” No truer words have been spoken, but I need to remember that I no longer have to worry about you. These adjustments in my role as your parent are so difficult to make. Not worry about you? My most precious child? We had many commanders and high rank come by to visit us, your nieces ran all over the suite and had such a great time, your buddies came by to meet us and to talk about you. The only thing missing was you. You will always be missed and loved so much! It’s been weeks since I’ve written. Time seems to fly by because so much is going on. We’re choosing plans for building our house and finding contractors, I am busy training the dogs, I spend time at the nursing home, my church callings keep me busy, and now I am volunteering at the VA hospital. Today “Max the wonder dog” came with me and the vets loved him. I was chatting with an older man (in a wheelchair and missing a leg) about you and as tears came down his face, he said, “Those boys in the Middle East have it so much worse than we did in Vietnam”. He asked if I was getting the support I needed, and he seemed to be more concerned concerned about me than himself. There are still such good people in this world. So, my schedule is full. I know that keeping busy in general helps me with my grief, but I have learned that serving others is the best way to honor you, my boy with the big heart. I have figured out that my burden is lifted when I help others who have similar or even very different problems. The pain of losing you never leaves my heart, but others can ease the hurt by allowing me to serve them. I am so grateful I have figured this out. I have lots of new relationships. I have met Gold Star mothers, new friends from church, and I love my 95 year-old friend in the nursing home. None of these people know you but they know about you. I sometimes feel that I talk about you too much and that it might drive people crazy, but I have to do it. Talking about you is how I keep you alive as an active part of my life. You’re still being honored left and right. We leave for Colorado in a couple of days where you’ll be honored at the Denver Nuggets game, and as soon as we return, we’ll be taking a road trip here in Iowa to be presented with a quilt by “Freedom Quilts”. Friends have been visiting your grave for me, and even another Gold Star mom in Colorado (whom I’ve never met) brought you flowers because her son is buried at the same cemetery. You are not forgotten and never will be. Too many love you to let that happen. There’s an organization creating a bible for us, and within the bible they bind stories and pictures of you. I have spent so much time almost harassing people to write their stories about you. It’s too hard for your dad to share, but most everyone else in the family shared, as well as friends you grew up with and several of the soldiers you were deployed with. Reading each makes me cry because I miss you so much, but more because of the way you influenced others for good and because you are so loved. I have learned that God needs the good ones, because I have seen this trend as I’ve met other Gold Star families and learned of their children. Jake, I am so happy that you are one of the chosen, even if it brings me heart-wrenching pain. Your goodness continually makes me want to be a better person and I thank you for that. You will always be the bright light in my life, and even though I can’t see you, your presence cannot be eliminated; not even by death. I am always missing you, but I am trying to make the world a little bit better for those around me as a gift to you. I hope you know how hard I’m trying. I love you my precious boy. I had such a fun weekend with your sister and your two nieces. They bring me so much joy, but at the same time, I am reminded that I will never have you and your family visit me here in Iowa. The house has been taken over with toys and cereal everywhere and non-stop action. You were supposed to have a family and I was supposed to have more grandkids. Now, I only have your sister and her two girls, and I am boy-less. I don’t know if your sister will have any more children. You might always be my only boy. Your oldest niece is now five and in kindergarten. She realized that her younger sister (born while you were gone) will never have any memories of her uncle Jake. I told her that she’ll have to tell her baby sister all about you and how fun you were. She remembers her dates with you to Toys R Us and Chik-fil-a, and the time you took her to the movies to see “Frozen” just before you deployed. Jake, she talks about you every single day. I don’t think any of us will ever go a day without thinking of you. Grandpa’s visit overlapped with the girls’ time here. It was fun for all of us to be together. Grandpa isn’t one to talk about you, and when I bring you up he changes the subject. In the beginning it made me upset that he wouldn’t join me in verbally remembering you, but I know he does remember and I think it’s just hard for him. I’m sure he never thought he’d ever bury one of his grandkids. I’m still trying to keep myself busy. I’m working on my family history and helping others find their ancestors. I constantly think about you and wonder how many of ours that you have met. I wonder how you are helping in the afterlife. I know whatever you are doing, it is magnificent and I am so proud of you, Jake. You warm my heart every single day, and every day that same heart aches to see you, touch you and speak to you again. I have a friend who is also a Gold Star Mother. She sent me a message that her 32 year-old son was just diagnosed with cancer and has only 6 months to live. My heart has been breaking for her. She will outlive two sons. I am trying to help her find an apartment so that she can stay with him until he leaves this world. There is always someone out there with a struggle greater than mine, and this gives me an opportunity to love and support her the best I can. Our children aren’t supposed to leave us. Sometimes I shake my head and repeat, “I don’t understand” over and over again, but I think I do. It’s just too hard to accept. With all my heart, I love you, Jake. Please stay close to me so that I might feel your presence. This is one of my greatest desires. Some days I cry and some days I don’t, but I always miss you and I always hope and pray that you are happy. It’s interesting how God places people in our lives when we need them, and if we aren’t paying attention I think we miss it. My friendship with this sweet 95 year-old man has become one of the highlights of my week. We pick him up for church and I visit him a couple of times during the week. He never married and has no children, so he is literally alone. I think losing you and moving to a new state at the same time has made me more aware of loneliness, and allows me to see it more easily in others; a new ability I think. I do all of the normal things, like worry about him, bring him treats, share my adventures and sometimes read with him. He recently got a new roommate named Bob who is an Army veteran and cannot speak. When I saw his “Veteran” sign, I asked him if he was in the Army and he smiled and nodded. I told him all about you and a tear rolled down his cheek as he listened to me describe what a hero you are. He has a photo button of you in uniform on a bulletin board right by his head so he can see you every day. I can tell he loves it by his expression. He too warms my heart and allows me to shine the love I have for you on him. On Saturday, several of the moms I’ve gotten to know are starting a new Gold Star Mom chapter in Iowa. I guess there hasn’t been one here since 1949. Other than service, nothing brings me more comfort than other Gold Star parents. Just being around them brings a peace that I cannot articulate. I hate that any of us belong to this group, but at the same time I am so grateful that we are here for one another. Today I was finger-printed at the VA Hospital as part of a back-ground check. I’ll be volunteering in any way I can to help your brothers and sisters. I have been in touch with the 14 that were wounded in the helicopter crash with you. It’s quite incredibl;e that you were the only death. Your lieutenant is still an inpatient after more than 8 months and another just had surgery on both knees again yesterday! My heart breaks for these men because they are tied to you and I know how much you loved them. If I can love any of them back, I will. Max will sometimes go with me to the hospital when a therapy dog is needed. He has a little camo vest. You would love it! I think he’ll enjoy spending time with the vets and I pray he’ll bring them some comfort and healing. He’s such a good boy! I am so grateful for these opportunities to love others and the way it benefits my own healing. I am certain we’re meant to love one another through this difficult life, and I have learned that service benefits the giver more than the recipient. I already know you know this. I know how big your heart is and I am more proud of you as each day passes. I am learning the truth to “only the good die young”. You are truly a good soul. I love you so much, Jake and every day I dream of the day I will see your beautiful face again! The Army Ball was last night, and as they celebrated, I knew one was missing. My heart ached to think that he couldn’t be there with his brothers, but then I saw the pictures of these now familiar faces and the tears began and I am sobbing as I write. Of course they didn’t forget my boy. They love him and will always remember him. He is a hero for all of us, and he is my hero too, but more than that, he is my baby, my little boy, my goofy teen-ager and my big-hearted man. Jake, you will live in our memories until we see you again. You are so loved! It’s hard to believe that almost a month has passed since I last wrote. Two weeks of this time away was due to eye surgery, but it also seems that I don’t need to use writing as therapy as much. I have tears every day, but they are less consuming and more fleeting. I saw a quote yesterday that sums the past seven plus months, “Grief is like the ocean, it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim”. I can’t say I have yet learned to swim, but I am more comfortable in the water. My days are still filled with thoughts and memories of Jake. He never leaves me and I am learning to smile as I remember how fun it was to raise him. Earlier in my grieving, these memories only reminded me that there will be no more new moments to retain, but now I can smile and sometimes smile and cry at the same time. This is a new experience for me. But, occasions remain when the heartache becomes so overwhelming; as if I lost him just yesterday. I cry until my tears dry up and the tissues are gone, and then I remember how much Jake loves me and wants happiness for me. It was always this way. He believed his purpose in life was to raise the spirits of those around him, and he excelled in this calling. He was blessed with a desire to love others and a good sense of humor. This is the combination I miss the most. Someone told me the other day that Jake is with me more now than he was when he was here in this life. I believe that the spirit world is all around us, so it must be true. I know he couldn’t be in a paradisical state without the ability to be near those he loves or it wouldn’t be paradise. I pray to dream of him and I pray to feel him near me. Sometimes his presence is so strong and at other times no matter how hard I try, it seems he’s not there. His coming to me is determined by something I don’t understand, because I cannot will him to come. I am grateful for the sense that he is with me and will continue to pray for these miraculous events. Earlier this month, I had lunch with the Commander and two others from the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade that were deployed with Jake. They happened to be here at Camp Dodge for a yellow ribbon ceremony and contacted me. They were over the pilots flying the night Jake was killed. I appreciated the genuine concern they had for me and for my family, and I had the opportunity to talk about my boy for almost two hours. It’s always a good day when I can share my boy! I learned from them that the helicopter did not spin as it was descending but rather made a nosedive, flipping over on its back. Flipping over on top of Jake. I wonder how much information is out there that I can’t obtain because people hesitate to talk to me about Jake’s death. I wish I could tell the world that I want to know everything that happened to him, and that talking about Jake keeps him alive for me. My sweet son, The one year anniversary of our last moment together has just passed. On January 23rd one year ago, I woke up early to cook for you one last time before you left for Afghanistan. It was snowing outside and you were worried about getting to Fort Carson on time in the snow. But I made you stop for a moment, to take one last picture with me and to hug me. You first gave me a quick hug, but I made you stop, I looked in to your blue eyes and asked for a real hug. Neither of us knew that this would be our last moment together in this life. Jake, my life will never be the same without you, but how grateful I am for every minute I got to be your mom, and how proud I am for your service to others and for what you were able to accomplish in your short 21 years on the Earth. You influenced so many people and you will never be forgotten. You will always be my sunshine and my love for you is endless. Thank you for being you. January 2nd was the day I was looking forward to and today is that day. No more holidays to struggle through and no more painful thoughts of what I was missing without you. I have started a new year without you whether I like it or not, and guess what? I’m doing okay. I have realized how happy I am to leave 2014 behind. The memories of you will always be in my heart, but I am happy to say goodbye to the heartache and the difficulties that came with losing you. This feels like a new beginning, and I will try to embrace it and find happiness during this new year. I know you want that for me and I know that with the help of my Father in Heaven, I will smile more and cry less as time goes on. You inspire me to live a good life and I will try, Jake. I will try to accomplish good things with the time I have in this life and I will pray that you’ll be by my side. I have frequently prayed to dream about you and you have come to me several times. It feels like such a gift because you are alive. It’s kind of funny that when you were alive and in my dreams, you were always at your currant age. Now, when I dream about you, you come to me at different ages. Sometimes you’re a small child and sometimes a teenager and sometimes an adult, as you were when I saw you last. There is no explanation except that these are blessings from a loving Father in Heaven allowing me to know that you are alive and with me. I am so grateful for this knowledge! I want you to know that I’m doing okay. Sometimes I still cry over my unfathomable loss, sometimes my eyes well-up with reminders of you, but overall I am learning to exist in a world without you. Of course my world will never be complete, but I will exist with the knowledge that I will see you one day. I can’t wait to hug you again!

2019-04-23T08:22:43Z

https://jakesgoldstarmom.com/category/uncategorized/gold-star-mother/page/2/

How can my business benefit from hiring someone with intellectual disabilities? Q-I want to create a diverse workplace. Can you tell me the advantages of hiring someone with intellectual disabilities? A-Many people shy away from hiring anyone with intellectual disabilities. This is very unfortunate indeed—especially for the business owner! Hiring people from all backgrounds and abilities has tremendous value for every business and the community. First, hiring someone with a disability shows a commitment to the community which resonates with your customers. They care because you care, and become repeat customers. Second, your company benefits from the individual's unique abilities and adds in ways that you might not even realized is needed. For example, the employee might excel in working with people, can present information well, or can make customers feel welcomed when other employees find it difficult or intimidating. Another great reason for hiring someone with a disability is tapping into a ready and underutilized workforce. Research shows that employers report overwhelming advantages that translate into productivity and profitability. These studies find employers report employees: 1. Average or above average in safety on the job 97% 2. Hardworking 93% 3. Positive attitude 93% 4. Reliable 90% 5. Good employee 86% 6. Long-term employee 79% 7. Lower turnover-5 times more likely to stay on the job 8. Good team work 79% 9. Willing to work part time 76% 10. Good work ethic 76% When you stack up those statistics against the general population, you see that there is no question that there are enormous advantages. Given the right training and right support, hiring someone with intellectual disabilities ends up being right for everyone involved. In my experience at EOC, I can honestly say the experience has been overwhelmingly positive and enriching for me personally. Statistics can only show so much. What they do not show is that the amount of personal growth and satisfaction gained from a willingness to include all segments of the population. Best phone system brands for businesses? http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Scott Blythe is the Owner/Operator of PHONEGUY Inc. of Pittsburg KS. Scott is a lifetime resident of SE Kansas, graduating from Frontenac High School, and attended PSU Vo Tech in Electronics. Scott has 34 years of experience in installing and maintaining hundreds of business telephone systems. For more information or to reach Scott please call 620-249-2759. Q-With everything that is available on the market today, what brand of phone equipment would you recommend? A-For any small to moderate sized business, say as few as two phone sets, with one or two directory numbers, to as many as thirty to fifty phone sets, and many directory numbers, I recommend the N.E.C. corporations DSX-80/160 or SL1100 series of phone systems. Without any question, I find it to be the most reliable and reasonably priced system available .The system is well engineered, and constructed, and the phone sets are very user friendly, No more hand written notes in your top drawer to remind you how to complete a function like changing the time and date, or how to access your voice mail. Each phone set has a large display and feature buttons, which allow the user to scroll through all the functions of their personal phone. With the programmable buttons on each phone set, you can stay in touch with your co-workers by pushing a single button, see who is currently using their phone, and tell which line they are using. With voice mail, you cannot only receive messages from your customers 24/7, you can also throw away your sticky notes, and record your message to a co-worker for immediate delivery. Calls can even be forwarded to an employee’s cell phone if they are out of the office. Some System wide features are, remote programming, music on hold, caller ID, paging, speed dialing, conference calling, automatic attendant, and call accounting. Other frequently used accessories are, voice mail, cordless headsets, battery backup, cordless phones, VOIP (voice over IP) and many more, Too many to cover here, but they can all be seen at the N.E.C. website. (www.necdsx.com) Thank you for your question. I hope this helps! How often should I upgrade phone systems? Q-What can I do for the least amount of cost to get the most out of my phone system? A-PROGRAMMING! All Business telephone systems have huge quantities of available programming options. Do you need them all? Almost certainly not. In my experience even the largest companies only use a small percentage of what's available to them. However the key is knowing what is available and using what YOU need. Unfortunately here is what normally happens when you have a telephone system installed. The equipment installers show up at your business with a bunch of boxes and some wire. For a day or 3 they will show up every morning, you'll hear noises from the equipment closet, you'll receive a bright shiny new phone set at your desk, and then they're gone. If you're lucky, they may have been courteous enough to ask which phones you want to ring. Every business phone system ships from the factory with a nice thick programming guide, and every phone set comes with a user's guide. From this point on it's kind of like buying a new truck. Sure, you can get right in and drive off. You may drive that truck for years and not have any trouble at all. Or you can read the manual and find out what it can (and can't) do for you, and how you can best get your money's worth from your purchase. Ask for all the literature that comes with your system before you have the system installed. Do a little research on the internet. You paid for the entire phone system, including the manuals. Have someone at your business (your IT dept.) look at the manual. Be prepared to tell your installers how YOU want it programmed. Get some input from them while they're there, and make sure they test it before they leave. If you find you have a program feature that you don't like, it can be easily changed or removed. Your installers should expect to return once or twice before everything meets your satisfaction. It's your call. Q- I have a busy professional office and want to keep my systems as efficient as possible. However, I want to balance that with making economical choices. Right now my big consideration is the phone system. It is not really old, but I know that newer phones offer more capabilities. Can anyone suggest the things to consider in determining the best time to upgrade my telephone system? A- There is no good single answer to that question since there are numerous considerations involved. Many factors are also very personal and specific to the type of business. Here are a few things to help you sort it out. First of all, does your current system function properly? If youre only problem is a single phone that is noisy, or you can hear your customer but they can't hear you, or the dial pad is bad, that's not enough to warrant a change of equipment. The problem might be solved with a service call or simply replacing the one phone. If all your lines are noisy, or your phone system reboots itself randomly, you may have a bigger problem that requires replacement of equipment. Unfortunately some of the older telephone systems were sealed case units where a technician cannot get inside to work on them. That alone may be a factor in deciding the worth of purchasing a new system. Almost all of the newer digital telephone systems allow you to switch cards internally, which keep you from having to change the entire system in order to fix a single problem. Sometimes nothing more than a programming change can fix quite a few issues. Remember that telephone systems are nothing more than job specific computers. Unfortunately, unlike your desktop or laptop computer, your telephone system won't remind you to upgrade your software or check for troubles. Sometimes the trouble is not your phone system, but may exist in the hardwiring leading up to your phone system or at the phone system itself. All of these things can usually be very quickly discovered by having a technician simply visit your site and look at your existing conditions. Most telephone systems have a built in end of life. The manufacturer develops the system knowing that within 7 to 10 years they will replace it with something newer and better. That does not mean you have to replace your equipment that often. If it works for your job and functions properly you can use the same system for decades. Quite literally, it's your call. What items are best in creating brand awareness? Q- I am starting a small business and want to go “all in” with promotional things to create brand awareness. Go big or go home, if you know what I mean. However, I want to do it right and invest in promotional items that will give me the traction I need in the community. Can you tell me what items do people use and keep? A- I understand your desire to brand your business well, right from the start. It is a highly competitive business atmosphere where consumers are getting very careful about spending habits. When it comes time for them to need your services, it is important to come to mind first. For that to happen, you need a compelling marketing plan with elements that get into the community and last. That is exactly why company t-shirts and the like work so well. Even though t-shirts are a hot trend, folks have ventured out by adding their team/school/groups prints to hats, bags, pants, hand bands, vinyl arts for windows, car decals, etc. It seems like folks not only want their favorite logo on shirts but the entire world around them. From a local marketing aspect, using all of those things in your branding is highly effective in creating a “cult like” following for your business. As for which ones are best for your business that would depend on the particulars of your situation. However, one thing stands out in what promotional items have the longest staying power and widest reach, and those are the ones that are most usable in the widest number of situation and applications. Since you are a new business, I would choose the ones people use and keep, like shirts, hats, canvas bags, and coffee mugs. Those have the best chance of having a wide audience, plus they create an instant professional image for your branding efforts. Once you get your name and logo out in the community, you can always reward your cult following with decals, stickers, and some of the more specialized items. Congratulations on your new business. We wish you ongoing success. Q: I recently accepted a job that requires a lot of travel throughout the United States. I am kind of excited about it, actually, since I have never really been out of state much. Any ideas on how to make the most of my travel time? A: Congratulations on your new job! It sounds like you are in for an exciting adventure. Travel within the US offers many exciting opportunities, and you will want to take advantage of as many as possible. My first tip in making that happen would be save money where you can so you have extra to enjoy local sights and attractions, if your time allows. For example, if staying in a hotel that offers one, enjoy the continental breakfast or breakfast buffet and save money on going out. Check with the hotel staff to see if the hotel has a partnership with any local attractions and for any available discounts. Your credit cards and membership associations might also offer discounts. Next, if you are traveling by plane or train, make the most of your commute time by researching local attractions, discounts, and free sights, events, and attractions. Check out city websites, travel sites and once you arrive, with the local hotel staff for recommendations. Most cities have points of interest that are overlooked but add value to any trip. Another way to make the most of every moment is to find out what is available to see and do in relation to your hotel and your meeting locations. Even a lunch break can provide enough time to walk through a must-see exhibit or grab a bite at a hot new restaurant. Finally, pack well. Over packing means time spent finding what you really needs and lugging around extras you never use. Little things burn more time than we realize and advanced preparations and packing well can equal seeing old friends or discovering fascinating historical sights that you may never have had a chance to see otherwise. My advice, take time to enjoy each location and your job will be even more rewarding. http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Alan Rogers is a current member of Business Builders of SEK, a highly motivated business referral group. As a Real Estate agent for Century 21 Cobb Realty and sales partner in the SE Kansas Q&A Times, Alan is excited about the referrals it has produced and the great relationships he has established, that will help produce future referrals. Q: As a business owner, I try to combine my efforts of advertising with those of great referrals as different “streams” to create relationships and good business. But getting and giving a good referral isn’t so simple. What gives? A: Conceptually, most people understand the idea of referrals. But as you stated, getting and giving a referral isn’t so simple. Referrals in business aren’t meant to be “leads”, referrals are exactly what they say they are, “referring” someone directly to a business. A lead is fine and there is a very nice place for business leads. But referrals should be someone directly introducing a prospecting customer directly to you, the business owner that can fulfill their needs. It takes the guessing game out of the equation and that referred prospect is actually looking forward to hear directly from you as a result. Makes things much easier huh? Think and play out this scenario in your head: Pretend you are in a room of 20 people, and you ask everyone to take out their keys. You look around and find one who has the most keys on their key ring. You then take that key ring, say to the roomful of people: “There are 20 people in this room, would you agree that there are more keys than people?” After everyone agrees, you pick out one key from the key ring you borrowed and ask, “Can anybody tell me what door this key can open?” When most everyone shakes their head, you say, “The only person who can give me the right answer is hopefully the person I borrowed the keys from.” This silly story demonstrates that referrals are really about opening doors for one another. It’s all about trust. Now that you have the key, you must find out if the person who gave it to you will trust you with it. Turn to them and ask, “Can I take the keys with me?” The person usually refuses. How can they know you are trustworthy? This is the second stage of the referral: Building Trust. Within a trusting relationship, a person might give up their home key or office key. But without that trust, we clench the key, consequently missing out on an open door. It’s really simple, the key to making and receiving good referrals is to find the right key. But remember, the key to make the key work is trust. Q: I’m new to the social media world but would like to get involved for the sake of networking and for my business. What do I need to avoid? Q: My fiancé and I are getting married in 6 months. Since we are both from out of state, we have about 300 friends and family driving or flying in for at least a weekend. I would like to help make it easier by recommending hotels and specific rooms for their needs. What things would be helpful to ask when calling area hotels? A: Out-of-state weddings sometimes prove a logistical nightmare for the bride and those planning the wedding. Of particular concern is finding suitable lodging for guests. While in days past, it was mostly up to the visitor to make and plan travel arrangements, there is a rising trend to include hotel recommendations as an added thoughtfulness to guests and prevents a lot of headache for everyone. If you expect many guests, one of the best questions you can ask the hotel management is whether they would be willing to reserve a block or rooms at a reduced rate. It may be worth a discount to have a significant number of rooms booked at once. Next, ask which rooms are best for families with children. Families may want ground level rooms, adjoining rooms, or a room near certain amenities. If you anticipate any visitors with mobility issues, ask what rooms are most accessible and have the closest parking. Consider things like the location of elevators and other amenities like ice machines. Some guests may want to enjoy some quiet time and extend their stay. Ask about the advantages of each hotel over another, even if you think you know. Chances are good that they will have something special to offer such as shuttle service or gym facilities, as well as have detailed knowledge of area points of interest. Offerings such as a complimentary breakfast can be a real time saver to visitors who are unfamiliar with the city’s restaurant offerings. Asking good questions will yield great results and assure that your guests have a wonderful stay. Q: I’m a business owner in what has become a saturated market. While I was in business before many of the “other guys” started up, I have found it a challenge to continue growing my network and referral resources. Can you provide some helpful ideas or tips? A: Last month, we discussed the critical importance of following up on referrals, and some personal traits that will help turn you into a master networker and one that MANY people will enjoy doing business with. To wrap things up, here are traits six to 10, some long lost: 6. Network always Master networkers never take a day off. 7. Gratitude Gratitude is sorely lacking in today’s business world. Expressing gratitude to business associates and your clients is just another building block in the cultivation of building relationships that will lead to increased referrals. People enjoy referring others to business professionals that go above and beyond. Saying “Thank you” at every opportunity will help you stand out from the crowd. 8. Enjoy Helping Helping others can be done in a variety of ways, from literally showing up to help with an office move to clipping a helpful and interesting article and mailing it to an associate or client. Master networkers keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities to advance other people’s interests whenever they can. 9. Sincerity Insincerity is like a cake without frosting! You can offer the help, the thanks, the listening ear, but if you aren’t sincerely interested in the other person, they’ll know it! Those who have developed successful networking skills convey their sincerity at every turn. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to give the individual with whom you’re developing a referral relationship your undivided attention. 10. Work their network It is not net-sit or net-eat, it is net-work, and Master networkers don’t let any opportunity to work their networks pass them by. They manage their contacts with contact management software, organize their e-mail address files, and carry their referral partners’ business cards as well as their own. They set up appointments to get better acquainted with new contacts so that they can learn as much about them as possible so that they can truly become part of each other’s networks. Do you see the trend with these ten points? They all tie in to long-term relationship building, not to stalking the prey for the big kill. People who take the time to build their social capital are the ones who will have new business referred to them over and over. The key is to build mutually beneficial business relationships. Only then will you succeed as a Master networker. Q: My husband just accepted a job that will have us traveling a great deal. Can you give us any tips to get us up to speed on traveling well? A: Absolutely! No matter how frequently you travel, you will find that there is always room for learning additional travel tips. A great trip begins in the planning stages. Most people plan trips while looking at glossy brochures or impressive websites on the destination. While doing that is an important and fun part of the travel planning, it can only get you so far. Remember, marketing mediums are created to be impressive. They do not always provide all the information you actually need to know to make your particular trip successful. When choosing a hotel, consider your options as if you are in charge of booking the perfect hotel for your boss. Anticipate your needs and walk through your expected itinerary. Here are some points to consider: • Proximity to meeting places • Access to transportation • Nearby dining and points of interest • Amenities • Availability of business work spaces • Availability of wireless connection • Price point • Frequent visitor discounts If you will be traveling to the same places for repeat visits, develop a relationship with local hotels and restaurants. Loyalty has its rewards. Next, know your destination well. Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, there will important things you need to know to help guide your trip. Look up local laws and customs to avoid any travel faux pas. Know the location of your hotel and the distance from your intended meeting places, as well as the cost and availability of transportation. Many travelers will choose the cheapest accommodations available (which are generally out of the city center) and find out much later that another hotel would have been cheaper including the price of local taxis. Lastly, pack well, and smart, but do not pack everything. Extra bags always translate to extra work, hassle, lost items and increased cost. Know your destination and pack specifically for that destination. For example, do not bother packing your favorite pair of jeans if you are going to the tropics; once they are wet, they will not dry and you not only add more weight to your luggage, the clothes end up moldy and damaged. Pack what you really need and make items do double duty. Finally, eat and sleep well. Traveling is exhausting and if you want to be at your best for business, you will need to follow a plan for optimum health. Think of it as your game plan— sleep on the airplane, eat vitamin rich foods, skip the late night party, work out in the morning. Take those simple steps and you will come to the table prepared for anything, or at least look like you are! A: Networking is more than just shaking hands and distributing business cards. Networking is about creating good business relationships that last. In this two part series, I will discuss 10 personal qualities that will have people knocking down your door to do business with you, and help turn you into a master networker. 1. Follow up on referrals. The person who constantly fails to follow up on a referral, whether it’s a piece of information or a valuable contact, it’s no secret that you’ll eventually stop wasting your time with this person. 2. Positive attitude. Positive business professionals are like magnets. Others want to be around them and will send their friends, family and associates to them. 3. Enthusiastic/motivated. Think about the people you know. Who gets the most referrals? People who show the most motivation, correct? It’s been said that the most valuable sales characteristic is enthusiasm. To be respected within our networks, we at least need to sell ourselves with enthusiasm. 4. Trustworthy. You’re putting your reputation on the line when you refer one person to another. You have to be able to trust your referral partner and be trusted in return. Neither you nor anyone else will refer a contact or valuable information to someone who can’t be trusted to handle it well. 5. Good listening skills. Our networking success depends on how well we can listen and learn. The faster you and your networking partner learn about each other, the faster you’ll establish a valuable relationship. Next month, we’ll identify six through 10, including some long lost traits in business that need to be re-established. Q: I am head of a committee planning a conference for our company. What kinds of things would you suggest make for an exceptional venue? What things would you take into consideration when planning? A: Planning an important even such as a business conference can be a huge task, and one you will want to get just right. No matter what the event, the venue has a lot to do with setting the stage for success. There are many elements that you will want to consider. Some of them may be obvious, others are sometimes overlooked. Here is a list of critical points to consider when choosing a meeting space: •Location is, of course, a very important factor. Depending on the length of the event, you will want to consider things like its proximity to lodging, restaurants, attractions and transportation. •Adequate parking is another consideration. The perfect venue and an otherwise flawless event can be ruined by lack of parking. Remember, you will not want to have attendees having to walk from distant parking or subject to unpredictable weather getting to and from your event. •Your venue should have adequate audio/visual resources available to make your presentations run seamlessly. •Internet access is not an option; it is a necessity for every event in today’s high-tech atmosphere. •Consider the size of your venue and the number of people that will be attending. The most valuable tip on size: Bigger is not always better. A small event in an excessively large venue can make your meeting look like it was not well attended. Conversely, having more attendees than space can give the event an anxious or chaotic feel. Look for venues that have several options and flexible meeting spaces. •Factor in ambiance to your choice of venue as well. Make sure the space reflects the company well, as wells creates a feel conducive to the mission you are trying to accomplish. After asking the right questions and running down this list of points, you have a great chance at finding the best venue for your event. http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Byron Stokes is the owner of Stokes Consulting, a Pittsburg based employment consulting company. Stokes Consulting assists individuals with resumes, cover letters, and job acquisition. Also, Stokes Consulting provides hiring services to small and medium size businesses. For more information about Stokes Consulting please call 620-778-5447 or visit www.stokesconsulting.biz. Q: Can you tell me about the importance of referrals in business? I have always just rather assumed that the referrals would come naturally. I am wondering how much effort I should put into this, or should I use my resources to beef up my marketing? A: I talk to many business owners in exactly your position. The question is, "Is it worth my time to gain referrals?" and the answer is—absolutely. One of the biggest contributing factors to successful businesses is an active referral campaign. Many independent businesses, such as beauty professionals, financial services professionals, interior designers, landscape designers, caterers, or personal trainers – grow their business nearly exclusively through referrals. Why are referrals your best resource for consistent business and loyal customers? There are several great reasons. Let us consider the most prominent: • A referral is typically in your geography and sphere of influence and more likely to use your services • Your reputation precedes you since they come from happy customer or clients • You typically have a good idea that they are a good potential customer because they are often similar the current customers who referred them. • They cost very little to produce and deliver a high Return On Investment (ROI) Without leveraging referrals, your business is relying solely on the power of your marketing. Many business owners believe that their good reputation, along with their marketing, is enough. In some cases, it may be. However, for most businesses it is a shortsighted strategy. Whatever your goods or services, you as the business owner, are always the best asset. Simply put, people respond to people and remember personal relationships much longer than products and services. My advice, don't underestimate the power of referrals. Q: A fellow business owner suggested that I join a referral group. Can you tell me about what they are and the value of such groups and what kind of time investment would be required for it to be of benefit? A: Referral groups all work on the premise that a core group of individuals commit to promoting the goods and services of others within the group. Most times, the groups are divided into chapters, which are limited to one professional from each service area so there is never a conflict as to which Real Estate agent, hairstylist, or contractor to promote for example. Groups exist in several different formats with different levels of structure, offerings and commitment. Some groups are primarily online and meet once a month or quarter to exchange business cards and brochures for distribution, get updates, and share ideas. Others meet more frequently but may have more or less structure, may or may not be a part of a larger parent group and may have varying amounts of support services. There is a huge advantage to being part of such groups as positive word of mouth is often your best source of new customers or clients. If the group offers other services such as guest speakers, workshops, or training in such things as public speaking or networking, a member may find they there are untapped techniques or markets that they could leverage. Finally, one of the most important aspects of joining a referral group is that it allows you to be proactive in the success of your business. When you have the opportunity to share the worth of your good or services you remain positive and enthused, which is something very attractive to potential customers. Q: Is word-of-mouth marketing the same as growing a referral base? If I provide a great product and excellent customer service, can I expect my referrals to grow substantially? A: This month, in our ongoing discussion on the value of referrals, we will discuss practical ways to grow your referral base. Many people mistakenly believe that word-of-mouth marketing is the same as a plan to grow your referral base. When someone shares your business, information as it comes up in the conversation and may not have come because of any proactive effort on your part, other than providing great service and products. While beneficial when it happens, it is not the same as an active system of gaining referrals. Growing your referral base does not happen by chance. It requires an active and ongoing plan for referral prospecting, which in turn, delivers predictable results. So, what can you do to actively gain referrals? You ask for them. That may seem simple, but you would be surprised at how many businesses fail to do that very thing. There are many ways you can implement an ongoing, multilayered approach to gaining referrals. Here is a sampling of the most effective and easily implemented: •Ask directly at the time of service in a way that prompts action. Instead of saying, “Please remember to recommend my services.” say “Chris, do you know of anyone that might benefit from my services? If so, would you mind passing along this business card?” •Make referrals cards readily available on counters and in waiting areas. Train all personnel to direct customers to them and ask for their help. •Make asking for referrals part of regular communication for staff. When setting appointments, say, “We value you as our client and are grateful for the opportunity to serve you. We would love the opportunity to serve your friends and family as well. If you have someone in mind that needs our services, would you share our name?” •Send a letter to your customers and clients thanking them for their continued patronage and ask them to support you with their referrals. Be sure to provide a few extra business cards in the letter. Lastly, one of the most valuable ways to gain referrals is to widen your own center of influence. Admittedly, running a business takes a lot of your time, but taking time out to network with others is time well spent. Q: Can you tell me why it is so difficult to gain referrals? It seems that people are slow to give them, even when they are happy with your service. A: In our ongoing discussion on the value of referrals, this month, we will answer that specific question. You are not alone in struggling to gain referrals, even from happy customers. Even if a customer or client is happy with your goods or services, there may be many reasons why they fail to give a referral, with any number of those reasons playing a part in why that particular customer failed to refer to you or your service. Let’s run through the most common reasons why referrals fall through the cracks: • You may not be as memorable as the next business. If the customer goes to several businesses offering the same service, they may only remember the most memorable name or logo. • They may have recently seen or have marketing material from another company readily available that prompts them to refer another business. • The client remembers the general location of your business, but not the name, leaving the “almost referred” misdirected. • The client or customer forgets to offer because too much time exists between needing the service. “Out of sight, out of mind” problems develop. • The client may feel a lack of incentive to offer a referral. • While a referral was given, the referral-receiver is too shy to initiate contact. • Or, in the case of online referrals, a person has too many referrals from which to choose. When you think about it, a referral must overcome many obstacles before it is developed. Someone must first think to ask for a referral, then the customer must remember your name and contact information or have your marketing material on hand, and finally, the person must act on the information. Some express that it happens as frequently as an eclipse. However, you should not merely wait for referrals to come to you. There are many things you can do to grow your referral base, which we will discuss next in our continuing series in The Power of Referrals. How can I leverage a logo? http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> C.W. Betz is the owner of Forms One in Pittsburg and has been in business since 1984. C.W and his wife Jackie have been married 42-years with one son living in Memphis,TN and owner of the very rare and beautiful Silver female Lab, named Annie Girl. Question: I am in the process of organizing and opening a new business. Can you give me your best tips on using a logo? What are your views on over use? Answer: Your logo may be the single most important image your business will ever use so you will want to consider the design and its implementation carefully. If you have not already had a logo developed, please consider these things: •Is it unique? •Does it convey the brand well? •Does it express a message of trust? •Is it memorable? •Does it look professional? While I do understand your concern with over saturating the customers with branding, using a logo well and frequently has proven beneficial in study after study (after study). There are many ways that you can use your logo that is not only acceptable but expected by the customer such as on your website, company shirts and hats, and signage. It is also very important to integrate your logo in the ways that many companies fail to do, missing a valuable opportunity to compel them to remember the brand. These frequently missed opportunities include failing to customize and put logos on things like invoices, sales slips, receipts and other outgoing communications. Logo placement is essential in making your service part of the fabric of your area of service. Think of the local companies with whom you do business; it is very probable that their logos have made the company familiar to you and therefore you are more likely to think of them when you need their service. It builds trust just by existing! As you consider how, and how often to use your logo remember this, your logo may be the only or last connection to your customer and it speaks when you can’t. When you think of it that way, it really makes sense to use it frequently! Question: Are business cards, and similar forms of customer contact, still as important as they once were? Answer: In our Internet exuberance, many businesses have forgotten the value of business cards and the importance of adding personal touches to their transactions. Not only are business cards still important, they can actually be more valuable to you than ever. As more businesses have relied so heavily on internet interaction, it has left a void of personal interaction that customers and clients crave. One of the best ways to make your business stand out is by leveraging the power of proven tools. One of the best ways to gain the attention of those customers is to leverage the power of the business card. Business cards are much more than a way to share your contact information; they remain one of the best ways to get remembered. Your business card is often the first impression you have to make on a potential client and should be thought of as an extension of not only your business image, but your personality. Here are a few advantages: •Effective •Affordable •Stays with potential customers •Reflects your brand identity •Most effective in reminding a potential customer of personal interaction •Show professionalism Much of building a strong foundation for your business is taking time to build relationships with clients, something that relies heavily on interaction. Today, personal interaction is key to building client relationships, getting remembered, referred and boosting your profits. Promotional items for my business, what’s effective? QUESTION: Do you have any suggestions as to what items are kept, used and remembered as promotional items for my business? I’m looking for effective items with a personal touch. ANSWER: Promotional items offer a lot of advantages to the businesses. They are the only marketing solution that is beneficial to all types of businesses. Unlike other products they are usually kept on hand and seen. Also, as you noted, the use of promotional items requires personal interaction which is key to building client relationships, getting remembered, referred, and boosting your profits. There are a wide range of promotional items out there and lots of strategies on how to use them and which ones are best. Here are a few things to consider when choosing which promotional items to you may want to use: •Interesting to a target audience •Universally useful, if your business covers a wide spectrum of people and interests •Connected to or reminiscent of your business •Items that will get used frequently or used around target audiences •Give seasonal items When it comes to promotional items, it is best to choose practical products that people will really use. This way, not only do you have the advantage of longer lasting, far reaching advertising, people are happy to receive it. Here are some very popular ideas along with the tried and true: •Golf balls are highly effective (especially this time of year)! because they are kept and used in both recreation and when business is conducted on the course •Pens •Koozies •Drinkware •Flashlights •Bags •Mouse pads There are many more items that can be used of course so you might want to choose more than one and customize the item to the potential customer. Since they can be launched at any time, anywhere, remember to include their use in gaining the attention of other business in the area that may suggest your name and widen your exposure. http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Steve Fischer is the president of Advantage Business Group in Wichita, an owner in the VR Business Brokers network of offices. With national and global reach, VR is one of the nation’s premier networks of professional business intermediaries. A life-long Kansan and previous business owner, Steve’s office exemplifies the service and professionalism that a business brokerage provides to the buyer and seller in today’s market. To learn more, visit www.VRplains.com or www.VRBB.com. Steve can be reached by phone at 316-262-8722. Question: What is a business broker? Answer: To put it simply, a business broker is to a business what a realtor is to a home. When a business owner reaches the point that he no longer wishes to continue as an owner, he needs a person or group to turn to. A business broker fills this need. There are many individuals who will help sell a business as a service of their existing office but a professional business broker specializes only in helping people buy and sell businesses. They don’t split their focus. They are trained in evaluation and pricing businesses, qualifying and working with prospective buyers, negotiations, and structuring transactions. While they may come from a variety of professional backgrounds, many brokers are previous business owners themselves. They can either work as sole proprietors or as part of a national network. To the seller, a broker can be an invaluable asset. Working to determine the value of the business, confidentially marketing, qualifying and screening buyers and unbiased negotiations are just some of the services that they perform. In many cases, the broker becomes a silent partner, focusing on the sale while the owner maintains regular operations. As the business navigates through the transfer process, it is imperative that the norm be maintained. A good broker allows this to happen. To the buyer, a broker can be equally invaluable. Many entrepreneurs have the desire to be their own boss but don’t know where to start. A business broker works to educate and inform buyers not only about a specific business, but businesses in general. When a buyer finds the perfect business, the broker also works with them to ensure that all of the requirements are met as they successfully navigate through the transfer process. The transfer of the ownership of a business can be stressful, time-consuming, involved and complicated. A business broker can make this process much more tolerable and manageable. Question: I’m trying to decide if I should sell my family business. How should I proceed? Answer: Family businesses are a different ball of wax. Family businesses may resemble their non-family counterparts in most ways, but there’s one crucial difference. Whenever close relatives work together, deep emotions invariably become involved, emotions that can further complicate the already difficult decision whether to sell a family enterprise. If you’re thinking about selling a family business, don’t overlook what your emotions are telling you about the potential sale. In some instances, you’re better off listening to your head. But it’s just as important to consider what your heart is telling you. Your decision to sell a family business may start with financial need. You’re looking ahead to retirement and want to feel more secure. Maybe you see stiff challenges ahead for your company. With fewer growth prospects available and increased competition looming, the desire to continue has waned. You might also look to sell a family business if no one in the next generation has stepped up as an obvious successor. In addition, the stress of working together can be too much for some families to handle comfortably. Family strife is always unpleasant. When family members who work together don’t get along the tensions can spill into the workplace. This can make for a destructive personal and professional environment. Selling a family business can feel like selling a part of your family. If you sell, your decision will have a significant impact on the lives of people you care about: relatives, employees, and, especially if the business is in a close-knit community, local residents. Your decision to sell may be especially stressful if you’re thinking of selling a business handed down to you. You may wonder about what your predecessors would do in your shoes. With such factors to consider, you may decide to keep your business. This is a decision that will allow you to maintain your independence, and pass on to future generations the same opportunities that you received. Before you decide to list your business for sale, make sure you discuss your expectations with the members of the next generation. If your chosen successors aren’t interested or able to manage the business, you may be setting the stage for serious family conflict. There are no easy answers. Sometimes, selling your business may be the best solution for everyone involved. Providing you and your family with the assets you need to pursue your dreams is a significant accomplishment for any business, whether you decide to keep or sell. Because the decision to sell can be highly emotional, make sure you are comfortable with the idea of selling. Just because the numbers may add up, doesn’t mean you’ll be happy when you no longer have the business that has been an important part of your family. In many cases the advice of a professional can make this decision easier. Whether that person is your accountant, attorney or business broker is up to you. Question: Can you give me some insight on financing my business acquisition? Answer: Understanding the Engagement from the Buyer and Seller: Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a business, the biggest challenge can come from how the financing is going to take place. Many factors influence the selection of the right avenue for both the buyer and seller. Regardless of the side you’re on, you must be aware of the options available and methods employed when financing a business. Both sides have to know how this part will be accomplished in order to have a successful transaction. From the Seller’s End: If the seller wants all cash, he or she is making it clear they don’t want to be involved in any kind of seller financing. The buyer will either have to use the liquid capital they have available or seek to obtain a loan. In the latter case, the business must qualify for a loan through an approved lender. The seller will have to produce a list of items from the approved lender in order for the business to be approved – ie. Tax returns, financial statements, pro forma operating statement for next three years, procuring a lease to allow for a sufficient occupancy window to match the loan term. From the Buyer’s End: If a buyer does not have the capital to make the purchase, they may qualify for a bank or SBA guaranteed loan. Most states follow similar requirements for obtaining a SBA loan. Cash Equity - Depending upon the buyer’s experience with the kind of business being purchased, the approved lender will require cash equity – at least 20% with experience, at least 40% without it. Credit and Life Insurance - With most approved lenders, the buyer must have a solid credit record as well as carry decreased life insurance in equal amount to the loan. Property and Investments - Approved lenders may ask you to pledge nonresidential real property and investments as collateral for the loan – IRAs, 401Ks and Keogh investments are exempt from this. With an SBA loan, you may have to wait the 30 to 45 day processing period before obtaining approval and funding. You also have to be willing to hold the business for half of the note term before selling by assumption or refinancing. Option for Seller Financing: In many cases, the seller may be willing to finance the sale. If so, a few areas have to be addressed. Financial Statements and Credit Checks - The seller should perform a credit check on the buyer. They can also require them to send copies of the business’ financial statements once ownership has changed hands. However, the buyer doesn’t have to encumber his other assets in the agreement. Payment and Liens - Unlike the cash equity of a loan where the buyer has to pay anywhere from 30% to 50%, in the case of seller financing, the buyer will have to pay anywhere from 50% to 70%. In addition, the buyer holds the right to prepay the note in full or in part without penalty. The seller should also have a recorded first lien on all assets of the business. Question: What do you see in the local business sales market? Answer: With the uncertainty in the local, regional and national economies, this question is asked frequently. Here are some of the things taking place. Sellers – Uncertainty has caused many people wanting to sell their business to be very tentative in moving forward. They want to sell, but an uncertain future and the perception that the negativity of the past year will hurt their sale price have caused them to delay. In some cases, this perception can lessen enthusiasm and has lead to burn-out. When this happens, a business can suffer and the damage that may be done cannot be recovered. Other sellers are concerned that by selling now, their business will be viewed as troubled and not receive a fair price for their business. This is not necessarily true. The best time to sell your business is when you don’t have to. The average business is on the market for over 6 months. Being in a position to wait for the right terms and offer can lead to maximum benefits for the seller. Buyers – The ability of a business to maintain and increase its present sales and earnings are a paramount concern for any buyer. Some buyers are looking for stability and the opportunity to grow. Others are looking for a good bargain. For some small businesses, the past year has been challenging. While there are no guarantees that the Wichita economy will bounce back in 2010 and 2011, this has created some excellent opportunities for people looking towards the future. Availability of Capital – Routinely, there are people who have a small amount of cash and are ready to buy a business. They have heard or read that the SBA will guarantee up to 90% of the value of their loan and think this is all need to purchase a business along with the 10% down. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. Lenders still have requirements and the very nature of many small business transactions include intangible assets that a bank cannot consider as collateral. Whether your loan is backed by the SBA or not, there must be assurances in place that the money you are loaned can be recovered should you fail to make payments. The inability of buyers to secure conventional financing has led to more seller financing and has enticed savvy entrepreneurs to bring in investors. Just because a transaction does not meet the criteria for a lending institution, does not mean it is a bad deal. There is a degree of risk involved with any business. The challenge is balancing the risk tolerance of the buyer with the risks of the business. The assurances offered by a seller willing to help carry a note on their business can help to minimize the concerns of this risk. The decision to buy or sell a business is never one to be taken lightly. The advice of a competent professional is essential to moving forward. A business broker is one of these professionals that can help you make this move. Why can’t I set my price? Question: Why do I need a Professional Business Broker to determine an asking price of my business for sale? Answer: When it is time to sell, many small business owners know exactly how they want to determine their asking price. How did they know this? -I asked a friend. -I checked the local newspaper or internet ads. -I asked my accountant….. -My attorney told me….. -I invested that much and it has potential! Or, they may also use the age-old seller’s valuation formula of: Original Investment + Salary + Inventory + Assets + Whatever I Want = Selling Price True to the above, there are many ways to determine the value of a small business. In the final analysis, it is the market and buyer who will determine the true worth of a business. A well-run business in a market segment that is deemed undesirable can struggle to sell, while a struggling business in a ‘hot’ sector can attract multiple offers. Utilizing the services of a professional not only helps an owner realize how a business compares in the local and national markets, but provides access to data and information not readily available to the public. Just as the business owner is skilled at running their business, a Professional Business Broker is skilled at helping determine an asking price. To discuss all of the methods available to determine the value of a small business would require more space than we have in this article. It is best to contact a local Professional Business Broker to discuss specific situations to learn about business evaluations and valuation services. Locally based themselves, they will have insight into not only the Wichita, but national markets. When interviewing a prospective Business Broker, be sure to ask how they intend to determine the asking price for a business. Be wary of the individual whose first priority seems to be selling a valuation. While this is a paid service offered by most Business Brokers, it should not be their first priority. Most brokerages offer competent evaluations and asking price recommendations based upon resources available to them. For those instances where it is advised to secure a formal valuation, insist the price for this service is deducted from any commissions due to the broker when the business sells. Most professional business brokers offer valuable services to the business owners they work with. By properly utilizing this resource, an owner should be satisfied that the value and asking price for their business can be supported with reliable data and facts. A small business owner, considering the sale of a business, owes it to themselves and their business to seek counsel from a professional before making what could be one of the biggest decisions of their life. Question: I want to sell my business; is there a difference in business brokers and their offices? Answer: Business brokers and the offices they represent are not all the same. Some offices or brokers may represent businesses across a broad range of industries and price ranges; others focus on a specific market segment. Another may focus on businesses that will sell at prices in excess of one, five or ten million dollars. Some charge fees for consultation and valuation services, others do not. Some are local, some are not. All can provide a valuable service to their clients. To the business owner the broker becomes a ‘silent’ partner. It is essential to be comfortable with this person. The broker’s background, qualifications, office, affiliations, past performance, and current operating practices are critical. While credentials, initials behind a name and titles are good, they can also be misleading. The background, professionalism, execution and results are what matter the most. Do not be afraid to interview a broker before signing a listing agreement. In addition to asking about previous individual and office transactions, some good questions to ask a business broker include, how are you qualified to sell my business? How will you determine the value of my business? How will you be marketing my business? What are you going to do to ensure that everything stays confidential? How do you determine if a person is qualified to view my business? What if you find a buyer and I don’t like them? What other professionals are you networked with? Ultimately, your decision will likely be based on your level of comfort with the individual broker. While most brokers are part of larger organizations, affiliations and associations, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. You need to be sure that your brokerage contact is not a weak link. Remember, this person will become your silent partner; you want them to take care of you. You want them to represent you and your business with the same pride and professionalism upon which you have built your business. The decision to sell is one of the biggest decisions a business owner can make. Doing your homework regarding the person or firm that will represent you is critical. Answer: To put it simply, a business broker is to a business what a realtor is to a home. When a business owner reaches the point that he no longer wishes to continue as an owner, he needs a person or group to turn to. A business broker fills this need. There are many individuals who will help sell a business as a service of their existing office but a professional business broker specializes only in helping people buy and sell businesses. They don’t split their focus. They are trained in evaluation and pricing businesses, qualifying and working with prospective buyers, negotiations, and structuring transactions. While they may come from a variety of professional backgrounds, many brokers are previous business owners themselves. They can either work as sole proprietors or as part of a national network. To the seller, a broker can be an invaluable asset. Working to determine the value of the business, confidentially marketing, qualifying and screening buyers and unbiased negotiations are just some of the services that they perform. In many cases, the broker becomes a silent partner, focusing on the sale while the owner maintains regular operations. As the business navigates through the transfer process, it is imperative that the norm be maintained. A good broker allows this to happen. To the buyer, a broker can be equally invaluable. Many entrepreneurs have the desire to be their own boss but don’t know where to start. A business broker works to educate and inform buyers not only about a specific business, but businesses in general. When a buyer finds the perfect business, the broker also works with them to ensure that all of the requirements are met as they successfully navigate through the transfer process. The transfer of the ownership of a business can be stressful, time-consuming, involved and complicated. A business broker can make this process much more tolerable and manageable. Steve Fischer is the president and owner of the VR Business Brokers office in Wichita. With an established network of offices across the country, the VR Business Brokers network has sold more businesses in the world than anyone. As a previous business owner, Steve symbolizes the value and relationships that a professional business broker can bring to the buyer and seller in today’s market. Steve can be reached by phone at 316-262-8722 or e-mail at sfischer@vrplains.com. http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Dan Hartman is the CEO of the Small Business Solutions Center, an agency in Wichita specializing in helping businesses start, grow, and diversify. Dan earned an MBA from the University of California and has over 35 years of business experience. Offering assistance across the spectrum for small businesses, from money, legal and branding/marketing to simply organizing your stuff, the Small Business Solutions Center is poised to make a difference in your business and our community. The Center is located at 105 South Broadway, Suite 102, Wichita, Kansas. Phone contact is 316-771-7111, or you can contact them through their website at www.smallbusinesssolutionscenter.com. What is the innovation killer of small business? ANSWER: “The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.” -Mark Twain It’s always amazed me how Mark Twain seemed to regularly hit the proverbial bull’s eye with his straight forward, simple country logic. Twain’s take on new ideas and success is as accurate today as the day it was first articulated. Why do we see many organizations rushing to hire outside consultants to form opinions one might think should easily be attained from within. I read almost everyday an article in a newspaper or some other publication generally berating the practice of hiring outside consultants. Often this practice is seen as wasteful spending…but, is it really? There are valid reasons for seeking outside opinions and advice on just about every topic imaginable. In practice, many creative organizations bring in outsiders who are not weighed down by the “way things have always been done”. Outsiders bring a fresh perspective, and therefore exercise what might be described as “zero-gravity” thinking – that is, clear thinking unbound by established practices, internal politics or other internal baggage. These fresh perspectives often push people to think outside the limits of their existing mindset. Zero-gravity thinking addresses directly the human side of innovation. It is based on the fact that every invention, every great idea and every breakthrough product or process is the brainchild of real people, or groups of people combining their thoughts and talents, stretching perceived boundaries, reaching beyond the realm of everyday thinking. What makes innovation so difficult to achieve in organizations: “Insanity in individuals is something rare – but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.” – Friedrich Nietzsche When innovating, human nature is an obstacle which must be overcome. Our thinking is constrained by the fact we accept offhandedly what others have said and what the “experts” say is possible or impossible. To innovate successfully, we need to put aside what is known and let our imaginations run free. We need to break away from what we know, what our organization believes and what the experts in our field accept are the established boundaries. Innovation can be defined as “the development and application of an original idea which results in a valuable improvement being made”. Some innovations are breakthroughs (radical departures from what was) while others are small improvements on existing ideas. Everyone loves the idea of being innovative because that can be highly profitable. If you or your organization can come up with a breakthrough idea, it can make a huge difference in the marketplace. Yet despite this appreciation of the benefits of being innovative, many organizations find it difficult to innovate. So, why is innovation so difficult? There are many reasons why innovation is difficult. Some may be the policies and management processes of an organization. Often it requires so much effort to navigate the in-house red tape to get a new idea recognized that it becomes discouraging to even try. Company policy may require new ideas to be backed up with facts and figures which nobody has any chance of generating. People naturally assume if an idea is good, everyone would already be doing that. Internal politics and turf wars can get in the way, and the tendency for organizations to have momentum – let’s just keep doing what we’ve always done In short, the answer is pretty simple. Organizations are made up of people. People resist change. Innovation requires change. Generally, one can be reasonably safe to assume factors, other than technical merits, have an inordinate influence on an organization's ability to be creative. These factors can be present, even when management is outwardly enthusiastic about being innovative. However, there are two fundamental inhibitors frequently found in organizations: 1. GroupThink – the tendency of a group of people to go along with the majority opinion rather than speaking their mind. In the business context, GroupThink stops people from stating their opinions openly and vocally. 2. ExpertThink – ExpertThink means to follow the leader and accept the conventional wisdom about ideas without question or challenge. This kind of thinking is predictable in organizations having a track record of notable success. When acting in combination, GroupThink and ExpertThink can cause extreme myopia, severely limiting our field of vision. Ironically, this effect is even more evident in organizations which have a sustained history of success than it is for a startup. The Solution - Zero G Thinking If what an organization already knows makes it hard to innovate, then the solution is to introduce into your team some Zero-G thinkers on a temporary basis so they can help everyone escape the maze of what is known thereby allowing some fresh, new and creative thinking to take place. Zero-G thinkers have three primary characteristics: 1. They have psychological distance from the rest of the team, meaning they don't care about the accepted “norms” within the group. Instead, Zero-G thinkers are perfectly happy to challenge the status quo. 2. They need to have broad interests and capabilities rather than deep specialization in just one narrow technical area. They know a little about a lot of different topics and are perfectly comfortable taking a concept which works well in one field and using it in an entirely different application. 3. They need to have broad basic expertise. These people won't add more of what is already known by the team. Instead, a Zero-G thinker will inspire the team members to explore their world from a different perspective. How To Make Zero Gravity Thinking Work In Practice When it comes to innovation, there is no one-size-fit-all set of rules. All you can do is build a good foundation and then innovate from there. The following are six key practices of Zero-G thinking: 1. Increase your detachment. Look at your business objective as if you were someone else... and then someone else... and then someone else entirely different. 2. Form unusual combinations. Bring together two or more different ideas which normally would not be combined. Train yourself to look for weird combinations which work when put into practice. 3. Change the way you think. Change the way you think about thinking. Instead of always trying to be doing something, spend a few minutes reflecting and allowing new ideas to get noticed. As Leonardo da Vinci wisely advised, “Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen.” 4. Define in detail first. Spend some quality time actually defining the problem first before you make an intensive effort to try and solve it. 5. Understand your constraints. Understand what exactly constrains your thinking at the present time and come up with some practical ways to lift those constraints, even if only temporarily. 6. Encourage Zero-G thinking. For most people and organizations, Zero-G thinking won't come naturally. It's something you'll need to work at and nurture. Albert Einstein once declared, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” Don’t fall into the trap of putting convention above innovation. To do so may make you an unintentional innovation killer. Do elections effect small business? What do elections have to do with small business? ANSWER: Actually, not much. Dramatic change, such as this election will most likely foster, usually has little to no effect on small businesses. In fact, as we move into a new era in Washington, DC, the climate for small businesses including start-ups will most likely improve. Mega corporations, normally reacting negatively to large scope change, often using typical cost cutting maneuvers such as layoffs and downsizing in reaction to what is perceived as bad news. As America discovers the repercussions of last months elections, the markets are currently casting their vote which is unlikely to be good news for big business. A recent Ned Davis Research study suggests the market could weaken between the elections and the end of the year, if the last 104 years are any guide. Markets hate uncertainty and if profits are at stake don't be surprised if the usual corporate cost-cutting methods are just around the corner. So what does this mean for you? If you've been thinking about launching your own business, the post-election climate could very well work in your favor. Overall the American economy is slowing down but small businesses continue to play a vital role in the supply of goods and services to their local economy. When the mega companies downsize they tend to give up market share. Generally, that means more business for small operators and new opportunities for entrepreneurs. Many times excellent potential arise from these perceived downturns for enterprising individuals looking for a franchise. As companies downsize, they may turn to franchising as a means of cutting costs and generating revenue. Becoming your own boss can be an easier task with franchising. You've probably already heard descriptions such as 'work for yourself but not by yourself' and that's just it - successful brands have a proven business model in place and you can share in their success, earning the income you truly deserve. Moreover, you'll profit from the strong support most franchisors offer. Words of caution…seek help in selecting a franchise that will work for you. It's easy to overlook weaknesses in the desire to be your own boss. Having an objective eye looking over your shoulder can make the experience far more productive while helping you recognize and steer clear of potential problems. As I've said many times before, get help. A well chosen team is always stronger and more effective than one person. What goals should I set for myself when starting a new business? ANSWER: What started some years ago as a bit of an eccentricity has blossomed into a real trend. These days more and more corporate workers are leaving their jobs to start their own businesses. When taking this leap, it is critically important that the goals one sets for the new venture are solid. These goals will most likely be the underpinning of success for the new venture. Unfortunately, many new entrepreneurs start with the kind of goals that don't logically or naturally lead to long-term success. Often, the initial goal is more of a reason for leaving your job than a basis for starting a new business. The most common of these nonfunctional goals include; being sick and tired of the same old corporate routine, dissatisfaction with the way your company is run (think bureaucracy), and feeling you are underpaid or underappreciated in your current job. While these goals will most likely be fulfilled when launching a new venture of your own, they should not be the core reason to start one. Core goals should deeply embedded ambitions that will motivate you to succeed in the face of adversity, in both the short and long-term. For example, the goal of building a company that will truly make a difference in the people's lives that it serves can motivate not only the founder, but employees. However, your core goal need not be so ambitious or noble. Having functional, pragmatic goals such as; to do things better than they are currently done, to prove that you have what it takes to launch a new business, or to become wealthy are all goals which can motivate you in the long-term to succeed. Achieving these kinds of goals can work to provide you with the extra motivation that is often a determining factor between success and failure. When considering leaving a corporate position to launch a new venture, it is important to review your personal goals and make sure they merit taking the leap to entrepreneurship. If your goals are not worthy, you might find yourself in a position down the road where your needs are not fulfilled and your venture is faltering. However, if your goals are such that they are fully engrained within your body, soul and mind, you will find yourself highly motivated and willing to do what it takes to launch and grow your new venture in the face of any adversities that come your way. We are what we think we are; therefore, setting motivations (goals) that become a part of your being, propelling you forward in the face of adversity, are a key ingredient necessary for achieving success. Solid initial goals foster commitment. These two elements are indispensable to an entrepreneur. Where do 'start-ups' get money? ANSWER: YouTube, an internet video sharing phenomenon, landed millions in venture capital money in its first year to expand so fast that its founders were able to sell the video-sharing company to Google this month for $1.7 billion. For most entrepreneurs, however, venture capital isn't an option. Venture Capitalists, investing for institutions and rich individuals, likely will invest in fewer than 3,400 of America's more than 20 million small firms this year. Instead, a significant majority of founders reach into their own funds or turn to family members, who provide nearly $60 billion a year in start-up and expansion funding. Most of today's new businesses typically sell a service, like bookkeeping or consulting, so require little more than a moderately expensive computer, a low end fax/scan/print/copy machine, and a home office. Even trendy start-ups, such as the example I sighted earlier, YouTube, get going with a handful of computers lashed together in a garage. A recent survey of small business owners conducted by Wells Fargo Bank indicated start-up costs averaged a mere $10,000 - exactly what Rita Reed needed to found her customer service consulting firm in Chicago. She tapped personal savings to buy a PC, stationery and other supplies to launch Stage Presence a year ago. Many entrepreneurs "bootstrap" their way into business to keep control over ownership and to maximize profit if they sell their firms, says William Payne, an entrepreneur near Las Vegas who now invests in start-ups. "The object of the game is to keep as much of the company as you can," says Payne, who consults for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a non-profit advocate in Kansas City for entrepreneurs. Here's a brief look at three of the most common sources of start-up and expansion capital for small businesses: Personal assets, Small Business Administration study published last month says close to 57% of entrepreneurs used personal or family savings to pay for their company's launch. Banks and other investors are more likely to bet on a company's future when founders have risked their own money first, have good-excellent credit rating, and plenty of collateral to secure the debt. Using savings, instead of borrowing, keeps overhead down during the early years when entrepreneurs don't know whether they'll have enough revenue to service debt, is the advice of Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann, head of the Small-Business Division of Wells Fargo. For example, YouTube's founders relied on their own money to jump-start the company early last year before they attracted $11.5 million from venture-capital firm Sequoia Capital. In 2003 an Atlanta based communications firm, Write2Market, took the "bootstrap" path to launch its efforts. The owner rented out her home, then moved into a brother's basement apartment to minimize living expenses. That move helped generate the $50,000 needed for computers, software and a website. Write2Market now has 10 employees writing brochures and direct-marketing materials for midsize and larger clients, including ADP, the payroll processing giant. Family and friends, the $60 billion a year that family members and friends invest in U.S. start-ups range from loans to gifts, averaging about $23,000 each, concludes an ongoing study of U.S. and foreign entrepreneurship underway at Boston's Babson College, citing figures from 2005 and 2004. Family money is the biggest chunk of the overall $100 billion in annual informal investing in start-ups. In fact, $75 billion in annual start-up money comes from family members and/or, friends, neighbors or business associates. The rest comes from the professional venture-capital industry, now investing around $25 billion each year. Family investments are often very informal. A family member, friend, or neighbor may give you strings-free money to start a business. Although the gift will most likely be repaid at some point in the near term, it's still wise to create some type of document spelling out the details of even the most informal of investments. Finance experts urge entrepreneurs and their family/friend investors to draft documents specifying whether the money is a loan, gift or purchase of company stock. In doing this important step, the entrepreneur protects relatives and friends who might want to write off the investment if the business fails. The document also acts to protect everyone by detailing what share they own if the business succeeds and/or is sold. A loan agreement also lessens the risk of default by setting a fixed repayment schedule. Commercial loans, banks finance start-ups when owners have a solid credit history, related experience and can offer collateral such as a home. About 12% of entrepreneurs relied on a bank loan for start-up money, the SBA study found. Wells Fargo's small-business loans average $30,000 to $35,000 each, says Macieira-Kaufmann. That's often plenty for a typical small business, such as a flower shop, law firm or consultant, she says. More capital-intensive companies, such as manufacturers or a big restaurant, often turn to taxpayer-backed bank loans of up to $2 million through the SBA. The federal agency guaranteed 97,290 loans, averaging $145,000 each, in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. About one-third were for start-ups according to the SBA's loan programs division. The SBA guarantees repayment only in the event of a default, after the loans are made by approved lenders. As with other lenders, SBA lenders do not approve everyone who applies. Which applicants are SBA's lenders likely to reject? Those without related work and/or business experience, a formal business plan and money of their own to risk in the venture. A good axiom to remember when you're asking lenders and taxpayers to take a risk is, "An entrepreneur must be willing to put their own blood, sweat, tears and money into the venture, too". Finally, getting money to start your business is no easy task. There's no magic wand to wave that will make bags of money appear at your feet. An entrepreneur must diligently search not only their own assets, but those available within their community. The Small Business Solutions Center in Wichita can be a big help, where an enterprising individual can access all the help they may need. Assistance in building business plans to suit target funding resources, legal advice, accountants, strategic planning, business organization, branding/marketing, banks and private capital sources, are but a sampling of the resources available through agencies such as this. It's hard enough to bring a business inspiration from the recesses of your mind to the austere pages of a workable plan. Seeking out an entity to help you achieve your dream makes it much easier and helps you keep your focus on the big picture...the dream. If I have only one thing to advise it would be this...get help. No one makes it through this life, business or otherwise, without help from someone. Aligning with capable people and learning how to get the best from them will accelerate you on your road to success. That advice is also echoed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, folks who ought to know. Another acronym... what’s a MFP? http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Steve Finley is the General Manager of Business Systems, Inc. He has been with BSI for 28 years and is available to assist in any IT, Software or Workflow projects you may be considering. You may contact him at (316) 262-2478 or come by and visit their Show Room and Technology Lab at 222 W. Murdock, Wichita, KS 67203, Monday thru Friday. : What is an MFP? ANSWER: MFP is short for multifunction peripheral, a single device that serves several functions, such as printing, scanning, faxing, or photocopying. These devices are becoming a popular option for business users large and small. Why buy a MFP over individual stand alone devices? Cost is usually the major reason as they're less expensive than buying three or four separate devices. Money will also be saved because they let you manage fewer consumables, reducing your total cost of ownership, storage requirements, and service interruptions. Another savings is in the area of service contracts as you can have one contract and one point of contact instead of one for each stand alone device thru multiple service organizations. I believe the real savings comes in the form of increased productivity thru more efficient processing of information, especially when these functions are incorporated into your business critical applications and workflow. Being able to scan a document with the choices of sending it across the network, out by email, or copying multiple sets in color that are then bound into finished booklets by the MFP can be a tremendous asset to any business. Incoming faxes can be routed to folders on the network, desktop or stored at the MFP device and viewed or printed as needed. Documents can be printed and stored at the device until a password is entered for those confidential documents you don't want lying in the output tray. Compliance of many of the regulations today such a HIPPA and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act's are forcing many businesses to look at ways to securely protect confidential information and store documents in a manner they can be retrieved later for audits and such.Some common misconceptions of MFP's are:• If the device fails, you may lose all of its functions at the same time.• You can only do one operation at a time. For example, you can't print a document and receive a fax simultaneously.• You can't prioritize the operations; it's always going to print a large report when I need an urgent fax or copy.Today's MFP's have addressed most if not all of these issues, most are true multi-tasking devices with great flexibility to set priorities based on the needs of the business, as well as the ability to interface with other devices on the network. If you haven't taken a recent look, you owe it to yourself to check out how today's technology in MFP's could bring startling improvements in productivity and efficiency to your business. Not to mention the hardware and supply savings. http://theqandatimes.com/files/media/UserImages/" /> Clemens H. "Clem" Ast has spent the last 28 years working closely with owners, leaders, and families of client companies to build business legacies that will last to new generations. A family business owner, mentor, and coach, Clem focuses on strategic thinking, family council development, Board of Directors improvement, and executive leadership coaching. Clem is a member of the Family Firm Institute, and the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO), and other local associations. He recently received a Certification in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute. Clem can be reached by email at cast@LegasusGroup.com or by phone at 316.681.0444. : I would like for you to describe a ‘family council’ meeting. I have seen these meetings mentioned in several articles I've read recently. ANSWER: A family council meeting should be composed of family members who are impacted by the family business. In smaller families, this may be all family members and spouses (in-laws, too). In larger families, the council might represent households or family branches. It is not a prerequisite to be working in the family business. One of the greatest assets of the council process is to include those who might otherwise feel "left out" of the family business.The family council is a wonderful place to discuss important issues facing the family in business. But remember, the focus of the council is to build a stronger family, not to take the place of business management meetings! In order to ensure effective family council meetings, we offer the following tips:• Always have an agenda to focus your time.• Establish a simple Code of Conduct that guides discussion both during and between family meetings. • Include "family fun" time - a meal, ball game, skiing, or just hanging out.• Have one person act as the coordinator. They will get input on the family members' "desired outcomes" for the meeting.• Avoid too much discussion of business matters, and stay away from management decision-making - this is not a business meeting.• Bring in other advisors to educate family members regarding buy/sell agreements, tax issues of ownership, estate planning, etc.• Use a family business consultant if there are sensitive issues that need to be discussed among family members (e.g. choosing a successor, ownership transition, personal conflicts, etc.).Try one meeting! You can always make changes. Family businesses sold to chains? QUESTION: In today's paper, there is another article about a local family-owned business selling to a national chain. As a second generation family business owner, I find this worrisome because it is so tempting. I have always hoped my children and my brother's children would take over the business. Give me some guidance on staying the course with our family business. ANSWER: As I'm sure you have read, the family business will undergo a massive "sale" in the next two decades--a sale to the next generation. It is estimated that approximately $15 trillion in assets will be transferred from one generation to the next in the coming twenty years. Most of this wealth will be in the form of the family business. Although this is an exciting opportunity for those who are next-generation heirs, it also offers an anxious amount of uncertainty.A sobering statistic regarding family business is that only one in three will survive to the next generation. But, there's no reason the future should repeat the past. Just as a company engages in strategic or product planning, there are steps we suggest you take to prepare for this inevitable transition. 1. Ask the following questions: "Is there a deep desire, and are we willing to do what it takes to transition to the next generation? Are there family members who have a passion for the business and are willing and able to lead?" If you and your brother truly want to leave a legacy and are willing to tackle some very difficult issues and decisions, there is a strong likelihood your business will progress to greater success. 2. Communicate! The family should get together for a day to discuss their dreams, aspirations, fears and challenges. Sounds simple, but it's difficult. You will hear -- "I'm nervous. Can you tell me what will happen?" The reply -- "We don't know what will happen." From experience, we can assure you that communication is usually the only thing between you and two-thirds of businesses that don't survive. So, do what you can to create a safe environment where members can say what they think. There is no family that does not have its own demilitarized zones where no one dares to tread. Rather than avoid issues that must be addressed, you should consider using an advisor with a background in family business development to guide your family safely through these zones. 3. Establish a framework for transition. This is not an estate plan, a will, or a charitable trust (although these are important). Rather, it's a series of processes and documents that describe: your interests and intents; guidelines and policies regarding family employment, compensation, promotion, liquidity, etc.; and a strategic plan for the business, including the involvement of non-family leadership. 4. Determine how future leadership will be developed (including family, non-family, and especially the successor). This is essentially a career development plan, but includes exposure to the board, mentors, and peer group involvement. We know a firm that has asked the next generation of sons, daughters and cousins to take a lead role in defining their development paths, family policies and governance roles. As they visit these issues in their family meetings, they are able to continue an open dialogue that focuses on process, not personalities. They balance their efforts with input from the company's leadership team and board of directors, which includes outside non-family directors. 5. Establish timeframes and accountability. Nothing is more discouraging than to hear the senior generation say "We'll discuss that later," or "I'll tell you when you're ready." However, it cannot just be left to Dad to initiate. The architecture must be developed to essentially force the owners, board, managers and family members to be accountable to the plan. There are an abundance of sad stories about leaders who died before they got around to discussing their successor, their financial and legal intentions, and their dreams for the business. As crazy as it seems, these stories are no different than the companies who had to sell, or ended up in court with opposing siblings. The best strategy? Develop the contingency plan ("if I die tomorrow") and the transition plan ("how and when I'll pass the baton"). : What is OCR? How can OCR make me more productive? ANSWER: Whether at home or at the office, the use of scanners to efficiently turn ordinary paper documents into data files is changing the way we store, manipulate and distribute information. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is just one of the optional processes that can take place on the data file once it has been imaged or scanned. When scanning, the imaging process records changes in light intensity reflected from the document and records that information as a matrix of dots. An electrical representation of the original is now stored as a bitmapped image usually in TIFF (Tagged-image File Format) or PDF (Portable Document Format). The resolution or number of dots per inch (dpi) produced by the scanner determines how closely the digital image will represent the original. As a rule of thumb, 300dpi will give optimal results for OCR from a good quality original. If the text is small or the original quality is low, a higher scanning resolution may be required. Beware that the higher resolution results in a larger file size, which may become an issue if the file is to be stored for later use.The OCR process transforms the bitmapped image of printed text into text code that is now machine readable. From here the real benefits of OCR can be realized. Consider that a person manually entering data can only enter 2 to 3 characters per second, while OCR characters can be read at 10,000 per second. Take that letter or contract that needs to be retyped; instead scan and OCR, giving you an editable recreation of the document in your favorite word processing software for minor changes or updates. Think of the time that can be saved.The United States Postal Service has been using OCR machines to sort mail since 1965, Banks and financial institutions scan enormous amounts of checks each day using MICR (magnetic ink character recognition), another form of OCR with less than one read error per 20,000 to 30,000 checks. For Document Management Systems, large numbers of forms such as invoices, insurance forms, etc. can be quickly scanned with zone OCR performed on specific areas of the document such as invoice number, account number and customer name and address. This information is then recorded for instant retrieval of the files at a latter time.In the legal world digital documents must be exact duplicates of the originals to be used as evidence in court. Making the documents searchable enables attorneys to find the half-dozen pertinent pages among the potential 50,000 or more pages in a case. When attorneys work on the PDF files they have created, they can annotate them, and those annotations can later be searched as well. The ability to create, find, and distribute information is not only increasing our productivity and efficiency, it is also freeing up acres of storage space once used for file cabinets and boxes full of paper documents. With the price of OCR software now down to an affordable level, think about how you are handling paper and what imaging with OCR can do for you. : I've just opened a new business and I haven't been able to rest for weeks. The pressure is on for the next few months as we develop and grow the business. Tension levels are very high. There is so much to do in a short time. How can we lower the pressure and anxiety, without lowering our service to our new customers? ANSWER: There is no doubt that starting a business is very stressful for most people, especially if it's your first time.Part of the problem is that your normal pace of work tends to speed up dramatically with all the new responsibilities, horrible deadlines, and your dependency on so many people. Although you knew what to expect, you may not be as prepared as you would like to be. The following tips will play an important part in minimizing pressure, while maintaining good productivity.Acknowledge the status quo. Acknowledge that this is going to be a hectic time. Be aware in advance of how much of your time this project will demand, and accept that some things will typically go wrong no matter how organized you are - you've heard of "Murphy's Law." It's when we are surprised by events that we tend to react. When you know what to expect, you are better equipped to respond.Plan to be ready. Make a list of problems that typically come up in your type of venture and type them up. Next to each problem, type out what you can do about it if it occurs, or how you can prevent it altogether. Remember how many times in the past you said, "I wish we had done so and so before we got started." Keep a log of what goes wrong and what action you took: this way you'll be better prepared for your next similar project. Delegation. Delegation is the art of good management. Many tasks that you choose to do yourself should be delegated. Look for activities that would be better and more quickly handled by a subordinate so that you're freed-up for the big stuff like getting to know your customers, marketing your new business, controlling quality, and monitoring expenses.Teamwork. Good teamwork comes from good coaching by the boss. Part of good coaching is to be in touch with each of your coworkers: know their strengths and weaknesses, and what makes them tick. Under pressure, you may forget to acknowledge their efforts and inadvertently make them more tense - leading to lost productivity, poor customer service, and absenteeism.Time Management. Time is our ultimate challenge. You can add two hours of productivity to your work day by practicing some simple disciplines. Know your most productive time of day and do the most difficult tasks then. Mine is the morning, which is why I never accept invitations to play racquetball upon rising: I don't want to lose any of that good brain timeLast thing before you stop in the evening, take five minutes to update your To Do list for tomorrow. Select the most important thing you are going to do first and place the paperwork relevant to that in the middle of your cleared desk. This gets you focused in advance and reduces the stress of indecision next morning.Humor Things will go wrong no matter how hard you try. Make up your mind to laugh at yourself when you goof up. Make a choice to extend an encouraging smile to your employees, and find an opportunity exchange some lighthearted banter with your team amidst all the urgency. Victor Borge said, "Humor is the shortest distance between two people." Be grateful. Above all else, remember there are some people less fortunate who don't have a job, let alone their own business; so count your blessings and give thanks. Reach out to help others grow and prosper in all your endeavors: this will pay great dividends - and it may be your greatest relief from stress. : What is the process for a SBA loan? How long does it take? Can you normally get all of the funding you need with the loan? Do you have to have any money to put down? ANSWER: The following information was provided by Elizabeth Auer, District Director for the Wichita District Office of the SBA. The key to any business is adequate funding, this is especially true for start-up businesses but raising capital is not an easy task which many new entrepreneurs quickly discover. Many people turn to the SBA for financing; however, the SBA does not have any direct lending authority but does have programs wherein they act as guarantors for the loan. Financing programs vary according to the borrower's financial need. SBA loan guarantees are made through both bank and non-bank financial institutions and can be guaranteed up to 85 percent. There are basically three parties involved with a SBA loan: the lender, borrower and SBA. The process is very straight forward; first the lender determines whether a borrower's application is acceptable. If approved the lender may forward the application and its credit analysis to the SBA. Once SBA reviews and approves the application it is returned to the lender who disburses the loan funds to the borrower.The borrower must pledge sufficient assets (collateral) to secure the loan, with personal guaranties from all the principal owners of the business. Note that insufficient collateral will not automatically decline the loan but could be an unfavorable factor depending on other variables. Other considerations to keep in mind are that the business must be a for profit entity and fall within SBA size standards (call SBA for standards).A personal credit review is a good starting point if you are unaware of your personal credit status. Another important document is your business plan which is the key element to obtaining financing because it details many questions lenders will ask, i.e., the purpose of the loan, business form, accounting/bookkeeping procedures, labor complement, marketing plan, financial projections, and an equity investment in the business which is different than collateral. Lenders will not finance 100% of the project and you, as the business owner, will need an equity injection of between 20-30% of the loan amount requested for the business venture.Contact your local SBA office at 269-6273 or 269-6616 for detailed information about the various loan programs available. : What grants are available for minority and women owned businesses? Michael Kinard Question: What grants are available for minority and women owned businesses?Answer: This is the most asked question we get here at the Kansas Minority Business Development Council. While there are specific grants targeted for this segment there is not one specific agency providing grants for minority and women owned businesses. Depending upon your business idea there may be grant dollars for that project but it will be open to anyone and not exclusive for minorities or women. Banks do have to comply with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) which basically states that the banks must reinvest back into the communities that bank with them. Giving the banks the incentive to provide services to undeserved areas. Minorities can help banks receive positive CRA ratings by doing business with them. These are not grants that banks provide but rather LOANS and must fall under the banks lending guidelines. Question: Why is it that customer service in nearly all sectors seems to be the worst it has ever been? What can be done about it from a consumer's position? Answer: It is true that there has been a serious decline in customer service. A major reason for that is the time in which we live. Today, consumers are demanding that products and services be faster, better quality, and cheaper. So, in order to survive in business today, you have to be more creative in developing your product or service, more efficient in getting product to your customers on time, and more disciplined in controlling your costs.And as everyone is trying to get his or her piece of the pie, you have to be very conscious of price. And that's where customer service falls down - when you cut back too eagerly in the wrong places.An article in the Wall Street Journal recently described the latest in annoying automated phone lines, where the hunt for a live operator seems to get tougher by the day. It reports that U.S. companies are spending $7.4 billion this year to beef up their automated customer service, making it almost impossible to reach a real person.Some say, "Stop belly-aching, that's the world we live in, get used to it." There is some merit to that argument except when you realize that instead of speeding up service and providing quicker responses to customer concerns, much of high tech has been used as a way to save money on humans, hide from customers, and do away with the personal touch that is the foundation of good service.We consumers and customers crave the personal touch. We're fed up with machines that pass us on to another machine or to another announcement that tells us how important we are (some of us actually believe it!), and then they let us stew for as long as we're prepared to hold - secretly hoping, I believe, that we'll go away. What can you do in your business to stem the decline of service quality and get yourself some loyal customers?Bring back the personal touch in whatever way you can.Minimize the number of hoops your customer has to jump through to get satisfaction.Contact customers who have called you for the first time (without knowing your direct line), and ask them what kind of an experience they had.Be a customer for a few hours and test the way a customer is treated by your company, shop or service. Sit weekly with your staff and go over the complaints, particularly the recurring complaints; and solve them! What can you do as a consumer?Where possible, don't accept bad service.If the product or service is not acceptable, complain and ask for it to be put right, or ask for compensation in lieu. Only 4% of people who have a problem actually complain - which might be why service doesn't get any better.Don't accept vague statements that they'll get back to you. Ask them how long that will take. Write that down and repeat it back to them.Write a letter to the President/CEO of the company. Get the person's name, and address him or her personally. Make the letter objective with clear, detailed information. Avoid arrogance and personal criticism. Ask for action. Put this on your company's letterhead. If you're not a big shot, you might title yourself as Purchasing Selection Advisor (P.S.A.) or Chief Complaint Officer (C.C.O.). Anything with a C and an O in the title often gets attention. If you're being passed all over the place in a telephone call, hit the zero button and try your luck at getting a real person. Some systems are sneakily adjusted so that you have to hit the zero button twice. Try it.Of course you can always go to the competition. If you do, tell them why - and see how they respond so they'll get to know you up front. That works better with a small business.If you are very pleased with a business, write and compliment them - and copy your friends. This is a great motivator for them to continue to provide the best in service. Answer: I'm not the best at cold calling either. Years ago I got my greatest education about cold call selling. I discovered I was no good at it at all. I hated rejection, always got flustered when I was trying to make a pitch, got frustrated when the client wouldn't agree to a meeting or wouldn't make a decision. Now, in my own business for six years, I've had to make some cold calls to generate business. But I found a better way that works for me. I practice great networking, Just as cold calling comes naturally to some great salespeople, networking comes naturally to me - and maybe to you. With practice you can be good at it. Networking sets up the foundation for the sales call. When you meet someone socially and connect with them, it is far easier to get them to take your call, and if you did your homework, you'll know how you can help them, and so you'll know what to say.How can you merge the networking and cold calling to get best results?When you attend a breakfast, a seminar or a lecture, always sit next to someone you've never met. Don't do what many company sales people do…they all sit together! What a waste of a great networking opportunity.Always carry business cards. If you don't, you're not even trying to be successful! When you get their card, scribble some notes on the back about their business, and a problem they might have, high turnover, inter-departmental conflict, shipping problems - and if you're lucky, the name of their children. You won't find out that information unless you ask them! Follow-up with a note or an email as soon as possible. Let it go too long and they've forgotten you and whether they liked you or not. Question: What do I need to do to get my business ready to sell? Answer: Every privately held business will change owners or close at some point in the life cycle of their business. Good organization and a little effort beforehand can make the process much easier when the time comes. Here are some of the specifics needed in order to aid a successful transfer of ownership: •Provable books and records. The person who buys your business wants proof of past sales, expenses and profits of your business. You need to keep detailed records. If you can’t prove it – it didn’t happen. •Reasonable price and terms. The person who buys your business must be able to live on the profits or get the desired return on their investment. •Documentation of assets being sold. You need to prepare a complete list of assets, furniture, fixtures and equipment being sold along with realistic values for each. •An attractive lease. Your lease is a significant part of your business. It is of the utmost importance that the groundwork be laid for either a new lease or the transfer of the existing lease. •Best possible appearance. Appearances do matter, you need to have the premises neat, clean and in good repair. •Value the business properly. A professional business broker can offer evaluations and opinions of value based on the past history and comparisons, not only to industry standards and models but also comparable sales. This service or a formal valuation shows the buyer the business is competitively priced. •Covenant not to compete. No one wants to buy a business only to compete with the seller. You need to have a new plan in place after the sale. •Reason for sale. Buyers want to understand the reason for the sale and need to be comfortable that there is not undisclosed information that could negatively affect the future. •Time is of the essence. Keep your records updated and be prepared to move forward when a qualified buyer shows interest. •No surprises! Everyone hates surprises and many adverse situations such as landlord problems, outstanding loans, judgments, tax arrears, liens, unfavorable equipment leases and even non-compliance with zoning, health or other regulations can be overcome if known up front. Be sure to share this with your broker. Whether or not you sell your business, having control of the above items is simply good business sense. At some time there will be a transfer of ownership. By addressing these issues in advance, the process will be much more manageable for you or your heirs.

2019-04-25T00:31:40Z

http://theqandatimes.com/userend/ArtList/28

That privatised the commons: trespasser, keep out. Old rights of way were barred and lost. No fields to walk on summer days. Place of shelter and diversity. Refuge found, a corridor of shade. Was ripped and grubbed apart. Monotonous for profit and efficiency. Nowhere now to feed or hide. No more a haven for the wild and free. Green Left is an anti-capitalist, ecosocialist group within the Green Party of England & Wales. Membership is open to all GPEW members, (see back page for details). All views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily of Green Left. 2015…and along comes Corbyn. Or to put it more accurately, considering Corbyn had been steadfastly supporting all the issues we stand for throughout his life, along comes the vehicle for a national movement that can get behind Corbyn via a Labour Party leadership election. As People’s Assembly activists, many of us recognised what this opportunity meant and got behind Corbyn. Here in Pembrokeshire, some long-standing ‘Old Labour’ members didn’t at first realise what was happening and bought into the myth that a ‘left wing’ Labour Party would be ‘unelectable’. But the Tories had inadvertently put in the groundwork themselves and created a mass movement ‘in waiting’. The work we had been doing here as campaigners, even back when socialism was still a dirty word, meant that as a movement we were ready. We had planted the seeds of a movement that with the influx of pro-Corbyn activists we could now combat the Tory narrative and mobilise like never before - in rural Pembrokeshire. Demos got bigger and better attended, once a few of us had been fending off right-wingers on social media. Now a new contingent of online debaters took over and freed key activists to organise! We held cross-party meetings where all left of centre party reps agreed to unite efforts against the Tories' cruel, ideological austerity policies. Some Comrades from Momentum West Wales got in touch about putting on an #UnseatCrabb event as part of Owen Jones’ Unseat campaign, so we adopted the strategy of ‘build it and they will come’! We advertised it as an event that would be the biggest political rally Haverfordwest had seen since the Suffragettes’ movement! We had two Canary pieces covering the event! Bex Sumner (Canary UK editor) even attended the rally and covered it personally! We hosted a People’s Assembly comedy night titled ‘Stand Up Against Austerity’, Francesca Martinez helped us and Chris Nineham from Stop the War came from London to speak and host the comedy night. Mark McGowan [query spelling??] came and did a stand up performance and many local comedians came and performed. Everyone was supporting the day’s activity! We also took a #CrabbMustGo banner on a tour of Haverfordwest and hit social media by storm. Creative activism in action! took a team or five of us to do it but we were seen on social media pages all over Britain! And now… progressive activists from across the political spectrum, Greens, Labour, Plaid and non-Party are all working together, we’re ready to go at a moment’s notice. When May sent the bombs into Syria in April we mobilized a 200 strong demo with just three days’ notice. Then, following a disgusting incident of homophobic hate speech where some fanatics were trying to hold a Transphobic hate meeting, we joined forces with the new Pembrokeshire LGBTQ+ group and got 100 people on to the streets of Fishguard with just 24 hours’ notice, and we closed down that meeting! Filling the local press with coverage of our demo, showing that as a County and as activists we can now act and act.. We are going to hold a ‘Rural Activism’ & ‘Creative Activism’ training weekend in a few weeks, we have activists from Cardiff, Bristol and London wanting to get involved and supporting the event in solidarity. This could form the basis for a national ‘Rural Activism’ training roadshow.In Pembrokeshire we have built a movement from the ground up. We will get stronger, more unified and organised as more activists join forces with us. Getting Corbyn into power is an important objective we all want to see and are working towards, but it will not be the end of the battle. It will be the beginning, and that is when we will be needed more than ever. As we have seen recently with the antisemitism campaign against Corbyn, the right wing within Labour will align with the establishment, close ranks and do anything to destabilise a Corbyn Government. We have to keep building the movement not just to be ready, but one step ahead. The extra-parliamentary movement will be vital, in the uncertain times ahead to keep making the gains necessary to restructure our society for the benefit of all and bring down 40 years of neoliberalism. Here in Pembrokeshire we can promise that we will be a step ahead, and playing our part in that struggle! So to all urban and rural activists,we send greetings and solidarity from Pembrokeshire with love! In July 2017 the cabinet of Haringey’s Labour council, against widespread and mounting opposition, decided to transfer much of its land and housing assets, and all of its commercial property, to a private partnership with Lendlease, the multi-national property developer. The Haringey Development Vehicle (HDV), had it gone ahead, would have been the biggest sell-off of local authority assets in UK history. One year later, in July 2018, a new cabinet reversed this decision and killed off the HDV. That the HDV is now dead is cause for celebration, not just in north London but across the UK. It became a touchstone in the usually very unequal battle of communities against property speculators intent on re-shaping large parts of our cities, with the connivance of local authorities, building more expensive housing for sale and rent while demolishing social housing and decanting poorer people – and in the process creating havoc to local environments. The HDV was reversed only after a long grass roots campaign – StopHDV - had mobilized support across political parties, trade unions, community groups, tenants and residents associations, by public meetings, fund-raising gigs, street stalls, social media promotion, press and media briefings, demonstrations, marches of over 1,000 people, and lobbying at council cabinets and meetings. At the same time we initiated a Judicial Review in the High Court, preventing Haringey’s then Leader, Claire Kober, signing any contract on the HDV while it was ultra vires. In the six months between July 2017 and May 2018, most Labour candidates selected for the local elections were against the HDV, and their manifesto promised to stop it. Greens and LibDems continued to oppose the HDV. The political struggle has resonated across the country, at national level in the Labour Party, in mass media, and in the trade press. The urban gentrification agenda, privatization of public space, and decimation of social housing – facilitated by Labour authorities, notably Lambeth and Southwark where Lendlease have been rampant – is at last being held up to the light and resisted. The legal questioning of this process continues, as we have appealed the High Court judge’s decision which ruled that our challenge was ‘out of time’. A formal Appeal hearing is awaited, while Lendlease, undoubtedly miffed at losing Haringey springboard, are taking Haringey Council to the High Court for daring to call time on their business with the HDV. There could be more heard on the precedents of local authorities becoming embedded in corporate money- making and ignoring local democracy. The ramping up of land values, desecration of urban planning constraints over recent decades, and unmitigated corporate greed, made ordinary city living unaffordable now to many working people. The urgent need for a Land Value Tax, long proposed by Greens and now at least being considered by Labour, is vital if we are to do anything about what the geographer Danny Dorling calls ‘peak inequality’. This is re-making town centres in the image of go-to consumer experiences. But this corporate vision for the few and nightmare for the many can be challenged, and that resistance can alternative locally-based planning for neighbourhoods. We need an end to the Right to Buy which has so drastically reduced the amount of social housing, a re-start of council house building, rent control, tenants charters, and proper consideration of refurbishment but not at the expense of wholesale demolition. Tis must include the rights of people living there to co-design and to look after their own built fabric and physical environment. In London there are green shoots in this direction such as Our Tottenham and Lambeth People’s Plan. The community land trust movement in England is still in its infancy. However, examples like the Camley Street local development proposal in Camden, and on a larger neighbourhood scale, the St.Anns Redevelopment Trust [StART] in Haringey, have convinced the London Mayor to purchase the hospital site which the BEH Mental Health Trust was about to sell to developers. Their plans are dependent on maximum local support for 800 new houses with mixed income occupancy, environmental sustainability, provisions for vulnerable residents, and stewardship in perpetuity. The new Haringey council is setting up its own company and a community benefit society to secure housing for the many homeless people in the borough, and also talking to the land trust at StART about how partnership with this community initiative can complement more and better municipal housing provision and stewardship. That’s a good start. It is not often you can say you attended a Green Party meeting and were inspired. But it did happen to me on a tropical July day in London. Guest speaker Paul Turpin spoke of how the campaign to save Sheffield`s street trees had grown and Tree Action Groups had formed all over the city involving over 10,000 people. A leaflet ‘It`s About More Than Trees’ made clear that the totally unnecessary felling of thousands of healthy trees was the result of the City Council`s dodgy PFI deal which will hand over £2.2 billion to Amey, a profiteering private corporation. Arriving at the meeting after traipsing through the hot city streets, the shade of the few trees en route was much appreciated. The next day travelling to Hampshire on yet another scorching day it brought home to me just how much we need our green spaces and how much better we feel for being around trees. I was born in a Nissen hut surrounded by trees during the heatwave of July 1947 as my dad was a squatter. After his WW2 service in North Africa, Italy and at Dunkirk, we joined other homeless families in taking over a vacant army camp on Heckfield Common near Reading. In 1950 we were all re-housed on a brand new council estate with good- sized gardens and streets with wide grass verges planted with trees. That sounds very like the Sheffield estate Paul told us about where the chainsaws have been busy. He said it was a vibrant community, although grimmer now after the Thatcher and Blair years: a reminder that the historic Labour victory in 1945 led to environmental benefits as well as the NHS. The Sheffield campaign has been well publicised but trees are under threat in many parts of the country. And it is easier for councils in smaller towns to do it on the sly. With the usual reasons of cracked pavements, diseased trees, leaf clearance savings (for the ratepayer) etc they will remove two or three trees (out of say a dozen) in a small street and it won`t seem a big deal. But they will be back later to chop down a few more. We need to be on our guard and find out what our local council is planning. For advice on running a local campaign we could do no better than learn from Sheffield. On Friday 13 July 2018, Child Poverty Action Group’s Senior Communications and Campaigns Officer asked me to write to my MP: ‘Half of all children in the UK live in families who will receive Universal Credit when the rollout is complete.’ Yet that matter, along with the notorious failings of Universal Credit (UC) , was completely overlooked at the London Green Party hustings for Leader selection, and only addressed by one candidate at the Deputy Leader selection hustings . UC is a ‘digital by default’ system that advances surveillance of poor people and perhaps back door to introducing of ID cards, whilst making life harder for people with literacy or learning difficutlies and/or computer access problems . Even as a person with above average computer-literacy, my own learning difficulty would make it extremely difficult to apply for UC online. Yet the following shows how access to and understanding of Information Communication Technology helped me regain my benefit entitlement and composure in the face of a Housing Benefits ‘administrative error’. I rarely print from my ‘multi-function printer’ now, but access to one helped me ‘turn the tables’ on an ‘administrative error’. In July 2018, I received a letter dated 10/7/18 from Herefordshire council stating that my Housing Benefit had been suspended from 10 July because they had ‘been advised’ of other people living at my address that I’d not told them about. The letter demanded, within one month, details of everyone living in my home if I wanted restoration of my Housing Benefit (HB). In response, I scanned a copy of that letter for e-mail attachment and replied by e-mail to Herefordshire HB and copied in my ward councillor and landlord, informing them that there was no-one else living at my address and therefore there were no such ‘details’ for me to report. I was extremely concerned that the HB office gave no clues as to the source of that ‘advice’. Due to my ward councillor’s prompt intervention, Herefordshire HB responded by the end of the working day, that they had confused my address with another and my HB had been ‘unsuspended’ and I would get a letter confirming that. The resulting ‘form letter’ made no acknowledgement of the source of that error and laid down a standard text re the claimant’s obligations. Form letters generally do that. After raising this point with my ward councillor by e-mail, and mentioning the fact that HB are often dealing with economically vulnerable adults, I got an e-mailed response from the ward councillor, once again apologising on behalf of the council for the error. But this is appended to all Herefordshire council e-mails:, therefore, no public apology from Herefordshire Council, no public admission of error or thanks to the claimant. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty will visit the UK from 5 to 16 November and has expressed an interest in central and devolved government use of algorithms, noting: that these ‘can have major negative human rights implications, especially for the poor.’. What will he uncover and will the Green Party take note? After initial optimism over Labour education policy, campaigners and trade unionists have become frustrated by the failure of Labour to make a solid commitment to the abolition of academies and free schools and their reintegration into the local authority school system. Labour will not waste money on inefficient free schools…we will…oppose any attempt to force schools to become academies. Labour will ensure that all schools are democratically accountable, including appropriate controls to see that they serve the public interest and their local communities. So it appears that, under Labour, academies and free schools will remain but with reform of their governance. There is no detail of how they will be made democratically accountable, what constitutes ‘appropriate controls’, nor who will decide what those controls are. Angela Rayner (Shadow Secretary for Education) was the speaker at the launch of Birmingham Labour Party’s local election manifesto on 27 March 2018. In question time I asked her if she would give a commitment to end academies and free schools and return them to a democratic local authority system (and also end grammar schools). The question was applauded by the 60 or so Labour supporters there but she avoided giving any commitment, saying that the focus of the NES (National Education Service) is on values not specific policies and ‘what is important is a good local school’. It is a repeat of New Labour’s mantra of ‘standards not structures’. ‘Standards not structures’ was what led to the over-centralisation of education policy under New Labour with increased powers give to the Secretary of State, the imposition the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the extension of testing in primary schools. This is a system that continues today with high-stakes testing narrowing the curriculum and causing stress to both children and teachers as well as the ‘at a whim’ changes made by Secretaries of State keen to make their mark. The Green Party is opposed to creating more Academies and Free Schools and will support community, school and parent campaigns that share this aim. The Green Party will integrate Academies and Free Schools into the Local Authority school system. The Green Party recognises that the current mix of Local Authority, private, faith, grammar, academy and free schools reinforces social and ethnic divisions in society. A truly comprehensive intake and mixed ability teaching, coupled with equitable funding based on need, will extend equality of opportunity. We will therefore create a system that facilitates and encourages greater integration. The Green Party will abolish external SATS exams and the Year 1 Phonics Test. The concept of a National Education Service is relatively vague and still being worked on by the Labour Party. At its worst it could be top-down, restrictive and bureaucratic; at its best it could set up an entitlement framework across all sectors. Both Labour and Greens have to face the problem of the decline of local government both in terms of finances and democratic structures. The cabinet system has meant very little open debate about local schools, which used to take place in Education Committees, and scrutiny is often poor. Alongside this is a lack of public involvement with poor election turnout. How will national government, local government and governing bodies interact in the future and how can democratic accountability be enhanced? The National Education Service shall be accountable to the public, communities, and parents and children that it serves. Schools, colleges, and other public institutions within the National Education Service should be rooted in their communities, with parents and communities empowered, via appropriate democratic means, to influence change where it is needed and ensure that the education system meets their needs. The appropriate democratic authority will set, monitor and allocate resources, ensuring that they meet the rights, roles, and responsibilities of individuals and institutions. What are the ‘appropriate democratic means’ and who/what is the ‘appropriate democratic authority? In order to maximise engagement and good communication between parents, students, teachers and other staff and the wider community, there will be considerable efforts to ensure that all parties are democratically involved in the running of the school through School Councils and Governing Bodies. However, the decline of local authorities and the fragmentation of provision caused by academies, multi-academy trusts and free schools has resulted in developments to make up for that deficit. In many areas schools have set up their own support systems for school improvement and in-service education, independent of the local authority and funded by subscription from individual school budgets. The local authority retains core statutory responsibilities but the consortium takes up the rest. They often include academies and free schools as well as local authority schools and church schools. The problem is that their boards are often dominated by head teachers and there is little or no teacher, governor or parent representation. The local authority may have a representative on the board but do not have oversight and certainly not control. In many ways this model of mutual support and decisions made at the local level is something the Green Party favours but we need to think about how it could be democratised and how it would fit in with revitalised and well-financed local authorities. Technological solutions to problems created by technology, in the current economic system, which requires endless growth, are ineffective and inherently incapable of supporting sustainability and countering the global climate change crisis. A prime example is the drive for small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) on a commercial scale. The UK government has supported a Rolls-Royce - led UK consortium to undertake SMR research and development. A review commissioned by the government reported in August in favour of the SMR initiative, suggesting that subsidies similar to those made available for offshore wind should be offered to encourage the SMR bid. A site in Wales at Trawsfynydd has been assessed for an SMR. In the USA NuScale Power have plans for SMRs. Consortia in Canada, China and elsewhere are also working on SMR design. SMRs are essentially mini-versions of large nuclear power reactors like the new nuclear build at Hinkley Point C, generating about a tenth of the power. They are promoted as much cheaper and quicker to build. A key argument is that they would be made and assembled at a central location, then shipped to distant sites and easily installed where there is a lack of trained workers . They could run on alternative nuclear fuel, with claims for safety and security, and could help exports around the world when the UK leaves the EU. In reality, SMRs are a desperate techno-fix gamble by the nuclear power industry, faced with dwindling interest in large conventional nuclear power stations, and panicked by the plummeting cost of wind and solar power. No commercial SMR has been built anywhere. There are serious concerns over safety and proliferation that have been glossed over by the nuclear corporations. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a techno-fix where carbon dioxide is captured at a coal or gas-fired power plant, transported and stored in deep geological strata. The technology is unproven commercially. Tanuro has discussed the problem of the long-term safety of storage, and the potential risks of release due to even minor earthquakes. The CCS fix is seen as allowing the burning of coal or gas for many decades ahead, a life-line for the industry. Like nuclear power, investing in CCS is a huge diversion from available safe and sustainable solutions – energy efficiency, wind, wave, tidal and solar. It is a false solution, undermining choices we already have. Fracking - hydraulic fracturing - is a techno-fix aimed at allowing ‘business-as-usual’. Naomi Klein describes fracking as another change taking us in the wrong direction. Geo-engineering is a techno-fix: limiting sunlight reaching the ground using space mirrors, or seeding the oceans to trap more carbon dioxide. The fundamental driver of the techno-fix problem is the inherent requirement of the capitalist economic system for endless growth. Technology can be beneficial, but gains are outweighed by the negative impact of the techno-fix problem on global climate change. Although Michael and Joyce Huesemann identify the powerful corporate and political interests that work towards uncritical acceptance of new technology, much less convincingly they cast doubt on limits of the scientific method. Kovel hits the nail on the head: ‘Capital would have technology isolated from the manifold of social relations of which it is but an element’. Angus identifies techno-fix as ‘ecomodernism’. It is important that Greens do not view science and technology as an intrinsic environmental threat. [could add ‘Much depends on how technology is used’]. The enemy is the capitalist economic system, which we need to strive to change. For decades Mexico has been characterised by corruption, poverty and inequality and increasing submission to the dictates of the ‘Colossus of the North’. The indigenous Zapatista rebels who captured the world’s imagination had been repressed and marginalised, and the PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution) which seemed to offer a political alternative, had fallen victim to corruption and opportunism. But now, to the surprise of many, a popular and progressive candidate has won the presidential elections by a landslide. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, generally known by his initials as AMLO, emerged from the PRD but soon recognised the need to build a new and broader coalition. Twice before he had contested the elections and had been defeated by anti-leftist propaganda (and to some extent by fraud). This time, with his MORENA (National Renewal Movement), he conducted a different type of campaign centred on the fight against corruption and impunity and for social justice. His calm and measured tone has led to him being regarded as a sell-out by much of the traditional left, but it has mobilised voters (especially the young) on a scale not seen for decades. He also has a positive stand on environmental issues and fighting climate change. Mexican presidents are elected for a six-year term and there is a transition period from July 1st to December 1st. But AMLO, without indulging in radical rhetoric, has already used his stunning victory to take control of the political agenda. He has announced that he will halve his presidential salary and that of more than 30,000 high-ranking public officials. He will no longer use the official presidential residence (which will become a popular assembly hall) and sell the presidential aircraft. nationalisation and has attempted to build bridges with the US despite Trump’s hostility to Mexicans and the provocative border wall scheme. This judicious diplomatic stance has to be seen in the context of a massive and systematic right-wing offensive across the Latin American region. For several years reactionary forces, inspired and manipulated by Washington, have harassed, undermined and overthrown progressive and democratic governments. Victory for the conservative Macri in Argentina was followed by a concocted impeachment of democratically-elected Workers’ Party President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil, and now by a stitched-up legal case excluding the popular former president Lula (now arbitrarily imprisoned) from October’s presidential election there. Meanwhile, right-wing victory in Colombia’s elections (despite an encouraging performance by a popular left candidate) has reaffirmed that country’s role as a spearhead of US interventionism. The successor to the progressive President Rafael Correa of Ecuador, who ironically goes by the name of Lenin Moreno, has returned to neoliberal policies and also restored the US military base at Manta, which Correa had removed. Arbitrary sanctions and destabilisation against Venezuela have now been followed by open threats of military invasion, and violent destabilisation was recently attempted against Sandinista Nicaragua (so far without success). None of these progressive governments is without faults, but it is surely crucial to defend their sovereignty and independence and the right to build an alternative. In this context AMLO’s victory in Mexico goes completely against the grain, and it makes perfect sense for him to avoid providing any pretext for US meddling or hostility. In terms of foreign policy Marcelo Ebrard, AMLO’s nominee for Foreign Secretary, has proclaimed a return to the traditional Mexican stance of non-intervention and respect for the sovereignty of all nations (in the words of the great 19th-century Mexican indigenous President Benito Juárez, ‘Respect for the Rights of Others is Peace’). AMLO has just indicated that he will invite Donald Trump to his inauguration, but also Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela and Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba. In other words, no overt alignment one way or the other, but a salutary refusal to back aggression or interventionism. An important point to bear in mind is that July’s elections were not only for President but also for both houses of the Mexican Congress and for regional positions as well, and MORENA won a sweeping victory at all levels. This means that, unlike previous progressive presidents in Argentina, Brazil and some other countries, AMLO will be able to implement all kinds of projects without legal political impediment. Given Mexico’s regional importance (with 125 million inhabitants it has the second largest population in Latin America, and the third largest territory) this new orientation has great potential significance. This article is based on a talk about the current political climate of which Trump is a worrying emblem, though I would not like to merely ‘virtue signal’ against Trump. If we limit our understanding of what he represents, we risk ignoring the conditions that created his rise to power. with votes, money correlates with and power, amplifying inequality and diminishing democracy. Just agreeing with this misses the opportunity to grasp what Trump represents and why, therefore robbing us of the ability counteract this dangerous man. Trump appears to signify the worst aspects of humanity. He is vain, egotistic, narcissistic, racist, sexist, transphobic, greedy and possibly a sociopath. He exploits the worst human emotions such as fear, anger, ignorance and hatred for power. His position and his existence is a symptom, not cause, of a very sick society. However, he was democratically elected and therefore represents ideas that were able to resonate with many of the American electorate. But this percentage is quite small, and this also highlights the dangers of having a disengaged electorate alongside a low-voter turnout. need to challenge Trump’s dangerous political agenda head on by offering inspiring alternatives. So, we need to be honest with ourselves and look at the record of our own country: saying ‘No’ to Trump is not enough. We need to oppose management and status quo politics, replacing that with an inclusive politics that does not leave people behind; that does not say, ‘to progress, we need to cut’. As a Green Party member, I believe the concept of ‘left’ and ‘right’ are out of touch and not equipped for the political battles of the future. The ‘left’ has an equally extractivist relationship with the earth but merely seeks to ameliorate the worst inequalities of distribution; ignoring the environmental costs for workers locally and worldwide where there are poor employment rights. We have not erased the destructive forces of capitalism but have merely exported them. It was recently reported that more that 200 people have died in the Mediterranean Sea in the last few days, trying to escape their own countries to find hope and shelter in one of the richest continents in the world. The Guardian identified these people merely as migrants, giving no impression of their lives, families, hopes, dreams and fears and no idea of the misery they are fleeing nor why they are risking their lives and their children’s lives. Tony Blair’s involvement in rendition programmes, kidnapping and torturing people during the Iraq war? We criticise Trump for denying climate change and pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, yet over half of the Labour Party just voted with this Tory government to approve Heathrow expansion, knowing that it will compromise our ability to meet our own climate targets. We criticise Trump for deepening inequality (by legislation that will continue to enrich the wealthiest in America and that will take away healthcare for the poorest) yet we do not confront the deepening inequality of our own country and the fact that the five worst boroughs for ethnic inequality in London are all controlled by Labour MPs and Labour majority councils.What are we doing about that? We need to recognise that the so-called progressive left has validated right-wing rhetoric and allowed this beast to grow. To challenge Trump, we must unapologetically relocate our own humanity. For the Greens, we do this by creating policy that is guided by four pillars – democracy, peace, social justice and the environment. So, criticise Trump and protest everything that he stands for. However, we must also fight the social, political and environmental injustices that happen globally and here, now. Challenge Trump but also enact the ideas, policies and activism to diminish his support and address the hypocrisies of our time. How much trade is necessary for adequate nutrition, health, shelter, and cultural development of populations? Which social groups benefit from trade and which lose, in which parts of the world? Who pays for the externalities, eg: damage to the environment? This article questions the benefits for the majority from capitalism’s globalised trade, suggesting trade should be selectively reduced. It is neutral on Brexit and is not concerned with the valuable small-scale trading, LETS schemes, neighbourly swaps, sharing and gifting – often outside the tax system and unrecorded in GDP. 2. Outlet for companies’ surplus when the domestic market is saturated. 3. Reduction of seasonal market fluctuations. 5. Production efficiency, stimulated by competition from cheaper imports. 6. Resource specialisation, so trade provides goods unavailable locally. 7. Innovation and R&D arise from competition among traders. 8. Investment (domestic and foreign) is encouraged by potential rapid returns from exports. 9. Jobs lost due to trade are replaced by new jobs. 10. Peace is encouraged by trade. Space precludes detailed discussion but most of the ‘benefits’ above (2,3,5,6,7,8) are oriented towards the smooth and profit-maximising functioning of capitalism. Clearly, the effects on humans and the environment depend on how investment, efficiency, specialisation and innovation are applied and in whose interests. Expanding choice (1) is often an illusory benefit if equally nutritious food is locally available, while imported foods often involve taking land on which food crops were previously grown by indigenous farmers for local needs. produced in each domestic economy with replacement parts easily available. Jobs lost through international trade (9) might be replaced by equally good jobs. But the effects of trade are haphazard; replacement jobs may be precarious ones, or unsuitably located. Peace through trade (10) relies on a country’s reluctance to endanger its own economic interests. However, this effect is at best selective; seizing control of another country’s resources by military force has sometimes been chosen instead of trade. What are the alternatives to high levels of international trade? excellent wines and even tea. Other currently imported crops might be grown here year-round in polytunnels or under horticultural fleece. Recently, scarce elements have been recovered from landfill mountains in Britain, easier than mining ores abroad. If electronic gadgets were not designed with a short life to maximise sales and profits, the need to extract and import the scarce mineral components would diminish. Restricting trade is often equated with isolationism; it need not be. We can embrace international sharing of ideas and knowledge in science, art, literature as exchanges among equals. Digital communication allows the meeting of minds without flights or expanding airports. The economic advantages of trade accrue mainly to industrial, mercantile and financial capital, at the expense of the majority of people and the environment. Workers have no say in what is produced and traded or its quality and social utility. The continuing history of imperialism exploiting developing countries to support profitable trade - conquest, land grabs, diseases spread to indigenous populations, clearance of forests, crop monocultures, mining and oil extraction that pollute, destroy and erode – all imposed with collusion of national elites (or by threats and assassinations, Perkins 2016) have been disastrous. There can be social costs from global trade, as described by (Norberg-Hodge 2011). creating new climate-friendly and socially useful jobs, working with trade unions to ensure a Just Transition. We can also make the shift away from trading goods that are less essential, most damaging to the environment and to societies. Tellinger (2013) suggests that abundance is possible if resources are free and shared across society - ‘if its not good for everyone its no good at all’. Perkins, J. (2016) New Confessions of an Economic Hitman, Oakland, CA: Berret-Koehler. Tellinger, M. (2013) Ubuntu Contributionism – a blueprint for human prosperity: Exposing the global banking fraud. June 2018, and the largest vote for anything ever recorded in the UK is to exit the European Union. Except, the Leavers lied. Their voters were misled, under-educated, and, well, just bitter about life. They didn’t know what was good for them. They were angry or racist or dead, or all three. University MPs. The People have spoken – time to get a new People. Claiming to speak for the 10% perhaps rather than the 1%, a lobby of liberal professionals who benefit from the opportunities afforded by the EU are extremely irate. Why should their parade be rained on? A second referendum must be held. One to put things right. Except that it wouldn’t put things right at all. The polls do not show any significant overall movement since 2016. What would a rerun do? A narrow Leave vote would probably engender a revived UKIP, and a hard Brexit would harden more. A narrow Remain win would face calls for a further plebiscite and again revive Ukip, or worse, as many conclude that voting truly is pointless. But, a second vote isn’t going to happen. The Tories will not concede one and, no one is going to make them. No one can. Greens are making a strategic mistake in expending our limited political capital running with Cable, his Lib Desperados and a coterie of washed-up Blairite chancers. If the Leave campaign excelled in “fake news”, it is now well-matched by dire warnings that by April Britain will run out of everything Much smacks of the panicked Scottish unionists during the independence referendum wildly warning YES voters that Doctor Who wouldn’t be on the telly any more. Don’t get me wrong: I campaigned and voted Remain. I was as disappointed by the result as most Remainers. My support was about countering the rise of racism and to fostering internationalism – but that particular ship has sailed. We need now to heal divisions and address the outcome, not wish it away. Our apparent rejection of the referendum only confirms the beliefs that led to the outcome in the first place. The environmental benefits of EU membership are significant, but often over-stated; the economics of Europe have long been definitively anti-environmental. The EU is one of the biggest free trade blocs in the world. How can such an institution fit with the urgent need to develop localised green economies and sharply reduce the transportation of ‘things’ across our crisis-stricken planet? We are warned that huge queues of trucks will form at Dover post-Brexit, but consider what all these hordes of huge carbon wagons are doing day in day out right now as they carry their cargoes. In terms of social benefits, contrary to myth, the corporatist EU does not guarantee employment rights. Apart from the discrimination directives (which did not stop the Coalition introducing tribunal fees for discrimination cases at triple the norm), our employment protection regulations are almost entirely set domestically. The same goes for holidays, established by UK law in the 1930s and driven by trade unions, not international capitalists. By contrast, the EU was content to exempt Britain from key parts of the working time regulations. Greens talk of reforming Europe – but, nowhere in our policies is there anything beyond a bigger say for the Parliament in the workings of the Commission. Zero hours contracts and the gig economy, the housing crisis and near unprecedented social inequality have all prospered inside the EU. There may be no Lexit under Theresa May, but there is no Lemain either. We have a historic opportunity and an urgent need to portray a post-Brexit Green society: with wealth redistribution, sustainable agriculture, co-operative enterprises, public ownership of clean energy and transport, and the re-industrialisation of our economy using small-scale, local enterprises to manufacture more of the goods we use. This would provide an alternative to the dark future being fashioned by the Tories right now. Brexit will be a huge challenge, no doubt. There will be significant disruption, especially in the first few months. But much, much worse is coming very soon in any case as the environmental and resource crises deepen across the entire planet. Greens can squander this precious time tilting at electoral windmills. Or we can focus on advocating for the social resilience and economic infrastructure we need for civilised society to survive and thrive. The choice is ours. I believe passionately and intellectually in the UK’s continued membership of the EU. We should continue to campaign to reform its less democratic and bad financial practices. No fewer than 1054 barristers and QCs pointed out that, in their joint Opinion, the referendees were misled and that the result was not mandatory. Here is their text in full. We are all individual members of the Bars of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We are writing to propose a way forward which reconciles the legal, constitutional and political issues which arise following the Brexit referendum. The result of the referendum must be acknowledged. Our legal opinion is that the referendum is advisory. The European Referendum Act does not make it legally binding. We believe that in order to trigger Article 50, there must first be primary legislation. It is of the utmost importance that the legislative process is informed by an objective understanding as to the benefits, costs and risks of triggering Article 50. The reasons for this include the following: There is evidence that the referendum result was influenced by misrepresentations of fact and promises that could not be delivered. Since the result was only narrowly in favour of Brexit, it cannot be discounted that the misrepresentations and promises were a decisive or contributory factor in the result. The parliamentary vote must not be similarly affected. The referendum did not set a threshold necessary to leave the EU, commonly adopted in polls of national importance, e.g. 60% of those voting or 40% of the electorate. This is presumably because the result was only advisory. The outcome of the exit process will affect a generation of people who were not old enough to vote in the referendum. The positions of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar require special consideration, since their populations did not vote to leave the EU. The referendum did not concern the negotiating position of the UK following the triggering of Article 50, nor the possibility that no agreement could be reached within the stipulated two year period for negotiation, nor the emerging reality that the Article 50 negotiations will concern only the manner of exit from the EU and not future economic relationships. All of these matters need to be fully explored and understood prior to the Parliamentary vote. The Parliamentary vote should take place with a greater understanding as to the economic consequences of Brexit, as businesses and investors in the UK start to react to the outcome of the referendum. For all of these reasons, it is proposed that the Government establishes, as a matter of urgency, a Royal Commission or an equivalent independent body to receive evidence and report, within a short, fixed timescale, on the benefits, costs and risks of triggering Article 50 to the UK as a whole, and to all of its constituent populations. The Parliamentary vote should not take place until the Commission has reported. In view of the extremely serious constitutional, economic and legal importance of the vote either way, we believe that there should be a free vote in Parliament. provides a longer, more balanced view and the joint power to deliver at international level. Thirdly, it’s worth studying the power of the media. The business-driven right is much better funded than the eco-socialist left. People with secure assets and incomes can lie and deceive with impunity - if caught out, they can just fade away. The leavers have dominated the public debate, placing huge weight on the 56% that voted to leave, and demonising or ignoring the 48%+ that, despite lies, threats and false promises, voted to remain. It troubles me that all BBC staff always say when we leave not if : and what will happen not would. Fourthly, who’s in charge? The Government’s leader for leave was a remainer, propped up by Northern Irish MPs whose region voted to remain. The leader of her majesty’s opposition was/is an EU sceptic. Our MPs collectively are remainers by over two to one. Parliament has been unable to reach an agreed position. When that happens, power must pass back to the people. Fifthly, what next? A recent poll suggests people in 100 constituencies that voted leave, might now vote to remain. This will make for fascinating Party conferences, Will Theresa be able to avoid her party’s deep divisions? Will Jeremy manage to avoid votes on the Peoples’ Vote? Will Libdems have any credibility? Will Greens stick to remain and reform policies? Finally, what should eco-socialists do? For once, we are preaching to a constituency that might agree with us. Whatever your starting positions, the Peoples’ Vote is compelling, as a matter of simple Democracy. Wherever you are, please campaign and vote for a second referendum. If that results in remaining in the EU, I’ll be very happy. WILL THE HOLISTIC REVIEW MAKE THE PARTY FIT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY? Why did the Green Party need to review its governance ‘holistically’? It has existed for 45 years. Over that time, we have gained just one MP, three MEPs, a lord, two London Assembly members - and fewer than 200 councillors. With the environment shooting up the agenda, our performance has hardly been stellar. When I joined the party five years ago, membership, after many ups and down, had reached 14,000. This growth was related to the fact that the party had gained its first MP, Caroline Lucas, in 2010, which finally gave the party national profile. My first contribution as a Green party activist was to join the Governance Review Working Group (GRWG). It had been set the task of revising the 20-year old constitution, but barred from considering delegate conferences, the policy-making process and the role of the Leader or Deputy Leader. Ironically, the move to delegate conferences had been mooted as necessary if the party were to reach 25,000 members – which was thought highly unlikely. In 2015, the membership reached 68,000. A key driver of the governance review was a recognition that the party needed to move from being run by an executive of elected volunteer coordinators, doing unpaid work 35 hours a week. We owe a debt of gratitude to those members who had kept the party going for years, with a severe shortage of funds. Then the BBC refused to give the party a place in the election television debates and the injustice of that led to the Green Surge. And with that came a lot of money – which the party was not equipped to handle. £2m is a sum that needs to be professionally managed and could pay for many staff with skills and experience to run the party, displacing the overworked and unpaid coordinators. The GRWG was a reflection of why the party needs to move from volunteer to professional management to succeed. The emphasis on the make-up of the group was on representation of a range of different groups in the party rather than those with the skills to undertake serious tasks that needed expertise –governance, consultation techniques, and chairing to achieve consensus. And it’s not just expertise – volunteers cannot be called to account for failing to undertake tasks in a timely and competent manner. After four years of an uncomfortable, unproductive and - frankly - flawed process I felt the time had come to think again about how to get meaningful change in our governance structures. And I was not alone. So, working with Peter Frings from Stroud Green Party, I established the outline of a proposed ‘Holistic Review’. The review would need to happen quickly, have members representing a range of interests and relevant experience and make authoritative recommendations. At Autumn conference 2017, the GRWG was stood down and the Holistic Review initiated. Within three months, a small team of elected members had reviewed applications and appointed by interview twelve commissioners; and here we are less than nine months later with a completed report, a motion to conference and a process for engaging with members to consider amendments to their motion before a referendum after Spring 2019 conference. If you haven’t read the report, I recommend you do. It’s an easy read. It captures thinking from a wide range of members. It makes many interesting recommendations. A Council to act as the representative body of the regions, politicians, marginalised groups and independent members. A new Political Executive with the powers to make decisions about political activities. GPEx to become a small board of directors with the expertise required to oversee a professional team running an organisation with a seven-figure budget. Recognising that the party has many members willing to offer skills but that many would not want to stand for election so where specific skills are required, make appointments to some posts against agreed criteria with selection interviews by elected representatives. Substitute most standing committees with Task and Finish Groups which will meet for fixed periods of time and report to Council for decision. Require Self-Organising Groups to be formally constituted and to be able to demonstrate active membership with regular reports. Develop training programmes for members to capitalise on their energy and commitment to the party and to winning elections. The report also has omissions where sufficient detail has not been provided because of lack of time. The report completely fails to mention delegate conferences, which is a key way of engaging members who can’t attend conference in what should be debated there. That’s why it’s good to see the proposed motion on delegate conferences on the First Agenda for Autumn conference. It is interesting to note major amendments focused on increasing the representation of marginalised groups at the expense of the regions on the Council, and reproducing the current dysfunctional structure of GPEx. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS OR SIMILAR AMENDMENTS. Assuming the thrust of the Commission’s report is accepted at conference, its role does not end here. First, members of the Commission have been responding to comments on the members’ website. Second, a transition team is to be set up to work on the implementation and details such as the functions of the Council before bringing a final motion to Spring conference 2019 which, if passed, will go to a referendum of members. Get involved in the work of the transition group to help ensure the HRC’s good work is not lost. We note the 7 August report from the renowned Stockholm Resilience Centre, widely reported in the press from 8 August, outlining a “hothouse Earth” scenario in which natural mechanisms that help store the planet’s carbon instead begin emitting it – producing runaway global warming. The heatwave indicated the increasing problems agriculture and water supplies face. Since 2014 we have experienced four of the hottest years on record. 2017, the UK’s fifth hottest recorded year, saw further increases in global CO2 emissions. Capitalism’s fossil fuel reliance is subjecting the planet to disasters associated with rising sea levels, wildfires, droughts and crop failure. Radical international action is needed: we must take a lead by implementing democratic public ownership and planning for a ‘just transition’. We can slash emissions while raising living standards: creating millions of useful, public, high paid, unionised jobs, and transforming environmentally damaging ones through reskilling and planning. • A national climate service/strategy, manufacturing, installing and training in renewable technologies, facilitating a rapid shift away from fossil fuels. • Nationalising energy supply/generation and the Big Six to create an integrated and democratic national energy system. • Nationalising public transport, with bus, rail and tram part of an expanded and democratic system. • A public program of insulation and building zero-carbon council housing. • Ending fracking, fossil fuel extraction and airport expansion. We will encourage collaboration with climate change and environmental campaigners; work with unions to build links and campaigns with workers in relevant industries; produce model materials to help. We are living in turbulent times politically, with underlying economic turmoil exacerbated by the chaotic consequences of accelerating climate change. The capitalist system, dependant on never ending exploitation of resources to maintain constant growth, is clearly incapable of alleviating human-caused climate damage; and the same goes for its political mouthpieces. Many people have recognised this and are attempting to deal with it in various ways – through pressure groups, campaigns, political parties and individual actions. A unifying factor is the perception that any useful attempt at a solution has to involve a reorganisation away from capitalist economics and policies. People from a variety of Green and/or Left political organisations and traditions have formed an Ecosocialist Network to include people from various political parties or none. Green Left, a left tendency within the Green Party of England and Wales decided to support this step. We share the view that there is a political opening for Ecosocialists to get organised, and indeed an urgent need to make this happen. We welcome all those who can contribute to building the network, including those involved in local groups and our Green friends who have joined Labour to support Corbyn. In September 2017 TUC Congress took the historic step of unanimously passing a motion on climate change, noting that it is “..driving unprecedented changes to our environment”. The motion blamed “..incoherent UK government policy” for “..undermining measures to achieve the UK carbon reduction targets.”. TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady’s statement of 5th June 2018 seems to be equally incoherent in calling for an immediate go ahead to building a third Heathrow airport runway. She advocates this because it “will create thousands of high-quality jobs and apprenticeships” and claims this will benefit local communities. Levels of air pollution, noise pollution and associated diseases are already high around Heathrow. Those who suffer most from this are the workers in the airport, workers in its associated industries, and often their families, if they live nearby. Heathrow expansion will increase pollution and the number of people exposed to it. As well as this, Heathrow expansion will increase greenhouse gas emissions which are already exceeding UK government reduction targets. Attempting to insist that the possible new jobs will be ‘high quality’ and paid a living wage, although a justified aim for is hardly adequate compensation for the global and local damage that is likely to be caused. It is sad that Frances O’Grady did not take the opportunity to advocate alternatives such as the 1 million climate jobs proposals of the Campaign Against Climate Change. Thousands of high-quality jobs and apprenticeships could also be created by promoting and developing low carbon technologies and infrastructure. Furthermore, the associated community benefits need not be confined to the relatively affluent South East. The TUC should be living up to its aim “to make the working world a better place for everyone”, not advocating retrograde proposals such as Heathrow expansion. P.MURRY, LONDON GREEN PARTY TRADE UNION LIAISON OFFICER PP : THE GREEN PARTY TRADE UNION GROUP. and dive back again, so waves wash over me. Just in time to miss the train again. From a hole in my head. The Green Party Trade Union Group is part of the Green Party of England & Wales, FREE Membership of GPTU is open to any current members of GPEW. Contact secretary@gptu.greenparty.org.uk. or join at the GPTU conference stall. It is hard to say anything on Israel, anti-Semitism and human-rights without risking accusations of the ‘with us or against us’ variety, and this is very damaging to debate, activism and the possibility of righting wrongs, i.e. to achieving a just and lasting peace. However, just as US and British peace voices are vital when our countries invade Iraq, Syria, Argentina or anywhere else, so are Jewish voices when others are attacked by people who claim to speak for us, without our consent. If we don’t speak out, we are allowing it to happen in our name, our silence will be taken as permission. If we do speak out, there is a risk of playing into the narrative that conflates Israel with Judaism with Zionism. While rejecting both, I feel a responsibility to speak out, partly based on wrong expectations from others, partly from the experience of solidarity and its absence. This is a personal view. When Muslims speak out against Daesh, or Christians against the alt right, they show solidarity, and reflect the extent to which they feel they should be their siblings’ keeper. Nobody deserves to be judged on the worst thing they ever do, never mind the crimes of their co-religionists. Being Jewish isn’t like being from a country, but it is my history, my identity as a victim of history, my humanity, in the sense of identifying as and with people who have been made victims because of where or who or what they are. Victimhood may explain fears, but it does not excuse violent, illegal and discriminatory actions. Jewish heritage comes with many things, including both a history of life-threatening persecution as well as the unfair privilege of a so-called ‘Right of return’ to a country whose government wishes to rule a Jewish state, and to exclude others, even those, who lived there for generations. I consider it important to keep sight of both those legacies, seeing only one side of the story generates fear and ignorance, both of which make for easy manipulation. When Europe gifted land that wasn’t theirs to give, to get rid of a people it regarded as problem, it set the scene for predictable and inevitable conflict, and grave harm to both uprooted peoples. The story of a land without a people for a people without a land is wrong on every count, yet it’s a comforting, compelling narrative that many of us have had to unlearn, along with a lot of our trust in our sources of information, also known as our families and communities. This is difficult, but pales to insignificance compared with my Jewish forbears and my Palestinian contemporaries. The UN recognises this, with its scores of resolutions, shamefully vetoed by those who benefit from occupation by selling weapons and by having an unsinkable aircraft carrier in the Middle East. There is a well-founded fear that pogroms and genocides that have happened before can happen again. This makes many, many people feel the need for a Jewish state to run to. This overwhelming fear is my experience of Zionism. However, the perceived need for a Jewish homeland somewhere, raises more general questions of identity, homeland, and the right of any state to select citizens, or impose religion. For Sikhs in Khalistan, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Jews and Palestinians, and far too many others these are not academic issues but matters of life and death. Everyone deserves somewhere to belong, be and feel safe, worship if and as they wish. Nobody achieves this by denying it to others. Anyone who knows what it’s like to be afraid may recognize that for some of us, some of the time, fear suspends both rationality and compassion. Peace-making is therefore difficult, and those who say it is impossible deny their responsibility, and the humanity of the other. Nobody chooses their history, but we can choose some of what we learn from it. Jewish suffering in Europe before 1948 may set the scene but does not excuse suffering imposed on Palestinians ever since. Comparing the two is offensive, inaccurate, and unhelpful, since it obscures any other message and polarizes people, playing into the hands of the powers that divide and rule us. This is unwise, but not criminal. The media attacks on Jeremy Corbyn and now the Green party’s Shahrar Ali do not come from sources that care about Jews or other Semites, but from the same papers that called for refugees to be repatriated to the countries they were fleeing from in the 1930s and are still doing so now. By stifling, sensationalizing and polarising debate their efforts can only provoke the very resentments they claim to oppose. It cannot be racist to talk about human rights, and it would be at best patronizing to demand a different standard in say Israel or Saudi Arabia to that which is acceptable elsewhere. It is right to speak out against unprovoked violence, whoever it is perpetrated by and against. This concern means everything when applied universally, when used selectively to castigate a particular group, this can lead to various phobias and even hate crimes. The point rarely raised about hate crimes is that the relevant characteristic for study and prosecution is not that of the victim but of the perpetrator. That the media frenzy against Corbyn have gained so much traction shows the appalling state of the media. Although I speak for myself, I am one among many Jews appalled at the collusion of an establishment that claims to speak for us. It’s outrageous that those who preach free trade try to deny consumers information and choice about their supply chains. Many who boycott Occupation goods (often all Israeli goods, as labelling often fails to make any distinction) also boycott corporate abusers such as Nestle, Coca cola, arms investments and other unethical practices, and are right to do so, on the basis of actions that can be changed, rather than identities that can’t. For at least two years, a focus of dispute has been a long guidance document including seven examples about Israel, four of them especially contentious. The long document appears on the website of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Yet its 2016 delegate meeting agreed only a short definition without any examples. Back then, four of the examples were criticised by our Jewish-led campaign group. For example, ‘Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis’ is supposedly antisemitic. Yet Israel’s treatment of Palestinians has instructive comparisons with the racist Nuremberg Laws; likewise the siege of Gaza with Nazi-imposed ghettos. Such comparisons have been drawn by Holocaust survivors (especially Hajo Meyer) and have been explained in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Are they antisemitic? Deploying the four contentious examples, pro-Israel groups have repeatedly made false accusations of antisemitism against pro-Palestine activists, especially those in the Labour Party. In July 2018 the Labour Party leadership rightly adopted a Code modifying the examples, rather than simply adopt them. Jewish pro-Palestine groups have led the campaign to defend the Code. That defence has been elaborated by the Jewish academic Brian Klug. Regrettably, in September 2018 the Labour Party NEC voted to accept the IHRA guidance with all the examples, plus a weak caveat about freedom of expression to criticise Israel. Those elements are incompatible: the four contentious examples provide weapons for more disciplinary action against the Party’s pro-Palestine activists, while the caveat might protect their criticisms of Israel. Some NEC members supported the decision in the hope that it would soften the Party’s internal conflict, but this will surely deepen, especially as more CLPs pass a model motion defending the July 2018 Code against the pro-Israel lobby. Why such intense conflict over those four examples? Listen to those who have led the false accusations: ‘Had the full IHRA document with examples been approved,…. thousands of Labour and Momentum members would need to be expelled’ (Jewish Chronicle, 25.07.18). Likewise ‘antisemitism’ accusations would apply to thousands of Green Party members (including Jewish ones) who have opposed the Israeli regime. In particular, the well-known phrase ‘apartheid Israel’ has been targeted as antisemitic according to this IHRA example: ‘Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour’. This example applies to the entire campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS); according to its 2005 Palestinian call, BDS will continue until Israel ends its apartheid, settler-colonial regime. The example also could apply to the Green Party’s 2008 conference decision supporting the BDS campaign. The taboo on the ‘apartheid’ label has been deployed to undermine Palestine solidarity events. In December 2016 the full IHRA guidance document was adopted by the UK government. Following the adoption the Department for Education warned all universities that they must apply the IHRA criteria and that ‘antisemitic comments’ may arise during Israel Apartheid Week 2017. Accommodating the government, some universities denied or cancelled permission to student groups for Palestine events. More subtly, many universities imposed bureaucratic obstacles or speech restrictions. Student activists have had no recourse to any formal procedure for defending their right of free assembly and expression. This political use of the contentious examples has been predictable. The full document originated in 2004 from the American Jewish Committee, a US pro-Israel lobby group aiming to counter ‘the one-sided treatment of Israel at the United Nations’. According to the main author of the antisemitism guidance document, Kenneth Stern, the ‘apartheid’ label is ‘an accusation linked with antisemitism’. Israel’s defenders have attempted to censor the label because apartheid is a crime under UN Conventions. Facing the campaign of smears and intimidation, we need an anti-racist response. Thirty Jewish organisations in a dozen countries have issued a Global Jewish Statement, which urges ‘our governments, municipalities, universities and other institutions to reject the IHRA definition’. As they argue, the text is intentionally worded to suppress legitimate criticisms of Israel. It ‘undermines both the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality and the global struggle against antisemitism’. Numerous BAME groups and Palestinians have denounced the IHRA document on several grounds. In particular, it suppresses the Palestinians’ own narrative of being dispossessed by a racist colonisation project. As this shows, the contentious IHRA examples are racist against Palestinians. The above example also portrays Jews as a nation seeking self-determination in the state of Israel; this is a racist stereotype of Jews. When Jewish pro-Israel groups try to restrict criticism of Israel, moreover, such efforts increase resentment against Jews and feed antisemitic conspiracy theories. The Green Party should join the above groups in denouncing the smear campaign and the IHRA’s contentious examples as prime weapons. Yet some Green Party members have advocated a late motion accepting the entire IHRA guidance document. For identifying anti-Semitism, the motion refers to ‘the overall context’ of any statement – yet strangely ignores today’s context. Namely: antisemitism has been weaponised in order to undermine the Labour Party leadership and to promote false allegations against pro-Palestine activists (including Shahrar Ali). The late motion accommodates and sanitises that smear campaign. Both should be rejected by all anti-racists. For similar reasons, ‘antisemitism training’ must discuss how best to define antisemitism. Which criteria would be anti-racist or racist? Without such discussion, training may simply promote the IHRA guidance, thus intimidating participants or deterring participation. In all those ways, let’s defend the Palestine solidarity movement from political intimidation in the guise of opposing antisemitism. This anti-racist stance is essential for distinguishing real antisemitism from false accusations. The author has participated in several Jewish pro-Palestine organisations since the 1980s. In particular, Free Speech on Israel was established in April 2016 to counter the ‘antisemitism’ smear campaign. He also participates in the British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP) and the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities (CAMPACC).

2019-04-21T02:57:54Z

http://greenleftblog.blogspot.com/p/w-t-e-r-m-e-l-o-n-conferencenewsletter_10.html

A conveying apparatus, including: a conveyor mechanism; a housing; a first tray configured to receive a medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening for discharging the medium outside the housing is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, and wherein the conveying apparatus further includes: a switcher for switching a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and a tray unit removably mountable on the upper surface of the housing and including a first introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a second conveyance path for conveying the medium passed the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening, and at least one second tray for receiving the medium conveyed through the second conveyance path. Computer translation of Japanese Patent Application No. 1220677, which corresponds to JP 2771982. cited by applicant. 1. A conveying apparatus, comprising: a conveyor mechanism configured to convey a medium through a first conveyance path; a housing that houses the conveyor mechanism; a first tray configured to receive the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism being discharged outside the housing from the first discharge opening, wherein the conveying apparatus further comprises: a switcher configured to switch a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and a tray unit mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing, the tray unit including (a) a path-defining housing which is disposed so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above and which includes a first introduction opening formed in a lower surface of the path-defining housing so as to be opposed to the first discharge opening and (b) at least one second tray, the path-defining housing defining a second conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening is conveyed, the at least one second tray being configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the second conveyance path. 2. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first introduction opening is formed in a lower surface of the tray unit. 3. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second tray is disposed so as to overlap the image reader when viewed from above. 4. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes: a first housing in which is formed a third conveyance path as a part of the first conveyance path; and a second housing in which is formed a fourth conveyance path as a part of the first conveyance path and which is disposed above the first housing, the first discharge opening being formed in an upper surface of the second housing as the upper surface of the housing, and wherein the tray unit is mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the second housing as the upper surface of the housing. 5. The conveying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a second discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the first housing, the medium that has been conveyed through the third conveyance path being discharged from the second discharge opening, and wherein a second introduction opening is formed in a lower surface of the second housing so as to be opposed to the second discharge opening. 6. The conveying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second housing includes at least one conveyance roller configured to convey the medium through the fourth conveyance path, and wherein the tray unit includes a motor for driving the at least one conveyance roller. 7. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image reader is disposed downstream of the first discharge opening in a first direction in which the medium moves when received by the first tray. 8. The conveying apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the image reader includes an opening and closing member configured to be openable about a shaft which is located on an upstream side in the first direction so as to extend in a direction orthogonal to the first direction and a vertical direction. 9. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cover mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing when the tray unit is not mounted on the upper surface of the housing, the cover including a third introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a fifth conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the third introduction opening is conveyed, and a third tray configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the fifth conveyance path. 10. The conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the third introduction opening is formed in a lower surface of the cover. 11. The conveying apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: an image former configured to form an image on each of a first surface of the medium and a second surface of the medium that is opposite to the first surface; and a controller configured to control the conveyor mechanism and the image former such that the medium, which has the image formed on the first surface by the image former, is conveyed to the fifth conveyance path via the first discharge opening and the third introduction opening and is subsequently conveyed again to the image former after a conveyance direction of the medium has been reversed, so as to permit the image former to form the image on the second surface of the medium. 12. A conveying apparatus, comprising: a conveyor mechanism configured to convey a medium through a first conveyance path; a housing that houses the conveyor mechanism; a first tray configured to receive the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism being discharged outside the housing from the first discharge opening, wherein the conveying apparatus further comprises: a switcher configured to switch a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and a tray unit mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing, the tray unit including a first introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a second conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening is conveyed, and at least one second tray configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the second conveyance path, wherein the housing includes: a first housing in which is formed a third conveyance path as a part of the first conveyance path; and a second housing in which is formed a fourth conveyance path as a part of the first conveyance path and which is disposed above the first housing, the first discharge opening being formed in an upper surface of the second housing as the upper surface of the housing, and wherein the tray unit is mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the second housing as the upper surface of the housing. 13. The conveying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a second discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the first housing, the medium that has been conveyed through the third conveyance path being discharged from the second discharge opening, and wherein a second introduction opening is formed in a lower surface of the second housing so as to be opposed to the second discharge opening. 14. The conveying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second housing includes at least one conveyance roller configured to convey the medium through the fourth conveyance path, and wherein the tray unit includes a motor for driving the at least one conveyance roller. 15. A conveying apparatus, comprising: a conveyor mechanism configured to convey a medium through a first conveyance path; a housing that houses the conveyor mechanism; a first tray configured to receive the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism being discharged outside the housing from the first discharge opening, wherein the conveying apparatus further comprises: a switcher configured to switch a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; a tray unit mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing, the tray unit including a first introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a second conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening is conveyed, and at least one second tray configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the second conveyance path; and a cover mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing when the tray unit is not mounted on the upper surface of the housing, the cover including a third introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a fifth conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the third introduction opening is conveyed, and a third tray configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the fifth conveyance path. 16. The conveying apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the third introduction opening is formed in a lower surface of the cover. 17. The conveying apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: an image former configured to form an image on each of a first surface of the medium and a second surface of the medium that is opposite to the first surface; and a controller configured to control the conveyor mechanism and the image former such that the medium, which has the image formed on the first surface by the image former, is conveyed to the fifth conveyance path via the first discharge opening and the third introduction opening and is subsequently conveyed again to the image former after a conveyance direction of the medium has been reversed, so as to permit the image former to form the image on the second surface of the medium. The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-194007, which was filed on Sep. 30, 2016, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. The following disclosure relates to a conveying apparatus including: a main body having a receiving tray; an image reader; and an optional unit having at least one optional receiving tray and configured to be mountable on and removable from the apparatus. There has been known a technique of removably mounting, on a conveying apparatus, an optional unit having at least one receiving tray. In a known copying machine (conveying apparatus), for instance, an upright portion including a conveyance path is mounted on one side of the copying machine, and a sorter (optional unit) is removably mounted on an upper end portion of the upright portion. The known conveying apparatus in which the upright portion is mounted on one side of the apparatus and the optional unit is mounted on the upper end portion of the upright portion inevitably has a large footprint occupied on the horizontal plane. In the known conveying apparatus, the upright portion is mounted on one side thereof such that the upright portion is located at a height level higher than a lower surface of the conveying apparatus, and the optional unit is mounted on the upper end portion of the thus mounted upright portion. According to this configuration, the center of gravity of the apparatus as a whole is located outside a region occupied or taken up by the apparatus on the horizontal plane, causing instability in posture of the apparatus as a whole and resulting in a risk that the apparatus falls over or topples over. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure relates to a conveying apparatus having a construction in which an optional unit is removably mountable on the apparatus, the conveying apparatus obviating an increase in a footprint of the apparatus as a whole on a horizontal plane and having a reduced risk of falling over or toppling over. One aspect of the disclosure relates to a conveying apparatus including: a conveyor mechanism configured to convey a medium through a first conveyance path; a housing that houses the conveyor mechanism; a first tray configured to receive the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism; an image reader disposed above the first tray, wherein a first discharge opening is formed in an upper surface of the housing so as not to overlap the image reader when viewed from above, the medium conveyed by the conveyor mechanism being discharged outside the housing from the first discharge opening, wherein the conveying apparatus further comprises: a switcher configured to switch a destination of the medium selectively between the first tray and the first discharge opening; and a tray unit mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the housing, the tray unit including a first introduction opening opposed to the first discharge opening, a second conveyance path through which the medium that has passed through the first discharge opening and the first introduction opening is conveyed, and at least one second tray configured to receive the medium that has been conveyed through the second conveyance path. FIG. 9A is a perspective view showing an outer side of a right-side column of an intermediate unit of a printer according to a fifth embodiment and FIG. 9B is a perspective view of a right-side column of an intermediate unit of a printer according to a sixth embodiment. Referring first to FIG. 1, there will be explained an overall structure of a printer 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following explanation, a left side and a right side in FIG. 1 are respectively defined as a front side and a rear side of the printer 1. A side corresponding to a front surface of the drawing sheet of FIG. 1 and a side corresponding to a back surface of the drawing sheet of FIG. 1 are respectively defined as a right side and a left side of the printer 1. Further, an upper side and a lower side in FIG. 1 are respectively defined as an upper side and a lower side of the printer 1. The printer 1 includes a main body 10, an intermediate unit 20, an optional unit 30 (as one example of "tray unit"), and a scanner unit 40 (as one example of "image reader"). The main body 10 includes a housing 11, a storage tray 12, a conveyor mechanism 13, an image former 14, a receiving tray 15 (as one example of "first tray"), and a controller 16. The storage tray 12 is provided at a lower portion of the housing 11 and is capable of storing a plurality of sheets (each as one example of "medium") to be conveyed by the conveyor mechanism 13. The receiving tray 15 is provided at an upper portion of the housing 11 and is capable of receiving the sheets that have been conveyed by the conveyor mechanism 13. The controller 16 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM) and controls devices of the printer 1 based on a command sent from an external apparatus such as a personal computer (PC) connected to the printer 1. The housing 11 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and houses the storage tray 12, the conveyor mechanism 13, the image former 14, and the controller 16. The receiving tray 15 is constituted by an upper surface 11a of the housing 11. A discharge opening 11x, through which the sheet conveyed by the conveyor mechanism 13 is discharged outside the housing 11, is formed in a region of the upper surface 11a of the housing 11 in which the receiving tray 15 is not provided, namely, the discharge opening 11x is located rearward of the receiving tray 15. A discharge opening 11y, through which the sheet conveyed by the conveyor mechanism 13 is discharged to the receiving tray 15, is formed at an upper portion of the housing 11 between the receiving tray 15 and the discharge opening 11x. The receiving tray 15 is disposed downstream of the discharge opening 11x in a movement direction D15 in which the sheet moves when received by the receiving tray 15. The movement direction D15 is one example of "first direction". The conveyor mechanism 13 is configured to convey the sheet along a path R10 formed in the housing 11 and includes conveyance rollers 13a, guides 13b, and a switcher 13c. The path R10 includes a path R10a extending from the storage tray 12 to the receiving tray 15 and a path R10b extending from the storage tray 12 to the discharge opening 11x. The path R10b is common, at its portion extending from the storage tray 12 to a branch position Rx, to the path R10a and branches off from the path R10a at the branch position Rx. The switcher 13c is disposed at the branch position Rx. The switcher 13c is pivotable about a shaft 13ca extending in a right-left direction, so as to be movable between: a position (indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1) at which the switcher permits the sheet to be conveyed to the receiving tray 15; and a position (indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1) at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the discharge opening 11x. That is, the conveyor mechanism 13 is configured to convey the sheet selectively to one of the receiving tray 15 and the discharge opening 11x. The image former 14 includes a photoconductive drum 14a, a transfer roller 14b, a charging unit 14x, a laser unit 14y, a toner unit 14z, a fixing roller 14c, and a pressure roller 14d. The photoconductive drum 14a and the transfer roller 14b are disposed upstream of the branch position Rx in the path R10, so as to be in contact with each other with the path R10 interposed therebetween. The fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d are disposed upstream of the branch position Rx in the path R10 and downstream of the photoconductive drum 14a and the transfer roller 14b, so as to be in contact with each other with the path R10 interposed therebetween. The surface of the photoconductive drum 14a is charged by the charging unit 14x and is irradiated with a laser light emitted from the laser unit 14y, so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. Further, toner is applied to the surface from the toner unit 14z, so as to form a toner image. The transfer roller 14b, to which is applied a voltage opposite to a voltage applied to the photoconductive drum 14a, transfers the toner image to the sheet nipped by the photoconductive drum 14a and the transfer roller 14b. Subsequently, toner is fixed on the sheet by the heat of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d. Thus, an image is formed on the sheet by the image former 14. The intermediate unit 20 includes a housing 21 and conveyance rollers 22. The housing 21 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11 and houses the conveyance rollers 22. An introduction opening 21x corresponding to the discharge opening 11x is formed in a lower surface 21b of the housing 21. A discharge opening 21y that communicates with the introduction opening 21x is formed in an upper surface 21a of the housing 21. There is formed, in the housing 21, a path R20 through which the sheet is conveyed from the introduction opening 21x to the discharge opening 21y. In the present embodiment, the path R20 linearly extends in the vertical direction. The introduction opening 21x and the discharge opening 21y are arranged in the vertical direction so as to align with each other as seen in the vertical direction. The conveyance rollers 22 convey the sheet along the path R20. Two pairs of the conveyance rollers 22 are disposed along the path R20 so as to be spaced apart from each other. The conveyance rollers 22 of each pair are in contact with each other with the path R20 interposed therebetween. The optional unit 30 includes a housing 31, conveyance rollers 32, and four receiving trays 35. The housing 31 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 21a of the housing 21 and houses the conveyance rollers 32. (The housing 31 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11 in an instance where the intermediate unit 20 is not provided.) An introduction opening 31x (as one example of "first introduction opening") corresponding to the discharge opening 21y is formed in a lower surface 31a of the housing 31. (The introduction opening 31x corresponds to the discharge opening 11x in an instance where the housing 31 is mounted on the upper surface 11a of the housing 11.) There is formed, in the housing 31, a path R30 (as one example of "second conveyance path") through which the sheet is conveyed from the introduction opening 31x to each receiving tray 35 (as one example of "second tray"). The path R30 includes: a path extending to an uppermost one of the four receiving trays 35; and three paths that branch off from the path at respective three branch positions, so as to respectively extend to the three receiving trays 35 disposed below the uppermost receiving tray 35. Switchers 33c similar to the switcher 13c are provided at the respective three branch positions. Each switcher 33c is pivotable about a corresponding shaft 33ca that extends in the right-left direction, so as to be movable between: a position (indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1) at which the switcher 33c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the corresponding receiving tray 35; and a position (indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1) at which the switcher 33c permits the sheet to be conveyed upward. In an instance where the intermediate unit 20 is provided in the printer 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the housing 11 and the housing 21 are one example of "housing", the paths R10 and R20 are one example of "first conveyance path", the discharge opening 21y is one example of "first discharge opening", the discharge opening 11x is one example of "second discharge opening", the path R10 is one example of "third conveyance path", the path R20 is one example of "fourth conveyance path", and the introduction opening 21x is one example of "second introduction opening". On the other hand, in an instance where the intermediate unit 20 is not provided in the printer 1, the housing 11 is one example of "housing", the path R10 is one example of "first conveyance path", and the discharge opening 11x is one example of "first discharge opening". The four receiving trays 35 are arranged in the vertical direction. The four receiving trays 35 are supported at respective proximal portions by the housing 31 and protrude from the housing 31 forward and obliquely upward. A movement direction D35 in which the sheet moves when received by each receiving tray 35 is the same as the movement direction D15. That is, the movement direction D35 is a direction from the rear side toward the front side. The scanner unit 40 is configured to read an image on the sheet. The scanner unit 40 is supported by the intermediate unit 20 and is disposed at a front portion of the upper surface 21a of the housing 21. The scanner unit 40 is disposed at the front portion of the upper surface 21a of the housing 21, and the discharge opening 21y is formed at a rear portion of the upper surface 21a of the housing 21 which is outside a region of the upper surface 21a in which the scanner unit 40 is disposed. That is, the scanner unit 40 is disposed downstream of the discharge opening 21y in the movement direction D15, D35. In other words, the discharge opening 21y is formed in the upper surface 21a of the housing 21 so as not to overlap the scanner unit 40 when viewed from above. The scanner unit 40 includes a cover 41 (as one example of "opening and closing member") configured to be openable about a shaft 41a located on the upstream side in the movement direction D15, D35 so as to extend in the right-left direction. The cover 41 is disposed below the receiving trays 35. The scanner unit 40 is disposed below the receiving trays 35 and above the receiving tray 15. That is, the receiving tray 15, the scanner unit 40, and the receiving trays 35 are disposed in this order from the bottom. Respective projective regions obtained by projecting, in the vertical direction, the receiving tray 15, the scanner unit 40, and the receiving trays 35 onto an imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction at least partially overlap one another. In other words, the four receiving trays 35 are disposed so as to overlap the scanner unit 40 when viewed from above, as shown in FIG. 1. The intermediate unit 20 has a length H20 in a height direction smaller than a length H30 of the optional unit 30 in the height direction. Referring next to FIGS. 2-4, the main body 10, the intermediate unit 20, and the optional unit 30 will be explained in detail. The intermediate unit 20 includes a pair of columns 21L, 21R which extend in the vertical direction and which are opposed to and spaced apart from each other in the right-left direction. The optional unit 30 includes a pair of columns 31L, 31R which extend in the vertical direction and which are opposed to and spaced apart from each other in the right-left direction. The main body 10 includes a pair of columns 11L, 11R which extend in the vertical direction and which are opposed to and spaced apart from each other in the right-left direction. The columns 11L, 11R, the columns 21L, 21R, and the columns 31L, 31R are arranged in the vertical direction in this order from the bottom. The columns 11L, 11R are fixed to the housing 11, the columns 21L, 21R are fixed to the housing 21, and the columns 31L, 31R are fixed to the housing 31. Each of the columns 11L, 11R, 21L, 21R, 31L, 31R has an H-shaped cross section taken along a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. Metal members 17, 27, 37 are respectively attached to outer surfaces of the columns 11L, 11R, outer surfaces of the columns 21L, 21R, and outer surfaces of the columns 31L, 31R. Specifically, the metal member 17 is attached to the outer surface of each column 11L, 11R. While only the metal member 17 attached to the outer surface of the right-side column 11R is illustrated in FIG. 3A, the metal member 17 is similarly attached to the outer surface of the left-side column 11L. The metal member 27 is attached to the outer surface of each column 21L, 21R. While only the metal member 27 attached to the outer surface of the right-side column 21R is illustrated in FIG. 3A, the metal member 27 is similarly attached to the left-side column 21L. The metal member 37 is attached to the outer surface of each column 31L, 31R. While only the metal member 37 attached to the outer surface of the right-side column 31R is illustrated in FIG. 3A, the metal member 37 is similarly attached to the outer surface of the left-side column 31L. The metal member 17, 27, 37 of one unit functions as a connector by which the one unit is connected to another unit. The metal member 17 functions as a connector of the main body 10 by which the main body 10 is connected to the intermediate unit 20 or the optional unit 30. The metal member 17 includes: a base portion 17x shaped like a plate and extending in the vertical direction; and a protruding portion 17y protruding from the base portion 17x outward of the column 11L, 11R in the right-left direction. The base portion 17x is provided with a protrusion 17x1 for positioning the intermediate unit 20 or the optional unit 30 with respect to the main body 10 in the vertical direction. The protruding portion 17y has a through-hole 17y1 into which an insertion portion 27b of the metal member 27 or the metal member 37 is insertable. The through-hole 17y1 is formed through the protruding portion 17y in the vertical direction. The metal member 37 shaped like a plate and extending in the vertical direction functions as a connector of the optional unit 30 by which the optional unit 30 is connected to the intermediate unit 20 or the main body 10. The metal member 27 includes: a receiver portion 27a functioning as a connector of the intermediate unit 20 by which the intermediate unit 20 is connected to the optional unit 30; and the insertion portion 27b functioning as a connector of the intermediate unit 20 by which the intermediate unit 20 is connected to the main body 10. The receiver portion 27a is similar to the metal member 17 in construction. That is, the receiver portion 27a includes: a base portion 27x shaped like a plate and extending in the vertical direction; and a protruding portion 27y protruding from the base portion 27x outward of the column 21L, 21R in the right-left direction. The base portion 27x is provided with a protrusion 27x1 for positioning the optional unit 30 with respect to the intermediate unit 20 in the vertical direction. The protruding portion 27y has a through-hole 27y1 into which the metal member 37 is insertable. The through-hole 27y1 is formed through the protruding portion 27y in the vertical direction. The insertion portion 27b is similar to the metal member 37 in construction. That is, the insertion portion 27b is shaped like a plate and extends in the vertical direction. The receiver portion 27a is fixed to the column 21L, 21R such that a lower end of the base portion 27x is inserted onto a pair of protrusions 21p provided on the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The insertion portion 27b is fixed to the column 21L, 21R such that an upper end of the insertion portion 27b is inserted onto the pair of protrusions 21p. The receiver portion 27a and the insertion portion 27b are fixed relative to each other through the pair of protrusions 21p. The base portion 27x of the receiver portion 27a is in contact with the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The insertion portion 27b is in contact with an outer surface of the lower end of the base portion 27x and an outer surface of a plate 27c which is fixed to the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R below the base portion 27x. Thus, a clearance is defined between the insertion portion 27b and the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The plate 27c has the same thickness as the base portion 27x. In other words, a projective region obtained by projecting the insertion portion 27b in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction and a projective region obtained by projecting the base portion 27x of the receiver portion 27a in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane do not coincide with each other but are adjacent to each other. Like the insertion portion 27b, the metal member 37 is fixed to the outer surface of the column 31L, 31R via a plate (not shown) having the same thickness as the base portion 27x. Thus, a clearance is defined between the metal member 37 and the outer surface of the column 31L, 31R. The base portion 17x and the protruding portion 17y of the metal member 17 are disposed so as to respectively align with the base portion 27x and the protruding portion 27y of the receiver portion 27a as seen in the vertical direction. The metal member 37 is disposed so as to align with the insertion portion 27b as seen in the vertical direction. In other words, a projective region obtained by projecting, in the vertical direction, the insertion portion 27b functioning as the connector of the intermediate unit 20 connecting the intermediate unit 20 to the main body 10 onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction coincides with a projective region obtained by projecting, in the vertical direction, the metal member 37 functioning as the connector of the optional unit 30 connecting the optional unit 30 to the intermediate unit 20 onto the imaginary plane. Further, a projective region obtained by projecting, in the vertical direction, the receiver portion 27a functioning as the connector of the intermediate unit 20 connecting the intermediate unit 20 to the optional unit 30 onto the imaginary plane coincides with a projective region obtained by projecting, in the vertical direction, the metal member 17 functioning as the connector of the main body 10 connecting the main body 10 to the intermediate unit 20 onto the imaginary plane. With the configurations of the metal members 17, 27, 37 described above, the optional unit 30 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 21a of the intermediate unit 20. In an instance where the intermediate unit 20 is not provided in the printer 1, the optional unit 30 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11 (the main body 10). In an inner space sandwiched by the pair of columns 21L, 21R and the pair of columns 31L, 31R in the right-left direction, there are disposed: the conveyance rollers 22, 32; a motor 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3B for driving the conveyance rollers 22, 32; connectors 18, 28; cables 18c, 28c; gears (transmission mechanism) for transmitting a drive force of the motor 38 to the conveyance rollers 22, 32; a solenoid 39s (drive member) shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B for moving the switcher 13c; and a transmission member 29d. While only the conveyance rollers 22 are illustrated in FIG. 2, the conveyance rollers 32 are disposed so as to align with the conveyance rollers 22 as seen in the vertical direction. While only one gear 23 is illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of gears are disposed. The transmission member 29d is connected to both of the switcher 13c and the solenoid 39s and is movable in the vertical direction so as to transmit a drive force of the solenoid 39s to the switcher 13c. As shown in FIG. 2, a projective point G38 obtained by projecting a center of gravity of the motor 38 in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, a projective point G20 obtained by projecting a center of gravity of the intermediate unit 20 in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane, and a projective point G obtained by projecting a center of gravity of a portion constituted by the intermediate unit 20 and the optional unit 30 in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane are located within a projective region 11A obtained by projecting the housing 11 in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane. As shown in FIG. 3B, the motor 38 is attached to a lower end of an inner surface of the column 31R. The connector 28 is attached to an upper end of an inner surface of the column 21R. When the optional unit 30 is mounted on the intermediate unit 20, the connector 28 is connected to terminals of the motor 38. The cable 28c extends downward from the connector 28 along the inner surface of the column 21R. The connector 18 is attached to an upper end of an inner surface of the column 11R. When the intermediate unit 20 is mounted on the main body 10, the connector 18 is connected to a lower end of the cable 28c. When the optional unit 30 is mounted on the main body 10, the connector 18 is connected to the terminals of the motor 38. The cable 18c extends downward from the connector 18 along the inner surface of the column 11R so as to be connected to the controller 16. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the solenoid 39s is attached to a lower end of an inner surface of the column 31L. At the lower end of the inner surface of the column 31L, there are provided: a pivot member 39a pivotable about a shaft 39ax that extends in the right-left direction; a spring 39b contacting a distal end of an arm 39a1 which is one of two arms of the pivot member 39a; a transmission member 39d engaging with an arm 39a2 which is the other of the two arms of the pivot member 39a; and a stopper 39c. The arm 39a1 is held in engagement with a plunger of the solenoid 39s. The transmission member 39d extends in the vertical direction and comes into contact with an upper end of the transmission member 29d when the optional unit 30 is mounted on the intermediate unit 20. The spring 39b biases the pivot member 39a in a direction in which the transmission member 39d moves upward. The stopper 39c limits an upward movement of the transmission member 39d when it comes into contact with the arm 39a2. The transmission member 29d is attached to the inner surface of the column 21L and extends in the vertical direction along the inner surface. The transmission member 29d has the same length in the vertical direction as the column 21L. On the inner surface of the column 21L, there are provided: a pivot member 29a pivotable about a shaft 29ax that extends in the right-left direction; a spring 29b contacting a distal end of an arm 29a1 which is one of two arms of the pivot member 29a; and a stopper 29c. An arm 29a2, which is the other of the two arms of the pivot member 29a, is held in engagement with the transmission member 29d. The spring 29b biases the pivot member 29a in a direction in which the transmission member 29d moves upward. The stopper 29c limits an upward movement of the transmission member 29d when it comes into contact with a protrusion 29d1 formed on the surface of the transmission member 29d. The switcher 13c is attached to an upper end of the inner surface of the column 11L. At the upper end of the inner surface of the column 11L, there are provided: a pivot member 19a pivotable about the shaft 13ca; a spring 19b contacting a distal end of an arm 19a1 which is one of two arms of the pivot member 19a; a transmission member 19d contacting an upper end of an arm 19a2 which is the other of the two arms of the pivot member 19a; and a stopper 19c. The pivot member 19a is fixed to a proximal end of the shaft 13ca and is configured to pivot so as to rotate the shaft 13ca for thereby pivoting the switcher 13c. The transmission member 19d extends in the vertical direction. When the intermediate unit 20 is mounted on the main body 10, the transmission member 19d comes into contact with a lower end of the transmission member 29d. When the optional unit 30 is mounted on the main body 10, the transmission member 19d comes into contact with a lower end of the transmission member 39d. The spring 19b biases the pivot member 19a in a direction in which the transmission member 19d moves upward. The stopper 19c limits an upward movement of the transmission member 19d when it comes into contact with a protrusion 19d1 formed on the surface of the transmission member 19d. When the solenoid 39s is not driven, namely, when the transmission member 29d does not transmit the drive force of the solenoid 39s to the switcher 13c, the components described above are in a state shown in FIG. 4A. In this state, the lower end of the transmission member 39d is located at the same height level as the lower end of the column 31L. Thus, the transmission member 39d does not protrude downward from the lower surface 31a of the housing 31. The upper end of the transmission member 29d is located at the same height level as the upper end of the column 21L while the lower end of the transmission member 29d is located at the same height level as the lower end of the column 21L. Thus, the transmission member 29d does not protrude downward from the lower surface 21b of the housing 21. The upper end of the transmission ember 19d is located at the same height level as the upper end of the column 11L. Thus, the transmission member 19d is not retracted downward from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11. When the solenoid 39s is driven, namely, when the transmission member 29d transmits the drive force of the solenoid 39s to the switcher 13c, the state of the components described above is changed to a state shown in FIG. 4B. Specifically, the plunger of the solenoid 39s contracts, so that the pivot member 39a pivots against the biasing force of the spring 39b and the transmission member 39d moves downward. As a result, the transmission member 29d moves downward by being pushed down by the transmission member 39d, and the transmission member 19d moves downward by being pushed down by the transmission member 29d. In this instance, the downward movement of the transmission member 29d causes the pivot member 29a to pivot against the biasing force of the spring 29b, and the downward movement of the transmission member 19d causes the pivot member 19a to pivot against the biasing force of the spring 19b. As a result, the switcher 13c moves from the position (FIG. 4A) at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the receiving tray 15 to the position (FIG. 4B) at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the discharge opening 11x. In this instance, the lower end of the transmission member 39d is located at a height level lower than the lower end of the column 31L. Thus, the transmission member 39d protrudes downward from the lower surface 31a of the housing 31. The lower end of the transmission member 29d is located at a height level lower than the lower end of the column 21L. Thus, the transmission member 39d protrudes downward from the lower surface 21b of the housing 21. The upper end of the transmission member 19d is located at a height level lower than the upper end of the column 11L. Thus, the transmission member 19d is retracted downward from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11. The present embodiment employs the configuration shown in FIG. 1 in which the scanner unit 40 is disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate unit 20, the discharge opening 21y is formed outside the region of the upper surface of the intermediate unit 20 in which the scanner unit 40 is disposed, and the optional unit 30 is mounted on the upper portion of the intermediate unit 20, instead of employing the configuration in which the upright portion is mounted on one side of the main body 10 and the intermediate unit 20 (the conveying apparatus), and the optional unit 30 is mounted on the upper portion thereof. The configuration according to the present embodiment prevents the footprint of the printer 1 as a whole on the horizontal plane from increasing and also prevents the printer 1 from toppling over. Thus, the present embodiment prevents, in the configuration in which the optional unit 30 is removably mountable, the footprint of the printer 1 as a whole on the horizontal plane from increasing and also prevents the printer 1 from toppling over. The receiving tray 15 is disposed below the scanner unit 40. Further, the scanner unit 40 is disposed downstream of the discharge opening 21y in the movement direction D15. For easy removal of the sheet, it is natural to match the movement direction D15 in which the sheet moves when received by the receiving tray 15 and the movement direction D35 in which the sheet moves when received by each receiving tray 35 with each other. In an instance where the movement directions D15, D35 are matched with each other, the configuration described above permits the receiving trays 35, the scanner unit 40, and the receiving tray 15 to be arranged in the vertical direction when the optional unit 30 is mounted on the intermediate unit 20, thereby ensuring a stabilized weight balance of the printer 1 as a whole and more effectively preventing the printer 1 from toppling over. The scanner unit 40 includes the cover 41 configured to be openable about the shaft 41a located on the upstream side in the movement direction D15, so as to extend in the right-left direction (which is orthogonal to the movement direction D15 and the vertical direction). It is thus possible to allow a user to take the sheet out of the receiving tray 15 (and the receiving trays 35) and to open and close the cover 41 on the same side (the front side) of the printer 1, improving the workability for the user. The printer 1 includes the main body 10, the scanner unit 40, and the intermediate unit 20 which is mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the main body 10. Further, the optional unit 30 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface of the intermediate unit 20. In this arrangement, the structure of the optional unit 30 is made common for various types of the main body 10, and the structure of the intermediate unit 20, i.e., the structure of the connector of the intermediate unit 20 connecting the intermediate unit 20 to the main body 10, is changed depending upon the types of the main body 10, thereby eliminating a need of developing the optional units 30 to be used exclusively for respective types of the main body 10 and resulting in a reduction of the cost of developing the optional unit 30. The optional unit 30 includes the motor 38 (FIG. 3B) for driving the conveyance rollers 22 provided in the intermediate unit 20. In this arrangement, the motor is provided in the optional unit 30 which is not required to be developed for various types of the main body 10 while the motor is not provided in the intermediate unit 20 which is required to be developed for the respective types of the main body 10, thereby reducing a production cost of the intermediate unit 20 and reducing the cost of developing the printer 1 as a whole. Referring next to FIGS. 5 and 6, there will be described a second embodiment. A printer 201 of the second embodiment and the printer 1 of the first embodiment are different in the following configuration and are identical in the other configuration. That is, the printer 201 differs from the printer 1 in that: the printer 201 includes a cover 50 in place of the intermediate unit 20 and the optional unit 30; the scanner unit 40 is disposed not on the upper surface of the intermediate unit 20 but on the upper surface of the main body 10; the scanner unit 40 which is configured such that the cover 41 is openable about the shaft 41a is also configured such that a housing 42 of the scanner unit 40 is openable about a shaft 42a located on the upstream side in the movement direction D15 so as to extend in the right-left direction (which is orthogonal to the movement direction D15 and the vertical direction); a solenoid 11s for moving the switcher 13c is provided in the main body 10; the image former 14 includes four photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4 corresponding to respective four colors (CMYK) and the printer 201 is a color printer; and duplex printing on the sheet is performable. In the second embodiment, a path R210 is formed in the housing 11, in addition to the path R10. The path R210 is for conveying, again to the image former 14, the sheet having the image formed on its first surface. The image former 14 includes: the four photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4; four transfer rollers 14b1-14b4; four charging units 14x; the laser unit 14y; four toner units 14z; the fixing roller 14c; the pressure roller 14d; and an intermediate transfer belt 14e. The intermediate transfer belt 14e is in contact with a portion of the path R10 on the upstream side of the branch position Rx in the path R10. Each of the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4 forms a pair with a corresponding one of the transfer rollers 14b1-14b4. Each photoconductive drum 14a1-14a4 and each transfer roller 14b1-14b4 that form a pair are opposed to each other with the intermediate transfer belt 14e interposed therebetween. The four pairs are arranged in a running direction of the intermediate transfer belt 14e. The fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d are in contact with each other with the path R10 interposed therebetween on the upstream side of the branch position Rx in the path R10 and on the downstream side of the intermediate transfer belt 14e. The surfaces of the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4 are charged by the respective charging units 14x and are irradiated with a laser light emitted from the laser unit 14y, so that electrostatic latent images are formed on the respective surfaces. Subsequently, toner is supplied to the surfaces from the respective toner units 14z so as to form toner images thereon. The transfer rollers 14b1-14b4, to which is applied a voltage opposite to a voltage applied to the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4, transfer the toner images onto an outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 14e. Thereafter, the toner images are transferred from the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt 14e to the sheet, and toner is fixed on the sheet by the heat of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d. Thus, a color image is formed on the sheet by the image former 14. The cover 50 is mountable on and removable from the upper surface 11a of the housing 11 in a state in which the intermediate unit 20 and the optional unit 30 are not mounted on the upper surface 11a of the housing 11. There is formed, in a lower surface 51a of the cover 50, an introduction opening 51x (as one example of "third introduction opening") corresponding to the discharge opening 11x (the first discharge opening). There is formed, in the cover 50, a path R50 (as one example of "fifth conveyance path") through which a sheet P is conveyed from the introduction opening 51x. The switcher 13c is movable so as to be selectively located at: a position at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the receiving tray 15; a position at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet to be conveyed to the discharge opening 11x; and a position at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet, which has been conveyed to the path R50 and the conveyance direction has been reversed, to be guided to the path R210. The cover 50 includes a lower portion 51 at which the introduction opening 51x is formed and an upper portion 52 pivotable about a shaft 52a that extends in the right-left direction. The upper portion 52 includes a distal end 52x contacting the upper surface of the cover 41. When the cover 41 opens and closes about the shaft 41a and when the housing 42 opens and closes about the shaft 42a, the distal end 52x kept in contact with the upper surface of the cover 41 pivots about the shaft 52a. When the controller 16 receives a command of single-sided printing, the controller 16 controls the conveyor mechanism 13 and the image former 14 to convey the sheet P and form an image as described below. The sheet P having an image formed on the first surface by the image former 14 is conveyed along the path R10a and received by the receiving tray 15. Alternatively, the sheet P having an image formed on the first surface by the image former 14 is conveyed along the path R10b, subsequently conveyed to the path R50 via the discharge opening 11x and the introduction opening 51x, and finally discharged onto the cover 41. When the controller 16 receives a command of duplex printing, the controller 16 controls the conveyor mechanism 13 and the image former 14 to convey the sheet P and form an image as described below. The sheet P having an image formed on the first surface by the image former 14 is conveyed along the path R10b and is subsequently conveyed to the path R50 via the discharge opening 11x and the introduction opening 51x. The conveyance direction of the sheet P is reversed at timing when a leading end Px of the sheet P is located outside the cover 50 and a trailing end Py thereof is located in the path R10b on the downstream side of the branch position Rx. Thereafter, the switcher 13c is placed at the position at which the switcher 13c permits the sheet P to be conveyed to the path R210, so that the sheet P is conveyed again to the image former 14 along the path R210. After the image former 14 forms an image on a second surface of the sheet P opposite to the first surface, the sheet P is received by the receiving tray 15 or by the receiving tray 55 (as one example of "third tray") of the cover 41. The second embodiment described above offers the same advantages as those offered by the first embodiment according to the same configuration as employed in the first embodiment. The second embodiment further offers the following advantages. Image formation on both surfaces of the sheet P and discharging of the sheet P onto the scanner unit 40 can be performed using the path R50 provided in the cover 50. The controller 16 controls the conveyor mechanism 13 and the image former 14 such that the sheet P, which has an image formed on the first surface by the image former 14, is conveyed to the path R50 via the discharge opening 11x and the introduction opening 51x and is subsequently conveyed again to the image former 14 after the conveyance direction of the sheet P has been reversed, so as to permit the image former 14 to form an image on the second surface of the sheet P. In this instance, image formation on both surfaces of the sheet P can be achieved using the path R50 provided in the cover 50. Not only the cover 41 but also the housing 42 is openable. In this arrangement, the user can take the sheet out of the receiving tray 15 (and the receiving trays 55) and can open and close the cover 41 or the housing 42, on the same side (the front side) of the printer 201, enhancing the workability for the user. Referring next to FIG. 7, there will be described a third embodiment. A printer 301 of the third embodiment and the printer 1 of the first embodiment are different in the following configuration and are identical in the other configuration. That is, the printer 301 differs from the printer 1 in the structure of the image former 14, namely, the printer 301 is an LED printer including light sources 14l1-14l4 of light emitting diodes (LED). Further, the printer 301 differs from the printer 1 in the structure of the conveyor mechanism 13. The conveyor mechanism 13 includes a loop-like conveyor belt 13d in addition to the conveyance rollers 13a, the guide 13b, and the switcher 13c. The conveyor belt 13d conveys the sheet while supporting the sheet below the four photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4. The image former 14 includes the four photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4, the four transfer rollers 14b1-14b4, the four charging units 14x, an LED unit 14l, the four toner units 14z, the fixing roller 14c, and the pressure roller 14d. The LED unit 14l includes four light sources 14l1-14l4. Each of the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4 forms a pair with a corresponding one of the transfer rollers 14b1-14b4. Each photoconductive drum 14a1-14a4 and each transfer roller 14b1-14b4 that form a pair are opposed to each other with the conveyor belt 13d interposed therebetween. The four pairs are arranged in the running direction of the conveyor belt 13d. The fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d are in contact with each other with the path R10 interposed therebetween on the upstream side of the branch position Rx in the path R10 and on the downstream side of the conveyor belt 13d. The surfaces of the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4 are charged by the respective charging units 14x and are irradiated with LED lights emitted respectively from the light sources 14l1-14l4 of the LED unit 14l, so as to form electrostatic latent images. Subsequently, toner is supplied to the surfaces from the respective toner units 14z, so as to form toner images. The transfer rollers 14b1-14b4, to which is applied a voltage opposite to a voltage applied to the photoconductive drums 14a1-14a4, transfer the toner images onto the sheet conveyed by the conveyor belt 13d while being supported, and toner is fixed on the sheet by the heat of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure of the fixing roller 14c and the pressure roller 14d. Thus, a color image is formed on the sheet by the image former 14. The third embodiment described above offers the same advantages as those offered by the first embodiment according to the same configuration as employed in the first embodiment. Referring next to FIG. 8, there will be described a fourth embodiment. A printer 401 of the fourth embodiment and the printer 1 of the first embodiment are different in the following configuration and are identical in the other configuration. That is, the printer 401 differs from the printer 1 in the structure of the image former 14, namely, the printer 401 is a line ink-jet printer having a line ink-jet head 14i. Further, the printer 401 differs from the printer 1 in the structure of the conveyor mechanism 13. The conveyor mechanism 13 includes the loop-like conveyor belt 13d, in addition to the conveyance rollers 13a, the guide 13b, and the switcher 13c. The image former 14 includes the ink-jet head 14i and an ink tank 14t. The ink-jet head 14i is held in communication with the ink tank 14t. There are formed, in the ink-jet head 14i, a reservoir for storing ink supplied from the ink tank 14t and ink passages which branch off from the reservoir toward a plurality of ejection openings. The ejection openings are open to a lower surface 14ix of the ink-jet head 14i. A predetermined spacing is formed between the lower surface 14ix of the ink-jet head 14i and the upper surface of the conveyor belt 13d. Ink is ejected selectively from the ejection openings of the ink-jet head 14i to the sheet conveyed by the conveyor belt 13d while being supported, so that ink is attached onto the sheet. Thus, the image former 14 forms an image on the sheet. The fourth embodiment described above offers the same advantages as those offered by the first embodiment according to the same configuration as employed in the first embodiment. Referring next to FIG. 9A, there will be described a fifth embodiment. A printer of the fifth embodiment and the printer 1 of the first embodiment are different in the structure of the metal member of the intermediate unit 20 and are identical in the other configuration. In the fifth embodiment, a metal member 527 of the intermediate unit 20 includes a receiver portion 527a and an insertion portion 527b which are not fixed relative to each other but are separated away from each other. The receiver portion 527a and the insertion portion 527b are fixed to the column 21L, 21R independently of each other. The receiver portion 527a is fixed to the column 21L, 21R such that the lower end of the base portion 27x is inserted onto a pair of protrusions 521p1 provided on the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The insertion portion 527b is fixed to the column 21L, 21R such that its upper end is inserted onto a pair of protrusions 521p2 provided on the outer surface of the plate 27c. The base portion 27x of the receiver portion 527a is in contact with the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The insertion portion 527b is in contact with the outer surface of the plate 27c. Also in the present embodiment, a projective region obtained by projecting the insertion portion 527b in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction and a projective region obtained by projecting the base portion 27x of the receiver portion 527a in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane do not coincide with each other but are adjacent to each other. The fifth embodiment described above offers the same advantages as those offered by the first embodiment according to the same configuration as employed in the first embodiment. Further, the metal member of the intermediate unit 20 has a smaller size as compared with that in the first embodiment, resulting in a reduced cost for the metal member of the intermediate unit 20. Referring next to FIG. 9B, there will be described a sixth embodiment. A printer of the sixth embodiment and the printer 1 of the first embodiment are different in the structure of the metal member of the intermediate unit 20 and are identical in the other configuration. In the sixth embodiment, a metal member 627 of the intermediate unit 20 includes a receiver portion 627a and an insertion portion 627b formed integrally with each other. The metal member 627 is fixed to the column 21L, 21R such that the insertion portion 627b is inserted onto a pair of protrusions 621p provided on the outer surface of the plate 27c. The base portion 27x of the receiver portion 627a is in contact with the outer surface of the column 21L, 21R. The insertion portion 627b is in contact with the outer surface of the plate 27c. Also in the present embodiment, a projective region obtained by projecting the insertion portion 627b in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction and a projective region obtained by projecting the base portion 27x of the receiver portion 627a in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane do not coincide with each other but are adjacent to each other. The sixth embodiment described above offers the same advantages as those offered by the first embodiment according to the same configuration as employed in the first embodiment. Further, the metal member of the intermediate unit 20 has a reduced number of components as compared with the first embodiment, facilitating attaching of the metal member of the intermediate unit 20 to the column. While the embodiments have been described above, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the details of the illustrated embodiments, but may be modified with various changes and modifications, which may occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from in the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The number of first trays and the number of second trays are optional. For instance, the main body may include a plurality of first trays while the tray unit may include one second tray. The number of conveyance rollers provided in the intermediate unit is not limited to four, but may be any optional number equal to or larger than one. Alternatively, no conveyance rollers may be provided in the intermediate unit. The motor for driving the conveyance rollers of the intermediate unit may be provided in the intermediate unit instead of in the tray unit. The first discharge opening of the intermediate unit may be located upstream or downstream of the second introduction opening of the intermediate unit in the first direction (the movement direction) in which the medium moves when received by the second tray. It is not necessarily required for the image reader to include the opening and closing member. The structure of the drive member for moving the switcher and the structure of the transmission member for transmitting the drive force of the drive member to the switcher may be changed. For instance, the drive member and the transmission member may be provided for the intermediate unit or the main body instead of for the tray unit. The motor and the transmission mechanism may be disposed in outer spaces located outside the pairs of columns. The connectors may be disposed in the inner space sandwiched by the pairs of columns. It is not necessarily required for each of the intermediate unit and the tray unit to include the pair of columns. The structure of each connector may be changed. The tray unit may be configured not to be removably mountable on the upper surface of the main body. The projective point obtained by projecting the center of gravity of the motor in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, the projective point obtained by projecting the center of gravity of the intermediate unit in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane, and the projective point obtained by projecting the center of gravity of the portion constituted by the intermediate unit and the tray unit in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane are not necessarily required to be located within the projective region obtained by projecting the main body in the vertical direction onto the imaginary plane. The present disclosure is applicable not only to the printer but also to a facsimile, a copying machine, a multi-function peripheral (MFP), and the like. Also, the present disclosure is applicable not only to the laser image forming apparatus but also to an ink-jet image forming apparatus and a thermal image forming apparatus. The present disclosure is applicable not only to the image forming apparatus but also to devices not equipped with the image former that includes the photoconductive drum, the ink-jet head, and the like, namely, devices configured not to perform image formation on the medium. The medium is not limited to the sheet but may be a cloth or the like.

2019-04-19T04:54:09Z

http://patents.com/us-10099884.html

These pages provide an overview of the Sun-Earth environment and a selection of the topics researched by Professor Graham Bailey. Professor Graham Bailey's published research papers are listed in publications. The region between the Sun and the planets has been termed the interplanetary medium. Although once considered a perfect vacuum this region is extremely turbulent and dominated by the solar wind. The solar wind is a plasma of charged particles coming out of the Sun in all directions at very high speeds (250-1000 km/s, i.e., about 600,000-2,000,000 miles/hour). It varies with the changing conditions on the Sun. The solar wind is responsible for the anti-sunward tails of comets and the shape of the magnetic fields around the planets. It can also have significant effects on the flight paths of spacecraft. The Earth's magnetic field is very similar to the pattern formed when iron filings align around a bar magnet. Under the influence of the solar wind, however, these magnetic field lines are compressed in the sunward direction and stretched out in the downwind direction. This creates the magnetosphere, a complex, teardrop-shaped cavity around Earth. The Van Allen radiation belts are within this cavity, as is the ionosphere, a layer of Earth's upper atmosphere where photoionization by solar x-rays and extreme ultraviolet rays create free electrons. The Earth's magnetic field senses the solar wind by its speed, density, and magnetic field strength. Since the solar wind varies over time scales as short as seconds, the interface that separates interplanetary space from the magnetosphere is very dynamic. Normally this interface, called the magnetopause, lies at a distance of about 10 Earth radii in the direction of the Sun. However, during periods of elevated solar wind density or velocity, the magnetopause can be pushed inward to within about 6.6 Earth radii. As the magnetosphere extracts energy from the solar wind the internal processes produce geomagnetic storms. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are gigantic bubbles of electrified gas that billow away from the Sun. They can carry as much as 10 billion tons of solar material and usually travel at speeds between 500 and 1500 km/s, taking 2 or 3 days to cross the 150 million km divide separating the Sun and Earth. CMEs can occur at any time during the solar cycle, but increase in daily frequency from about 0.5 during solar minimum years to about 2.5 around solar maximum. Fast CMEs, those which outpace the ambient solar wind, give rise to large geomagnetic storms when they encounter the Earth’s magnetosphere. Such storms can result from the passage either of the CME itself or of the shock created by the fast CME’s interaction with the lower-moving solar wind. The image to the right shows a Coronal Mass Ejection as observed by the SOho and Heliospheric Observatory ( SOHO ) on 9 March 2000. In this image, direct light from the Sun is blocked with the Sun's relative position and size indicated by the white half-circle. The field of view extends 2 million kilometres or more from the solar surface. Geomagnetic activity associated with CMEs can dramatically disrupt electrical and communications systems. CMEs can create voltage surges in electric power grids, disrupt radio communications and navigation systems, prevent normal satellite operations, and threaten the safety of astronauts. In 1997, for example, a geomagnetic storm shut down an AT&T Telstar 401 satellite that provided television broadcasts. In 1998 another storm disrupted a Galaxy IV satellite that supported automated cash machines and airline tracking systems. Geomagnetic storms are also known to affect mobile phone operations and wireless internet services. The Aurora Borealis (Northern lights) and Aurora Australis (Southern lights) are streamers, arches, and curtains of moving light, often green or red in colour, appearing in the auroral regions. They are caused when the charged particles of the solar wind, spiralling down the magnetic field lines in the polar cusp, collide with oxygen and hydrogen in the upper atmosphere and raise these atoms to excited states. These excited states then relax with the emission of energy, often in the visible light or ultraviolet bands. Cameras aboard satellites can look down at the aurora and snap its instantaneous picture at some given moment. What they see is a roughly circular strip, centered a little nightward of the magnetic pole, known as the auroral oval. The auroral oval normally lies between 60 and 80 degrees latitude. However, during large magnetic storms the oval grows in size and may even reach the population centres of Europe and America in the northern hemisphere and Australia in the southern hemisphere. The aurorae provide pretty displays, but they are just visible signs of atmospheric changes that may wreak havoc on technological systems. A large CME swept past the Earth on 20 November 2003 and sparked bright auroras as far south as Florida in the United States and Greece in Europe. The selection of images displayed below were taken on 20 November 2003, following the passage of the CME. These images, and images from other days, are available from NASA . Plots showing the current extent and position of the auroral oval at each pole, extrapolated from measurements taken during the most recent polar pass of the NOAA POES satellite, are available from NOAA . The ionosphere is usually defined to be that region of the Earth's upper atmosphere where ionized particles are in sufficient numbers to affect the propagation of radio waves. It is produced by photoionization of the neutral atmosphere, arising from the absorption of solar extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and x-rays, at altitudes between about 60 km and 600 km. At high latitudes, where the geomagnetic field lines are open, there are additional sources of ionization since charged particles from the Sun can interact directly with the neutral atmosphere. Within the auroral oval, precipitating energetic electrons are an important source of ionization. Solar radiation from the Sun is absorbed at different rates and frequencies at different altitudes in the atmosphere. This, along with the varying concentrations and composition of the neutral atmosphere, chemical production and loss processes, and dynamics, causes the formation of ionized regions that have very different characterictics. These regions are called the D (60-90 km), E (90- 150 km) and F (150-500 km) regions, with the F-region being subdivided into the F1 and F2 regions. The dominant ions in the D and E regions are NO+ and O2+. In the F-region, where the bulk of the ionospheric plasma resides, the O+ ion dominates. The ionosphere at equatorial latitudes is characterised by a trough in the latitudinal distribution of ionization at the magnetic equator with crests near ± 17° magnetic latitude. This feature is called the Equatorial Anomaly. It results from the east-west electric field at the magnetic equator giving rise to an upward E×B plasma drift during daytime (see left-hand figure below) where E is the electric field and B the magnetic field. This upward drift drives the plasma across the magnetic field lines to higher altitudes. The plasma then diffuses downwards along the magnetic field lines under the influence of gravity and pressure gradient forces. The net result is the formation of a plasma fountain, centred at the magnetic equator, which transfers plasma from the equatorial region to higher latitudes (see right-hand panel below). The crest-to-trough ratio in the peak electron density is typically around 1.5 near noon and around 3.5 during the afternoon period when the E×B drift velocity is high. The latitudinal locations of the crests increase with increasing upward E×B drift, which vary with solar and magnetic activity. The crests in both hemispheres occur at lower latitudes and become weaker with increasing altitude. Above about 800 km altitude the equatorial anomaly disappears; there is a single crest at the magnetic equator.The neutral wind causes the equatorial anomaly to be asymmetric about the magnetic equator. The Jicamarca Radio Observatory is the premier scientific facility in the world for studying the equatorial ionosphere. It is located in Peru at geographic coordinates 77°W, 12°S. The magnetic dip angle is about 1° N and varies slightly with altitude and year. The incoherent scatter radar is the principal facility of the observatory. The main antenna consists of 18,432 dipoles covering an area of nearly 85,000 square metres. The radar can be pointed perpendicular to B throughout the ionosphere. Of all the incoherent scatter radars, the Jicamarca radar provides by far the most accurate plasma drift velocity and electric field data. The figure below shows contour plots of the electron concentration (log10Ne) and the local time variation of hmax (altitude of maximum electron concentration) observed by the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar on 1-2 October 1970. An important characteristic of the equatorial F-region is the sharp increase in hmax in the dusk sector. This increase arises from the dusk-sector increase in the upward vertical E×B plasma drift velocity just before it reverses to a downward direction. The prereversal enhancement in the vertical drift velocity is caused mainly by F-region dynamo effects. The sharp increase in hmax plays an important role in the occurrence in equatorial spread-F. The dotted region in the figure below denotes the occurrence of equatorial spread-F. Contour plots of the electron concentration and the local time variation of hmax, the altitude of maximum electron concentration, observed at Jicamarca on 1-2 October 1970. The dotted region denotes the occurrence of equatorial spread-F. Plasma irregularities in the F-region caused by plasma instabilities are known as spread-F and can occur at all latitudes. However, spread-F in the equatorial region can be severe. At night, fully developed spread-F is characterized by plasma bubbles, which are vertically elongated wedges of depleted plasma that drift upward from the bottomside F-region to altitudes as high as 1500 km. The individual flux tubes in a vertical wedge are typically depleted along their entire north-south extent. The east-west extent of the disturbed region can be several thousand kilometres. The plasma density in the bubbles can be up to two orders of magnitude lower than the surrounding medium. When spread-F ceases, the upward drift ceases and the bubbles drift towards the east with the background plasma. The bubbles at high altitudes tend to lag behind those at low altitudes. At equatorial latitudes the conditions for the formation of spread-F and plasma bubbles are strongest during the dusk sector when the upward vertical E×B drift velocity increases rapidly. As the F-region rises in altitude and the bottomside ionosphere decays due to lack of sunlight steep vertical density gradients develop in the bottomside ionosphere. This produces the classical configuration for the Rayleigh-Taylor (R-T) instability, in which a heavy fluid is situated above a light fluid. A density perturbation can trigger the R-T instability under certain conditions. Once triggered, density irregularities develop and the field-aligned depletions then bubble up through the F-region. The F-region height and bottomside density gradient are not the only conditions necessary for the R-T instability and spread-F. Upward propagating gravity waves, which induce vertical winds, can trigger the R-T instability both by providing an initial perturbation and by affecting the instability condition. A meridional neutral air wind can stabalize the plasma. Above the F-region lies the topside ionosphere. In this region the most important ions are O+, H+, and He+. With increasing altitude H+ becomes the dominant ion (usually within the altitude range 1000-2000 km). The region where H+ is the dominant ion is called the protonosphere or plasmasphere, the latter being more appropriate since the region also contains significant amounts of the He+ ion. Theoretical models and observations dating back to the early 1960's have suggested the importance of He+ in the composition of the topside ionosphere. Early observations indicated that He+ may become the dominant ion over a limited altitude range during solar maximum, but may be of relatively little importance at solar minimum when H+ becomes the dominant ion at altitudes above 600 km. Observations made by the Arecibo Incoherent Scatter Radar have been used in many studies of the ionosphere and topside ionosphere. This radar is located on the island of Puerto Rico at geographic latitude 18.35°N, geographic longitude 16.75°W, and geomagnetic latitude 30°N. The main reflector dish has a diameter of 305 metres and a depth of 51 metres. It is the largest radar dish in the world. Suspended 137 metres above the dish is the dome that houses the Gregorian reflectors. These reflectors concentrate the signals received from the main dish before they are sent to the receivers. Further information on the radar and the Arecibo Observatory is provided by the web pages radar and observatory. Brief descriptions of how a radar works and how the Arecibo incoherent scatter radar makes measurements of composition, temperature, and velocity in the ionosphere are provided by the web pages measurements of the ionosphere. Observations of light-ion concentration made by the Arecibo Incoherent Scatter Radar have shown regions of He+ layering in the topside ionosphere in the post midnight hours. This phenomenon has been observed during both solar maximum and solar minimum conditions. As the figure below shows, during solar maximum the layer can contribute to more than 50% of the total ion concentration; during solar minimum its maximum contribution is only ~20% [Wilford et al., J. Geophys. Res., 108, 1452, 2003]. González and Sulzer [Geophys. Res. Lett., 23, 2509, 1996] have presented a formulation for the formation of the He+ layer based on ambipolar diffusion. Application of the formulation produces the net result that He+ is constrained from below by O+ and from above by H+. During the day this does not produce the layering effect since the transition region is relatively broad, allowing He+ to gather in a relatively large area. At night the transition region narrows, thus forcing the He+ into a smaller area and resulting in an increase in the fractional He+ concentration. Observations of H+ and He+ made at Arecibo. The left and right hand panels show absolute and fractional ion concentration respectively. The top and bottom panels show data for the hydrogen and helium ions respectively. A modelling study of the He+ layer carried by Wilford [PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, UK, 2002] has shown the importance of the diurnal variation and value of the O+/H+ transition height in determining the location and characteristic features of the He+ layer. The SUPIM (Sheffield University Plasmasphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere) model was able to recreate the He+ layer observed by the Arecibo radar with reasonable accuracy. The SCTIP (Sheffield Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere) model, on the other hand, only recreated the He+ layer when the empirical formulation for the electron temperatures used by SCTIP, which was based on the neutral gas temperature and the solar zenith angle, and the temperatures of the individual ions, which are set equal to the O+ temperature, were replaced by formulations based on the SUPIM values. The SUPIM values are obtained by solving fully coupled energy balance equations for the electrons and for the O+, H+, and He+ ions [Bailey and Sellek, Ann. Geophysicae., 8, 171, 1990.]. Observations made by the Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA) on board the DE-2 (Dynamics Explorer 2) satellite have revealed regions near 900 km altitude and 22.00 LT at mid and low latitudes where He+ is the dominant ion or dominant light-ion. The RPA was developed at the University of Texas at Dallas. It provides in-situ measurements along the satellite track of ion temperature and composition. The picture to the left shows the two DE satellites stacked in their launch configuration (DE-2 on top, DE-1 on the bottom). The figure below shows examples of He+ being the dominant ion (left panel) and dominant light-ion (right panel). Using values of ion concentration modelled by SUPIM, Bailey and Sellek [Ann. Geophysicae., 8, 171, 1990.] have shown the existence of altitude regions in the nighttime topside ionosphere for winter (see the following figure) and equinox during solar maximum where He+ is the dominant ion. Such regions arise from the nighttime decrease in O+ concentration combined with the nighttime maintenance of He+ and are most pronounced during winter when the high value of the winter helium bulge leads to enhanced He+ concentrations. Bailey and Sellek could find no evidence to suggest that He+ could become the dominant ion during summer at solar maximum or at any time during solar minimum. The DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) satellites fly in sun-synchronous near-polar orbits at altitudes close to 830 km above the surface of the Earth. The orbits have an inclination of about 98 ° such that the plane of the orbit precesses with a period of about one year. This results in the satellite's orbit staying in roughly the same local time throughout the year. Each satellite has an orbital period of about 101 minutes, giving 14-15 orbits a day, each separated in longitude by around 25°. This orbital period, combined with the Earth's rotation and the polar orbit of the satellite, results in every portion of the Earth being imaged twice a day (once during the ascending leg and once during the descending leg). For scientific purposes, this is an ideal situation since it allows researchers to sample the ionosphere at polar, mid-latitude, and equatorial regions. Observations made by instruments on board the DMSP satellites have been used in many studies. In the following figure, taken from a study carried out by Wilford [PhD Thesis, University of Sheffield, UK, 2002], latitudinal variations of O+, H+, and He+ observed by the RPA on board the DMSP-F10 satellite are displayed. Also displayed are values determined by the SCTIP model. The good agreement in the modelled and observed values was obtained by increasing the He+ photoionization rate used in SCTIP by the factor 2.5. This factor is included in the He+ photoionization rate used by SUPIM following studies of DE-2 observations carried out by Heelis et al. [J. Geophys. Res., 95, 10,313, 1990] and Bailey and Sellek [Ann. Geophysicae., 8, 171, 1990]. Both the SUPIM and SCTIP models use the MSIS-86 values [Hedin, J. Geophys. Res., 92, 4649, 1987] for the neutral helium concentration. Since there is considerable scatter in the neutral helium concentrations used to construct the MSIS values and there is no evidence to suggest that the solar EUV fluxes and photoionization cross-sections are significantly in error then it is probable that the 2.5 increase in He+ photoionization rate could be obtained solely by increasing the neutral helium concentration. Results from the CTIP model superimposed on observations made by the DMSP-F10 satellite. Modelled values; O+ (+++++), He+ ( *****). Observed values; O+ (solid line), He+ (dash line). Averaged latitudinal profiles of the electron and ion temperatures, and the total ion concentration observed by the DMSP F10 satellite at 800 km altitude and 21.00 LT during January 1991 in three longitude regions. The vertical lines on the plots denote the standard deviations of the observations. Only the standard deviations of the electron temperature are displayed. The standard deviations of the ion temperature are similiar to those of the electron temperature. The figure to the right shows averaged latitudinal profiles of the electron temperature, Te, the ion temperature, Ti, and the total ion concentration observed by the DMSP F10 satellite at 800 km altitude and 21.00 LT in the longitude regions 0°-40°, 180°-210°, and 300°-340°. The observations were made during January 1991 when the solar F10.7 flux was around 220. The vertical lines on the plots denote the standard deviations of the observations. Only the standard deviations of Te are displayed. The standard deviations of Ti are similiar to those of Te. Values modelled by SUPIM [Bailey et al. Ann. Geophysicae., 18, 1435, 2000] confirm that the crests observed near 15° latitude in the winter hemisphere are due to adiabatic heating and the troughs observed near the magnetic equator are due to adiabatic cooling as plasma is transported from the summer hemisphere to the winter hemisphere. The modelled values also confirm that the interhemispheric plasma transport needed to produce the required adiabatic heating/cooling can be induced by F-region neutral air winds. The longitudinal variations in the observed troughs and crests arise mainly from the longitudinal variations in the magnetic meridional wind. At longitudes where the magnetic declination is positive (180°-210°) the eastward geographic zonal wind combines with the northward (summer hemisphere to winter hemisphere) geographic meridional wind to enhance the northward magnetic meridional wind. This leads to deeper troughs and enhanced crests. At longitudes where the magnetic declination is negative (300°-340°) the eastward geographic zonal wind opposes the northward geographic meridional wind and the trough depth and crest values are reduced. In the longitude region 0°-40° the magnetic declination angle is close to zero. The Japanese Hinotori satellite was launched in February 1981 into a near-circular orbit at 600 km altitude with an inclination of 31°. The orbital duration was about 90 minutes. The satellite operated until June 1982. The electron density was measured by an impedance probe [Oya et. al., J. Geomag. Geoelectra., 38, 111, 1986] and the electron temperature by an electron temperature probe [Hirao and Oyama, J. Geomag. Geoelectra., 22, 393, 1970]. The electron density and electron temperature measured by the Hinotori satellite during pass 3599 (20 October 1981). In the figure to the right are shown the electron density and electron temperature measured by the Hinotori satellite on pass 3599. The two shaded regions in the lower panel represent enhancements in the electron temperature ~600 K and ~1000 K at magnetic latitudes 8° and -9°, respectively, with respect to the background values (represented by a dashed curve). These regions coincide with the electron density enhancements of the equatorial anomaly displayed in the top panel. The enhancement in the electron temperature at 05.11 LT is due to sunrise. The anomaly in the electron temperature is called the Equatorial Plasma Temperature Anomaly (EPTA) and is found to occur predominantly around the equinoxes and during the evening hours. The anomaly is characterized by a trough around the magnetic equator with crests on either side. The trough develops before the crests. The anomaly shows a strong dependence on solar activity and is most pronounced when the solar activity is high. Using values modelled by SUPIM, Balan et al. [J. Geophys. Res., 102, 7485, 1997] showed that the anomaly occurs between 19.00 and 01.00 LT at altitudes between 450 and 1250 km and that the anomaly is strongest around 21.30 LT and 950 km altitudes during periods of high solar activity. They also showed that the trough of the anomaly arises from adiabatic cooling of the plasma and increase in plasma concentration caused by the prereversal strengthening of the upward vertical E×B drift. The crests arise from the combined effect of the reverse plasma fountain and nighttime plasma cooling. The electron and ion temperatures, as expected for equatorial latitudes at night, are almost equal and exhibit almost identical EPTAs. Latitude variations of modelled electron temperature for various altitudes at 1830 and 2130 LT. Latitude variations of modelled electron temperature for various local times at altitudes 950 and 650 km. The left-hand panel of the above figure shows latitude variations of the modelled electron temperature for various altitudes at 1830 and 2130 LT. These local times are close to the maximum upward and maximum downward equatorial vertical E×B drift velocity, respectively. The right-hand panel of the above figure shows the time evolution of the latitude variations of the modelled electron temperature at altitudes at 950 and 650 km. The Japanese EXOS-D satellite, renamed Akebono after its launch in February 1989, was launched into an ellipitical orbit with apogee near 10,000 km, perigee 300 km, and inclination 75°. The primary scientific objective of the Akebono project is to investigate magnetospheric phenomena associated with auroral particle acceleration. The Akebono satellite carries eight scientific instruments to carry out this task. Measurements of electron temperature made by the thermal electron energy distribution (TED) instrument on board the Akebono satellite have been analysed and modelled by Professor Graham Bailey and colleagues. The figure below is taken from Denton et al. [J. Atmos. Sol.-Terr. Phys., 61, 775, 1999] and shows the averaged daytime and nighttime profiles at 5°-35° for the northern and southern hemispheres combined from observations made between 1989 and 1995. A detailed analysis of this data shows, amongst other things, that the averaged electron temperature is higher in the northern hemisphere during daytime and higher in the southern hemisphere during nighttime. The cause of this hemispheric difference remains unresolved. Averaged daytime and nighttime altitude profiles of the electron temperature observed at ±5°, ±15°, ±25°, and ±35° by the Akebono satellite. The main heat source for the plasmasphere is solar EUV radiation, the same as that for the ionosphere. However, unlike the ionosphere, most of the plasmaspheric heating arises from energetic photoelectrons. These photoelectrons are produced in the ionosphere by photoionization of the neutral gases and lose energy by collisions with the ambient electrons, ions and neutral gases. Below about 300 km altitude most of the energy is lost locally, but above this altitude the energetic photoelectrons are able to escape along the geomagnetic field lines to heat the ambient electron gas at the higher altitudes and, if the photoelectrons have sufficient energy, the plasmasphere and conjugate hemisphere. Interactions between the high-energy particles and thermal electrons in the plasmasphere are also known to contribute to the heating of the plasmasphere. Modelling studies of the energy balance of the plasmasphere have shown that heating from energetic photoelectrons alone is insufficient to give electron temperatures in agreement with those observed. In Balan et al. [J. Geophys. Res., 101, 21,689, 1996] agreement in the values modelled by SUPIM and those observed by the TED instrument on board the Akebono satellite could be obtained by introducing an equatorial high-altitude heat source into the model. Such a heat source appears to be the only mechanism that can account for the observed electron temperatures. The heat source might arise from the interactions between the high-energy particles and the thermal electrons in the plasmasphere. The principal ions within the plasmasphere are H+ and He+, with H+ being the most dominant. Within the plasmasphere the magnetic field lines are closed. In the equatorial plane, the plasmasphere has a radial extent that varies between about 2.5 and 6 RE, where RE is the Earth's radius. Its boundary is known as the plasmapause. The location of plasmapause is strongly dependent on the magnetic activity of the Sun. During geomagnetic storms the plasmapause moves inwards towards the Earth while during periods of stormtime recovery the plasmapause moves outwards. During the recovery phase the plasmasphere is replenished by plasma that flows equatorward along the magnetic field lines under the forces of diffusion from lower altitudes. The plasmapause is marked by a large and sharp decrease (~1-2 orders of magnitude) in plasma concentration as one leaves the plasmasphere. The plasmapause is essentially the boundary between the plasma that corotates with the Earth and the plasma that is controlled by magnetospheric electric fields. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUV) on board the IMAGE (Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration) satellite images the distribution of He+ in the Earth's plasmasphere by detecting its resonantly-scattered emission at 30.4nm. This emission is the brightest ion emission in the plasmasphere, it is spectrally isolated, and the background at 30.4nm is negligible. Interpretation of the measurements is relatively straightforward as the plasmaspheric He+ emission is optically thin so that its brightness is directly proportional to the He+ column content. The EUV image to the left was taken at 07:34 UTC on 24 May 2000, at a range of 6.0 Earth radii from the centre of Earth and at magnetic latitude 73° N. The Sun is to the lower right, and Earth's shadow extends through the plasmasphere towards the upper left. The bright ring near the centre is an aurora, and includes emissions at wavelengths other than 30.4 nm. GPS is subject to inaccuracies due to the effect of the ionosphere on the propagation of radio signals. A correction for the ionosphere can be made when dual frequency receivers are used. However, many navigation uses of GPS rely on inexpensive single-frequency receivers with compensation for propagation effects being made through the use of an ionospheric model broadcast by the GPS satellites. Such models are usually based on measurements of total electron content or maximum plasma concentration. Measurements of this kind are dominated by the plasma in the ionospheric F2 layer so that little account is taken in the GPS correction models of the contribution of the electrons on the long raypaths through the plasmasphere. The effects of the H+ dominated plasmasphere on GPS have been largely neglected and it is only recently that significant effort has been devoted to this topic. Several modelling studies to assess the importance to GPS users of the electron content in the plasmasphere have been carried out using SUPIM, the Sheffield University Plasmasphere Ionosphere Model, by Professor Graham Bailey and colleagues. In a study by Bailey et al. [Proceedings of the 1999 Ionospheric Effects Symposium, Alexandria, Virginia, 663, 1999] model calculations have been carried out for the GPS raypaths of 7 March, 1999, that originate at Westford, Massachusetts (42.6°:N, 71.5°W). On this day F10.7 was about 120. Nighttime GPS slant TEC as observed from Westford, Massachusetts, to satellite 23 on 6 March, 1999, together with the modelled values of slant TEC and the O+ and H+ slant contents. On the right are shown the satellite track as viewed from Westford and the L-shell contours. Shown in the above figure are the observed and modelled slant TECs (Total Electron Content) and the modelled O+ and H+ slant contents along the raypath from Westford to satellite 23. Also shown are the L-shell contours with respect to Westford and the satellite track as viewed from Westford. The circles about the station represent elevation angles of 5°, 30°, 60°. There is good agreement in the modelled and observed values of TEC. This figure shows that the modelled values of H+ content are higher at the beginning and end of the pass in response to the satellite crossing through lower L-shells when the satellite is south of Westford. On this nighttime pass the modelled H+ contents are about equal to the O+ contents around 04.00LT, ie, about 50% of TEC is due to the plasmaspheric electrons. The results for other passes also show greatly varying percentage contributions to TEC from the H+ ions. The contribution of the plasmaspheric electrons to TEC varies strongly with viewing direction and neglect of the plasmaspheric electrons may lead to errors in the range delay at the L1 frequency of 1-2 metres. The greatly changing percentage contribution of the plasmaspheric electrons with viewing direction has potential implications for the assumption of a fixed height thin shell model, commonly used in converting slant TEC into equivalent vertical TEC. GPS observations of TEC are offset by unknown biases arising from delays in both the satellite transmitter and the ground-based receiver. Analysis techniques have been developed that use observations from several satellites to obtain corrected absolute values of TEC. Various attempts have been made to verify such techniques using independent measurements, but the difficulties in obtaining exact correspondence in space and time has limted the accuracy of the comparisons. In Bishop et al. [Proceedings of the 1999 Ionospheric Effects Symposium, Alexandria, Virginia, 151, 1999] and Lunt et al. [Radio Science, 34, 1261, 1999] simulated measurements of TEC along GPS raypaths have been generated by SUPIM. The simulated measurements, offset by arbitrary biases, were then used to verify the self-calibration of pseudo-range errors (SCORE) process [Bishop et al., Proceedings of the IEEE 1996 Position, Location and Navigation Symposium, Piscataway, New Jersey, 145, 1996] used to estimate TEC and satellite biases from the GPS transmissions. It was demonstrated that, with appropriate modification to compensate for the effects of the electrons in the plasmasphere, the SCORE process can be used to determine TEC to a high degree of accuracy. These studies have also demonstrated that there are small differences in the GPS measured values of TEC due the plasmaspheric TEC on GPS raypaths looking north and south from a mid-latitude European station. The thin shell models of the ionosphere used in GPS TEC work fail to replicate these asymmetries. At American longitudes, because of the tilt of the Earth's magnetic field, the the differences are expected to be much smaller [Lunt et al., Radio Science, 34, 1281, 1999]. While extensive studies have been carried out over several decades on the effects of the ionosphere on satellite-to-ground propagation paths very little work has been done on ray paths involving links between satellites. However, with increasing use of radio systems for practical applications, particularly satellite-based navigation and positioning, interest is now turning to propagation effects on satellite-to-satellite paths. One specific aspect driving such investigations is concern over future requirements for the station-keeping of satellites in the commercially very important, but potentially congested, geostationary orbit. Geostationary satellites are currently tracked using a network of ground stations. A future possible development could involve positioning by making use of a satellite navigation system, like GPS. In a study by Kersley and Bailey [Radio Sci., 40, RS4008, doi:10.1029/2004RS003096, 2005], SUPIM has been used to estimate TEC along ray paths between satellites for conditions appropriate to solar maximum. It was found that, in general, for ray paths through the plasmasphere, where the satellite-to-satellite geometry is far removed from eclipse by the Earth's horizon, the TECs are generally less than 20 TECU with resultant errors in positioning of only a few metres. However, when the rays intersect the equatorial F2 region at near grazing incidence close to the F2 peak, TECs of up to some 2000 TECU have been found, with potential propagation delays of hundreds of metres. The exact magnitude of the TECs are very dependent on the precise geometry of the raypath and vary with time. Every effort is made to keep the information on these pages accurate, but this is not a guarantee that it is correct. Pages last modified on 30 October 2008. These pages created and maintained by Professor Graham Bailey.

2019-04-26T13:55:29Z

http://gbailey.staff.shef.ac.uk/researchoverview.html

In May 1999 Enron announced to the world that it was creating a new market for trading Bandwidth. A wired article from 2001 noted that it seemed to many that the then energy giant had found a new pot of virtual gold. Enron and a broader group of their experienced traders believed it was only a matter of time before bandwidth (as well as other virtual resources) would be bought and sold in much the same way that commodities markets trade everything from petroleum to pork bellies. Now, more then 10 years later this transition has yet to occur. In this post I will examine why the idea of trading bandwidth never took off and see if today might be the ideal time to try again. Looking back at the previous attempts to create virtual commodities exchanges including Enron's failed attempt, it now appears that it was indeed a great opportunity, but just about a decade too early. In the case of Enron, they had a right vision, but suffered from the now obvious fact that it was born from an overwhelming greed. In other words, the right idea but the wrong people at the wrong time. Today with the emergence of cloud computing looking at these past failures such as the failed bandwidth markets and as well as the successes of the energy markets of 1990's may represent a case study in how to we might go about creating a successful commodity compute marketplace. One of the first problems in getting bandwidth trading off the ground was timing. The bursting of the dotcom bubble meant that there was a significant disconnect between an over supply of bandwidth versus the demand for it. Basically there weren't enough companies who wanted to buy and too many selling. Making the market go in one direction, down. This discouraged both buys and sellers from getting involved. The key to an active market and ecosystem is growth. Secondly, as the wired article points out, the telecom firms that owned the fiber optic networks didn't like the idea of selling their services as a commodity. Some made the case that "not all networks perform equally well." Basically there were no measurement standards and therefore no easy way to determine the good from the bad. In addition, most telecom firms preferred to negotiate prices with customers, rather than be stuck with a one-size-fits-all pricing scheme. In a sense they would rather lose on the excess capacity and make up the difference by charging more for the capacity that was actually used. In contrast, the benefit to a commodity style approach, you may charge less overall but make more money because you have a higher utilization of your resources (volume). Another major problem was at that time the adoption of broadband was at its infancy. Most Internet users in 1999 we're still using dial up connections. Compounding things was other than a few notable exceptions (Napster) the majority of web applications were static and light weight. Mobile apps, streaming media, social web applications, realtime web and cloud computing (Internet centric computing) had yet to be widely accepted. Fast forward to today and these applications have become the key drivers to a recent explosion of rich user generated content and the ever increasing need for realtime compute capacity to process it all. Thanks in part to the increasing popularity of cloud computing, the idea of just-in-time compute capacity has helped lower some of barriers that limited the previous bandwidth markets from flourishing. For many the concept of distributed batch processing and compute elasticity have become critical parts of modern business IT strategies. These kind of flexible and elastic compute usage models are ideally suited to that of a spot market for commodity compute capacity (provided via a method that is quoted for immediate (spot) settlement for both payment and delivery. Also the announcement last month that Amazon Web Services would start offering excess EC2 capacity using a spot market approach has also helped legitimized the concept. The notion of selling your excess compute capacity now has a poster child (AWS), this may lead to increased acceptance of selling excess compute resources using a commodities approach. This is in much the same way that Amazon EC2 has encouraged companies to use cloud like strategies within their internal systems (private clouds). In a very real way, AWS is blazing a path for the broader industry. I see tremendous opportunities for the trading of excess Cloud Computing resources or compute capacity and believe the most viable market example may be that of the energy marketplace. The energy market is similar to bandwidth and compute capacity in that the commodities are variable, transient and don't store well. The concept of selling excess capacity in cloud centric data centers may also make sense in that cloud providers must have significant additional capacity on hand just in case of demand spikes. As I've said before, unused compute capacity = lost revenue. It's better to sell your excess then to have it disappear. For a lot of larger players such as Telecoms and large content providers this means un-utilized compute capacity is making you nothing. The notion of a public spot market may help address this problem. The great example for a compute centric market may be based on that of the electricity wholesale markets. Like compute capacity, electricity is difficult to store because of it's transient nature. It needs to be available on demand, and unpredictable demand spikes may occur. Using the energy trading market as a model provides an existing proven context that may translate well into compute centric environments, not mention there are wide variety of trading platforms already built that may be easily modified to address the needs of a compute exchange market. One of the more common energy trading models uses a automated central scheduler to balance supply and demand and calculate the market price. Another model is that of conducting auctions in various time scales, i.e. auctions for yearly and daily provision of power, with additional spot market that resolves the need for accommodating short-term demand spikes. Before a widely accepted commodity compute trading market may form and begin trading, governments may also need to provide a common regulatory framework as well as standards and liability controls. Otherwise the market will be doomed to serve as a novelty or worst yet, limited to academic use only. So what's next? First a trading organization must form, preferably in a transparent not for profit context, so to help avoid future Enron type scenarios. I'd also say the capital to develop such a trading platform, the will of the industry to help make this happen and some standard processes for the measurement of the cloud capacity itself. So will this happen? Certainly, but question of when is still up for debate. It's been a crazy week at Enomaly after last week’s SpotCloud announcement. We'd like to take a brief moment to update you on some new and exciting opportunities that have emerged out of our discussions around the SpotCloud Marketplace (http://www.spotcloud.com). Signups for both the buy and sell side for SpotCloud have been very strong with hundreds registering for the service. One of the more interesting statistics is the ratio of buyers to sellers is tracking at 5:1 for buyers. This shows there’s a lot of buy-side demand for the service. For those of you who have already registered, we are selectively adding new buyers and sellers while we work through the beta phase, so hold tight, we haven't forgotten about you. If you haven't registered yet, go ahead and add yourself today. We're happy to announce that we are now offering a Free Enomaly ECP SpotCloud Edition (Shipping next week). This is a feature-limited version of the Enomaly Elastic Computing Platform specifically tailored for cloud providers, as well as private and public data centers looking to sell excess capacity on the SpotCloud market. By simply installing ECP SpotCloud edition on a few spare servers, providers are able to easily participate in the marketplace. No public cloud or payment systems are required. Just a few servers and the Free ECP SpotCloud IaaS software and you're ready to start making money. To get access to the ECP SpotCloud Beta, simply register as a seller athttp://www.spotcloud.com and check the box for the ECP SpotCloud edition. Due to strong demand from non ECP-based, cloud providers and IaaS platforms, we have decided to open up our marketplace to any and all platforms. In the next week we will publish seller integration instructions for the SpotCloud marketplace so platforms powered by other technologies can easily participate . If you haven't already done so, please sign up to be notified when the docs are ready. Responses to our initial SpotCloud announcement has been overwhelming. A number of buyers and sellers have indicated they would like to participate in a broader announcement highlighting our partners. If you'd like to participate in our upcoming PR announcement, please feel free to get in touch with us. Interested in seeing how SpotCloud works or just have some questions? Join the SpotCloud Webinar next Friday. As many of you know, I've been to China many times this year. The market for cloud computing is booming over there. But what you may not know is that these trips to China have been a key part of the inspiration for the creation of SpotCloud. Some of my inspirations has come from the popular concept of group buying know as tuangou in Chinese. Group buying, which refers to social buying or collective buying as well, is the buying an offer which has been significantly reduced, due to the fact that it is only valid if enough buyers are found. Recently, group buying has been taken online in numerous forms, although group buys prior to 2009 usually referred to the grouping of industrial products for wholesale (especially in China). Group buys are a variation of tuangou buying that also occurs in China, in which an item must be bought in a minimum quantity or dollar amount, otherwise, the seller will not allow the purchase. Since individuals typically do not need multiples of one item or do not have the resources to buy in bulk, group buys allow people to invite others to purchase in bulk jointly. These group buys often result in better prices for the individual buyers or ensure that a scarce or obscure item is available for sale. So now lets think about how this approach could be applied to the buying of cloud infrastructure resources through a marketplace such as SpotCloud. A simple example could be buying Amazon EC2 reserve instances. With Reserved Instances you pay a one-time fee and in turn receive a significant discount on the hourly usage charge for that instance over a 1 to 3 year term. Using this model of reserved Instances can save you up to 49% over the cost of On-Demand EC2 instances. But there is a small problem, you need to commit to at least 1 - 3 years with a fairly high utilization for the full savings to be realized. Now apply group buying to EC2 reserved instances, say 100 or so capacity buyers who need cheap capacity for short periods of time. The brokerage (SpotCloud) essentially buys on behalf of the group and makes the the capacity available at a greatly reduced cost for all market participants. The group buying approach also leads to interesting arbitrage models for increased cost reduction by taking advantage of a price difference between two or more cloud resource providers (Amazon's Spot Instances for example), as well as potentially negotiating wholesale discounts on behalf of the collective buying group from other large cloud capacity providers. Lots of interesting SpotCloud ideas. I'll keep posting as they come to me. So by now you've probably heard about the SpotCloud announcement. If you missed it, after more than a year of development, we finally took the covers off our SpotCloud Capacity Clearinghouse and Marketplace for service providers. The feedback so far has been tremendous, with hundreds of registrations for the SpotCloud service including a good portion of the major "Non ECP" based cloud providers signing up. One particularly interesting stat is the ratio of buyers to sellers registering for the service at a ratio of 5:1 for buyers, indicating significant interest from the demand / buy side. A key metric for a successful marketplace. But what I really want to tell you is some of the opportunities that have emerged in my discussions with both providers and buyers. Most of which I hadn't even considered before this weeks launch. The first usage example is with managed service providers. With the recent downturn in the economy a lot of dedicated and managed hosting providers are seeing large amounts of customers abandoning their dedicated servers for various reasons, causing a major influx of un-used racked servers. One director of IT for a large hosting firm indicated that last week one of his long time customers had defaulted on 100+ dedicated servers. He said that they had no plans to create a "public" cloud service but thought that the ability to offer these servers through the SpotCloud marketplace would be an ideal way for his company to cover their "carrying costs" while they attempted to resell / lease these servers to other hosting customers at a much higher margin. Turns out this concept has legs, I had the very same conversation this week at the CloudExpo in Santa Clara with no less then 20 different hosting companies all telling me the same story, not interested in public cloud, very interested in private capacity offering through an opaque market. I used the analogy of renting a new or used car before selling it. Another recurring opportunity was that of what I have started describing as a "private cloud exchange" where a group of aligned companies or organizations share capacity amongst each other through a private version of the SpotCloud marketplace. A kind of capacity consortium. One particularly good example was from a major Asian Telecom with many various divisions around the globe, each with their own data centers and no effective way to share capacity between the business units who run independently from one another. Another private exchange idea was focused with in specific industry verticals such as Finance, healthcare, entertainment and eduction. Think of a group of private clouds with specific regulatory controls sharing or selling capacity with each other. What's next for SpotCloud? Going forward we plan to release SpotCloud integration instructions for working with Non ECP based cloud providers and suppliers. This will allow SpotCloud to support the broadest group of capacity suppliers with out having to directly use ECP. We've also had a lot of interest in doing a Free Enomaly ECP SpotCloud edition, which we hope to have available in the near future. As soon as these are ready, I'll post the links on this blog. We are hoping to do some public announcements around actual buyers and sellers in the coming weeks, ping me if you'd like to be included in this announcement. Do you have an interesting use case for SpotCloud? Please let me know. Enomaly Inc., the leading vendor of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud computing software, is proud to announce that it has launched the beta of SpotCloud (http://www.spotcloud.com) the first cloud computing clearinghouse & marketplace. In order to avoid directly competing with regular retail sales of cloud services, SpotCloud uses an "opaque" sales model, similar to sites such as Hotwire.com. The SpotCloud service meters, tracks, and bills capacity buyers, and pays capacity sellers directly. Enomaly Inc., the leading vendor of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) cloud computing platform software, announced today that it has been selected by US Government under the first Government-wide contract for cloud computing. Under the GSA’s blanket purchase agreement (BPA # GS00Q11AEA003), Enomaly ECP High Assurance Edition (HAE) software will help power Autonomic Resources ARC-P Public Cloud (IaaS) services platform for U.S. Government customers. Enomaly was chosen to be included in Autonomic Resources ARC-P Public cloud stack that will provide US Government customers the benefits of on-demand computing with no compromise in security. ARC-P integrates Enomaly with the ARC-P Dell hardware stack that will provide for trusted virtual machine assurance via Trusted Execution Technology. Additionally, Enomaly integration with Secured by SPYRUS technology for multi-factor authentication and sets a new “bar” for cloud security. ARC-P’s multi-factor solution utilizes the already approved US Cybercom USB flash drives, following Federal standards to levels not yet available on any commercial platform. “Enomaly helped ARC-P address many of the IaaS demands of the Federal government. In developing ARC-P our focus was to differentiate our offering based on secure and flexible on-demand cloud” said John Keese, President of Autonomic Resources. Enomaly, based in Toronto, Canada, is the leader in empowering telecom and IDC operators to deliver the benefits of Cloud Computing to their customers. Enomaly’s Elastic Computing Platform (Enomaly ECP) has often been described as the world's first true IaaS platform. Today, Enomaly ECP 3 benefits from our 6+ years of cloud computing leadership to empower telecom and IDC operators in North America, the UK, Europe, and Asia to deliver some of the world’s most advanced cloud computing services. Enomaly ECP 3 is available in the core Service Provider Edition as well as the security-enhanced High Assurance Edition, which offers a unique set of hardware-based security mechanisms to enable the application of cloud computing for higher-assurance environments. Autonomic Resources ( www.autonomicresources.com ) is a service integration firm and cloud provider serving the U.S. federal government. Core capabilities include the implementation of strategic technologies related to long term IT services as well as strategic services like data center automation, cloud computing, open source adoption, IA, NextGen networking, BI and software development services. Headquartered in Cary, N.C., Autonomic is a certified 8(a) SDB - Search GSA Schedule #GS-35F-0587R on http://www.gsaadvantage.gov . How big is the opportunity for cloud computing? A question asked at pretty well every IT conference these days. Whatever the number, it's a big one. Let's break down the opportunity by the numbers available today. By 2011 Merrill Lynch says the cloud computing market will reach $160 billion. The number of physical servers in the World today: 50 million. By 2013 10 percent of the total number of physical servers sold will be virtualized with an average of 10 VM's per physical server sold. At 10 VM's per physical host that means about 80-100 million virtual machines are being created per year or 273,972 per day or 11,375 per hour. The data centers of the dot-com era consumed 1 or 2 megawatts. Today data center facilities require 20 megawatts are common, - 10 times as much as a decade ago. Google currently controls 2% of all servers or about 1 million servers with it saying it plans to have upwards of 10 million servers ( 107 machines) in the next 10 years. 98% of the market is controlled by everyone else. According to IDC, the market for private enterprise "Cloud servers will grow from an $8.4 billion opportunity in 2010, representing over 600,000 units, to a $12.6 billion market in 2014, with over 1.3 million units. Market opporunity based purly on server count. $160 billion dollars divided by 50 million servers = $3,200 per server. The amount of digital information increased by 73 percent in 2008 to an estimated 487 billion gigabytes, according to IDC. IDC estimates that sales of public cloud services will grow at a 25 percent annual clip. The annual growth rate for typical IT projects, conversely, is 5 percent. By 2012, IDC expects that less than 15% of net-new software firms coming to market will ship a packaged product (on CD). By 2014, about 34% of all new business software purchases will be consumed via SaaS, and SaaS delivery will constitute about 14.5% of worldwide software spending across all primary markets. By 2012, nearly 85% of net-new software firms coming to market will be built around SaaS service composition and delivery; by 2014, about 65% of new products from established ISVs will be delivered as SaaS services. SaaS-derived revenue will account for nearly 26% of net new growth in the software market in 2014. Traditional packaged software and perpetual license revenue are in decline and IDC predicts that a software industry shift toward subscription models will result in a nearly $7 billion decline in worldwide license revenue in 2010. As a result, a permanent change in software licensing regime will occur. Based on these numbers, a few things are clear. First server virtualization has lowered the capital expenditure required for deploying applications, but the operational costs have gone up significantly more than the capital cost savings making the operational long tail the costliest part of running servers. Although Google controls 2 percent of the global supply of servers, the remaining 98 percent is where the real opportunities are both in private enterprise data centers as well as in 40,000+ public hosting companies. This year 80-100 million virtual machine will be created, the traditional management approaches to infrastructure will break. Infrastructure automation is becoming a central part of any model data center. Providing infrastructure as a service will not be a nice to have but will be a requirement. Hosters, Enterprises and small business will need to start running existing servers in a cloud context or face in-efficiency which may limit potential growth. Surging demand for data and information creation will force a migration to both public and private clouds specially in emerging markets such as Africa and Latin America. Lastly, there is a tonne of money to be made. Join this discussion of Enomaly’s aptly named Elastic Computing Platform (ECP), which brings nearly infinite scalability and provisioning flexibility to cloud deployments. Learn how Enomaly’s ECP can support very large clouds with many thousands of servers, and virtually eliminate the upper limit on the number of virtual machines that can be provisioned. Cloud experts from Enomaly and Intel will present a logical blueprint for a typical configuration, discuss the unique attributes of ECP, and answer questions at the end of the presentation. Register today to hold your spot. Thursday, October 14th, 2010 2:00 p.m. ET - Register Today! Over the last few years I've gotten a lot of pressure to call our Elastic Computing Platform, a Cloud Computing Platform. Some may wonder why I've resisted to make this some-what semantic change in the branding of our platform. Yes, our customers are deploying cloud infrastructures, but how they're doing it is what this post is about. For me, 'the cloud' represents the Internet, or more specifically it's a way of looking at application development and deployment from a network centric point of view. It's pretty much about thinking about applications that treat or use the Internet as the operating system. To enable such an environment takes a new way of thinking about your underlying infrastructure. A unified (API driven) infrastructure that is distributed, an infrastructure that is global, an infrastructure that is fault tolerant and most importantly scalable & elastic. Some may think that being scalable is the same as being elastic, but I'm not convinced. Being scalable means being able to grow to the demands of an application and it's user base. This says nothing about what happens after this scale as been achieved. Being 'elastic' means being able to adapt (up, out and down again) The ablity to adjust readily to different realtime conditions. The metric that matters in an elastic computing environment isn't just how many users can I support, but how fast can I adapt to support those users. Speed and performance are key. How fast can I provision a new VM, how well does that VM perform once deployed, and how much will it cost me are what matters most. The problem with scalability is the question of what happens afterward. Elasticity is all about what is happening now. VMware ESXi 4.0 is now supported as a first class hypervisor alongside KVM and XEN. Greatly improved VM performance with the addition of advanced machine flag for VirtIO for Disks (VIRTBLK). This allows pass through paravirt disk drivers. Cluster monitoring and notification module. Administrators can now restrict account/API access to a specific IP address or range. Administrative user interface is now fully localizable. Optional agent to manager heartbeat has been added for high latency networks. New administrative interface for Disk Templates. APIC - Adding a virtual APIC can improve latency, performance, and timer accuracy, especially on multiprocessor virtual machines. VIRTIO is a Linux standard for network and disk devices, enabling cooperation with the hypervisor. This enables VMs to get high performance network operations, and gives most of the performance benefits of paravirtualization. Ability to connect ECP to multiple storage pools (mix and match storage tiers). API enhancements to allow VMs to be queried by IP or MAC address and package ID. ISOs are now managed by the object-based permissions system. VM boot device can now be selected. Usability improvements to customer users interface. VM tab is first in the customer UI. Home tab has been relabelled Logs. Billing API has been improved to include additional information regarding packages and resource usage. Improvements to the i18n Internationalization system to allow multiple versions of a given language. Enhanced VLAN management. VLANs can now be assigned to alternative Nic’s on the host. Add installer support for CentOS 5.5. Improvements to the Virtual Infrastructure machine listing table. If you haven't already done so, I invite you to give Enomaly ECP a try, please get in touch for a free evaluation edition. When it comes to building cloud based infrastructure it's not the performance of anyone single server that matters so much as the collective ability to deploy many parallel VM's quickly. Lately there seems to be a growing trend for service providers to use low end commodity servers rather than higher end kit. So building upon this concept, I have a crazy idea. Why not create a blade chasis that can use laptops or at least the realivant stuff inside anyway as the basis for a super cheap, power efficient lapserver? Think I'm crazy? Well, I'm not the only one thinking about this. Take for example SeaMicro and their SM10000 High Density, Low Power Server. It uses ¼ the power and takes ¼ the space of today's best in class volume server. It is designed to replace 40 1 RU servers and integrates 512 independent ultra low power Atom processors, top rack switching, load balancing, and server management in a single 10 RU system at about $150k. Do that math, it basically replaces 40 traditional servers at nearly 1/8th the price per computing unit. Although there is one problem, the Atom processor which support Intel VT is 32 bit greatly limiting it's usefulness. So now consider putting this into a small form factor "laptop blade chasis" lets say a 2u or 4u size. My estimate is you could probably fit about 5 of these lapblades in a 2u or about 10 in a 4u. So doing the math on 4u (10 lapblades, 20 cores, 40GB Ram, 5,000GB of onboard storage and 10 batteries for about $1500 - $2000 net) Those same 20 cores would cost you about $25k-30k with traditional servers. So the ROI for a service provider would be days. Not to mention with ten 6 cell batteries, you've got an onboard UPS and laptops are inherently low power. Crazy idea? Someone should do it, I'd buy one. As a long time proponent of elastic computing or the dynamic use of global computing resources it's very interesting to see some of the new usage models emerging from the growing pool of regional cloud service providers around the globe. With this new world wide cloud, the concept of low cost edge base computing is now starting to take shape. More specifically the ability to run an application in a way that its components straddle multiple localized cloud services (which could be any combination of internal/private and external/public clouds). And unlike Cloud Bursting, which refers strictly to expanding the application to an External Cloud to handle spikes in demand, the idea of edge based cloud computing or 'cloud spanning' includes scenarios in which an applications component are continuously distributed across multiple clouds in near realtime. Actually, wikipedia does a great job of outlining the rationale. Edge application services significantly decrease the data volume that must be moved, the consequent traffic, and the distance the data must go, thereby reducing transmission costs, shrinking latency, and improving quality of service (QoS). Edge computing eliminates, or at least de-emphasizes, the core computing environment, limiting or removing a major bottleneck and a potential point of failure. Security is also improved as encrypted data moves further in, toward the network core. As it approaches the enterprise, the data is checked as it passes through protected firewalls and other security points, where viruses, compromised data, and active hackers can be caught early on. Finally, the ability to "virtualize" (i.e., logically group CPU capabilities on an as-needed, real-time basis) extends scalability. The Edge computing market is generally based on a "charge for network services" model, and it could be argued that typical customers for Edge services are organizations desiring linear scale of business application performance to the growth of, e.g., a subscriber base. Today one of the biggest opportunities I see emerging out of the rising tide of regional cloud providers is the ability to leverage multiple cloud providers, who exist across a so called inter-connected meta-cloud. This market has been traditionally limited to the realm of companies such as Akamai who have spent hundreds of millions of dollars building out global server infrastructures. The problem with these infrastructures are they are typically configured for one use case and are quite expensive. But with the emerging regional cloud provider, the ability to connect several of these providers together is now a reality greatly reducing the overall cost and essentially allowing anyone be build there own private CDN. Also the underlying virtualization or even operating system is less important than the application itself. But the question is what is "the" application? One such application ideally suited to this sort of edge based deployment architecture is a web cache such as Squid or Varnish as well as a selection of proprietary options. The interesting thing about web cache software in general is how it could be used in parallel to a series of random (untrusted) regional cloud providers. Moreover these caches don't necessarily need to worry about the security, performance or even SLA of a given provider; the location and connectivity is really all the matters. These local cloud services may be viewed as transient (see my post yesterday Random Access Compute Capacity) Meaning, location is more important than uptime, and if a given provider is no longer available, well, there are potentially dozens of others near by waiting to take up the slack. It will be interesting to watch this space and see what kind of new geo-centric apps start to appear. Forgive me for it's been awhile since my last post. Between the latest addition to my family (little Finnegan) and some new products we have in the works at Enomaly, I haven't had much time to write. One of the biggest issues I have when I hear people talking about developing data intensive cloud applications is being stuck in a historical point of view. The consensus is this is how we've always done it, so it must be done this way. The problem starts with the fact that many seem to look at cloud apps as a extension to how they've always developed apps in the past. A server is a server, an application a singular component connected a finite set of resources albeit RAM, storage, network, I/o or compute. The trouble with this is development point of view is the concept of linear deployment and scale. The typical cloud development pattern we think of is building applications that scale horizontally to meet the potential and often unknown demands of a given environment rather than one that focuses on the metrics of time and cost. Today I'm going to suggest a more global / holistic view of application development and deployment. A view that looks at global computing in much the same way you would treat memory on a server - a series random transient components. Before I begin, this post is 2 parts theoretical and one part practical. It's not meant to solve the problem so much as address alternative ways to think about the problems facing an increasingly global data centric & time sensitive applications. When I think of cloud computing, I think of a large seemingly infinite pool of computing resources available on demand, at anytime, anywhere. I think of these resources as mostly untrusted, from a series of suppliers that may exist in countless regions around the world. Rather than focus on the limitations I focus on the opportunities this new globalized computing world enables in a world where data and it's transformation into usable information will mean the difference between those who succeed and those who fail. A world where time is just as important as user performance. The ability to transform useless data into usable information. I believe those who do accomplish this more efficiently will ultimately win over their competitors. Think Google Vs Yahoo. For me it's all about time. When looking at hypervisors, I'm typically less interested in the raw performance of the VM than I am in the time it takes to provision a new VM. In a VM world the time it takes to get a VM up and running is arguably just as important a metric as the performance of that VM after it's been provisioned. Yet, for many in the virtualization world this idea of provisioning time seems to be of little interest. And if you treat a VM like a server, sure 5 or 10 minutes to provision a new server is fine if you intend to use it like a traditional server. But for those who need quick indefinite access to computing capacity 10 minutes to deploy a server that may only be used for 10 minutes is a huge overhead. If I intend to use that VM for 10 minutes, than the ability to deploy it in a matter of seconds becomes just as important as the performance of the VM while operational. I've started to thinking about this need for quick, short term computing resources as Random Access Compute Capacity. The idea of Random Access Capacity, is not unlike the concept of cloud bursting. But with a twist, the capacity it self can be from any number of sources, trusted (in house) or from a global pool of random cloud providers. The strength of the concept is in treating any and all providers as nameless, faceless and possibly unsecured group of providers of raw localized computing capability. By removing trust completely from the equation, you begin to view your application development methods differently. You see a provider as a means to accomplish something in smaller anonymous asynchronous pieces. (Asynchronous communication is a mediated form of communication in which the sender and receiver are not concurrently engaged in communication.) Rather than moving large macro data sets, you move micro pieces of data across a much larger federated pool of capacity providers (Edge based computing). Transforming data closer to the end users of the information rather than centrally. Singularly anyone provider doesn't pose much threat because each application workload is useless unless in a completed set. Does this all sound eerily familiar? Well it should, it's basically just grid computing. The difference between grid computing of the past and today's cloud based approach is one of publicly accessible capacity. The rise of regional cloud providers means that there is today a much more extensive supply of compute capacity from just about every region of the world. Something that previously was limited to mostly the academic realms. It will be interesting to see what new applications and approaches emerge from this new world wide cloud of compute capacity. Should You Build or Buy Your Cloud? It's the age old question in IT, the question of whether or not to build it yourself or just buy it off the shelf. Lately, I seem to be hearing the questions again and again. It seems that for some reason some IT guys have gotten it into their head that if they adopt a cloud infrastructure platform, either hosted or in house, they're going to lose their jobs. So the only choice is to build it. I think the reasoning is if you build it, you will control it, and your company will have no choice but to keep you around. Unfortunately the answer isn't so cut and dry. The rationale for building it yourself has been around as long as IT. There have always been various reasons for it, from there weren't any systems that could delivery what we needed, or we're different, we're smarter, we're bigger.. you get the point. The real question you need to ask yourself is where does youe strengths as an organization lay? As a software developer or selling some other core business? For most it's the latter. Building your own cloud software is fraught with risk. One such example is a major hosting firm who spent 16 months building their own cloud IaaS platform only to realize that the assumptions they made about the potential cloud market opportunity had changed and their platform couldn't deliver the technical requirements of their new customer reality. More to the point, their platform wasn't what their targeted customers wanted to buy. Compounding their problem was the platform they built themselves didn't actually work - period. The key system engineer left mid-way through the project, forcing the company to find a replacement as well as inducing a major delay in the development. Additionally poor documentation meant those replacements had no practical way to continue what had been started previously. Needless to say, several million dollars later the project did launch, only to be promptly replaced a by a turn key IaaS platform. Then there is the question of service differentiation to which I say, if you choose an extensible cloud platform, then you're able to differentiate faster than you could if you build it yourself. Business is about adapting to market conditions. Building it yourself mean longer development cycles and potentially less adaptability. Customizing an existing platform, one that provides you a template for success and best practices is inherently less risky or time consuming. The real question you should be asking is can I deploy this cloud platform in a way that allows my business to be unique? If the answer is no, than find a platform that can. If you still can't find one, then build it yourself. But be prepared that you should now consider yourself a software developer. As the founder of a IaaS platform vendor, I freely admit I am bias toward buying a platform over building it yourself. My reasoning is simple, our business is building IaaS platforms for service providers. Is it yours? If you answered no, my comment is unless you plan to get into the software business, building it yourself will only serve to add un-need risk, uncertainty and potential failure to your IT operations. Something I think we can all agree you should avoid. With all the talk and the hype surrounding cloud computing many seem to be missing a major factor -- both in terms of the growth potential as well as the current opportunity for cloud computing products and services. Although the tech media and analysts love to tell you the cloud is everything including a $160 billion plus opportunity, like it or not, Cloud Computing is still an emerging niche market and exists only as part of a much larger market segment. And I'm here to tell you that as soon as you start embracing this fact, the sooner you will start to capitalize on the opportunity. Regardless of your industry or market segment, every single product or service that is sold today can be defined by its market niche. Of course there are the products aimed at wider demographic audiences otherwise known as mainstream niches. But those markets tend to take years or even decades to mature. As an example think of the broader web hosting industry compared to that of the shared hosting, VPS, CDN, or the managed / dedicated server markets. Those companies that arguably have had the most success in each of these markets focused on winning in their particular niches. Rackspace within managed hosting sector or Akamai in the CDN space. Both can be considered as part of the broader hosting markets, but both have significant differentiation and more importantly success with in their particular niches. Both have also been able to charge signifcantly more than the previous generations of services within the broader hosting market. Also being first in market doesn't necessarily mean you're going to own it. When looking at niche markets it's interesting point out that narrower demographics (PaaS, SaaS or IaaS in contrast to VPS hosting) lead to elevated prices due to the concept called the price elasticity of demand. (Which is a good thing) In other words, a niche market is a highly specialized market that allows you to survive among the competition from numerous much larger and broader focused competitors. As a further example think of Amazon (the book version of course) versus your local community corner book store. The economics that define success for that corner book store are significantly different than what Amazon would consider a success both from a profit margin as well as a volume point of view. The corner book store wins by effectively differentiating itself from it's much larger competitor. It's books are more expensive to buy, but possibly you can also buy a coffee or browse actual physical books or even have a conversation with a human. This differentiation attracts a unique customer profile and caters to an alternative market segment. A segment that possibly is willing to spend more for something they could have gotten cheaper at Amazon. These differentiators allow the corner book store to compete and even win business (within their niche) from that much larger competitor even though the price is higher. The same concept applies to cloud computing. I suppose what I am saying is you will never win if your goal is be Amazon. You will win by not being Amazon. By being different. By embracing your niche. Do Customers Really Care About Cloud API's? Interesting post by Ellen Rubin of CloudSwitch asking if Amazon is the Official Cloud Standard? Her post was inspired by a claim that Amazon’s API should be the basis for an industry standard. Something I've long been against for the simple reason that choice / innovation is good for business. Although I agree with Ellen that AWS has made huge contributions to advance cloud computing. And also agree that "their API is highly proven and widely used, their cloud is highly scalable, and they have by far the biggest traction of any cloud". But the question I ask is do cloud customers really care about the API, so much as the applications and sevice levels applied higher up the stack? At Enomaly we currently have customers launching clouds around the globe, each of which have their own feature requests ranging from various storage approaches to any number of unique technical requirements. Out of all the requests we hear on a daily basis, the Amazon API is almost never is requested. Those who do request it are typically in the government or academic spaces. When it is, it's typically part of a broader RFP where it's mostly a check box and part of a laundry list of requirements. When pushed the answer is typically, -- it's not important. So I ask why the fascination with the AWS API's as a sales pitch when it appears neither service providers or their end customer really care? More to the point, why aren't there any other major cloud providers who support the format other than Amazon? The VMware API or even the Enomaly API are more broadly deployed if you count the number of unique public cloud service providers as your metric. I'm not saying API's aren't important for cloud computing, just that with the emergence of meta cloud API such as LibCloud, Jclouds and others, programming against any one single unique cloud service provider API is no longer even a requirement. So my question to those who would have you believe the AWS API is important is again -- why? Is it because your only value is that in which there is little other than your API support? Or is there something I'm missing? Had an interesting conversation the other day with Adam, our lead interface developer at Enomaly. He's been our key AJAX and API developer on the Enomaly ECP platform for several years. During our random afternoon chat he basically said that AJAX is quite possibly the worst way to consume a RESTful API. He pointed out the purpose of a RESTful approach to API development & implementation is in its similarities to HTTP and more generally uri/urls -- each of which is easily viewable both programmatic as well as visually. The problem is AJAX is kind of the opposite. Most of the things that make the web great, such as urls, hyperlinks and bookmarking are not easily done or seen in a AJAX application. All the benefits to a RESTful architecture are hidden by the AJAX itself making development longer, more difficult to debug and often harder to scale. The conversation certainly got me thinking, not that I think we're going to abandon our AJAX interface and it could be worse, it could be flash based. I'm wondering what others think about the apparent dichotomy between AJAX and a RESTful API? Long time Enomaly customer CentriLogic has just announced they've launched another regional cloud. Following on the success of their previous Canadian focused cloud service this one is in the United States. They've also announced a major new customer as part of the launch. Cookie Jar Entertainment, one of the world's leading creators, producers and marketers of animated and live-action programming, is the first customer to "go live" on its newly launched U.S.-based infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) cloud. Cookie Jar Entertainment recently successfully completed an initial pilot with CentriLogic, and is now in the process of making the final transition for its consumer websites to the on-demand cloud service. Powered by Enomaly's Elastic Computing Platform (ECP) CentriLogic's new enterprise-class cloud solution is one of the first North America-wide (Cross Border) IaaS offerings that provides a secure and scalable on-demand computing infrastructure for organizations to efficiently deliver content and information services over the Web. It is also one of the only providers to enable geopolitical delineation of data resources through its own dedicated facilities in the U.S. and Canada. The new U.S. cloud enhances CentriLogic's suite of hosting and managed services including, co-location, private and managed hosting, data management, security, network and professional services. "The issue of where data resides is growing in relevance as organizations move to the cloud but are expressing growing concern about the corresponding regulatory and compliance issues," said Antonio Piraino, Vice President and Research Director of Tier1 Research, a division of The 451 Group. "As a result, cloud infrastructure providers that have multiple nodes in different regulatory and legal jurisdictions have a value proposition that will draw wider and more diverse opportunities." According to Jim Latimer, Vice President of Client Solutions for CentriLogic, Cookie Jar Entertainment's commitment to the cloud for the Web components of its shows represents a significant milestone in the transition to cloud services. "Cookie Jar Entertainment has broken through the hype and is proving that on-demand cloud services can offer a significant strategic opportunity to manage resources in a more flexible and dynamic environment. Cloud computing is an ideal approach for Web properties; training environments, quality assurance and testing; SaaS and software development; or any other infrastructure where demand is highly elastic or unpredictable." According to Mike Haas, Director of IT for Cookie Jar Entertainment, "We were outgrowing our infrastructure, and we had added many new sites and systems to house our Web content in different locations. When CentriLogic announced a cloud option, we saw an opportunity to consolidate our external-facing properties in a more dynamic and scalable environment that allowed room for both planned and unexpected growth. We have worked with CentriLogic for three years, so we knew that they could offer a rock solid solution." CentriLogic's new cloud service allows customers to access and manage any number of virtual servers running Microsoft Windows or Linux through a Web-based dashboard, as well as automatically scale up and down their use of cloud servers through a robust Web-based API. Unique Public, Private, and Hybrid Cloud offerings are highly flexible, secure, and scalable and have been designed to comply with local information management and international data delineation requirements. The cloud can be used to host websites, power internal business applications, provide burst capacity to meet peak loads for existing systems, and provide a highly flexible, virtual element to an existing physical infrastructure. For more information on services and pricing call 1-866-366-3678 or visit www.CentriLogic.com/cloud. I admit I'm writing this post in a slightly sleep deprived state. (If this post makes no sense you've been warned) As I ponder the possibilities of endless diaper changes at 2am, I had a few insights about the shift currently underway in both business and computing. One - I don't know about you, but if I have to install a piece of software on my desktop, I won't. My first essential Truth of Cloud Computing is any consumer software created today, not in the cloud (on the internet), should be in the cloud. Two - the browser is the only desktop application requirement. Three - I'm calling the DevOps Truth. When it comes to infrastructure - Anything that can be automated, should be automated. Four - Simplicity is always better than complixity. Five - Open is better than closed. Six - Value is money made or money saved. Seven - My customers customer is my customer. Eight - Empower your customers to be successful and in return you will be. Nine - The OS doesn't matter. Ten - Information wants to be free. I'm sure there's more, please add your own essential truths to the comments. Brenda and I are pround to announce our latest addition to the Family. Finnegan Anthony Cohen, born June 11th @ 1:18pm Eastern. 9 pounds 7oz. Another day, another announcement, Today I'm happy to announce that Enomaly and Ericom have partnered to offer a complete turnkey cloud desktop infrastructure (CDI) platform for managed service providers. The solution combines Ericom’s PowerTerm® WebConnect with Enomaly's Elastic Computing Platform® (ECP) enabling web hosting firms, data center operators and managed service providers to offer revenue generating cloud desktop services. The joint solution combines broad industry expertise, with proven, reliable, scalable and adaptable technology, into an easy to manage and quick to deploy platform. The ECP desktop platform is designed to meet the needs of service providers who are looking for an effective way to generate new revenue opportunities. Enomaly / Ericom CDI is an Internet-centric computing approach to desktop management, deployment and delivery that combines the traditional thin-client, utility hosting, infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and cloud storage. It is designed to give system administrators and end-users the best of both worlds: the ability to host remotely managed virtual desktops in a data center while giving end users a portable self-service PC desktop experience regardless of location -- billed on per usage basis. We are also very aware of the current realities limiting virtual desktop infrastructure deployments -- they typically require too much upfront capital and complicated integration to make it feasible for most organizations. We believe that the combined Enomaly / Ericom Cloud Desktop platform is an attractive concept because of its potential to streamline and simplify management and support, enhance security and – more importantly – reduce IT costs. By leveraging a cloud-based architecture, enterprises can quickly ramp up to virtual desktops, add or remove desktop capacity on-the-fly, and immediately enjoy the benefits of CDI's centralization, security and ease of management. There's no need for building an infrastructure and no complexity. Enterprise IT and end-users simply access a service provider's infrastructure, which already has the capacity and connectivity assets needed to support a high-performing service desktop environment. Empowers users with on-demand access to their virtual desktops when they need it, where they need it - from the office, home, road, customer site, etc. Support for various hypervisors including Xen®, KVM and VMware®. Powerful back-office facing administrative API, enabling simple integration with providers' provisioning and billing systems and supporting automation of all administrative tasks. Let's be honest, lately there hasn't been a lot of good news coming out of Louisiana, the gulf coast has taken quite the beating with the economic fallout from the BP oil spill. Finally we have some good news for the region. They now have their very own Cloud IaaS platform based in Lafayette, Louisiana -- a City that is quickly emerging as one of the best and most connected in the country. Technology initiatives have helped fuel the region’s thriving business environment while building up a tech-savvy community. The City of Lafayette developed the nation’s largest and most robust municipally-owned fiber optic broadband infrastructure delivering 100 Megabit per second (Mbps) peer-to-peer broadband network within its city limits; another confirmation of lightening fast data connections and forward thinking. Businesses in this creative environment are joining forces with worldwide service providers to create IT solutions with international applications. One such pairing is the Abacus Data Exchange (Lafayette, LA) and Enomaly. Together we have brought the concepts of “Cloud Computing” and “Elastic Platforms” into the local vocabulary. Picture a very green communications/data center with direct access to virtual dedicated servers for end-user applications, running on blazing fast fiber optic broadband network and connecting to anywhere on the planet. To give you a little background on Lafayette, according to several studies naming “best” locations in the United States, Lafayette, Louisiana is a top choice as a place to live, to start a business, to enjoy the creative class and be happy. Relocate America lists Lafayette, Louisiana as one of the "Top 100 Places to Live". For this year's list, the editorial team focused on communities poised for recovery and future growth. They discovered that this mid-sized Louisiana city showed strong local leadership, employment opportunities, thriving community commitment, improving real estate markets, growing green initiatives, plentiful recreational options and overall high quality of life. Lafayette has a population of fewer than 200,000 and is located near the Gulf Coast, halfway between New Orleans and Houston. Fortune Small Business ranked Lafayette as the #2 mid-sized city in the nation for small business startups. Lafayette was also named by Southern Business & Development Magazine as one of the top cities in the South for the "Creative Class". This designation is based on the community's commitment to technology, forward thinking and cultural diversity. And the list goes on... Louisiana ranks #1 in happiness according to Science Magazine's survey of 1.3 million people across the USA. So why does Louisiana need it's own Cloud? When the Abacus research team set out to design a next-generation cloud computing solution, it found a partner in Enomaly and its Elastic Computing Platform. By combining Abacus's expertise in managing green fiber optic broadband datacenters and Enomaly's cutting edge cloud computing technology, the Abacus Data Cloud offers direct access to variably sized on-demand virtual servers for end-user applications. Customers can easily provision their own virtual, high-performance, green-friendly on-line datacenter services within a matter of hours not days, using only the resources they need for the duration that they need them. The clean and simple Customer User Interface allows customers to tailor their cloud environment by provisioning virtual machines with specific application stacks and resource capacity. Built-in resource and usage monitoring provides real-time integrated billing and network reporting. Customers are using the cloud platform to quickly and easily create virtual servers to host web sites, run internal business applications and provide burst capacity to meet peak loads when working on data-intensive operations. In addition to accessing virtual cloud resources, through the Abacus Data Cloud anyone, anywhere can replicate (take a virtual snapshot) their existing servers to prevent data and configuration loses, or plan for server replacement and upgrades on their own schedule.. Replica servers are activated when needed and turned off when tasks are finished. Additionally, everyone reduces server/IT infrastructure cost by moving towards a ‘green’ solution that cuts down on high utility use, cooling needs and hardware server support . The end-user’s ability to test new applications or engage in Web 2.0 development allows them to gain more effectiveness in critical in day-to-day operations. Cost savings kick in when businesses build extremely flexible server resources through leasing shared infrastructure. Businesses can create, access and manage these servers from any Internet connection through a personalized web-based dashboard that scales server resources up and down dynamically based on demand. Customers can set up individual servers on their own within minutes, and entire datacenters can be virtualized within a matter of days. And because of Enomaly's integrated billing and network usage monitoring along with their clean user interface and clustering support, the Abacus Data Cloud offers the most cost-effective and customer-friendly cloud computing solution on the market today. "The implications and potential are absolutely enormous" says Abigail Ransonet, CVO of Abacus. "The Abacus Data Cloud on a unified elastic computing platform running Enomaly's ECP SPE is a replicable business model that has a world wide customer-base. We create super-fast, easy-to-use virtual computing environments that businesses can scale up and down as needed. Our model exemplifies the dynamics of fiber optic broadband and innovative solutions. Building and managing on-line unified server technology just got very personal! We all have a sense of pride that we live and work in Lafayette, Louisiana, while we offer the entire world innovative technology solutions." I'm happy to announce today that Enomaly has collaborated with HP and Intel to offer a complete end-to-end cloud IaaS platform for cloud service providers, hosting firms and Internet Data Center (IDC) providers. The solution is built on an optimized stack of HP products including HP ProLiant® servers, HP StorageWorks® storage system, ProCurve® Networking solution (3Com) powered by advanced Intel Xeon® processors. Essentially, everything you need to deploy a complete revenue focused cloud service. Another exciting aspect of our collaboration with HP is with HP Financial Services. Our relationship provides a complete one stop shop for our customers. The collaboration enables Enomaly to offer a flexible purchase and lease program covering the complete ECP IaaS cloud stack (hardware and software).

2019-04-23T14:01:07Z

http://www.elasticvapor.com/2010/

This publication is a public ruling for the purposes of the Taxation Administration Act 1953. This Ruling describes how the Commissioner will apply the law as amended by Schedule 2 to the Tax Laws Amendment (Combating Multinational Tax Avoidance) Act 2015 to entities that rely on this Ruling in good faith. If you rely on this Ruling in good faith, you will not have to pay any underpaid tax, penalties or interest in respect of matters covered by the Ruling if it does not correctly state how a relevant provision applies to you. 1. This Ruling discusses Tax Laws Amendment (Combating Multinational Tax Avoidance) Act 2015 (the Act), in particular, Schedule 2 to the Act which deals with schemes that limit a taxable presence in Australia. This Ruling is provided as a measure to assist you with understanding the new law. 2. We would like to work closely with those taxpayers who are likely impacted by the multinational anti-avoidance law (MAAL) to provide greater certainty with the new law. 3. In this regard, our immediate focus is on assisting taxpayers to determine whether they fall within the scope of the new provisions, as well as working closely with those taxpayers who may be restructuring their operations in light of the provisions. We have developed an internal framework for transitional arrangements for the MAAL, including a client experience road-map. 4. The ATO would like to initiate an early dialogue with all taxpayers who may fall within the ambit of the MAAL. Accordingly, if you have considered the below guidance, examples and framing questions and consider that the MAAL may apply, we are happy to answer queries should you wish to discuss your circumstances (including restructuring arrangements) or if you are unsure if the MAAL applies to your arrangements / structure. The key point of contact, should you wish to discuss further, is the MAAL project team via: MAAL@ato.gov.au. 6. The MAAL is designed to counter the erosion of the Australian tax base by multinational entities using artificial and contrived arrangements to avoid the attribution of profits to a permanent establishment in Australia. 7. Schedule 2 to the Act amends the anti-avoidance provisions in Part IVA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936) to introduce section 177DA, also referred to as the MAAL. obtain a tax benefit in connection with a scheme (involving the avoidance of the attribution of income to an Australian permanent establishment) that was entered into or carried out for a principal purpose of, or for more than one principal purpose that includes a purpose of obtaining a tax benefit (or obtaining both a tax benefit and reducing a foreign tax liability) under the scheme. enabling a taxpayer and another taxpayer to each obtain tax benefits in Australia, or both to obtain a tax benefit and to reduce one or more of their foreign tax liabilities. An entity does not satisfy the 'significant global entity' requirement explained above. An entity sells directly to customers in Australia, and no activities are undertaken in Australia by an associate or commercially dependent entity that are in direct connection with those supplies (for example, this would be the case where there is no such related entity physically present in Australia, or there is such an entity in Australia but all of their activities relate to post-contract customer issues such as faulty products and delivery delays issues). An entity only makes excluded supplies to customers in Australia (that is, the supply of an equity interest or a debt interest in an entity, or the supply of an option to supply either or a combination of such types of interests). An entity does not derive ordinary or statutory income from the supplies it makes to customers in Australia. None of the persons who entered into or carried out a scheme, or any part of a scheme, to which paragraph 177DA(1)(a) applies has the requisite principal purpose (see below for further explanation of the principal purpose test). 11. Section 177DA has a lower threshold test than the 'sole or dominant' purpose test in existing section 177D. The threshold for the purpose test in section 177DA is '... a principal purpose of, or for more than one principal purpose that includes a purpose of...'. 12. 'Principal' is not defined in the Act. The Macquarie Dictionary defines principal as '1. first or highest in rank, importance, value, etc.; chief; foremost.'. The Oxford English Dictionary defines 'principal' as '1. Of a number of things or persons, or one of their number: belonging to the first rank; among the most important; prominent, leading, main'. This can be compared to 'dominant' which is defined as 'ruling; governing; controlling; most influential...main; major; chief' (Macquarie Dictionary) and 'ruling, governing, commanding; most influential' (Oxford English Dictionary). 13. In using the language 'or for more than one principal purpose' it is clear that Parliament intended there to be more than one possible principal purpose for entering into the scheme. Therefore, in this context, 'principal' does not mean strictly 'first or highest in rank', but rather 'among the most important, prominent, leading, main'. 14. One critical difference between the principal purpose test in paragraph 177DA(1)(b) and the sole or dominant test in existing subsection 177D(1) is that the test in 177DA(1)(b) is not whether 'the' principal purpose was to obtain a tax benefit (or to also reduce a liability to foreign tax). Rather, the test allows for a number of principal purposes and looks to whether one of those principal purposes was to obtain a tax benefit (or to also reduce a liability to foreign tax). Accordingly, it does not have to be the main purpose, just one of the main purposes for entering into the scheme. This means that where a person who entered into or carried out a scheme has a main purpose of obtaining a tax benefit and also has a main purpose of achieving a particular commercial objective, the principal purpose test will still be met in relation to that scheme, without the need to determine which of the main purposes is the dominant purpose. 15. The intention, as explained in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Tax Laws Amendment (Combating Multinational Tax Avoidance) Bill 2015 (Explanatory Memorandum), is for this test to be consistent with the approach to be taken internationally through the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) work on Action 6 (Preventing the granting of treaty benefits in inappropriate circumstances). The OECD Report on Action 6, published on 5 October 2015, recommends new OECD Model provisions, one of which involves a principal purpose test that adopts the words '... one of the principal purposes ...'. Given the similarity in wording and the statements in the Explanatory Memorandum, the ATO considers the proposed Commentary to the OECD Model on the principal purpose test is relevant guidance on the meaning of '... a principal purpose of, or for more than one principal purpose that includes a purpose of...' in section 177DA. where the scheme is inextricably linked to a core commercial activity and the particular form in which the scheme is implemented is conventional and straightforward and not driven by such tax benefit considerations, then it is unlikely that one of its principal purposes was to obtain the tax benefit. 17. The test in paragraph 177DA(1)(b) makes it clear that the purpose of a person can be determined both at the time the scheme is entered into and when it is carried out. This is also consistent with the matters that the Commissioner must have regard to in determining purpose (see subsection 177DA(2)), which involves considering aspects relating to how the scheme was entered into, and aspects relating to how the scheme was carried out (the relevant matters are referred to further below). both a tax benefit under Australian income tax law, and a reduction in (or deferral of) a foreign tax liability. these two purposes can be combined and considered together to determine whether the combined purpose was a principal purpose of the person, or more of the persons, who entered into or carried out the scheme, or any part of the scheme. 20. In determining whether a purpose (whether it be a single or combined purpose) is a principal purpose, the Commissioner will consider the eight matters in subsection 177D(2), and the two additional matters in paragraphs subsection 177DA(2)(b) and (c). 21. There may be circumstances where a foreign entity has reduced their liability to foreign tax in connection with the scheme, but is still subject to some level of foreign tax, or the foreign entity may undertake activities in the foreign jurisdiction that are commensurate with the income they report or allocate to that jurisdiction. For example, a foreign entity may obtain a reduced or nil rate of corporate tax in a foreign jurisdiction for a set period of time because they are undertaking a certain type of commercial activity in that jurisdiction. the result, in relation to the operation of any foreign law relating to taxation, that (but for Part IVA) would be achieved by the scheme. 23. Any reduction of a liability to tax under a foreign law is relevant in considering the purpose test in section 177DA. Consistent with the Explantory Memorandum, in determining what would be a 'tax under a foreign law' the Commissioner would consider any foreign taxes, and this would extend beyond income tax liabilities, and would include both national and sub-national foreign laws. 24. Under section 177DA, a deferral of a taxpayer's liabilities to tax under a foreign law is taken to be a reduction of liabilities. A deferral, however, is not taken to be a reduction of those liabilities where there are reasonable commercial grounds for the deferral. whether the delay in repatriation is due to a repatriation decision that is yet to be made or a decision to declare a dividend is yet to be made. 26. It is necessary to identify the tax benefit obtained in connection with the scheme for the purposes of section 177C. This involves the Commissioner identifying a postulate that is a reasonable alternative to the actual scheme (subsection 177CB(3)). Alternatively, it might involve simply assuming the scheme away (subsection 177CB(2)). But, as that is unlikely to result in a tax benefit in the typical case against which section 177DA is aimed, it is usually necessary to hypothesise that steps would have been taken in Australia that would lead to the existence of a permanent establishment in Australia. 27. A reasonable alternative to a scheme captured by section 177DA typically includes supplies to Australian customers being made by the foreign entity through its Australian permanent establishment (a notional permanent establishment). The scope of the notional permanent establishment will depend on the facts and circumstances of the case. Typically, the scope of the notional permanent establishment will include all of the activities of the Australian-based entity who contributes to bringing about the contract for the supply as well as the functions, assets and risks of the foreign entity that are associated with formally concluding the contracts where the reasonable alternative to the scheme involves the Australian based entity signing the contracts on behalf of the foreign entity. The scope of the notional permanent establishment will depend on what is the reasonable alternate postulate. The fact that the functions or assets of the foreign entity may be located offshore does not necessarily mean that those functions and assets cannot be within the scope of the notional permanent establishment. a taxpayer not being liable to withholding tax. 29. Applying section 177DA therefore involves determining what profits would have been attributable to the notional permanent establishment in Australia. That is, determining what amount would be expected to have been included in the notional permanent establishment's assessable income if the scheme had not been entered into or carried out. This requires identifying what amounts of gross income would have been included in the taxpayer's assessable income under the reasonable alternative to the scheme. As expenses are not a relevant factor in this initial process of determining assessable income, the expenses incurred by the foreign entity that are attributed to the notional permanent establishment are not taken into account in determining the amount of the tax benefit. However, a compensating adjustment may be provided under subsection 177F(3) where the Commissioner considers it fair and reasonable to do so. Compensating adjustments are discussed in the section following. 30. The normal attribution process under the relevant treaty or under Subdivision 815-C of the ITAA 1997 applies in respect to the notional permanent establishment. For example, in accordance with Taxation Ruling TR 2001/11, it will be necessary to identify the economically significant activities of the foreign entity and the role the notional permanent establishment plays in those activities, as well as the assets used and the risks assumed by the notional permanent establishment. 31. It is not necessarily the case that all of the gross income from sales to Australian customers will be attributed to the notional permanent establishment, it will depend on the extent to which the notional permanent establishment contributes to the economically significant activities of the foreign entity, as compared to the contribution made, if any, by the rest of foreign entity. For example, in circumstances where the rest of the foreign entity makes modifications to the physical product that is supplied to Australian customers to cater for individual customer's requirements, that function would be recognised and rewarded to the rest of the foreign entity under the attribution process and accordingly not all of the income from sales to Australian customers would be attributed to the notional permanent establishment. 32. Following the normal attribution process for a notional permanent establishment, it would also be necessary to consider any obligations under the tax law. For example, consideration would need to be given to any withholding tax obligations arising in respect of the notional Australian permanent establishment. This may be relevant, for example, if a royalty is derived by a non-resident and paid to a non-resident by a person who is not a resident. There would be a withholding tax liability if such an outgoing is (or is in part) an outgoing incurred by that person in carrying on a business at or through the notional permanent establishment in Australia. 33. Under subsection 4(2) of the International Tax Agreement Act 1953 the application of Part IVA is not restricted by Australia's tax treaties, which otherwise take precedence over Australia's domestic tax laws. This preservation of the application of Part IVA in a treaty context is explained to Australia's treaty partners during tax treaty negotiations and is also explained at paragraph 6 of Taxation Ruling TR 2001/13. 34. Under subsection 177F(1), the Commissioner may make a determination that effectively cancels a tax benefit obtained by a taxpayer, for example, by including an amount in the assessable income of the taxpayer. In such circumstances, under subsection 177F(3), the Commissioner may also make a compensating adjustment that effectively reduces the amount of the tax benefit cancelled where, in the opinion of the Commissioner, it would be fair and reasonable to do so. 35. Every request for a compensating adjustment needs to be decided on its own merits having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case. Generally speaking however, it would be considered fair and reasonable for the Commissioner to provide a compensating adjustment for a deduction that would otherwise be allowable to the taxpayer had the scheme not been entered into, for example, for a royalty expense attributable to a notional permanent establishment where the relevant royalty withholding tax has ultimately been paid. However, and again speaking generally, it would on the face of it not be considered fair and reasonable for the Commissioner to provide a compensating adjustment for taxes paid in a foreign country by the foreign entity in relation to assessable income forming part of a tax benefit under a scheme to which section 177DA applies. not be entitled to seek relief from Australia for any double taxation under the relevant tax treaty, because it is the country of residence of the foreign entity that is obliged to provide relief under a tax treaty in such circumstances. 37. The foreign entity would need to seek relief from any double taxation from their country of residence. If that country does not consider it is obliged to provide such relief under the relevant tax treaty the taxpayer can seek to resolve the double taxation in accordance with the Mutual Agreement Procedure under the relevant tax treaty. 38. The two examples below set out two scenarios at each end of the 'risk spectrum' for the MAAL. In one of these scenarios (the 'High risk example'), in the Commissioner's view the hypothetical circumstances are illustrative of an arrangement where there is a strong likelihood that the MAAL would apply. In the other scenario (the 'Low risk example'), in the Commissioner's view the hypothetical circumstances are illustrative of an arrangement where there is a strong likelihood that the MAAL would not apply. The two scenarios are designed to highlight different aspects of the key threshold tests in relation to the concepts of 'principal purpose' and 'tax benefit'. 39. These scenarios are then supplemented by a series of 'Framing questions'. These framing questions highlight issues the Commissioner views as important considerations in determining whether or not the MAAL is likely to apply, having regard to the threshold tests in relation to the existence of a scheme, principal purpose and tax benefit. 40. In line with Example 3.1 of the Explantory Memorandum, if a foreign entity sells goods to its Australian subsidiary, who in turn sells goods to unrelated Australian customers, the MAAL will not apply. Taxpayers who facilitate their arrangements in this manner will not need to consider the application of MAAL (including the below scenarios and framing questions). 41. The preconditions for application of the MAAL include (but are not limited to) that for 'significant global entities', the MAAL will apply to a scheme if under, or in connection with, the scheme a foreign entity makes a supply to an Australian customer and activities are undertaken in Australia directly in connection with the supply. Further, that the scheme is entered into for a 'principal purpose' of (or for more than one 'principal purpose' that includes a purpose of) enabling a taxpayer to obtain a tax benefit or both to obtain a tax benefit and to reduce one or more foreign tax liabilities. 42. In the hypothetical circumstances outlined, the examples highlight characteristics that the Commissioner considers may be relevant to an evaluation of the applicability of the provision. These include questions arising in relation to 'supply', 'activities undertaken in connection with the supply', 'principal purpose(s)' and 'tax benefit'. 43. The parent entity for the multinational group owns the intellectual property and the respective rights. The parent entity's consolidated accounts indicate annual global income for the group that is well in excess of A$1 billion. The parent entity has entered into a cost sharing agreement with a subsidiary in a jurisdiction where no income tax is levied and which does not have intellectual property protection laws ('Sub A'). Sub A's contribution to the cost sharing agreement is cash, and all the decisions regarding the ongoing development of the intellectual property are made in the parent entity's home jurisdiction. Sub A sub-licences its rights to another subsidiary ('Sub B') in a jurisdiction which has agreed to provide it with a lower tax rate than its headline corporate tax rate. Sub B pays a royalty to Sub A for access to Sub A's intellectual property rights. The royalty is calculated on territorial sales, including Australian sales. Revenue from Australian customers is returned by Sub B. 44. Sub A has no employees. Sub B has 20 employees who manage all the Asia Pacific sales and also engages third party contractors. 45. Sales of the tangible product and related services to Australian customers are made directly by Sub B through several channels. Sub B sells to various third party/unrelated partners who are authorised to re-sell the product (channel partners). Sub B also sells directly to corporate customers. Channel partners sell to smaller resellers and retailers who then on sell to end customers. Corporate customers are required to contract with Sub B directly. 46. An Australian subsidiary who is a member of the multinational group does not itself make any sales in Australia. The Australian subsidiary has 50 employees and provides support and services to the various types of customers in Australia. The Australian subsidiary has a role in identifying the channel partners authorised to re-sell products, but the formal decision to engage them is taken by Sub B. Australian staff also meets with channel partners from time to time to support their business and convey any key corporate messages from Sub B via the parent entity. Sales teams within the Australian subsidiary work with corporate customers to renew their existing contracts or engage in mid-cycle selling with customers to upsell into higher value products and buy add-ons. Australian staff sometimes also assists channel partners in placing orders through the automated ordering process for the group. The Australian subsidiary's operating costs are reimbursed by Sub B (including a mark-up on these costs). 47. Once a channel partner or corporate customer contract is ready for signing, the Australian staff directs them to submit the contract through an electronic portal for Sub B to sign. 48. This hypothetical scenario highlights a fact pattern that suggests 'high risk' in terms of likely application of the MAAL. It would appear that the preconditions for the existence of a scheme under the MAAL are met. It would be necessary for a Group in the same or similar circumstances as those outlined to consider factors relevant to the principal purpose of the scheme and whether they have obtained a tax benefit in connection with the scheme. 49. In particular this would include the fact that the activities of the Australian subsidiary (an associate of the parent entity) contribute to bringing about the contract for the supply to Australian customers directly and through the channel partners, and to renewing (and adjusting) existing contracts with Australian customers. A Group in the same or similar circumstances will need to consider whether a reasonable alternative postulate to this arrangement would be that a member of the Group would have included an amount in their assessable income in Australia because they would have had business profits attributed to a permanent establishment in Australia (and whether withholding tax would have also been payable on the royalty payments incurred in carrying on business in Australia at or through that notional permanent establishment in Australia). 50. Also relevant to the principal purpose of the scheme is the sub-licencing of the intellectual property rights to a jurisdiction providing a tax rate lower than its headline corporate tax rate, with the royalty in respect of the sub-licence calculated on territorial sales (including Australian sales) paid to a jurisdiction where no income tax is levied. In comparing the scheme to alternative possibilities that existed, a Group in the same or similar circumstances will also need to consider whether a member of the group has reduced their liability to tax under a foreign law as result of the scheme. For example, under this hypothetical scenario a reasonable alternative may involve the parent entity, Sub A or Sub B being liable to pay more tax under a foreign law (whether on a greater amount of income or at a higher rate of tax than the rate paid by Sub B under the scheme). 51. A Group in the same or similar circumstances may have commercial reasons for structuring their global business in such a manner. For example, the parent entity in the hypothetical scenario may argue that Sub B was established primarily to centralise management functions to improve management practices and reduce corporate risk and not to obtain tax advantages. The parent entity may also argue that because Sub B pays tax in that jurisdiction they do not have a purpose of reducing their foreign tax. While the Commissioner will take these commercial reasons for the location of Sub B into account, as explained above, the Commissioner will consider all ten matters referred to in subsection 177DA(2). However, the fact that some foreign tax is paid by a member of the group does not necessarily mean there is no purpose of reducing a foreign tax liability. the Australian subsidiary (not Sub B) undertakes most of the activities necessary to bring about contracts with Australian customers. purchasing of third party products, which it sells additionally to its own branded products through its website. 54. ParentCo sells its products directly to Australian customers. Australian customers are redirected to an Australian version of the website due to their IP and/or billing address. The Australian version of the IP website is updated and controlled by the marketing and Information Technology staff employed by ParentCo and who are located in ParentCo's tax jurisdiction. These same staff are responsible for undertaking this function for all country websites. 55. Once the Australian customer has selected their intended products, they pay via credit card or through another online payment provider. The order is then shipped from a warehouse owned by ParentCo, located in ParentCo's tax jurisdiction. The order is sent via a third party international courier. 56. Given the growing size of the Australian market, the company employs 20 Australian staff in an Australian subsidiary (AusCo). The dealings between ParentCo and AusCo are formalised by way of inter-company agreements which specify respective roles and responsibilities in relation to sales and marketing, and support services. As per these agreements, AusCo is remunerated for its economic contribution based on a percentage-based commission on Australian territorial sales. Five of these staff are responsible for coordinating advertising and marketing campaigns in Australia through print, television and online media. The marketing campaigns for Australia are part of larger global campaigns developed by ParentCo's marketing staff. Any of this material that is designed or altered for the Australian market is approved by staff in ParentCo prior to it being delivered. AusCo's marketing staff have regular virtual meetings with the marketing staff in ParentCo to discuss the success of marketing and advertising campaigns in Australia. coordinating and booking pick-ups for customer returns, where a third party international courier has been engaged by the parent to provide logistics services. 58. The Australian staff are provided with a trouble-shooting database as well as access to the customer's account details. Both of these databases are updated and maintained by staff employed by ParentCo. AusCo staff cannot alter orders placed by customers or process payments over the phone on behalf of ParentCo. 59. This hypothetical scenario highlights a fact pattern that suggests 'low risk' in terms of likely application of the MAAL. While preconditions for the existence of a scheme appear to be met, it is not clear that factors relevant to establishing the existence of a tax benefit or a principal purpose in relation to a tax benefit are present. In particular, the staff of the Australian subsidiary do not contribute to bringing about the contracts for the supply of products to customers in Australia. 60. These staff members do not have any contact with customers in Australia before they order products online from ParentCo. Accordingly, it would be unlikely that a reasonable alternative to this arrangement would be that the Australian subsidiary would have negotiated and concluded contracts with Australian customers on behalf of ParentCo, such that the Australian subsidiary would have been a dependent agent permanent establishment of ParentCo in Australia. Are there any activities undertaken in Australia 'directly in connection' with the supply to customers in Australia? For convenience such supplies are referred to below as 'Australian sales' and includes, among other things the supply of goods or services, including electronic material, advertising services, downloads, the provision of data, intellectual property rights and the right to priority search functions. The nature of the activities undertaken in Australia in relation to the Australian sales. The extent to which the Australian entity (subsidiary or Australian permanent establishment) staff are responsible for contractual and commercial negotiations with Australian customers. The level (if any) of day to day contact between Australian staff and the Australian customers. Are any of these activities undertaken by an Australian entity (subsidiary or Australian permanent establishment) that is an associate of, or 'commercially dependent', on the foreign entity? Whether the foreign entity sells direct to Australian customers through truly independent Australian sales agents. Whether there are related Australian entities involved in some aspect of the sales process. The nature of the relationship between the foreign entity and the Australian entity undertaking activities connected to the Australian sales. If the foreign entity and the Australian entity are not connected, whether the otherwise independent Australian entity would remain a viable 'going concern' without its dealings with the foreign entity. 'No' answers to the following questions indicate a lower likelihood of the MAAL applying. Is there a discrepancy between the form of the scheme and the commercial and economic substance of the scheme? Do the contractual rights and obligations differ from the economic and commercial reality? Does the scheme involve any aspect that appears artificial, contrived or that could be undertaken in a more straightforward manner? Are there any aspects of the scheme that would not be expected to be seen in ordinary business dealings between unrelated parties? To what extent are the activities that contribute to bringing about the contract for the supply undertaken by an associated or commercially dependent entity (or a permanent establishment of such an entity) in Australia (an 'Australian based entity')? Are the activities in relation to bringing about the contract for the supply predominantly performed by the Australian based entity? Where commercial and contractual negotiations are needed, are staff of the Australian based entity directly involved in these negotiations with Australian customers? Does the foreign entity not have the requisite personnel and commercial capacity (including staff with the relevant qualifications to undertake the requisite functions, financial and otherwise) to carry out the activities needed to obtain the contracts? Are the activities performed by the staff of the foreign entity in relation to bringing about the contract for the supply predominantly routine clerical and administrative activities? Have the activities undertaken by the foreign entity and the Australian based entity been split in a such a way so as to avoid the foreign entity having a permanent establishment in Australia? Do staff from the foreign entity rarely have any direct communication with customers in Australia in relation to the contract or the supply? Does the Australian based entity provide significant levels of support to customers in Australia in order to bring the customer to a positon where the customer is ready to enter into a contract with the foreign entity? Has any entity connected with the scheme reduced its liability to tax under a foreign law as a result of the scheme? Is the income from sales to Australian customers not subject to tax in the country of residence of the foreign entity? Does the foreign entity receive a tax concession (corporate or otherwise) under a foreign law that reduces taxation on the income from sales to Australian customers? Does the foreign entity make related party payments to other members of the global group that relate to the income from Australian sales, which are not taxed (or taxed at a concessional rate) in the hands of the member of the group that receives them? Does the scheme involve transactions that result in a reduction in tax due to the operation of a foreign tax law or a tax treaty? If foreign tax is paid by any member of the global group in relation to the income from Australian sales, is the rate of foreign tax paid lower than Australia's corporate rate of taxation? 62. There is no specific record keeping requirements in the MAAL. Taxpayers will need to keep appropriate records of their arrangements and transactions in the normal way. 63. If you need to consider whether MAAL applies to a structure/transaction which is covered by an existing Advance Pricing Agreements, then you can also contact the MAAL project team at MAAL@ato.gov.au. 64. Australia's largest businesses expect and receive customised service from us. Our interactions with public and international groups are tailored based on company size, complexity and behaviour. Our focus is on prevention before correction, and providing early assurance to taxpayers. For further information on how the ATO manages tax risk, refer to the Large Business Active Compliance Manual and Building confidence on the ATO website. PS LA 2005/24 which deals with the existing provisions of Part IVA. It is noted that this practice statement is currently under review and a revised draft PSLA was issued for consultation on 13 August 2015 as PS LA 2005/24 (draft). TR 2001/11 which deals with the attribution of profit to permanent establishments. PS LA 2012/5 which deals with the imposition of penalties and the grounds for their remission. PS LA 2011/30 which deals with remission of penalties relating to scheme shortfall amounts. MT 2012/3 which deals with administrative penalties in the case of voluntary disclosures. 66. As noted above, the ATO has developed an internal framework for transitional arrangements for the MAAL, including a client experience road-map. Note that this road-map does not form part of this binding public ruling. A copy of the client experience road-map can also be obtained by contacting the MAAL project team at MAAL@ato.gov.au. All legislative references in this ruling are to the ITAA 1936, unless otherwise stated.

2019-04-24T11:48:21Z

https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/document?DocID=COG/LCG20152/NAT/ATO/00001&PiT=99991231235958

Jonathan looked out his bedroom window thru the crisp flowered curtains that created a warm, welcoming and inviting opening to the outside world. He pulled back the generous folds, draped with a twisted cord and listened to the sights and sounds. It was spring and the cold of winter was finally over. Now there were all the familiar sounds of springtime: birds chirping, kids playing, neighbors mowing the grass. A new circle of life was beginning again. Somehow it brought a renewed hope into my day. My friends were playing outside – baseball, my favorite sport of all time. I was thinking about all the great times I pitched, batted and scored for my team. The familiar “crack” of my bat and making a home run replayed thru my mind and I could see every detail – sights and sounds. Playing ball was the one thing I could see myself doing forever: maybe one day, even going pro. I could see Matt. He was the team’s star pitcher now. I remembered how his face would get visibly red in the summer heat, with streams of sweat soaking his face. When he pitched, the team always teased him, calling him a “tub of lard.” I hated it when they did that! Matt was my best friend. Not only did we both love to play ball, but we shared everything together. As I began moving slowly back to my bed, pain was now my constant companion. They called it leukemia. I didn’t understand anything about it – but what I did know was that I was nothing would ever be the same for me. I couldn’t even imagine what it was like to be healthy. This sickness was robbing me of everything. After treatments there would be vomiting, nausea and then after all of that…my hair was falling out. I tried to hide my hair loss with my favorite red bandana that I wore everywhere when I was outside. Today was treatment day. Whatever medicine they were giving me was making me so sick. After my treatment, it would take me days to recover. And the recovery was taking much longer now. Today was the third round. My parents knew there would most likely be long-term side effects from the treatments, but what choice did they have. If I were to have any hope of survival this was my only hope. The doctors told my mom and dad to pray for a miracle! We were in crisis mode now. My bedroom had become my sanctuary – I began creating imaginary characters to pass the lonely hours. How is the morning commute going lately? If you are like most people…you probably commute about 50-60 miles a day. We are facing frustrated and often angry commuters and must be prepped with the latest in defensive driving techniques. And be sure to gird yourself with courage and faith, senses tuned and ready to accelerate in the “Great Expedition” – the drive to work. Yes, it’s finally happened! Frustration has erupted into violence on our highways – breaking into the private world of commuting to work! I’m not referring to bumped fenders, squealing brakes, or near-fatal collisions. Now, even violence has risen from the nerves of society. Angry commuters are allowing their emotions to rule over all common sense. What price are you willing to pay this phantom type of vigilante for following too close? A new caution has entered into the minds and hearts of commuters. Fear has resurrected the “Golden Rule.” The time has come to think about being kinder, polite, and even wary. Okay…I Do Love My Cat!! I never thought I would say that until I bought my cat! Aren’t all those people out there crazy to coddle their pets? Now I’m one of them. His name is “Max,” and let’s not even get into how cute he is or how smart. Well, you can see his picture here…smart and handsome…right? When I talk about Max, it sounds like I’m talking about one of my kids. It goes something like this: “Oh, here is a picture of Max” or “I’ve just got to tell you the cutest thing he did yesterday. My kids all think I’ve gone nuts. Yes, he is actually a new member of our family. So now I’m worrying about him and asking these questions: “Is he bored?” “Does he need a friend?” “Maybe I should test a different cat food because he really doesn’t seem to like what I’m feeding him.” And of course he is an INDOOR cat! You really don’t think I would put my precious “Max” outside to be demonized by bigger cats or a dog, do you? They might bully him, or worse yet — he might get FLEAS! Gads! I’m out buying toys for my cat. Instead of going shopping for clothes… I shop for cat toys, scratching posts and dishes. And another thing that I just don’t understand…these pet store shelves are bulging with all DOG items. What is up with that? We adopted Max from the Humane Society. His social nature drew us to him – plus he was so handsome and gentle. We could tell he was going to grow into a huge cat. He came from a home where he spent his days alone since his owner was at work. Having the run of the house, he was very comfortable wandering on all the counter tops. Hmmm…..how was he going to get along with our female…Missy? Took Max a few months to warm up to us. When we first brought him home, we gave him a few days to get used to his surroundings. We made him a member of our family, joining in with Missy. Yes he was officially ours with all his shots, fixed – the whole nine yards. Oh, and I didn’t tell you that my home could be inspected any day by the organization I adopted him from. Since he is “adopted” I must meet specific standards such as: sign an oath that I will keep “Max” as an INDOOR cat! If they (CPS – Cat Patrol Services) find I let him outside, they could come and take him away from me. Oh, horror…that just can’t happen! I could be deemed un unfit cat parent. This is really serious stuff! But that’s okay….cause I LOVE my cat. A dog is man’s best friend…but a cat is EVERYONE’S best friend!! My parents were both musicians. Dad played the trumpet and mom played the piano. Music was always in our home and I loved that. They knew all the big-time jazz bands and talked about them endlessly along with all the great songs of their time – the 30’s and 40’s. There were stories about the times my dad could have played for a big band. Those opportunities always seemed to slip thru his fingers. Drinking played a big role in his life and I’m sure this was the major reason for that happening. People with any type of addiction seem to be victimized in that way. I always felt so sad for him…composing and playing music was his passion. I have saved boxes of the songs he wrote during those years. He never quite managed to get one recorded and distributed. They were beautiful heartfelt songs. There is a disagreement within me about the explanation of this being a disease. If you have a disease or are hurt and bleeding – you go for help. It’s easy to see you NEED help. However, with an alcoholic they are generally very slow to see the problem that alcohol is causing. I agree with the statement that alcoholism is a “progressive disease.” At some point, alcohol will overtake every area of their lives. The alcoholic may lose their job, their spouse or their home. No one can know the amount of chaos the alcoholic will have to suffer before there is surrender and help is welcomed. It is estimated that well over 8 million kids under 18 years old live with at least one alcoholic parent. That is a lot of craziness! There are a lot of children who are living in the story I’m telling here. If you check the text book symptoms for children of alcoholics you will see that they suffer from low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, loneliness, guilt and abandonment. I can identify with all of those feelings. All fingers are pointing to the alcoholic, as they should. The weird thing was – I blamed my mother. Why? Well, I thought if she just wouldn’t argue and would go along with my dad and not make waves – everything would be ok. I hated the arguments which were generally about either money or booze. She was Italian, so that just wasn’t in the cards. And to this day I cannot understand one big thing: I always was trying to protect my dad. I think I was actually embarrassed for him too. But that is where I began to develop my idea of enabling. At the time, it seemed like that was the safest path to follow. Keep the alcoholic happy. Peace at ANY price. My mom suffered from epilepsy and had petite mall seizures every day and often had grand mall seizures which were very debilitating for her and scary for all of us. She did take medication and it helped, but the petite mall seizures continued her entire life. Grand mall seizures eventually stopped. And if that wasn’t enough, she also suffered from migraines her entire life. She once told me she thought the migraines and possibly the epilepsy were caused from her mother dragging her around by her hair as a way of disciplining her. I could hardly see my sweet Italian grandma doing this. But people from the “old country” had very different ideas about how to deal with a rebellious child. I loved my parents and I really knew they loved me – but, during the first 10 years of my life, alcoholism had completely taken over our lives. So, instead of life flourishing – everything was dying. Relationships, finances and every emotional area were affected. They say alcoholism is a disease and it affects everyone close to the alcoholic. It’s a family disease as well and it’s difficult for family members to recognize that because they are in the middle of the chaos. The worst of it was the utter shame that was attached to our family. We weren’t like other families. Maybe it was because of the constant arguments or the attempted suicides. Everyone in our neighborhood knew about all the craziness going on in our house. Police cars or ambulances on the weekend were a common sight. My parents’ would have friends come over and then the drinking party would start. Somebody would do or say something that turned laughter into sadness. An argument would inevitably come up and the circus would begin. The end result could mean a black eye for someone. was yelling at my dad over some disagreement they were having and she ended up throwing a mayonnaise bottle at him that knocked him to the floor. (She was a very spirited Italian.) To everyone’s surprise and horror he ended up with a huge gash in his forehead – bleeding profusely prompting a call for an ambulance. Well, needless to say, that broke up the party. But, the interesting part is that no one could see the bizarre behavior for what it was…craziness! I doubt anyone paid any attention to two little kids standing by trying to cope somehow. No one tried to console us. Arguments over money, or the lack of it, were always a problem. I worried about money all the time. Could we pay the rent? No money for groceries? They always had money to go to the tavern and spend all night there. But what was I going to do about it? I was only a little girl. It was an emotional roller coaster. Being the kid in this drama, I was totally helpless to change anything. And once again, the family problems were hanging out there for all the neighbors to see. Shame and helplessness were my constant companions. Normally, shame comes from our own behavior. But, in this case it was a by-product of the humiliation caused by someone else’s behavior. Little did I know or understand what devastating effects this would cause in my life. When we feel guilty it’s because of something we did, but when we feel shame it’s more about who we are as a person. It’s a wound that can be carried throughout our lives. In my case, it led to looking for acceptance and being a people pleaser. I remember when I was about four or five years old, my dad had locked himself in the bathroom. My mom was calling his name and woke me up. “Bill, Bill, Bill…open the door,” she called. No reply. Then begging and crying again she called “Bill, Bill…please, open the door.” No answer…then a frantic call to the police. The only thing I remember after that was seeing my dad being taken out of the house on a stretcher. He had slit his wrist. Immense sadness began to take hold of me then. During part of my dad’s earlier drinking years, my mother drank heavily too. We had some neighbor ladies that she became friends with. They spent a lot of their daytime hours drinking together. Many times, when I got home from school, I would find my mom passed out – either on the floor or the couch. What a sight to behold. So, no housework done, no meals cooked. It’s bad enough to have one parent drinking…but with both of them drinking, it was disaster beyond words. I could never invite any friends over because I never knew what to expect when I got home. Besides, the house was a mess….I hated that. If I was ever in a place where I could invite someone over, I cleaned the house myself. I very clearly remember the absolute dread as I walked home from school each day. What was I going to find when I got there? At that point in my life – shame, sadness and loneliness were my constant companions. Each school day I got up and threw a simple breakfast of toast and cocoa together, put on a not-so-neat dress (No one wore pants then) and then off to school I went. Generally my dresses had ties that were partially pulled loose and of course they were all cotton and generally wrinkled – no permanent press. Did I think I looked like an orphan? Yes! But the worst part…I felt like an orphan. School was difficult because I was would lay awake in my room late at night trying to keep my parents from killing each other. Late night battles were a constant scene. So I would stay awake when it was a night of drinking, listening to all the voices and afraid of what would happen. Yes, fear was a familiar and constant companion. Somehow, I thought I was the gatekeeper – listening for a crisis to develop or escalate and I would intervene. My job was to come between them, cry and beg for them to calm down. That usually worked, even if one of them was threatening to commit suicide. So the nightly rituals continued. I didn’t know that I was not responsible for correcting the situation. That is sad, because I never was able to really experience a childhood. I very clearly remember dreading coming home from school because I was coming home to…well, that’s the dilemma – what would I be coming home to face? I had become a prisoner of my own making, believing all the lies that were living in my head that filled me with negative emotions spilling out into my life. Living a good life was reserved for other people. My brother stayed in his room upstairs and never got involved. I never could understand that, but obviously he just couldn’t deal with it. Years later, I found out that he used to dig his feet into his mattress during all those loud arguments and over time had dug holes completely through his mattress. He never said anything to anyone. He carried his pain in complete isolation. He too was being completely robbed of his childhood. We all deal with our pain in different ways. I dreamed of what a “normal” family would be like and imagined myself in that family. What would that feel like? Oh, I longed for that dream to come true! I spent a lot of my time imagining that family and what they would look like: no alcohol in the refrigerator, no beer bottles lying around, no drunken battles, parents that were happy, a home that was cared for and appreciated and most of all PEACE. Not a fake peace, where chaos is just covered up, but something tangible and real. Praying for my dad to stop drinking began to be a daily experience. I was sure that God needed to know what was going on with my dad. He was such a nice guy when he was sober. He was smart and creative. I cried and cried and begged God to help him get sober. Who else could help? Who cared? Who could I turn to? Then, a sense of peace began to enter into my life. I thought maybe I was just getting better at coping with all the craziness. But, for the first time in my life I was actually feeling a sense of hope. I looked forward to my times in prayer. One day, shortly after I turned ten years old, my dad called for help from Alcoholics Anonymous. How that happened I don’t really know. But what I do know is that I was ecstatic. I saw my prayers answered. He did stop drinking and started on his journey of healing. Both of my parents became heavily involved in helping others. It was an amazing transformation to behold. Now our weekend evenings were spent with my parents’ new friends. Everyone had such a great attitude. They were all helping each other in their recovery. But for me…my journey with prayer had taken hold of me which brings me to the next part of this story. More and more, my thoughts turned to God. Is He a man, is He a spirit? Can He hear me? I knew He could because I had seen answers to my prayers. But I wondered how I could reach out and communicate with Him. First of all, how I knew to turn to Him is a mystery, because my parents were not church goers – leading me to believe that God intervened in my life in a huge way. The church was beautiful… so holy. Statues of the saints lined both long walls, as if to welcome you into God’s house…the official holy greeters. Stained glass windows filled the church with color. This was a sanctuary – a safe place, secure from the world outside. I loved being there. After I was seated in the pew, I saw it!! THE CROSS! Who was this man? He was like the saints, with their angelic appearance, but He had a sad expression on His rugged face. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, studying Him, wondering. I had experienced so much sadness in my life; I wanted to understand that expression. He wasn’t alive, He had been crucified, but He was alive…I knew that in my heart. His spirit was very much alive. I sensed He was speaking to me, but how could that even be possible. Through this still, small voice that seemed to be talking to me, I sensed there was something important to know, almost as if He was trying to reach out to me – to speak, but no words came. And I thought I saw tears in His eyes. He seemed to be grieving. Was He grieving for me? For the world? At the altar of the church, small red candles flickered. From somewhere that seemed far off, angelic voices rang out and I was sure these were the voices of the saints. The smell of incense filled the air and two altar boys, dressed in white robes, were reverently attending to their duties. The priest, who was orchestrating this drama, went dutifully through each ritual while I strained to understand his words (Latin), hoping to hear something familiar. Even though I didn’t understand, it didn’t matter. Something important was happening here. I was in a place where people came together to worship God and confess their sins with humility. The comfort I had been looking for was somehow becoming real. It was incredulous….is it actually possible to have someone comfort you…that you can’t even see? Soon I learned when to stand, sit, kneel and pray. And every Sunday, it was the same. I liked that. Even though I didn’t understand the ritual, I loved the feeling of being there. I was trying to answer the questions that were dancing around in my heart about what the church believes and then confusion began. I was told the man on the cross was God’s son, Jesus. And then they said that He died for MY sins. What did I ever do? I was a good person…but underneath it all, I knew they were right. How did I know that? There were stories about the END. God would punish those who deserved it and the world would come to an end. I wasn’t sure what order these events were in, but I was sure they were real. I was a sinner I was told and needed to repent. But I wasn’t sure what that meant. I could be forgiven, but didn’t know how. So I just prayed that “the end” wouldn’t come before I grew up. After all, I at least wanted to know who I would marry, how many children I would have and what my family would look like. Would I be happy, successful? At this point in my life, my faith was simple, uncomplicated. God was in Heaven, sitting ethereally on a large white throne surrounded with billowing white clouds, but He was not a person, or was He? He was in charge of everything and I was to honor Him (and I DID). Many years have passed since my childhood days, and the still, small voice that seemed to talk to me, fell silent over the years. I stopped asking questions and my life was comfortable. Maybe I thought I didn’t need Him any longer. I always thought I was close to God. Being a member of a local church for almost twenty years, I had been actively involved as a Sunday school teacher and superintendent, speaker and trainer. There was rarely a class or seminar that I missed. The ideas that attracted me to this church was that they didn’t talk about the sin in people’s lives. Rather, they talked a lot about how inherently good people were. There didn’t seem to be a lot of black and white – but a lot of “gray.” It definitely was a “feel good” church. However, a lot of personal change was taking place. My attention was focused on me and my view of Jesus Christ was that He was a great teacher, healer and way-shower; but I had no personal relationship with Him. It was only in a time of crisis that the questions began again and I thought there was no clue or reason why I had to be feeling this new kind of pain. I was a good person…wasn’t I? But life had betrayed me, I thought. The life I had once counted on and trusted had let me down, again. Even though it was always my desire to have a joy-filled life, it always seemed to elude me. Something had to be wrong and I demanded an explanation. I thought I had done everything right. Tearfully, I asked Him why. Why me, when I had served Him so faithfully all these years. The answer struck me – forcefully, painfully, and His words came to me in a flash. His truth was inside them. I heard Him say, “But what have you done for Me?” And of course it really wasn’t a question, but an answer. Rather, a revelation. And there was nowhere to run, no denials to offer, nowhere to hide from His words as they painfully penetrated my heart – my soul! A vision of His face lingered in my mind. It was the same rugged, sad face that had reached out to me as a child. And I thought – He tried to tell me, but I didn’t understand. Why didn’t I pursue Him then…maybe He could have helped me avoid this mess. As I searched for truth in His words, the answer suddenly was clear. Motives. I had done all the right things for me, not Him. Yes, it was true…many times my motives were selfish. I claimed the glory for everything I did and gave Him none. What had I done for Him? What had I done for Him? That question kept playing back to me, over and over. The empty answer was…NOTHING. And in a gentle and loving way, He made me feel ashamed and remorseful. Not to punish, but to open my eyes to the truth, His truth. I can’t explain in words here how he made me feel loved even though he was reproving me. He helped me understand on that day what it meant to have a repentant heart and that through faith in Him my life could be filled with happiness, joy and peace. I trusted Him because He loved me! I did however have a choice to make. I could accept His love and forgiveness or…continue on my way without acknowledging Him. A short while later, I accepted Christ into my life while watching Christian television. An evangelist said, “God loves you.” He was pointing his finger at the television screen and it seemed he was saying it directly to me! His words actually penetrated my heart, my spirit. I understood at that moment how unloved I felt and how much I needed the salvation I had just accepted. Jesus Christ then became so real to me. He was my closest and dearest friend. He filled the empty spaces in my heart. In a world where I felt so unaccepted, I found someone who loved me just the way I was. And what a blessing this was to me!! No, life wasn’t instantly perfect…but I had someone to turn to, someone who would stick closer than a brother. Hope began to spring forth like a welcome springtime. Everything seemed fresh and new. At this point in my life I began a real pursuit of Him. My life would never be the same. Now Jesus was not just a name or figurehead. He was a real, living person that somehow dwelled inside me. I began my new relationship with Him by getting up about fifteen minutes early every morning before work to talk to Him. The amazing thing that I just could not understand is that He talked back to me. No, not an audible voice…a kind of knowing deep inside me. I recognize that. That still, small, voice. God was actually speaking to me every day. I depended on Him. I absorbed every teaching I could. The Lord told me that He was feeding me the milk of His word. And yet, there was more that He wanted me to have. I didn’t realize how much healing He had in store for me. Only He knew what I needed. As part of my new church family, I made new friends with people who were like minded. Even though I had accepted salvation thru Christian television, I had not publicly gone forward at church to make it official. I required this of myself because I needed to announce to everyone that I loved Him and had given Him my life. The oddest thing happened the next Sunday; At the end of the service the pastor gave the altar call and when he asked for those who wanted to accept Christ to raise their hands – mysteriously my hand shot up. Now, I intended to do just that. But some force within me had taken over at that precise moment in time. I accepted Him officially on that day. It was the Holy Spirit drawing me to Him. The next step was the water baptism. I fasted the next weekend in preparation and prepared my testimony. I wanted to share it with everyone. Needless to say, the baptism was very emotional. I was able to share some of my testimony and included just the highlights of how I came to know and trust in Him and how He had changed my life. We were only allowed a minute to share but I could have talked for an hour. The assistant pastor kept trying to get the microphone from me, but I continued until I finished all the important points. I loved sharing my story and prayed that it would touch hearts and give hope to those who desperately needed a touch from God. And it did! One more step to take: getting filled with the Holy Spirit! They made the announcement at church that there would be a prayer time for those who wanted the infilling. Did I go? You bet. I didn’t want anything less than what happened in the book of Acts. Everything God had for me, I wanted…desperately. The prayers were made, but I could feel NO difference. Nothing happened. I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, but I was so disappointed I could have cried. Those old feelings of being unworthy were right there to accentuate the negative. So I struggled with this for a few weeks. My prayer to be filled with the Spirit had fallen on deaf ears. I had no evidence of speaking in tongues. However, I did feel God’s presence and I knew He was with me, so I was satisfied, but still longed for the fullness of what He had for me. During those weeks I dove into the word with all my heart. When I got home from work each day, I went straight to my room where all my “stuff” was waiting for me. My bible, markers, notepad and tapes. I dove into the Word. Not lazily, not half-heartedly, but with such a zeal and heart for Him. During the following days, I had a very unusual experience. It was about three am and I was, of course, fast asleep. But instantly, I woke up. Someone was in the room. I could feel it. I wasn’t frightened – even though I was alone. My husband was out of town and being alone wasn’t easy for me. I immediately sensed that Jesus was there, or the Holy Spirit. But, I remembered, I had not been filled with the spirit. Someone was in that room with me! At this point I had not even opened my eyes. I fully expected to see Jesus standing at the foot of my bed. In fact, I was absolutely certain He was there…standing right there. But when I opened my eyes, I saw no one. But that presence…oh, it was so real, so sweet and so beautiful! I found myself saying “Is that you Lord?” And the air was electrified. I continued “Lord, I am yours.” And instantly, I mean instantly…a power or electric charge or force or…I can’t give it adequate words – began at the very top of my head and continued throughout my entire body – finally ending up at my toes. It was so beautiful, so sweet and so loving. He was filling me and filling up all those dead, lifeless areas of my life. It was awesome! The glory of His presence remained with me throughout the night. I was speechless, wrecked. Yes, wrecked for Him. Now I understand the biblical verse: He is altogether lovely! This experience gave me a lot to think about in the coming days. But, impossible as it may seem…I wanted more. I longed to see Him…see Jesus. I mean actually see Him. See that man on the cross that seemed to be speaking to me as a little girl. I didn’t feel worthy to ask. But, surely, if He visited me in my room and filled me with His spirit it might be possible. I wasn’t even sure that I should be asking, but I asked anyway…pleaded. I needed to see Him. About three weeks passed by and shortly before I woke up one morning…it happened! I was in that twilight hour, what they call REM stage, where the most memorable and vivid dreams occur. In my dream, I was standing in a room inside my house and as I looked out my front window, I saw a small dot way up in the sky – but close enough for me to see it. I was aware that there was another person in the room, standing close by. As I stood, transfixed by this dot, I saw that the dot was drawing closer and larger. I remarked to the other person in the room. “Look, that dot in the sky right over there, it’s coming closer.” Now, I didn’t recognize the person so I don’t know who it was. They shall remain nameless. But the interesting thing was, the other person said, “I don’t see anything.” I said “What? It’s right there.” But that person just shrugged and acted disinterested. The dot kept coming closer until it was quite large and came right into my house. As unusual as all this was, it was NOT a nightmare. Quite the opposite, it was thrilling and wonderful. At this point, I didn’t know why I wasn’t frightened by all of this. The dot opened up…right before my eyes. And there He was…Him, it was Him. My eyes weren’t betraying me. He wasn’t a figment of my imagination, He was right there. And, oh reader, He is so beautiful. He radiated light from within. No, He was the light. In fact there was so much light, He glowed. I was transfixed. He said nothing, yet He said everything. He smiled and laughed. His smile lit up the world as He radiated absolute acceptance, joy and love. I was so satisfied, so much at peace and so excited. I had seen Him! I had seen Him! During later days He spoke some words to me that I hurried to write down. They were too precious to keep to myself. Yet again, not an audible voice. There is a spirit voice that is more real than our audible voice. I recognize that voice. Lift your voice and sing a melody of love to Me. Your melodies are a sweet river of harmony and sparkle with instruments of praise. Only I can give you a clear voice and a clear melody. Only when you sing in My name does this trumpeting melody form a mighty river of praise, This river flows in and out of the very heart of God. Come let us sing together, come let us sing – it’s my heart’s desire. Now life was really getting exciting. As the days, weeks and months passed by I found new friends, got involved in classes, prayer groups and most important of all – worship. I went to a Full Gospel Business Men’s meeting a short time after I had been “filled with the spirit.” I saw Jesus… (In the spirit and don’t ask me how…it’s still a mystery how He does this). He was walking among the people during worship. He was trying to embrace some, and for others, He was washing their feet. And others He was trying to embrace – but they had no idea or sense that He was there. He just slowly walked among us, and my sense was He was so grieved people were too busy with the cares of this life to even notice or sense He was there. Yes, we can isolate ourselves. You see it, even in the church. You see it on people’s faces. I didn’t find Him…He found me. He was calling me…is He calling you? He wants to come into your life – today, right now. Won’t you just open your arms and heart and invite Him in. He wants to give you a new life. He loves you. Do I think He is Prince Charming? Yes, something like that! Faith is a miracle and I believe in His promises. His still, small voice lives in me. Don’t let Him pass you by. She had been sitting there for days. Waiting… thinking, dreaming and shaken by the empty unknown future lying ahead of her. She appeared resigned to her circumstances, waiting stoically for family to deliver her to the senior citizen’s retirement home. This was her decision. She was healthy she told us and did not want to be a burden on her family. Dressed in her favorite paisley dress with a delicately crocheted collar, which she had made, a smile began to blossom as we entered the now dimly lit living room. Not a bright, happy smile, but a cautious and trusting one. Both hands were clutching her brown handbag and her handkerchief was neatly tucked in the side pocket. Forgetting to eat now, she was losing all sense of time. Was there some kind of internal time clock that was weaning her from one world and preparing her for the next? What enemy was lurking inside her, stealing her life away…gentle, sweet Lollie. She was my grandmother. Lollie Sweet Sterling: born in 1890, in a small logging town in Washington, five children, nine grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren and ten great-great grandchildren. And she boasted proudly about all of them. The living room walls were filled with their pictures. Now, the family memories were fading away. Lollie was a small woman with fine delicate features and silver-white hair which was beginning to thin now. She had white, clear skin with rose cheeks and bright, happy blue eyes that sparkled when she laughed. Small, round wire-frame glasses rested gently on her tiny nose. A witty, dry sense of humor made her seem very English, and noticeably quiet and reserved. Nobody in the family really knew if she was English, she had been adopted. Somehow I felt that she knew who her real mother and father were and what the circumstances were of her adoption. Family rumors. My mother told me she was at times cold, unfeeling and very Victorian. But I knew better. This was the grandma that loved to spend holidays with us, play hours of canasta and hearts. She visited with me as if I was her close friend. And we ate huge bowls of vanilla ice cream smothered in strawberries together. She was crafty at playing cards – hardly ever lost. Yes, it was just a game, but it was serious and winning was what it was all about to Lollie. Her husband Charlie died fifteen years ago of a heart attack leaving her all alone. Yes, she had her children, but her “Charlie” was her life. The family had never heard Lollie speak a harsh or cruel word – either to him, or about him. She always said “That Charlie was a good man.” We all knew he had a passion for gambling and had made his two boys quit school in their early teens to help support the family. She had a kind of fierce loyalty to him. Not that she was covering up traits in him that displeased her. Rather, she had a kind of sacred idea of who her husband was that she could not betray. Not for anyone. Lollie would not have been a “libber.” A woman’s place was in the home, raising her children, and standing by her man! And soon the roughest road was gone. When I returned later to clean and pack, getting things ready for my aunts to arrive, I could feel the living memories that filled the large home. Babies were born, small children chattering…all the drama of a growing family. There were the days of canning, sewing and writing poetry. What tales could these rooms tell? I recalled one of the stories from her scrapbook that revealed a proud memory of her youngest son – my dad. As I enjoyed a cup of tea at the now antique dining room table, I could see the neatly kept living room with starched doilies on every table. The dining room chest was filled with her best linens, china and silver. These were Lollie’s treasured collections from a long, happy life. While quietly sitting, there was only the gentle ticking sound of the grandfather’s clock. I marveled at the comfort this old grandfather clock seemed to offer. I glanced into the enclosed sun porch, just off of the large living room, where she rested, dreamed and wrote poetry. Poetry filled with her dreams and what were once silent and private thoughts. What lofty ideals and visions of life were trapped in her pages of poetry? I was suddenly intrigued. I had to read that poetry! I picked up her black journal with the worn binding and opened the frayed and torn flap that used to hold a snap. One side of the last snap was holding on by threads. As I lifted the cover, a smell reminiscent of an old attic filled the air. The pages of poetry had been long forgotten over the years, but now the light had given them life once again. Pages of her journal were now loose with wear and fragments of poetry were written on envelopes, scraps of stationary and backs of checkbook pages from the merchant’s bank in Port Townsend. Clippings from local newspapers were carefully tucked into a flap that contained her published poems. There was an agenda with her name on it as a guest speaker, dated September 24, 1925, from the Lincoln P.T. A. in Port Angeles. Short stories recorded memories of her children, calling them endearing names like: “Little Billie and “Sweet Fred.” And there was a short poem she wrote for a friend while spending Thanksgiving at her son Fred’s home. So now to the bone yard I hither must go. And there were thoughtful poems about her mother and father, written with love, admiration and respect. Her name was written on the flyleaf – a familiar slanted signature; meticulous, yet quick strokes that reminded me of her tidy nature. There was the Singer sitting in the corner of the sun room where she spent many hours converting scraps and pieces of material into beautiful finished clothing. She rarely wore a dress that she had not made. My grandmother passed away three years later, living in a rest home in Sacramento, near her three daughters. But life had been good to her. She had enjoyed good health, a happy life, and had peace. I wish I had gotten to know her better, and shared in her life, her dreams, and her memories. I wanted to pass this knowledge on to the next generation in the hopes that they would keep her memory alive with stories and charm of who Lollie Sweet was. There is a kind of pride in knowing. But the poetry and stories will live on – a legacy to future generations. To take back your youth of the bye-gone day. To think once again of living the past. So blithe, so happy, with never a care. And somehow it seems to make me sad. Should I retreat, or just pretend that we chanced to meet? I’d like to accompany you if I may. I couldn’t help but wonder…what suitcase of memories would I have? Would I celebrate my life by honoring the people closest to me? It seems incredible to me, even cruel to think of life in these terms. I must give “the gift of family” to my children by repeating the stories I’ve heard through the years. Lollie would love that!!!

2019-04-23T12:36:36Z

https://writingforfunandprofit.wordpress.com/

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While all unit individuals hold obligation regarding condominium and are really individuals from the condominium affiliation, a main staff holds the powers of the condominium affiliation. Condominium affiliations examination in what sorts of methodologies and Furthermore standards they set forward. All condos will have a structure making sense of what proprietors are in charge of additionally and saving what the connection is in charge of settling and protecting. For instance, condominium affiliations are again and each now liable for the network pool, yet solitary proprietors may be in charge of keeping their own air patio zone up. As parts that are lawful, condominium affiliations can unprecedented, put Repossession is required by liens against, or maybe. Whatever the case, condominium affiliations don’t have indicated control neighborhood, state, and furthermore government laws control the sorts of standards and standards they could develop. 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Midtown Suites are overseen by regulates which can be copied despite the plan of property and in addition gadget department on the community land working environment. The condo affiliation is the lawful substance that is liable for developing and in addition actualizing the neighborhood laws and regulations. When all unit men and women carry obligation for condominium and in addition actually are individuals the condo association, a top managerial staff members generally holds the forces from the condominium affiliation. Condo affiliations comparison in what types of approaches and moreover policies installed forwards. All condo properties will positively come with an unmistakable composition figuring out what specific proprietors are responsible for conserving plus precisely what the affiliation accounts for safeguarding and settling. For instance, condo associations are every single now and again to blame for the community pool, but singular proprietors could be in control of maintaining up their particular outside porch zone. As legal elements, condo organizations can amazing, set leans towards, or maybe call for repossession with an affiliation participant that does not take once the regulations. Regardless, condominium organizations do not possess soon add up to control – the types of rules and regulations they are able to develop are managed by neighborhood, condition, and furthermore federal government legal guidelines. How You Can Buy Abella Eyewear? Extra-large aviators have been eyes-dress in fashion years’ optimum back again. Even so, if you wish having them these days, you will nevertheless end up while using in group. It appears much like the prominent routine is assortment today. 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2019-04-25T16:08:03Z

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Social scientists and journalists have bandied about terms such as “globalisation” and the “new economy” for some time. Behind much of this lies the argument that the working class is dead and with it Marxist hopes of working class self-emancipation. It is tempting to dismiss these claims as just the latest version of anti-Marxist ideology—and, indeed, many of those who now pronounce the end of the working class had little sympathy with it in the first place. However, many anti-capitalist activists express similar viewpoints and argue for a shift towards new forms and focuses of resistance. Sometimes these recall older anarchist traditions,1 but more recognisably Marxist writers also accept elements of this perspective. David Harvey, for example, thinks economic changes have made earlier forms of left wing organisation “inappropriate”.2 Therefore, while we often have to cut through some fairly crude pro-capitalist propaganda, arguments about restructuring should be taken seriously. Economic structures do not directly determine how we think and act, but central to Marxism is a claim that capitalism creates a collectively exploited working class in a unique position to transform itself and the world. A fundamental restructuring might undermine the bases of action and the prospects for that collective transformation. There are two distinct sets of claims about capitalism’s change and labour’s weakness. First, geographical shifts are said to have undermined local and national strategies of resistance. This works directly, as capital’s mobility allows it to find ever-cheaper labour and to play workers in one place off against those in another. It also works indirectly, undermining the capacity of nation states to deliver pro-labour and welfare reforms.3 Finance in particular can simply disappear to wherever states provide a conducive environment. Capital’s mobility thus extracts more “corporate welfare” while the burden of paying for it shifts to the poorest and least mobile, especially to workers.4 So globalisation throws workers in different places and countries into ever sharper competition with each other. Many academic careers have been made from identifying and labelling these transformations. Meanwhile, a minority of critics insist too much is made of them. There are also many continuities, historical precedents and contemporary qualifications to the picture of change. There is no absolute measure by which to weigh change against continuity and so the academic merry-go-round can continue. However, for Marxists, socialist strategy provides the essential touchstone. If the claims of globalisation and the new economy help to identify new possibilities for struggle or close off others, then these are useful concepts. For many on the left globalisation makes internationalism even more urgent, a “transnational collective response” the only meaningful option.8 Meanwhile, a more diffuse capitalism requires “new strategic imaginations”9 to look beyond the workplace to community and identity based politics or at least to forge links with this to develop a social movement or community unionism.10 This article contests the need for such radical strategic reorientation by evaluating claims of capital mobility and relocation, its impact on state capacity, corporate restructuring and changes in the nature of work. For many, globalisation involves a “manic logic” as firms “race to the base” in search of cheap labour.11 Firms go “hopping and skipping and jumping”12 to wherever they can find competitive labour markets, laying waste to jobs in the rich countries. As John Holloway pointed out in an important article in 1995, “capital moves”.13 It is in its nature to move—across borders as well as within them. Unlike in earlier systems such as feudalism, economic activity is not tied to territory. Recent changes are often supposed to have brought a new dimension to this and to the problems it causes labour.14 In the extreme, the economy is reckoned “weightless”. Physical goods are moved more easily as transport technologies improve and, crucially, the economy becomes less physical. Immaterial goods, most notably in finance, move effortlessly around the world. However, this grossly overstates the ease of moving physical goods and the decline of the material economy.15 More fundamentally, capitalism is a social relation not reducible to physical things, so changes to its mobility cannot be deduced from changes in the physical form of commodities.16 This is not to dismiss claims of transformation but to argue that they need to be carefully and critically evaluated. Historically the extent of capital relocation has varied enormously. There was an earlier phase of internationalisation in the 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1914 outward foreign direct investment (FDI) from Britain amounted to 53 percent of GDP, a level comparable to today’s.17 Levels from other rich countries were lower but still not exceeded until the 1980s or 1990s. Many familiar multinationals were already well established. There was much less FDI in the inter-war period. During the long post-war boom there was a still greater concentration of investment within rich countries’ domestic economies. What FDI there was also went primarily to other rich countries. So in 1914 half, and in 1938 two thirds, of the total had gone to poorer countries but that fell to just 20 percent by 1960.18 Capital does seek cheap labour, but there are many political and economic reasons why investment can profitably be concentrated and why relocation can prove difficult. Of course, just its potential to move gives capital power.19 Even in the 1980s, before talk of globalisation became fashionable, managers in the US car industry successfully “whipsawed” plants in different places, demanding concessions on wages and conditions. However, employment in the car industry in rich countries actually increased between 1970 and 2001.20 Firms, and capital’s political supporters, talk up mobility to threaten workers or to extract bribes from governments. For instance, the United Nations published a survey in 2005 showing that companies claimed China was their overwhelming favourite prospective overseas business location. India ranked second and four other poorer countries were in the top ten: Russia fourth, Brazil fifth, Mexico sixth and Thailand ninth.21 But in practice, the following year 66 percent of overseas investment went to established rich countries and only China (fifth) and Hong Kong (seventh) were among the top ten destinations. Russia was 11th, Mexico 18th, Brazil 19th, India 21st and Thailand 27th.22 Looking at the extent to which capital actually moves seems a necessary starting point for assessing claims to its mobility. Real structural changes do give substance to recent claims of globalisation. World trade jumped from $519 billion to nearly $12 trillion between 1973 and 2007, and within this the share of what are classified as “developing countries” rose from 24 percent to 39 percent.23 Similarly, stocks of FDI increased from $560 billion to $12 trillion between 1980 and 2006, or from 5.3 percent to almost 25 percent of world GDP. The poorer country share went back over 30 percent.24 Along with, but not reducible to, foreign investment, the level of manufacturing in developing countries shot up. It rose by 75 percent and from 19 percent to 30 percent of the world total between 1990 and 2005.25 However, these aggregates have to be interpreted quite cautiously. This highlights, fourth, that poorer country growth does not necessarily depend on rich country investments. Among other things, multinationals also subcontract to local suppliers, notoriously in the case of sweatshops in the textile industry. This could have a similar effect on rich countries. The US and Britain both recorded big trade deficits, which have been interpreted as meaning a loss of jobs. However, most analyses suggest that trade, and trade deficits, account for at most a small proportion of unemployment in rich countries.33 In the US unemployment of just over 7 million in 2006 was nevertheless lower, in both relative and absolute terms, than in 1980 or 1990, when trade and trade deficits were a much smaller proportion of GDP.34 Elsewhere, notably in Germany and Japan, there were persistently big trade surpluses but workers experienced many similar problems. Other industries did not go offshore to anything like the same extent. Two thirds of the world’s automobiles were made in just seven countries: Japan, Germany, France, the US, Korea, Spain and China.42 And while the last of these became a major producer, it remained a substantial net importer. Rich countries dominated export markets.43 The car industry is the classic example of capital winning bribes from governments, including state governments in the US, to locate within their borders, sometimes at truly exorbitant cost.44 Nevertheless, the net effect was that even some of the most well known “global” manufacturers were more national than global in terms of their assets, sales and employment. General Motors had nearly two thirds of its workforce and assets in the US, Toyota two thirds of its workforce and half its assets in Japan.45 Again, particularly for US and European firms, the foreign assets and employment were also overwhelmingly in other rich countries. A much higher proportion of overseas Japanese auto investments were in poorer countries, 49 percent of the total going elsewhere in Asia.46 Japan nevertheless remained a substantial net exporter of cars. For most firms a large proportion of the overseas production was aimed at local or sometimes regional markets. Improved transport systems notwithstanding, it can pay to produce cars near their intended market. Parts can be made further away in extended networks, although here too things like “just in time” (JIT) production systems could militate against having suppliers too far away and the production of at least some components became reconcentrated close to the assemblers. Tellingly, even in a sector such as finance, whose “products” are in theory almost completely mobile, the workforce remains highly concentrated in rich countries. This applies not only to the city slickers in New York and the City of London but also to routine “production workers”. Off-shoring is a tax dodge, which in finance has little to do with the work of the industry. Most of the tax havens have very low populations and are not a plausible alternative to employment in rich countries. Some firms have relocated some processing and call centres, for example to India, but although well publicised, these represent a tiny fraction of the sector’s employment. Many other industries are inherently immobile. This is more or less true of many “in person” services—you cannot offshore a haircut for instance—but also of much material production. Construction is the obvious example here. If such workers cannot be threatened by globalisation, others like transport and communications workers might be expected to be positively empowered. One well known advocate of a highly globalised worldview, Susan Strange, admitted exceptions to labour’s weakness among groups such as lorry drivers.49 There are significant examples of militancy, for example the 1997 UPS strike in America and more recently on London underground. But overall the evidence suggests that transport workers are neither more militant nor better rewarded than others.50 It is not obvious that capital’s mobility or immobility has had much impact. Finally, it is worth noting that although the arguments about capital relocation are often assumed to be generally valid they explicitly account for the weakening of labour only in rich countries. At the very least, one might expect a corollary that a powerful working class has emerged in places where it did not exist before. It has already produced effective labour organising (as well as the familiar problems of organising) in Brazil, South Korea and South Africa, for example, where only a few decades ago unions did not exist.51 It has also created a vast potential in many other places, notably China. In short, the evidence of capitalism’s globalisation is patchy at best, and its association with workers’ experience even weaker. Capital can flee—and has fled—high wages and labour militancy but to a much lesser extent than its supporters suggest. The implication is that the potential for resistance “in situ” remains considerable. It is probably not necessary to dwell too long on this perspective here. The discussion in the preceding section already dealt with it, at least implicitly. If capital is not actually as mobile as is often assumed, there are many reasons to think that states could still resist. This argument has also been the focus of a substantial scholarly literature with opponents raising important theoretical, historical and contemporary empirical reasons for regarding state retreat as something of a myth.55 There can be an unfortunate nationalism to these “sceptical” writings but they do successfully highlight just how interventionist even supposedly liberal states actually are.56 In addition, the claims of state retreat misunderstand the nature of the state under capitalism in a way that most readers of this journal will readily appreciate. There can sometimes be important tensions between the state and capital but they are not essentially opposed. It is a reformist illusion that socialists could ever simply capture the state and use it for their own purposes without fundamentally challenging global capitalism. However, state power is not simply reducible to the interests of capital and even a limited autonomy can be important, making it possible to win some reforms at the national level, however inherently insecure they might be. Identifying the limits of reformism never meant rejecting the struggle for reforms and it is possible that the capacity to win and sustain them has now been eroded. Against this it seems worth making two rather simple points. First, there is little evidence of the state’s economic decline. Levels of state spending, including social spending, increased in most rich countries after 1980.57 Levels contrasts sharply with those before the Second World War, let alone in the 19th century. Nor have high levels of state spending proved an economic disaster, in a way that might indicate their fragility.58 In large rich countries at least, states have access to the same technologies that are supposed to be undermining them, technologies they have little difficulty applying when it suits, for example monitoring funds to Cuba or alleged terrorists.59 Even relatively poor countries like Chile and Malaysia have imposed capital controls rather effectively. Second, the national level remains a highly contested arena, which labour’s opponents show no sign of abandoning. Many of the attacks on labour have been the direct result of state policy, for example cutting minimum wages, notably in the US, and introducing anti-union laws. The “business community” remains well organised, particularly, if not exclusively, at the national level60 and states respond to the anti-labour agendas of their domestic capitals. Their support for such corporations typically outweighs their desire to attract or maintain external investment.61 In addition, “reforms” are still more or less effectively contested by local labour movements. The resistance to anti-labour laws in France, for example, contrasts with the situation in Britain and elsewhere. The repeated attempt to impose anti-labour policy shows that mere economic forces are insufficient to discipline labour. The national level remains a vital arena of struggle, which supporters of labour internationalism should be wary of abandoning. In practice it is clear that national labour movements still matter. There are a mass of claims of a new era of disorganised, flexible, post_Fordist capitalism.62 Above all, this is supposed to have reinvigorated the economy. There are many reasons to doubt this but the broad economic claims cannot be discussed in detail here. Suffice it to say that, although there were real rises in productivity in the US from the mid-1990s, these did not return to levels seen in the 1970s, let alone those of the long post-war boom. Elsewhere, in Japan and continental Europe, similar technological innovation coincided with falling productivity gains and extremely sluggish overall economic performance. However, labour’s decline was common across most rich countries and the focus here will remain on claims that the new economy transforms the prospects for labour organising. There is a certain concentration on the US in the next two sections, where the claims of transformation are perhaps strongest and the decline of manufacturing sharpest, but similar phenomena have occurred and similar causes have been suggested elsewhere. This section considers arguments of capitalist reorganisation and declining workplace size. The next discusses claims of a transformation of labour, achieved as new technologies supposedly change the skill bases of work. There is clearly a danger of too mechanical a reading of relations between industrial structure and labour’s organisation. It took 38 years of sometimes bloody struggle to organise at the Ford Motor Company itself, while many giant factories today, for example in China, effectively lack independent unions. Conversely, well organised, even militant, groups of workers could be employed in relatively small workplaces. The average pit size in British mining was about 300 at the beginning of the 19th century and only around 900 at the beginning of the great strike of 1984.66 Nevertheless, the way the concentration and centralisation of capital bring together ever more workers has been widely perceived as an important part of the process by which capitalism creates its own gravediggers, and if this is no longer happening it would appear to have serious consequences. $1 million a day.73 Competitors might eventually be able to ramp up production, so without winning solidarity across the different suppliers, action in any one could be undermined in the medium term. But this does not seem to be a qualitatively new problem. Nor do these processes abolish the tendency towards concentration and centralisation. Again, for the car industry in North America, there was a rapid decline in the number of suppliers from the 1990s as the extent of subcontracting increased—from 30,000 in 1990 to well below 10,000 after 2000.74 That is to say, their average size grew particularly quickly, many becoming industrial giants in their own right. Perhaps the most telling fact is that union density held up much better in the assemblers, where firm size fell, than in the parts sector, where the firms got bigger. Continuities, even increases, in average plant size might, of course, mask real changes. Many formerly big workplaces declined, undermining hard won union strengths. Meanwhile, new concentrations of labour did not produce organisation without struggles. The point is simply that this organisation and these struggles are not precluded by structural change. Again, however, there are both theoretical and empirical reasons to be very cautious about these arguments. As Lawrence Mishel and his colleagues argue, “it is generally true that investment and technological change are associated with the need for more workforce skill and education—but this was true for the entire 20th century, and it therefore does not explain why wage inequality began to grow two decades ago”.84 Nor is it obvious why the semi-skilled should be particularly prone to organising. Historically both high skilled (teachers, for example) and low skilled (rubbish collectors, for example) have been well organised, even militant. Often it is hard to evaluate the effects of technology on skills. In some high-tech industries such as micro-electronics there may well have been a polarisation between skilled technicians and routine production workers.85 Elsewhere the opposite happened. The construction industry offers one relatively clear example. Here new technologies compressed skill requirements towards the centre. They reduced the relative importance of skilled on-site craftwork but also reduced the need for manual lift and carry work.86 There is little evidence that this helped labour organisation, which in most countries did no better than in other sectors and in the US did markedly worse. The rise of service sector jobs does not fundamentally change things. Services are susceptible to similar processes to manufacturing but also to labour organisation. The degradation of white collar work identified by Harry Braverman’s classic study96 has often been intensified. Even among very highly skilled “symbolic manipulators” such as computer programmers, the sheer size and complexity of many processes mean that any one programmer may only write a tiny part of the whole, with workers sometimes doing this in vast factory-like concentrations. Meanwhile, it is perhaps also in services that management by stress becomes clearest. In call centres an ability to handle a range of enquiries, in however rudimentary a manner, guarantees that a pool of workers always have a call waiting. At Heathrow Airport uniting the check-ins, combining all the queues, guarantees horrible waits for the passengers but also ensures the staff never have a moment without an angry customer to serve as quickly as possible. This all makes working life grim and squeezes more value out of labour. However, it does not preclude resistance. So polarisation within the working class was, at least, much less than is usually claimed. It occurred among people with similar skills and had little to do with any particular technological transformation. Labour organisations’ decline is better understood as the cause of rising inequality and low wages not as the result. Some contemporary writing, for example that which advocates a social movement or community unionism, might be interpreted as an attempt to revive lost traditions of solidarity. However, there is a danger of posing these strategies as an alternative to workplace based organising, and more or less explicitly endorsing the view that there is no longer anything special about workers’ collective exploitation at work that tends to challenge their fragmentation. Socialism becomes simply an act of will. The real Marxist tradition has always been internationalist and sought to organise beyond the workplace—to become, in Lenin’s phrase, a “tribune of the people” rather than simply a trade union secretary.108 But it also argued that there was something special about exploitation and resistance at work, which created labour’s unique potential to transform the world. Capitalism, as Marx and Engels long ago insisted, continually changes. However, there seems little reason to believe that recent shifts bring a radically new dimension to some rather old problems for workers and socialist organisation. Even in manufacturing, capital flight is rare. Capital cultivates the idea that it can easily escape from militancy and high wages but it can seldom move as frictionlessly as it purports. Huge wage differentials did not produce a rush of investment from rich countries to poor. There were significant movements, but in specific sectors and often then in highly uneven ways. In many sectors of capital, in declining primary industries but also in many expanding service sectors, there was still less prospect of capital movement. Labour’s problems were at most weakly associated with capital’s mobility. Similarly, although corporate restructuring did undermine many previously established labour strengths, it produced neither a return to small-scale cottage industry nor the end of alienation at work. It did not preclude effective workplace based strategies for organising. None of this is to dismiss the importance of scale nor thinking tactically how disputes can best be spread and strengthened. Circumstances vary. If a European shoe factory is being closed down and production shifted offshore, any chance of keeping it open may indeed depend on forging external links. It would be politically stupid to dig up figures showing that its experience was actually atypical. But it would be equally misguided to argue that all workers faced the same problems. Rail workers, construction workers, hospital workers, for example, and people in a raft of other jobs including manufacturing jobs—while of course well advised to broaden any sectional struggles—have real power at work. The possibility of fighting immediate exploitation at work provides an enduringly essential starting point for socialist internationalism. 1: For instanace, Hardt and Negri, 2000. 3: Rowley and Benson, 2000. 4: Frieden, 1991; Strange, 1996. 5: Castells, 1996, 1997 and 2000; Lash and Urry, 1987 and 1994; Murray, 1988; Piore and Sabel, 1984; Hyman, 1992; Reich, 1991. 8: Tilly, 1995; Mazur, 2000; Radice, 1999. 10: Waterman, 1999; Wills, 2001; Wills and Simms, 2003. 12: A Glassman, cited in Reich, 1991, p121. 16: Holloway, 1994 and 1995; Fine, 2004; Dunn, 2004. 17: Held, McGrew, Goldblatt and Perraton, 1999, p275. 18: Kenwood and Loughheed, 1992; Dunning, 1993. 20: Pilat, Cimper, Olsen and Webb, 2006. 23: WTO “International Trade Statistics” for 2007, available at www.wto.org. Their definition of developing counties is a static one, which includes the now relatively wealthy countries in East Asia. However, it does have the advantage of allowing comparisons of a constant group of countries. 25: UNCTAD, Handbook of Statistics 2006-7. 27: World Bank, World Development Report 2006: Equity and Development. 28: UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2007. 30: UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2007. The exaggeration is apparent from the global figures, which suggest the world experienced a net outflow of over $1 trillion during the 1990s. Globally, net flows should, of course, be zero. 31: UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2007. 33: Nayyar, 2007); Rowthorn and Ramaswamy, 1997; Navarro, 2000. 35: Fröbel, Heinrichs and Kreye, 1980. 41: Sutcliffe and Glyn, 1999. 50: My calculations from the ILO International Statistics Yearbook for various years, see Dunn, 2004. 52: Burnham, 1997. Burnham, it should be stressed, criticises this view. 53: Boswell and Stevis, 1997; Mazur, 2000; O’Brien, 2000; Hughes, 2002. 54: Waterman, 1999; Tilly, 1995; Radice, 1999. 55: Hirst and Thompson, 1999; Weiss, 1999. 56: Harman, 1996; MacLean, 2000. 59: Henwood, 1998; Gowan, 1999. 62: See references in note 5. 64: Ackers, Smith and Smith, 1996. 65: Lash and Urry, 1987. 66: Benson, 1980; and calculated from Callinicos and Simons, 1985, who give figures of 184,000 working in 198 pits. 72: Gereffi, Humphrey and Sturgeon, 2005. 73: ABC News, Australia, 24 August 2007. 76: Bain and Taylor, 2002. 80: Piore and Sabel, 1984. 81: Womack, Jones and Roos, 1990. 83: MacEwan and Tabb, 1989; Cox, 1996. 84: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p199. 87: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007. 88: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p188. 89: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p200. 92: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p7. 93: Womack, Jones and Roos, 1990. 95: Parker and Slaughter, 1988. 97: Clarke, 1997; Rinehart, Huxley and Robertson, 1997; Walton, 1997. 98: Delbridge and Lowe, 1997; Lewchuk and Robertson, 1997; Murakami, 1997; Rinehart, 1999. 99: Thelen and Kume, 1999. 100: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, pp238, 241. 101: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p210. 102: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, p5. 103: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, pp142, 201. 104: Mishel, Bernstein and Allegretto, 2007, pp124-127. Ackers, Peter, Chris Smith and Paul Smith, 1996, “Against All Odds? British Trade Unions in the New Workplace”, in Peter Ackers, Chris Smith and Paul Smith (eds), The New Workplace and Trade Unionism (Routledge). Bain, Peter, and Phil Taylor, 2002, “Ringing the Changes? Union Recognition and Organisation in Call Centres in the UK Finance Sector”, Industrial Relations Journal, volume 33, number 3. Benson, John, 1980, British Miners in the Nineteenth Century: A Social History (Gill & Macmillan). Boswell, Terry, and Dimitris Stevis, 1997, “Globalization and International Labor Organizing: A World-System Perspective”, Work and Occupations, volume 24, number 3. Braverman, Harry, 1974, Labour and Monopoly Capital (Monthly Review). Bronfenbrenner, Kate, “The American Labour Movement and the Resurgence in Union Organising”, in Peter Fairbrother and Charlotte Yates (eds), Trade Unions in Renewal: A Comparative Study (Continuum). Burnham, Peter, 1997, “Globalisation: States, Markets and Class Relations”, Historical Materialism 1. Callinicos, Alex, and Mike Simons, 1985, The Great Strike (Socialist Worker). Castells, Manuel, 1996, 1997 and 2000, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, volumes 1, 2 and 3 (Blackwell). Chon, Soohyun, 1997, “Destroying the Myth of Vertical Integration in the Japanese Electronics Industry”, Regional Studies, volume 31, number 1. Harvey, David, 2003, The New Imperialism (Oxford University). Harvey, Mark, 2001, Undermining Construction: The Corrosive Effects of False Self–Employment (Institute of Employment Rights). Held, David, Anthony McGrew, David Goldblatt and Jonathan Perraton, 1999, Global Transformations (Polity). Henderson, Jeffrey, 1989, The Globalisation of High Technology Production (Routledge). Henwood, Doug, 2006, “The ‘Business Community’”, Socialist Register 2006: Telling the Truth. Herod, Andrew, 1991, “Local Political Practice in Response to a Manufacturing Plant Closure: How Geography Complicates Class Analysis”, Antipode, volume 23, number 4. Herod, Andrew, 2000, “Implications of Just in Time Production for Union Strategy: Lessons from the 1998 General Motors—United Auto Workers Dispute”, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, volume 90, number 3. Hirst, Paul, and Grahame Thompson, 1999, Globalization in Question, second edition (Polity). Holloway, John, 1994, “Global Capital and the Nation State”, Capital and Class 51 (summer 1994). Holloway, John, 1995, “Capital Moves”, Capital and Class 57 (autumn 1995). Hughes, Steve, 2002, “Coming in from the Cold: Labour, the ILO and the International Labour Standards Regime”, in Rorden Wilkinson and Steve Hughes (eds), Global Governance (Routledge). Huws, Usula, 1999, “Material World: The Myth of the Weightless Economy”, Socialist Register 1999: Global Capitalism vs Democracy. Hyman, Richard, 1992, “Trade Unions and the Disaggregation of the Working Class”, in Mario Regini (ed), The Future of Labour Movements (SAGE). Hyman, Richard, 1999, “Imagined Solidarities: Can Trade Unions Resist Globalisation?”, in Peter Leisink (ed), Globalisation and Labour Relations (Edward Elgar). Kenwood, George, and Alan Loughheed, The Growth of the International Economy: 1820–1990 (Routledge). Lash, Scott, and John Urry, 1987, The End of Organized Capitalism (Polity). Lash, Scott, and John Urry, 1994, Economies of Signs and Space (SAGE). Piore, Michael, and Charles Sabel, 1984, The Second Industrial Divide: Possibilities for Prosperity (Basic Books). Pollard, Jane S, 2005, “The Contradictions of Flexibility: Labour Control and Resistance in the Los Angeles Banking Industry”, Geoforum, volume 26, number 2. Pollert, Anna, 1988, “The ‘Flexible Firm’: Fixation or Fact?”, Work, Employment and Society, volume 2, number 3. Radice, Hugo, 1999, “Taking Globalization Seriously”, Socialist Register 1999: Global Capitalism vs Democracy. Reich, Robert B, 1991, The Work of Nations (Simon & Schuster). Rinehart, James, 1999, “The International Motor Vehicle Program’s Lean Production Benchmark: A Critique”, Monthly Review, January 1999. Rinehart, James, Christopher Huxley and David Robertson, 1997, Just Another Car Factory: Lean Production and its Discontents (ILR). Ross, George, 2000, “Labor Versus Globalization”, Annals of the American Academy of Political Science 570. Rowley, Chris, and John Benson, 2000, “Global Labor? Issues and Themes”, Asia Pacific Business Review, volume 6, numbers 3 and 4. Sabel, Charles, 1984, Work and Politics (Cambridge University). Smith, Tony, 2000, Technology and Capital in the Age of Lean Production: _A Marxian Critique of the “New Economy” (State University of New York). Strange, Susan, 1996, The Retreat of the State: Diffusion of Power in the World Economy (Cambridge University). Sutcliffe, Bob, and Andrew Glyn, 1999, “Still Underwhelmed: Indicators of Globalization and Their Misinterpretation”, Review of Radical Political Economics, volume 31, number 1. Thelen, Kathleen, and Ikuo Kume, 1999, “The Effects of Globalization on Labor Revisited: Lessons from Germany and Japan”, Politics and Society, volume 27, number 4. Thieblot, Arman, 2002, “Technology and Labor Relations in the Construction Industry”, Journal of Labor Research, volume 23, number 4. Thomas, Kenneth P, 1997, Capital beyond Borders: States and Firms in the Auto Industry, 1960–94 (Macmillan). Thun, Eric, 2008, “The Globalization of Production”, in John Ravenhill, Global Political Economy (Oxford University). Tilly, Charles, 1995, “Globalization Threatens Labor’s Rights”, International Labor and Working Class History, volume 47, number 1. Walker, Richard A, 1999, “Putting Capital in its Place: Globalization and the Prospects for Labor”, Geoforum, volume 30, number 3. Walton, Mary, 1997, Car: A Drama of the American Workplace (WW Norton & Company). Weiss, Linda, 1999, The Myth of the Powerless State (Cornell University). Wills, Jane, 2001, “Community Unionism and Trade Union Renewal in the UK: Moving Beyond the Fragments at Last?”, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, volume 26, number 4.

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http://isj.org.uk/myths-of-globalisation-and-the-new-economy/

You do not allow what you love- what is dear to you- to be destroyed. Instead, you do what you must to keep and preserve it. When God preserves, He does so by first giving a promise. Other versions omit again in verse 33, because they could not see how Jesus could have died and have been raised more than once. Yet, the integrity of the Scripture is without question. When a man is baptised, he dies, is buried, and raised up from death. In as much therefore as Christ was baptised, He also died, was buried, and raised from the dead. This means that His death on the Cross, and resurrection from the grave was indeed again. …as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. When Christ came out of the water, God declared Him, for the first time, to be His beloved Son (Lk 3:22). When He resurrected from the dead again, He was declared to be the firstborn Son from the dead (Col 1: 18). ... now no more return to corruption. This means that He had once seen corruption, but now, He was not to go back to it, ever again. So, after the first death and resurrection; after the first declaration of His Sonship, He saw corruption and death. He was stripped, beaten, wounded, humiliated and killed. However, when He arose again; after the second declaration, it was never again to behold corruption. It is time also for you to hold on to God’s promises; to declare that you will now no more see affliction, oppression, demotion, failure, humiliation, anymore. …he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. When God wants to preserve, He gives a promise. Even as He allowed satan to touch Job, by His word, He set boundaries that the devil could not dare to cross. In order for Christ to know that He would never again see corruption, God gave Him a promise. He gave Him the sure mercies of David. Be sensitive and careful when God begins to talk to you about Jeremiah, Job, Ezekiel, Elijah, Elisha, Peter, John, Mary, Martha or Paul. Take time to study the life of that witness of the Faith, because He is leading you to the promise that will preserve you. This is the confidence- the mystery behind the boldness- with which we rebuke, and frustrate the enemy. We hold on to, and declare the promise. Christ spoke based on the promises of God. He was not discouraged by the knowledge that His disciples would leave Him, because He had a promise that His Father would be with Him. He told the Jews to destroy this temple (His body), because He had the promise that He would be raised again on the third day. He went to the Cross by promise. He even comforted His disciples by the promise. It did not matter that they did not know He was coming back. He had the Word and that was His confidence. He was confident that His troubles were temporary because He had the promise. He had the assurance of the Father that, although He is killed and buried, He would get up. Men may see you going through the fire, and conclude that you have lost; but you know that He will not abandon you there. Therefore, you speak boldly at the sight of the raging fire, and walk confidently in the midst of the burning furnace because you have the promise that preserves. Understand that God did not write a new Scripture to bring Christ our Saviour back from the dead. The Father simply referred Him to what is already written; and what was directly written to David worked for Him. Whenever God wants to bring you out, He will send you to the Book. When the Book is given to you, it becomes the Living Scripture. Saying, the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of the them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. After appearing to certain disciples in Emmaus, the men went back to give the others the good news- the Lord is risen indeed. As they reported what they had witnessed, Christ appeared in their midst. Standing before a group of terrified and frightened men, He invited them to handle Him, that they may see that He was not a ghost, as they assumed. He even asked for meat. When broiled fish and a honeycomb was placed before Him, He ate the meal right in their presence. Then, He told them that all that had happened to Him was a reflection of all the words of promise God had given Him. His sufferings, death and resurrection were according to the promise of the Father. Whatever will happen in your life is going to be by the promise. Your blessings, breakthrough, promotions, fulfilment of destiny; they will be by the Word. All things written concerning Christ, in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, came to pass. In your life, all things written in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms, as well as the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles and Revelation must come to pass. It is therefore crucial that you know the promise of God concerning your life. Sadly, many are still struggling to walk in the reality of God’s promises because they lack understanding. Like the disciples, they are in need of the spirit of understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. How was it that Christ inherited God’s kingdom, when He was flesh and blood? We have seen Jesus preserved by divine promises. It is time to see you. There is a point you get to, where you declare that, there is no law- scientific, spiritual, ancestral, territorial- that has the capacity to stop you. There is a celestial body that is not subject to any law of this realm. When you put on this body, no power can kill you. Whatever comes upon you, will experience you as iron- impenetrable, destructive to them. God has revealed the power of death to you. You need to get this now. It does not matter how many times you see signs of death around you. Death has no power where they is no sin. The question that matters therefore is whether sin is in your life, or not. This is how you put off corruption and put on incorruption. When you conquer sin, you conquer death, corruption and mortality. Brethren, God gives you the victory, continually. You are preserved, as long as you dwell in the word of God, in the love of God. As long as you yield to His instructions, rebukes, and corrections, you are continually preserved. In the presence of the disciples, Christ levitated, ascending into heaven. Where was the law of gravity at that point? It did not have the capacity to bring my Master back to the earth. Christ is the end of the law. Therefore, no law had the capacity to dictate how far He could go, or how long He could stay up. He ascended, and kept ascending into the heavens, because His law declares that what goes up, goes higher still; and cannot be brought down. What law in your world is waiting for you to crash from your high place in Christ? It is time to prove them wrong. Fire of God, clothe me like a garment. Raw fire of God, appear in my life. By the mercies of the LORD, I will not see oppression, affliction, humiliation…any more. Any law, in my world, fighting against my destiny; I overcome you, and damage you by fire. As you learn to dwell in the mysteries of God’s love, you must know that His love attracts enemies. Enemies will come against you when they discover that God loves you. You must know these adversaries of God’s love, and how to deal with them. The abounding iniquity refers to an increase in wickedness; in the works and manifestations of evil. When the enemy sees God’s love in your life, he will rise against you. He will multiply bombardments of attacks against you, for a purpose. There will be attacks against you, against your children, finances, health; all because you love God. The attacks are to make your love for God grow cold. The enemy’s hope is that the overwhelming bombardment of attacks will make you fall away. Yet, God has called you to endure hardness, as a good soldier of Christ; for it is he who endures to the end that shall be saved. Tribulation, sickness, discouragement, un-forgiveness, distress, persecution, peril, sword...These are all personalities in the kingdom of darkness; and they are on a mission. Their mission is to separate you from the love of Christ. When you confess and declare your love for Christ, these personalities will come to shake the confidence of your declaration. The devil sends them to separate the love of God, your trust and confidence in Him, from you. However, God allows these bombardments because, through them, He works to separate your weaknesses- your error, indiscipline- from you. Observe a grain or legume. At the beginning of its journey, God allows the chaff to grow with the grain. However, at the time of harvest, God expects there to be a separation. This is the picture of a Christian. There are chaff- ancestral, foundational, territorial- that you were born with; that have grown with you and that have stubbornly clung on to your life. When you reach the point of maturity- of harvest, God expects you to cast them off. The devil however has a different plan. While God seeks separation in order to save the grain, the devil fights to discard of the grain and retain the chaff. The corn I de-husked did not grow on the altar; I sought for it. In the same manner, the devil searches out anyone who is loved by God. He saw that Peter was loved by God. He was always where Jesus was; he did what others could not do; his name was changed from reed to stone. When God loves you, you are in good trouble. You will do well not to compare yourself with others, but rather prepare for a fight. It is a common practice in Nigerian villages to separate beans from the chaff by pounding in a mortar, with a pestle. Special care is taken during the process, because the aim is not to crush the beans, but to separate the chaff from the beans. God also mounts pressure on you for this purpose: to separate your foolishness from you. When you discover that you are going through the mortar- and- pestle pressure, it is because God needs you now. He wants to put you in His mouth, but that will not happen while your life is encased in the chaff of sin that have grown with you. Now, the devil’s agenda is the opposite. He desires to take the wheat- the love of God- from you. This is the fight. The enemy of God’s love in your life wants to sift you, making you an empty, fruitless chaff, retaining only the worst of you. God however wants to separate you from the worst of you, retaining all the good that He has predestined you to be, for His good purpose. The devil succeeded in sifting the love of Christ out of Peter. The bombardment of the wicked sifted love out of his life...first, he was confronted by the damsel, then by other men who kept insisting he was with Jesus; one even noticed his accent! Thankfully, Christ had prayed for him, that he would be converted again; that he would once again walk in the love of Christ. In whatever way you have been separated from the love of God, today, I call you back, in the name of Jesus. God has a mortar and pestle, with which He separates the chaff of malice, anger, envy, laziness, indiscipline... from you. When He is done, you will become a grain that He can put in His mouth. Then, you will speak from the mouth of God, and every word you say will be backed by Him. The devil instead seeks to take you away from the love of God. He does not want everyone to enjoy the love. I pray for you; that whatever the devil has put in place against you, to separate the love of God from you, shall be destroyed in the name of Jesus. Fire of God, possess my life again, to love God again. Whatever the devil has put in place to separate me from the love of God; I scatter and destroy you by fire. Every attack of the devil to separate me from the love, fire, power of God; I destroy by fire now. Whatever the devil has put in place to take me out of the land of the living; I destroy by fire now. Whatever the devil has put in place to take me out of the love, fire, power, presence of God; I destroy by fire now. Any personality behind any affliction in my life; I destroy you by fire in the name of Jesus. You did not work for it; it was given to you in love, and because of love. This means that love is both the source and sustainer of your inheritance. Love is also the foundation, and the ultimate; for God so loved the world that He gave Love. Today, you are going to put an end to every evil ancestral work that has been showing itself alive in your life. Whatever evil you inherited from your earthly ancestry must be terminated in your life. Science believes that sicknesses, traits, and medical conditions are hereditary; I believe that the wisdom, strength, power, mental acumen in Jesus is also hereditary. If Jesus has it, then I have it by inheritance. He takes away the first that He may establish the latter. You have been redeemed into a new blood line. Because you have new blood- the blood of Jesus- flowing in you, the only traits that are permitted to be seen in you are those of your new heritage. Therefore, any evil trait of your old bloodline that is still showing itself significant in your life shall be taken away. That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. The vision of God is that we should be made heirs; that we should receive capacity to inherit all that He has. Do not give your life to a man who cannot give you the capacity to become an heir. You need a man who will build up in you, the capacity to receive all that God has for you. Inheritance is not for babes, but for matured people. You have to grow to become an heir. You need to go through the process of being made an heir. To that end, you need someone who will feed you with the word of God- the sincere milk of the Word- by which you will grow, in divine capacity, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and power. This is according to the hope of Eternal life, that is, Jesus Christ; and it is a faithful saying. It is therefore your duty to constantly say it- affirm it, declare it, insist on it, do not stop asserting it... that the power, wisdom, strength, knowledge of God; all these are hereditary, and are your inheritance. Keep saying it in prayer, undaunted by whatever you see. We continue to affirm this in TRPM, and will not stop, so that others who believe in Christ will be encouraged to continue in Him. Thus, they will also enjoy divine inheritance. ...These things are good and profitable unto men. Brethren, as long as you say these things, you will make profit by them. However, if you do not have these things, you will suffer loss. We know that we are in God because He has given us His Spirit. You did not pay for this Spirit. It is an inheritance; and you cannot have the Spirit of God and not have His love. God gave us His Spirit, on purpose and for a purpose. We have His Spirit, so that, through Him, we may know all the things that God has given us freely. But what are to do about the adversarial powers of our households and territories? This name is given to you on earth, by God. Again, He gave you the name on purpose; for by this name you are saved from sin. By this name also, you must be delivered- from ancestral influence and judgement. This is the assignment of this ministry: to build you up, and teach you to get rid of every enemy of your divine heritage. You have the Spirit, by which you know all that God has given you as your inheritance. You also have the Name, by which your deliverance is guaranteed. Use the Name to cut down, and destroy every ancestral power that dares to block your way. Nothing in your ancestral bloodline is permitted to boast over your life anymore. No evil inheritance is permitted to be significant in your life any longer. Do not join those who believe they must get to heaven before they enjoy their lives. God loves you so much that He gave you the Nam to use here on earth. It was not an afterthought. He had already anticipated, and therefore, made provision for you to conquer these powers on earth. Do you know the weapons and power that are in the Name? The Name can walk. No distance is too far for Him to reach. The personality called The name of Jesus can locate any evil stronghold, and He goes there full of anger and indignation. The weight of what He carries is so great. The Name speaks. He speaks destruction upon your enemies. When you call upon that Name, He will appear, and when He does, your enemies will see and recognise Him. There is fire in the Name. O! That you would understand the mystery of the Name! When you say, ‘my life, be delivered by fire in the name of Jesus’, you are calling forth the fire that IS in the Name. His spirit shall flow to the neck of the midst of the neck of your enemies, and He shall destroy them. Then, you will have a song. Brethren, you must have the song of victory. That is what you have been given the Name for; to guarantee that you will sing the song of victory. You cannot be in the Kingdom of God and lack the power of God. You must constantly affirm your inheritance in Him, and speak destruction against every ancestral flow by fire in the name of Jesus. Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed: But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Oftentimes, you wonder why you face such magnitude of opposition. It is not because of anything you have done physically; but because, you have chosen to affirm that the power of God is alive in you. The accusations against Paul had nothing to do with grievous sins. No! They wanted him dead because he insisted that Jesus, whom they had killed, was indeed alive. As you affirm your inheritance constantly; as you insist that the power of God is alive in you, be ready for a fight. Be ready to use the Name, so that by it, you can destroy the work of darkness and enthrone divine inheritance in your life. My Father, show Yourself alive in my life. Mercy of God, show Yourself alive in me. Evil inheritance showing itself alive in me; I cast you out by fire in the name of Jesus. My life, you cannot serve two masters. Therefore, any ancestral inheritance showing itself alive in me; I cast you out by fire in the name of Jesus. Power in the name of Jesus, show Yourself alive in me. There can be no love without fellowship. When you love someone, you talk to each other. There is a communion of thoughts, emotions, and an understanding of each other. Good leadership demands that I take you up to the level I operate from. You should not be far from the place I am. I want you to fellowship with me as I fellowship with God. Therefore, what I have seen and heard, that is what I declare unto you; what I teach you. I do this so that you can have fellowship with me; so that you will commune with me, and be where I am. If the Word of God was not taught or discussed in this church, how would God become real in the lives of the people? That way, no one will be able to deceive you, because you will know the Father, and be known by Him. Our High Priest can be touched with the feelings of our weaknesses, sicknesses, griefs and sorrows. However, that can only happen when you are in fellowship with Him. Except you talk to Him, relate with Him, commune with Him, you cannot touch Him. As you fellowship with Him, you develop a bond that allows Him to discern when something is wrong with you. Through fellowship, you are able to touch Him with the feelings of your pain, troubles, and sorrows. Faith is ineffective without fellowship. You cannot merely believe your way into a person’s heart; you get to the core of their being through fellowship. You cannot stand apart from Christ, and yet expect to touch Him just by believing. You have joy in His presence because, there, He reveals the thoughts of His heart. This was David’s secret- he was a man after God’s heart. Length of time does not determine depth of fellowship. Fellowship is not a function of who found Christ first or how long a person has been in Christ. It was Martha’s house. It was Martha who received Jesus into the house. Martha found Jesus, but it was Mary who understood Christ. It did not matter that it was Martha’s house, or that it was she who had invited Jesus in. When it came to fellowship, it was Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus and heard His word. Martha was a generous and hospitable hostess; but she did not understand that fellowship was the key to getting all of Christ. It is good to give, but the benefit of giving is lost when the giver fails to sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary made a choice to sit, and hear at the feet of Jesus. She developed a close bond with Christ, not for immoral reasons, as some have alleged, but because she sought His word; she knew that the entrance of His word would make her a god. We have learnt that the entrance of God’s word makes men gods (Jn 10:35). By sitting at Jesus’ feet, Mary set herself to receive the word of Christ- the word that had the capacity to make her a god. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. We are in Martha’s house again. Christ is an invited guest again. Mary is going for the feet of Jesus, again. It is not what you give, but what you receive at the feet of Jesus, that transforms you. Brethren, if you find yourself in a place where you are encouraged to give and serve, but you are not taught the mystery of fellowship; if you do not learn to sit at the feet of the pastor and receive the word of God, you are been done a great disservice. While living in Martha’s house, Mary bought a very costly perfume and anointed the feet of Christ with it. When you love Jesus, you will make the place of His feet beautiful (Isa 60:13). You will not need to be prodded before you do the needful in His house. As Mary’s focus was the feet of Jesus, she sought to wash off the dust, making it clean and beautiful. She was not satisfied with using water; rather she used a really expensive perfume and her hair- the glory of a woman- to do the job. Pride is only found in the heart of those who do not sit at the feet of Jesus. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Her financial investment towards the feet of Christ was so great, that it caught the attention of Judas. Leave me alone! Let me stay at the feet of Jesus! Let this be your answer to all those who seek to draw you away from the feet of Jesus. Let it be your answer to every one who wonders why you have chosen to hear the Word, while they are cumbered with many acts of giving and service. Giving is good; hearing the Word is better. ...against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. Mary was sensitive to know that she had to prepare the body of Christ in anticipation of His burial. She understood that, once He was arrested, there would be no opportunity for Him to anoint Himself. Her preparation was so impressive that it had soldiers tearing up the garment of Christ amongst them, and casting lots for His undergarment. It takes fellowship to be able take care of God. Mary could prepare the body of Christ for His burial because she knew what was to happen. She knew what was to happen because He had revealed it to her during their time of fellowship. Martha could not see what Mary saw, because she did not stay in the place where secret things are revealed. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Martha met Jesus, while He was on the way to her house. Her words showed that she believed that He was the Christ; that He had the power to save her brother from death, and that He would raise Him up at the Resurrection. Then she left to call Mary. Mary also met Jesus at the same place. She also said the same thing Martha said to Him. However, her manner was very different. Mary ran up to Jesus, and fell at HIS FEET. Again, her focus was His feet! It was while in that position that she spoke to Christ. She did not speak with an entitled attitude; she humbled herself before Him and declared her belief. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Her tears moved the Lord with whom she had fellowshipped. This is my vision for you; that what troubles your soul must trouble the soul of Jesus. This will only happen when you fellowship with Him. Christ was moved by the tears of Mary. Her pain became His pain, and He had to do something about the matter. When you are dear to God, you become a dangerous person to the wicked. Whoever troubles you will suffer the wrath of God because your trouble is His trouble. Two women. The same Lord. The same location. The same words. However, they got completely different responses from the Lord. The cause of the difference was in Mary’s disposition. Mary fell and stayed at His feet. She acknowledged that she was not worthy to stand before Him. Find your way to the feet of Jesus. Get close enough to touch Him. Access the mysteries of Love, until what moves you, moves Him. My Father, I receive the Spirit of Your Love, to fellowship with You. My Father, I rededicate my life, to fellowship with You again. Whatever negative mindset that keeps me from seeking and hearing God; I destroy it now. Whatever draws me away from the presence of God, I destroy you by fire. Any form of darkness that has been covering my life; disappear by fire. Any darkness working tirelessly to cover my life; I destroy you by fire. Since God is Love, and God is a Spirit; then Love is a Spirit. We can substitute Love for Spirit. ...and he that dwelleth in [the Spiri]t dwelleth in God, and God in him. Therefore, Love is a Spirit. Your deeds reveal the presence or absence of love in your life. A Christian, who takes the things of God- of His Kingdom- with levity, does not have love in him. Let us also work this out. Faith comes by hearing, by the Word of God. This means that the Word is the material with which the lives of men are built. It would therefore be wickedness, and proof of the lack of love, if I fail to give you the Word of God. Basing sermons on socio-political stories, motivations or on Google is a great tragedy. It is a great disservice to the God who is Spirit, and who desires His people to be built with the only worthy material- the Word, which is spirit and life. The Word is also the basis of effective prayer. Praying in the Holy Ghost can only happen when a man has been built by the Word of God. Praying in the Holy Ghost does not always mean praying in tongues. Praying in tongues, without having built yourself in the Word, is an abuse. When a man prays in the Holy Ghost, he prays in the Presence of God- from the womb of the Holy Ghost- speaking revealed words in prayer; not necessarily in tongues. The apostle said I speak the truth in Christ (I Tim 2:7, Rom 9:10). This means that it is possible to speak the truth outside Christ. Satan’s words to Christ perfectly exemplify this (Luke 4:9-11). He spoke the truth, but not in God. When you pray, make sure you have drunk of the Spirit. Get to the realm where your words reveal that you are intoxicated with the Spirit of God. Understand that whatever utterance the Holy Ghost will give you will be based on the Word you have taken into your soul. The depth of the Word in you determines how far you will go in the realm of the Spirit. ...Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. When you pray in the realm of the Spirit, having built yourself up in the Word, you develop the capacity to keep yourself in the love of God. Now, the Word is spirit and life. You keep yourself in the Spirit of God. The admonition to keep yourself in His love implies that there is the tendency to lose your place in God. A crucified life is a dead life. As a Christian, you are dead- crucified with Christ. Notwithstanding you live; except it is no longer you who lives, but Christ lives in you. This new life of yours- which you now live in your household, in your country, in your world-, is lived by the faith [the Spirit] of Christ; the One who loved you and gave Himself for you. You DO NOT live by YOUR faith in Him. You LIVE by HIS faith. When a man is discharged and acquitted in a court of law, the expectation is that he will rejoice at the verdict. However, if his countenance is sad, the judge will suspect that something is fishy. The just does not have faith to live by; he lives by the faith of the Justifier- the Person that justified him. This Scripture shows that you did not have the power until Christ said you did. So, when you trample upon wicked powers, you do so with boldness and audacity by His faith, not yours. There are two things involved here. Evidence: the proof that the material is already in you, and is right. Substance is material- something tangible. For instance, when you walk into a building, you can tell what it is used for, by the things you see there. The altar and pulpit here tell you that this building is a church, not a school or a theatre, whether there is a minister present or not. This means that, by speaking the Word, He is revealing that He has deposited in you the substance to tread on serpents. Evidence is proof of something else. You have not seen a pastor in the building, but you know that there IS a pastor because the altar and the pulpit are evidence that someone ministers there. So, He has told you, or revealed to you, or dropped it in your spirit that you will do exploits. You do not have any physical pointer to that effect, but you know that you did not drum up the idea or dream yourself. You know what you saw, what you heard, what you perceived. Whatever He has revealed to you, for which you have not seen any physical sign, you hold on to by His faith. That He said it, is a sign that He has put the material to make it a physical manifestation in you; the revelation- the vision, the divine inspiration- is the evidence. Christ did not die because we believed Him. It was His faith that made Him hope that by dying, everyone will come to Him. His faith made Him lay down His life, saying, ‘I will go so that you can live this life’. You live by His faith, not yours. By His faith, Christ also died so that you would continue what He began to do, and to teach. He wired you. Therefore, He knows that what He put in you has the capacity to continue what He started. You did not know when He made that decision. You live His life now, continuing what He began, by His faith. What you are to continue? While in the world, He declared that I am the Light of the world. When He was about to leave, He declared that you are the light of the world. Physically, you do not see yourself glowing. However, when you speak to darkness and cast it out, you do so by His faith. Faith comes by hearing...Walking by this faith therefore demands that you hear what He said. Whatever He has revealed to you, is His faith for you. He is telling you that the substance to make it happen is in you. That good thing you saw will happen. ...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. He also began to destroy the works of the devil. He allowed them to stop Him, so that you can be unstoppable. He understood that, except He dies, He will remain one Man. It was therefore expedient for you that He die, so that, He may raise many like Him to continue His work and spread throughout the world. So, He has put in you the substance to become Christ-like; to be the light of the world, to destroy the works of the devil; to rule as lord of the Sabbath; to seek and save the lost; to reveal the Father to humanity. He paid the full price to get you, even in Nigeria. Your sinful life, notwithstanding, because the price He paid had the capacity to get you. Now, you must continue what He began. He allowed Himself to be stopped so that you can be unstoppable. He died so that you can be called Christ-ian. The substance of motherhood does not suddenly appear the body of a female when she is grown. It is present there in the body of a baby girl. It is evidence that she is a mother, although she is just a babe. By His faith, you are empowered to eliminate death, sorrow, limitation, powerless-ness and the reign of evil in your world. As Christ prayed for His disciples, He declared that, as many as believe on Him, through the epistles that His disciples write, will also become partake of His prayer for His disciples. Whatever it is that God said about my life and destiny; when you come here, believing and following my word, you are bringing yourself under the cover of the Christ’s prayer upon me. This means that whatever He said to me shall also come upon you. This was the story of Paul. He believed all that was said about Christ as he received it from Ananias. Ananias also walked by the faith of Christ. When he saw Saul, he called him, ‘Brother’. Left to him, this was a murderer and a persecutor of God’s people. However, since Christ called him a chosen vessel, Ananias called him ‘Brother’. Paul continued the work of Christ in the land of the Gentiles, by the faith of Christ. He was not there when Christ gave His back to the whips of the soldiers and endured humiliation and a painful death. Yet, he walked out the vision of Christ: He was stopped so that Paul could take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and be unstoppable. You no longer live for yourself. You are called to continue His vision. This is the story of love. His love for you made Him give up all- His power, prosperity, length of days, beauty...so that you can pick them up, and run with them. Raw power of God to continue what Jesus started; take over my life. My life, I charge you; receive the power to function in the faith of Christ. Works of the devil in my life, household; I destroy you all by fire. Any serpentine, ancestral power working tirelessly to stop what Jesus said; I terminate you by fire. Any proof of the works of darkness in my body; I cast you out by fire.

2019-04-18T10:35:52Z

https://therefinersplaceministries.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=archive&year=2018&month=9&Itemid=101

An electrical connector system includes a pin connector and a socket connector that each attach to a cable having multiple twisted pairs of wires. The connectors include features for shielding each pair of pin or socket contacts from the other pairs of pin or socket contacts to reduce interference and crosstalk. A contact-retaining shell of one of the connectors includes an integrally formed insertion plug having cantilever elements that electrically contact a conductive surface of the mating connector to provide a low-impedance pathway between the shell and the mating connector for purposes of grounding and/or shielding. The electrical connector system is designed to be readily disassembled and reassembled for repair or re-work without the use of special tools. This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 61/420,722, filed Dec. 7, 2010, and 61/532,436, filed Sep. 8, 2011, both titled “Connector For High-Speed Data Transmission,” and both incorporated herein by reference. The field of this disclosure relates to electrical connectors and, in particular, to cable-terminating electrical connector system having enhanced shielding to reduce interference and crosstalk amongst different wires of the cable and different conductors of the connector system. High-speed digital data transmission is facilitated by a data transmission system with a relatively high signal to noise ratio. One exemplary system includes a 1000BASE-T Ethernet network that includes category 5, 5E, 6 or 6A cables. Cables in such a system are designed to propagate data signals without generating or introducing appreciable noise, and are terminated by electrical connectors at either end to either connect cables together, or to connect cables to electronic devices. Electrical connectors commonly used for terrestrial applications, such as an RJ-45 style connector, have proved to be less than suitable for aerospace and other applications. In aerospace and other applications, electrical connectors are subjected to a variety of harsh environmental conditions, such as the presence of moisture, vibrations and mechanical shock, relatively high amounts of external electrical and magnetic interference, and pressure changes, all of which can detrimentally affect an electrical connector's performance, that is, its ability to transmit data signals while maintaining a relatively high signal to noise ratio. Common electrical connectors for aerospace and other suitable applications, such as the Quadrax-style connector, tend to work well for data transfer rates less than 1 gigabit per second, but tend to exhibit, induce, generate or introduce excessive noise during high-speed data transmission at rates faster than 1 gigabit per second. Because degraded performance of an electrical connector adversely affects the ability of a system to transfer data at high rates, the present inventor has recognized a need for a robust electrical connector capable of facilitating high-speed data transfer in aerospace and other suitable applications, for example, in aircraft electronic systems having performance criteria meeting gigabit data transfer standards such as 1000BASE-T. The present inventor has thus identified a need for an improved connector configuration for reducing crosstalk, noise, and interference in high-speed data transmission systems and for such connectors having enhanced reliability in demanding environments. An electrical connector system includes a pin connector and a mating socket connector. In one arrangement, each of the connectors is attached to a cable having four twisted pairs of wires. The connectors preferably include features for shielding each of several pairs of wire-terminating contacts of the connector from the other pairs contacts to thereby reduce interference and crosstalk. In one aspect, an electrically conductive front shell of the connector defines a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending in an axial direction and having openings at a front face of the front shell. An electrically conductive insertion plug portion of the front shell projects from the front face in the axial direction from a location on the front face between the openings for insertion into a connection bore of the mating connector. The insertion plug portion includes multiple cantilever members each including a radially outwardly projecting portion located proximate a free end of the cantilever member for pressing against an inner surface of the connection bore to establish a low-impedance electrical coupling between the shells of the connector and the mating connector. The insertion plug portion and the cantilever members may be integrally formed with the front face of the front shell. In some embodiments, the cantilever members cooperate with a connecting post slidably mounted in the front shell to provide a latching function. In another aspect, a connector system includes a first connector with an electrically conductive front shell having an insertion plug portion projecting from the front face of the front shell in an axial direction, and a second connector that is configured to be slidably mated to the first connector along a connection axis. The second connector includes a conductive front shell defining a connection bore sized to receive the insertion plug portion of the first connector so that at least one of the radially outwardly projecting portions of the cantilever members of the insertion plug bears upon a conductive inner surface of the connection bore when the connector and mating connector are mated, to thereby establish a low impedance connection between the front shell of the connector and the front shell of the mating connector. In yet another aspect, an electrical connector comprises an electrically conductive front shell in which is formed a plurality of contact-receiving cavities. The cavities extend in an axial direction entirely through the front shell to define a rear opening proximate a rear end of the front shell and an opposite front opening in a front face of the front shell. A conductive central core of the front shell extends in the axial direction and may slidably support a connecting post of a latch mechanism. A plurality of conductive fins radiate from the core and integrally interconnect the core with a peripheral portion of the front shell so that each fin separates and shields an adjacent pair of the cavities from each other. The peripheral portion, the core, and the fins are preferably all integrally formed in a monolithic structure. Wire-terminating contacts are held in spaced-apart relation by a plurality of electrically insulating sheaths. Each sheath is sized to receive and retain a pair of the contacts such that at least a portion of each electrical contact is contained within the sheath in alignment with one of a pair of contact apertures in a front wall of the sheath, and so each of a pair of wires terminated by the electrical contacts extends through a rear end portion of the sheath. Each sheath is sized and shaped for insertion into one of the cavities in the front shell, preferably through the rear opening thereof, so as to position the contact apertures of the sheath in alignment with the front opening of the cavity. An electrically conductive rear shell adapted to be coupled to the front shell and extends rearwardly of the rear end thereof so as to capture the insulating sheaths between the front and rear shells and retain them in the cavities. The rear shell may also hold a conductive shielding ferrule against the rear end of the front shell, for retaining the insulating sheaths and contacts in place. The shielding ferrule may include a flexible rear skirt that is flexed radially inwardly by the rear shell when the rear shell is coupled to the front shell, to thereby clamp onto the cable, such as onto a shielding layer wrapped around the wires of the cable. In some embodiments, pin and socket contacts are inserted into and removed from the pin and socket connectors without requiring special tools other than tools commonly used to crimp or solder pin and socket contacts to wires, or to separate such contacts from wires. FIG. 1 shows an exemplary cable that includes four twisted pairs of wires. FIG. 2 is a left-side sectional isometric view of an electrical connector system including mating socket and pin connectors according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional isometric view of an electrical connector system showing detail of a latch and a latch release mechanism according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3A is an isometric view of a pin connector according to a third embodiment with a rear shell and shielding ferrule of the connector omitted to show detail of a front shell of the connector and wires terminated by the connector. FIG. 4 is a right-side isometric partly exploded view of the pin connector of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a top view of a pin front shell of the connector FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a front view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a left front isometric view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a right rear isometric view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIG. 9 is a right rear isometric view of another pin front shell. FIG. 10 is a right-side cross-section view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIG. 10A is a left-side cross-section detail view of a pin connector according to another embodiment showing detail of a latch mechanism and connecting post. FIG. 11 is a left-side cross-section view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5, rotated 90° about a longitudinal axis compared to FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is an enlarged right-side cross-section view of a front end portion of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIG. 13 is an enlarged rear view of the pin front shell of FIG. 5. FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 are respective right-side cross-section, rear end and isometric views of a rear shell of the connector of FIG. 4. FIGS. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 are respective a front end, left side section, side elevation, rear end, and rear and front isometric views of an electrically conductive shield ferrule of the connector of FIG. 4. FIGS. 23, 24, 25, and 26 are respective top, left side section, right-rear isometric, and left-front isometric views of a sheath of the connector of FIG. 4, with a cover of the sheath (illustrated in FIGS. 27-30) omitted to show detail. FIG. 23A is a right-rear isometric view of a pin contact sheath according to another embodiment. FIG. 23B is a pictorial view of an assembly of a cable and pin contacts with four of the sheaths of FIG. 23A. FIGS. 27, 28, 29, and 30 are respective bottom, right side section, bottom-right-front isometric, and top-left-front isometric views of a cover for the sheath of FIGS. 23-30. FIGS. 31 and 32 are side and isometric views of a connecting post of the connector of FIG. 4. FIGS. 33 and 34 are side and isometric views of a latch release button of the connector of FIG. 4. FIG. 35 is an isometric view of a retaining pin of the connector of FIG. 4. FIGS. 36 and 37 are front and side views of a facial seal of the connector of FIG. 4. FIG. 38 are a top and side section views of a boot of the connector of FIG. 4. FIG. 40 is a partly exploded isometric view of the socket connector of FIG. 2. FIG. 41 is a front view of a conductive socket front shell of the connector of FIG. 40. FIG. 42 is a top view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIG. 43 is a rear view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIG. 44 is a left-side cross-sectional view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIG. 45 is an enlarged left-side cross-sectional view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a conductive socket front shell. FIG. 47 is a left-side rear isometric view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIG. 48 is a right-side front isometric view of the conductive socket front shell of FIG. 41. FIGS. 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53 are respective rear end, top plan, right side section, left-front isometric, and right-rear isometric views of a contact-retaining sheath of the connector of FIG. 40. FIG. 50A is a right-side rear isometric view of sheath for socket contacts according to another embodiment. FIG. 50B is a pictorial view of an assembly of a cable and socket contacts with four of the sheaths of FIG. 50A. FIG. 54 is an isometric view of an exemplary pin contact. FIG. 55 is an isometric view of an exemplary socket contact. FIG. 56 illustrates a right-side rear isometric view of an exemplary arrangement of pin contacts located in sheaths as such sheaths would be arranged in a pin front shell and showing wire-termination detail. FIG. 57 is an isometric view of first and second housings (yokes) each holding a pair of electrical connectors. FIG. 58 illustrates a left-side, bottom, front isometric view of the first housing holding electrical connectors and a right-side, bottom, rear isometric view of the second housing holding electrical connectors of FIG. 57. FIG. 59 illustrates a right-side, top, rear isometric view of the first housing first portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 60 illustrates a bottom isometric view of the first housing first portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 61 illustrates a bottom isometric view of the second housing first portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 62 illustrates a right-side, top, rear isometric view of the second housing first portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 63 illustrates a top isometric view of the first and second housing second portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 64 illustrates bottom isometric view of the first and second housing second portion of FIG. 57. FIG. 65 illustrates a right-side, top, rear isometric view of another first housing holding electrical connectors and a left-side, top, front isometric view of another second housing holding electrical connectors. FIG. 66 illustrates a left-side, bottom, front isometric view of the first housing holding electrical connectors and a right-side, bottom, rear isometric view of the second housing holding electrical connectors of FIG. 65. FIG. 67 illustrates a bottom isometric view of the first housing first portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 68 illustrates a right-side, top, rear isometric view of the first housing first portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 69 illustrates a bottom isometric view of the second housing first portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 70 illustrates a right-side, top, rear isometric view of the second housing first portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 71 illustrates a top isometric view of the first and second housing second portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 72 illustrates bottom isometric view of the first and second housing second portion of FIG. 65. FIG. 73 illustrates a front isometric view of another housing. FIG. 74 illustrates a right-side isometric view of another housing. FIG. 75 illustrates a right-side isometric view of another housing. When forming an electrical connection between two cable segments it is important to match a particular twisted pair in one cable segment with a particular twisted pair in the other cable segment. Likewise, when forming an electrical connection between a cable and an electronic device it is important to match a particular wire pair with a particular terminal of the electronic device. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, and 40, matching a particular pair of wires in one cable to a particular pair of wires in another cable is facilitated by including indicia on the connectors near the apertures for holding contacts as described below. Such indicia may also be used to match a particular pair of wires with a particular terminal of an electronic device. Such matching helps ensure that signals are propagated between correct wire pairs and helps avoid splitting wire pairs, i.e., making one half of a correct connection and one half of an incorrect connection, which may induce crosstalk, such as near end crosstalk (“NEXT”) or far end crosstalk (“FEXT”). An embodiment of a connector system 5 is described with reference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 40. A description of the physical arrangement of components for the connector system 5 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, and 40 is followed by a description of a manner of assembling the parts for forming and connecting the electrical connector 5. Features of some of the components of the connector system 5 are then described with respect to using the connector system 5 to connect two cable segments together for high-speed data transfer, for example, data transferred at rates of 1 gigabit per second and faster by signals generated at frequencies ranging from approximately 100 MHz to approximately 600 MHz and faster. Although the invention is not so limited, the following discussions relate to forming an electrical connection between two cable segments that each include 4 pairs of twisted copper wires. Other exemplary uses include connecting a cable to a piece of electronic equipment and connecting cables with more or fewer than 4 pairs of twisted wire pairs, such as 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 8 pairs, for example. Before discussing embodiments of electrical connectors that facilitate high-speed data transfer for systems located in relatively harsh environments, such as in aerospace applications, we begin with overview of two main mechanisms that can cause noise to be internally created within a cable—crosstalk and return loss. Crosstalk is primarily caused by unwanted electrical interference. Return loss is primarily caused by impedance mismatches. An overview is provided to better understand obstacles the present inventor has recognized that an electrical connector facilitating high-speed data transfer for systems located in relatively harsh environments should overcome. A data signal, in other words, an electrical signal typically having a specific wave shape and height, must have sufficient energy to travel through a wire. Such energy is created at the near end of a wire when an electronic device creates an electrical pulse and transmits such electrical pulse to the wire. When an electrical pulse travels through a wire it loses energy, thus attenuating, in other words reducing, the energy of the electrical pulse as it moves through the wire. Such attenuation is frequency dependent. For typical cables or wires, electrical pulses transmitted as signals at relatively high frequencies, for example, high-speed data signals at 100 MHz to 500 MHz, are attenuated to a greater degree than are lower frequency signals, such that higher frequency signals are relatively weak by the time they reach the far end of a cable or wire compared to lower frequency signals. Attenuation may be influenced by the size of the electrical carrier (cross-sectional area), the length of the electrical carrier, and whether the electrical carrier makes a good electrical contact with other components such as contacts, for example. Impedance refers to the opposition to the flow of an electric pulse as it travels through a conductor, such as a wire. Impedance is also frequency dependent, but as the frequency increases, impedance decreases. For low frequency signals the impedance is largely a function of the conductor size, for example, a larger diameter wire has a lower impedance than does a smaller diameter wire. For high frequency signals, several physical aspects of a cable in addition to conductor size influence impedance, including the type of insulation material surrounding a wire, the thickness of such insulation, and the number of twists per inch for a twisted pair. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a category 5, 5E, 6, 6A (also known as Cat 5 (or Cat-5), Cat 5E, Cat 6, or Cat 6E) or other suitable cable “C” is commonly made from four twisted pairs of copper wires, PAIR 1, PAIR 2, PAIR 3, PAIR 4. Each wire, WIRE 1, WIRE 2, WIRE 3, WIRE 4, WIRE 5, WIRE 6, WIRE 7, WIRE 8 is covered with an electrically insulating material having a relatively uniform thickness. Thus, the insulating material on each of the wires keeps the two wires of each pair electrically isolated from each other and maintains a relatively uniform separation distance between the wires. Each of the twisted pairs (PAIR 1, PAIR 2, PAIR 3, and PAIR 4) commonly has a different twist rate, or pitch, that is, how many twists occur per unit of linear distance spanned by the pair. Cable C includes a foil shield “S” surrounding PAIR 1, PAIR 2, PAIR 3, and PAIR 4 to help prevent external electromagnetic interference from reaching PAIR 1, PAIR 2, PAIR 3, and PAIR 4 and to help prevent extraneous electrical signals from escaping cable C. A jacket “J” provides mechanical protection for shield S and the wires. If the two insulated wires of each pair were to be untwisted, that is, laid together in a parallel manner with one side of each wire constantly facing the other, an electrical pulse, such as a data signal, travelling down one of the wires would create interference signals in the other wire through inductance and to a lesser degree through capacitance, largely depending on the separation distance between the wires. In other words, if the wires were spaced sufficiently far apart, an electric pulse travelling down one wire would not create interfering signals in the other wire. However, sufficiently separating such parallel wires often requires too much space to create compact cables. Such interfering signals are referred to as crosstalk because, in essence, a signal from one wire crosses over to the other. The longer the distance two such wires are parallel to each other, and on the same side of each other, the larger such crosstalk signals may become. Since both wires commonly carry data signals at the same time for high-speed digital data transmission, a relatively large crosstalk signal may interfere with a data signal being carried by a wire and corrupt or overpower the data signal. To reduce crosstalk, instead of laying out a pair of wires in a parallel manner cable manufacturers twist such pairs of wires together, thus greatly shortening the distance over which any portions of the two wires are parallel and on the same side of each other. Any resulting crosstalk signals within the pair are thus kept relatively small and do not substantially interfere with a data signal being carried by either of the wires. Additionally, because each of the four twisted pairs has its own, unique twist rate, crosstalk signals between each of the four pairs is kept relatively small. Untwisting an end portion of each twisted pair of a cable is necessary to connect each end of the cable to a connector for electrically connecting the cable to electronic devices or other cables. Each wire is terminated with a socket or pin contact which is then secured into an electrical connector. In the connector the contacts are typically arranged in a parallel fashion with respect to each other. The present inventor has recognized that such untwisting of each wire pair and parallel arrangement of contacts may create substantially parallel sections of wires that provide an opportunity for crosstalk to be introduced at the ends of the cable (1) between wires of a twisted pair and (2) between each of the twisted pairs, especially over the length of the pin and socket contacts. When such crosstalk is introduced at the end of a cable where a data signal is generated, the crosstalk is referred to as near end crosstalk (NEXT). When such crosstalk is introduced at the end of a cable opposite where a data signal is generated, the crosstalk is referred to as far end crosstalk (FEXT). Thus, the present inventor has recognized that the untwisting of wires for attaching a cable to a connector may induce crosstalk signals in the cable when high-speed data signals are transmitted. The present inventor has also recognized that maintaining the twisted condition of each twisted pair to a point as close as possible to the pin and socket contacts may reduce the likelihood that crosstalk will be induced (1) between wires of a twisted pair and (2) between each twisted pair. Return loss occurs when a portion of a data signal traveling through a conductor is reflected at the far end and propagated back through the conductor toward the near end where the data signal originated. The reflected portion of the data signal may interfere with a newly generated data signal thus corrupting the wave-shape or other characteristic of the data signal and interfering with the newly generated data signal's ability to convey data. Signal reflections are typically created when a data signal encounters an impedance mismatch. For example, a characteristic impedance of a cable may have one value while the characteristic impedance of a connector may have a different value. When such an impedance mismatch between a cable and a terminating connector occurs, a portion of a data signal is reflected back down the cable. The present inventor has recognized that the characteristic impedance of a cable carrying high-speed data signals is affected by several factors such as the wire diameter, the twist rate of each twisted pair, and the type and thickness of insulation surrounding each wire. The present inventor has also recognized that advantages resulting from matching the characteristic impedance of a cable to the characteristic impedance of a connector, such as reducing return loss, can be lost by (1) untwisting each of the twisted pairs of the cable when attaching the cable to the connector, (2) removing portions of the insulation coating from each wire, or (3) both, because such actions may change the characteristic impedance of the cable thus causing an impedance mismatch at the connector. Thus, the present inventor has recognized that untwisting each of the twisted pairs of the cable when attaching the cable to the connector, removing portions of the insulation from each wire, or both, may alter the characteristic impedance of the cable itself and cause an internal impedance mismatch. Such internal impedance mismatch within the cable itself may create return loss signals sufficient to interfere with newly generated data signals. The present inventor has thus recognized that maintaining a cable's characteristic impedance is facilitated by maintaining the individual twist rate for each twisted pair as much as possible when a cable is terminated with an electrical connector. The present inventor has also recognized that maintaining a cable's characteristic impedance is facilitated by removing as little insulation from each wire as possible. In addition to the above mentioned obstacles, the present inventor has recognized that common Quadrax-type connectors are not re-workable, that is, once a Quadrax-type connector is assembled the contacts cannot be removed without destroying the connector housing. For example, incorrectly loaded contacts cannot be removed and correctly loaded. The contacts in common Quadrax-type connectors also tend to be long and easily bent, and because common Quadrax-type connectors cannot be reworked such bent contacts typically require a new connector to replace the one with a bent contact. The present inventor has also recognized a limitation of connectors that include an electrically conductive “X”-shaped grounding post between pairs of contacts, namely that there is a gap over each arm of the “X”. As the number of data bits transferred per second increases the carrier frequencies also increase, which means the carrier wavelengths decrease. Such short wavelengths are capable of passing over the gap of each arm of the “X” shaped grounding post which reduces the effectiveness of such a grounding post at preventing cross talk, especially at relatively high data transfer rates. With reference to FIG. 2, a connector system 5 according to an embodiment includes a pin connector 10 that mates and interfaces with a socket connector 15 to create an electrical connection between two cables (not illustrated for clarity). With reference to FIG. 4, pin connector 10 includes multiple pin contacts 20 that terminate four twisted wire pairs (FIG. 56). Each pair of pin contacts 20 terminating a corresponding pair of wires (e.g., WIRE 1 and WIRE 2 in FIG. 56) of a twisted pair (e.g. PAIR 1) are physically separated from each of the other three pairs of pin contacts 20 by placing each pair of pin contacts 20 in an electrically insulating sheath 25, or another sort of non-conductive contact housing. In one embodiment, each insulating sheath 25 is closed by a sliding, electrically insulating cover 30. In one arrangement, both the insulating sheaths 25 and covers 30 are molded or machined from a polymeric material, for example, fiber reinforced or unreinforced amorphous thermoplastic polyetherimide resin such as ULTEM® 1000, sold by Sabic Innovative Plastics IP B.V. Company of the Netherlands, or other suitable material. Additional details regarding insulating sheaths 25 are given below. In another embodiment (not shown), there may be a single electrically non-conductive housing or sheath that includes multiple chambers, each enclosing a pair of contacts 20. In yet another exemplary embodiment, an electrically non-conductive housing or sheath may be configured to hold only a single contact. Each insulating sheath 25, containing a pair of pin contacts 20 terminating the wires of a twisted pair and closed by a cover 30, is inserted into a cavity 35 in a pin front shell 40. Pin front shell 40 includes four cavities 35 extending in an axial direction entirely through pin front shell 40. Each cavity 35 has a rear opening proximate a rear end 50 of pin front shell 40 and an opposite front opening in a front face 43 of pin front shell 40. Pin front shell 40 includes a conductive central core member (post section 45) that extends in the axial direction, and four conductive fins 46 radiating from the core 45 and integrally interconnecting the core with a peripheral barrel portion of the pin front shell 40. Each of the fins 46 separates and shields adjacent ones of the cavities 35 from each other. Pin front shell 40 is made from an electrically conductive material, such as silver plated T6-7075 aluminum, for example. Other suitable materials, such as gold or nickel, can be used to plate pin front shell 40, and other suitable materials, such as other aluminum alloys, steel, copper or other suitable electrically conductive material, can be used to form pin front shell 40. In other embodiments, pin front shell 40 is made from an insulating material, such as polyetherimide or other suitable plastic, and is coated or plated with an electrically conductive material, such as silver, gold, or nickel. In a preferred embodiment, pin front shell 40 is machined from a single unitary block of metal, but other methods of integrally forming pin front shell 40 in a monolithic structure include molding, casting, metal injection molding (MIM), for example. Cavities 35 preferably have a curved cross-section in the shape of an arc segment of an annulus having curved or radisued ends that resembles a kidney bean shape or a bent obround shape. In one embodiment, each cavity 35 surrounds a substantial portion of each insulating sheath 25 when pin connector 10 is assembled. The conductive core or post section 45 extending from rear end 50 of pin front shell 40 may provide physical support for at least a portion of each insulating sheath 25. In other exemplary embodiments (not shown), the pin front shell may include cavities that extend for substantially the same length as each insulating sheath. When assembled, pin contacts 20 held by sheath 25 are positioned in alignment with the axial direction and extending through the front opening of the cavity 35 in front face 43. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, an optional locking latch mechanism 55 includes a connecting post 65 slidably received in a locking bore 60 formed in core 45 and extending coaxially through pin front shell 40. A spring 70 is retained in the locking bore 60 by a set screw 75 and operably interposed between pin front shell 40 and connecting post 65 to urge connecting post 65 forwardly toward a front end of pin front shell 40. Connecting post 65 is preferably made from an electrically conductive material, such as T6-7075 aluminum that is plated with nickel, silver, or gold, for example, and is inserted in locking bore 60. As best illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, locking bore 60 is similar to a modified blind bore, that is, locking bore 60 is not open enough at a front end 80 to permit connecting post 65 to pass therethrough. The spring 70 and set screw 75 are inserted in a rear end of locking bore 60 to retain connecting post 65 within locking bore 60 and to urge connecting post 65 toward the front end 80 of the locking bore 60. Operation of the locking mechanism 55 is described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 2, 10, and 12. With reference to FIG. 2, an optional release mechanism 85 associated with locking mechanism 55 includes a release button 90 and pin 95. Release button 90 resides in a button aperture 100 formed in a sidewall of pin front shell 40 that communicates with locking bore 60. Operation of release mechanism 85 is described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 10, and 12. A rear seal, or boot, 110 covers release button 90 when pin connector 10 is assembled, to thereby inhibit moisture and other contaminants from entering pin front shell 40 through button aperture 90. In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a resilient sealing member such as an O-ring 92 may be included in button aperture 100 to form a moisture-resistant seal between button 90 and button aperture 100. O-ring 92, is also preferably sized and positioned to act as a biasing member that urges button 90 away from locking bore 60. In other exemplary embodiments, pin 95 may not be included to retain button 90 within button aperture 100. For example, release button 90 and button aperture 100 may include a detent mechanism, snap fit mechanism, or other suitable device, for retaining release button 90 within button aperture 100. In other embodiments, a release mechanism includes a button aperture 100A (FIG. 3A) that is threaded into a radially outer surface of a peripheral barrel portion of pin front shell 40B. A circumferential sealing member (not illustrated), such as an O-ring, seats in the button aperture 100A such that a shaft of a release button 90A passes through the sealing member and a release button head 260A contacts an upper surface of the sealing member. An attachment device, such as threaded ring 91, contacts part of the release button head 260A and threads into the button aperture 100A to trap the release button 90A in the button aperture 100A. The threaded ring 91 also applies pressure to the release button head 260A to pinch the sealing member between the release button head 260A and a seat formed in the button aperture 100A in the pin front shell 40B. The sealing member thus inhibits moisture and other contaminants from entering the pin front shell 40B through the button aperture 100A. Preferably, the sealing member acts as a spring to urge the release button head 260A away from a locking bore, such as locking bore 60 (FIG. 10) in the pin front shell 40B. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, a facial seal 115 is located in an internal groove 120 (FIG. 10) in pin front shell 40 and functions to hinder moisture, dust, or other contaminants from entering connector system 5 when the pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are joined together. Facial seal 115 is made from a resilient material, for example, fluorosilicone having a hardness of approximately 45 Shore A to approximately 50 Shore A. Facial seal 115 may be a standard size O-ring. Facial seal 115 sits in internal groove 120, preferably without being glued or otherwise adhered in place. As described below, pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are linearly joined together, that is, without imparting a twisting motion to either pin connector 10 or socket connector 15. Facial seal 115 is thus linearly compressed by a front face 125 (FIG. 40) of socket connector 15. In one embodiment, facial seal 115 has a thickness of approximately 0.040 inch and is locally compressed approximately 0.015 to approximately 0.020 inch to form a seal when pin connector portion 10 and socket connector portion 15 are joined together. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, an optional electrically conductive annular shield ferrule (shield 130) is located over post 45, for example, by encircling post 45, and a portion of each insulating sheath 25. Shield 130 abuts a rear face 135 (best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8) of the pin front shell 40. Multiple indents or recesses 140 (best illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 22) are formed on an internal surface of electrically conductive shield 130 proximate a front end 145 (FIG. 21). Each recess 140 receives a rear end of one of the insulating sheaths 25. A radiused or chamfered surface 141 preferably surrounds or substantially surrounds each recess 140 to facilitate seating shield 130 over several sheaths 25 after sheaths 25 have been inserted into cavities 35. Preferably, the recesses 140 and insulating sheaths 25 cooperate to mechanically couple the electrically conductive shield 130 with the pin front shell 40 to prevent rotational movement between pin front shell 40 and shield 130. In one embodiment the cavities 35, sheaths 25 and shield 130 are sized for a slight interference of approximately 0.003 inch such that achieving electrical contact between shield 130 and pin front shell 40 requires slightly flexing or compressing sheaths 25, thereby resulting in a tight hold. A raised ridge 142 (best illustrated in FIG. 22) between each recess 140 assists with providing electrical shielding for wires and contacts contained in each sheath 25. In a preferred embodiment, ridges 142 engage or contact fins 46 (best illustrated in FIG. 8) of front shell 40 to cooperatively encircle a portion of each sheath 25. In some embodiments, an electrically conductive shield is omitted. In another embodiment (not illustrated), each ridge, such as ridge 142, includes a central longitudinal groove. A fin, such as a fin 46, mates into each such longitudinal groove to facilitate electrically isolating sheaths, such as sheaths 25, and the contacts and wires contained in each sheath. Mating a fin into a longitudinal groove also mechanically couples the conductive shield, such as conductive shield 130, to the front shell, such as front shell 40, to resist rotational movement therebetween when a rear shell, such as rear shell 170, is attached to the front shell. In another embodiment (FIG. 3A), fins 46B may not step down, like fins 46 (best illustrated in FIG. 9). Post 45B may be shorter than posts, such as post 45, of other embodiments and insulating sheaths 25B (FIG. 23A) may be flush, or substantially flush, with face 135B. Insulating sheaths 25B are described in further detail below. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3A, an optional electrically conductive shield, such as electrically conductive shield 130, may not include indents, such as recesses 140. Preferably, the optional electrically conductive shield includes a front end, such as front end 145 (FIG. 21), that engages a back surface of insulating sheaths 25B to mechanically engage such insulating sheaths 25B and retain them within the pin front shell 40B when a rear shell, such as rear shell 170 (FIG. 2) is attached to the pin front shell 40B. In some embodiments, a retaining clip (not illustrated) or other suitable device may be used to retain insulating sheaths 25B in the pin front shell 40B. When the optional electrically conductive shield 130 abuts face 135 (FIG. 8) of the pin front shell 40, a waist portion 150 (FIG. 19) of shield 130, which has a lesser outer diameter than both end portions of shield 130, is proximate a rear end 155 (FIG. 25) of each sheath 25. Slots 160 (FIG. 22) formed in electrically conductive shield 130 create cantilever beams 165 collectively forming a flexible rear skirt portion of shield 130. In the illustrated embodiment, slots 160 extend through waist portion 150. When an electrically conductive rear shell 170 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is attached to the pin front shell 40, as described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, cantilever beams 165 flex radially inwardly toward a central axis 175 (FIG. 10) of pin front shell 40 when rear shell 170 is coupled to pin front shell 40, thus constricting, or narrowing, an internal opening 151 (FIGS. 18 and 22) of waist portion 150 to urge and retain sheaths 25 toward a front end 41 (FIG. 7) of the pin front shell 40. This radially inward flexure of cantilever beams 165 may also cause beams 165 to clamp around wires and shielding material of the cable to ensure a grounding contact and to provide cable strain relief. Each sheath 25 contacts an internal lip 180 (FIG. 11) in each of the cavities 35 of pin front shell 40 and is maintained in such contact when waist portion 150 of electrically conductive shield 130 is constricted. Rear shell 170 is preferably releasably attached to pin front shell 40. Rear shell 170 is made from electrically conductive materials or from insulating materials coated or covered with conductive materials, such as those used to make pin front shell 40 as described above. In the embodiment of pin connector 10 (FIG. 4) pin front shell 40 and rear shell 170 attach or connect via a set of mating threads. However, other suitable connectors, such as a bayonet connector or snap-fit connector, may be used. In other embodiments, a facial seal, similar to facial seal 115 (FIG. 4), may be included proximate the rear 50 (FIG. 4) of pin front shell 40 to inhibit moisture from entering a pin connector, such as pin connector 10, between the rear shell and the front shell. In some embodiments, a rear shell, such as rear shell 170, is omitted. When no electrically conductive shield or rear shell are included, electrically non-conductive sheaths are preferably held in the front shell by a cover, retaining clip, strain relief, or other suitable device. Thus, some embodiments may include only an electrically conductive front shell and electrically non-conductive sheaths retained in the front shell. Such electrically non-conductive sheaths may be configured to hold a single contact, or may hold two or more contacts. Socket connector 15 is described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 40. In a preferred embodiment, several components forming socket connector 15 are identical to several of the components forming pin connector 10. Like the pin connector embodiments described above, the electrically conductive shield and rear shell are optional for some socket connector embodiments. The same reference number is used to identify such identical components, for example, an identical rear shell 170 is used to form both the pin connector 10 and the socket connector 15 in a preferred embodiment. One advantage of using identical components to form both the pin connector 10 and the socket connector 15 is to reduce the number of unique components needed to create an electrical connector, such as electrical connector 5. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that it is not necessary for such components to be identical, and that such components may include relatively minor differences or relatively major differences. Socket connector 15 includes multiple pairs of socket contacts 190 that terminate the ends of multiple twisted wire pairs (not illustrated for clarity). Each pair of socket contacts 190 terminating a corresponding pair of wires of a twisted pair are physically separated from each of the other three pairs of socket contacts 190 by locating each pair of socket contacts 190 in an electrically insulating sheath 25A, or non-conductive socket housing. Each sheath 25A is closed by a cover 30. In other exemplary embodiments, there may be only one electrically non-conductive housing or sheath that includes multiple chambers where each chamber houses a pair of socket contacts 190. In yet other exemplary embodiments, an electrically non-conductive housing or sheath, such as sheath 25A, may be configured to contain only a single contact. Each sheath 25A, containing a pair of socket contacts 190 terminating wires of a twisted pair and located in a chamber closed by a cover 30, is inserted into a cavity 195 in a conductive socket front shell 200. In one embodiment, each cavity 195 surrounds a substantial portion of each insulating sheath 25A, and a post section 205 extending from a rear end 210 of the conductive socket front shell 200 provides physical support for at least a portion of each insulating sheath 25A. In other exemplary embodiments, a conductive socket front shell, such as socket front shell 200, may include cavities, such as cavities 195, that extend for substantially the same length as each insulating sheath 25A, and a post section, such as post section 205, may not be included. In other embodiments, insulating sheaths 25C (FIG. 50A) may be included and may have an end that is flush, or substantially flush, with a face, such as face 215, located at the rear of a socket front shell, such as socket front shell 200. In such embodiments, a post section, such as post section 25, may be relatively shorter and fins, such as fins 206, may have a relatively greater height. Additionally, an electrically conductive shield, such as electrically conductive shield 130 may not include indents, such as recesses 140, to thereby facilitate holding insulating sheaths 25C in the front shell, but may engage a rear surface of sheaths 25C, for example, as described above. An optional electrically conductive annular shield 130 is located over post 205, for example, by encircling post 205, and a portion of each sheath 25A. Optional electrically conductive shield 130 abuts a face 215 of the conductive socket front shell 200. Multiple indents, or recessed portions, 140 (best illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 22) are formed on an internal surface of electrically conductive shield 130 proximate a front end 145 (FIG. 21). Each recess 140 receives one of the insulating sheaths 25A. A radiused or chamfered surface 141 preferably surrounds, or substantially surrounds, each recess 140 to facilitate seating a sheath 25 in an recess 140. Preferably, the recesses 140 and insulating sheaths 25A cooperate to mechanically engage the electrically conductive shield 130 with the conductive socket front shell 200 to prevent rotational movement between conductive socket front shell 200 and electrically conductive shield 130. A raised ridge 142 (best illustrated in FIG. 22) between each recess 140 assists with providing electrical shielding for wires and contacts contained in each sheath 25A. In a preferred embodiment, ridges 142 engage or contact fins 206 (best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 40) to cooperatively encircle and electrically isolate a portion of each sheath 25A. When the optional electrically conductive shield 130 abuts face 215 of the conductive socket front shell 200, a waist portion 150 of the electrically conductive shield 130, which has a lesser outer diameter than both end portions of shield 130, is proximate a rear end 155A (FIG. 52) of each insulating sheath 25A. When an optional conductive rear shell 170 is attached to the conductive socket front shell 200, as described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, cantilever beams 165 of conductive shield 130 move toward a central axis 220 (FIG. 42) of socket connector 15, thus constricting, or narrowing, an internal opening 151 (FIGS. 18 and 22) of waist portion 150 to urge and retain insulating sheaths 25A toward a front face 201 (FIGS. 42 and 48) of the conductive socket front shell 200. Each sheath 25A contacts an internal lip 225 (FIG. 44) in each of the cavities 195 of conductive socket front shell 200 and is maintained in such contact when waist portion 150 of electrically conductive shield 130 is constricted. Optional electrically conductive rear shell 170 engages electrically conductive socket front shell 200 similar to the engagement of conductive rear shell 170 to pin front shell 40 described above with reference to FIG. 4. With reference to FIG. 2, in one embodiment boots 110 and 110A are attached to the pin connector 10 and the socket connector 15, respectively. Boots 110 and 110A are made from an elastic material, preferably fluorosilicone with a hardness of approximately 45 Shore A to approximately 50 Shore A, and are slid into place over rear shells 170 and over pin front shell 40 and socket front shell 200. For the pin connector 10, the boot 110 is slid over the pin front shell 40 far enough to cover release button 90. Boot 110 may optionally include internal annular rings protruding above surface 111 (FIG. 39) to facilitate sealing around cable and wires entering either the pin connector 10, the socket connector 15, or both. Boot 110, when slid into place on the pin connector 10 is preferably tight enough to substantially prevent moisture from entering through button aperture 100 or cable aperture 11. A series of annular grooves 185 formed in rear shell 170 (FIG. 16) assist with holding boots 110 and 110A in place and with forming a seal between boots 110 and 110A and rear shells 170, for example, by providing a place for portions of boots 110 and 110A to deform into thus creating O-ring like seals. In other embodiments where a release button, such as release button 90A (FIG. 3A), includes a sealing element, a boot, such as boot 110, may not cover the release button. Pin connector 10 is preferably assembled in two stages, a factory stage and a field stage, to facilitate ease of assembly for a user in the field by eliminating the need to assemble relatively small, delicate components in the field. The factory stage involves assembling the optional locking and release mechanisms 55 and 85, respectively, into the pin front shell 40 in a controlled environment, such as a facility where the locking and release mechanism components are made, or a suitable assembly facility where the locking and release mechanism components are shipped for assembly. The field stage involves terminating wires with pin contacts 20, securing pin contacts 20 in sheaths 25, and securing sheaths 25 in pin front shell 40. Socket connector portion 15 is assembled in one field stage that involves terminating wires with socket contacts 190, securing socket contacts 190 in sheaths 25A, and securing sheaths 25A in socket front shell 200. The assembly of pin connector 10, of socket connector 15, or both may occur entirely in a factory environment or entirely in a field environment. Consequently, the following discussion of factory assembly stage and field assembly stage is merely exemplary, and not intended to limit the assembly method to a particular environment. With reference to FIG. 4, the factory assembly stage includes inserting connecting post 65 into locking bore 60, followed by inserting spring 70 into locking bore 60. Set screw 75 is threaded into a rear end of locking bore 60 to compress spring 70 which urges connecting post 65 into engagement with the front end 80 (FIG. 10) of the locking bore 60. The longitudinal position of set screw 75 in locking bore 60 may be adjusted to adjust the amount of force exerted by spring 70 on connecting post 65. In some embodiments, an internal circumferential step in a locking bore, such as locking bore 60, and a mating, external circumferential step on a connecting post, such as connecting post 65, may be included. The two circumferential steps preferably limit the amount of travel for the connecting post toward the front end of the locking bore, regardless of the force exerted by a spring, such as spring 70. A thread locking material, such as one available under the Loctite® brand produced by Henkel, of Düsseldorf, Germany, is preferably used to secure set screw 75 in place once spring 70 has been sufficiently compressed. In another embodiment, a plug (not illustrated) is inserted into locking bore 60 with a press or interference fit to hold spring 70 in place. With reference to FIGS. 10 and 12, the front end 80 of the structure forming locking bore 60 includes multiple cantilever beams 230 extending from an internal face 235 of pin front shell 40. Four slots 240 separate cantilever beams 230. A snap-lock ridge 245 is formed in each cantilever beam 230 proximate the free end thereof external to the locking bore 60. Collectively, cantilever beams 230 form an electrically conductive insertion plug 231 projecting from front face 43 of pin front shell 40 in the axial direction from a location between the contact openings in front face. In some embodiments, insertion plug 231 includes a locking/latching feature, such as cantilever members or beams 230 with snap-lock ridges 245 or other suitable radially outward projecting portions proximate a free end of the cantilever members, or another locking mechanism such as a ball lock. In other embodiments, an insertion plug, such as insertion plug 231, may not include a locking feature, and may not include a bore, such as locking bore 60. In yet other embodiments, the front end 80B (FIG. 10A) of the structure forming locking bore 60B includes multiple cantilever beams 230B extending from an internal face 235B of pin front shell 40B. Four slots 240B separate cantilever beams 230B. Instead of a snap-lock ridge, such as snap-lock ridge 245, each cantilever beam 230B bears a modified snap-lock feature 245B, such as radiused surface 232 proximate the free end thereof external to the locking bore 60B. Collectively, cantilever beams 230B form an insertion plug 231B. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, connecting post 65B protrudes past front end 80B and includes a protective cap 66 that inhibits bending of cantilever beams 230B when a pin connector, such as pin connector 10B, and a socket connector, such as socket connector 15, are brought together. Protective cap 66 is affixed to connecting post 65B, preferably via threads, a snap-fit, a press fit or other suitable connection. Internal to the locking bore 60 and proximate the front end 80 a radius section of each cantilever beam 230 provides an engagement surface 250 (FIG. 12). When connecting post 65 is inserted into locking bore 60 and urged toward the front end 80 by spring 75, a front end surface 255 of connecting post 65 (FIG. 31), contacts engagement surface 250, which urges the free ends of cantilever beams 230 away from central longitudinal axis 175 of pin front shell 40. Referring again to FIG. 2, once connecting post 65 is secured in locking bore 60, release button 90 is inserted into button aperture 100 (FIG. 4). Release button 90 includes an external button portion 260 (FIGS. 33 and 34), a shaft 265, and an engagement surface 270 located on the shaft 265 distal from external button portion 260. In one embodiment, engagement surface 270 includes a truncated conical shape having an internal angle θ of approximately 90° between outer surfaces of the conical shape. With reference to FIGS. 2, 31, and 32, connecting post 65 includes a waist section 280 bounded by a rear facing surface 285 and a front facing surface 290. With spring 70 urging connecting post 65 toward front end 80 (FIG. 10) of locking bore 60, engagement surface 270 (FIG. 33) of release button 90 engages the front facing surface 290 bounding waist 280 of connecting post 65 when release button 90 is inserted into button aperture 100 (FIG. 7). Pin 95 is then secured in pin aperture 105 (FIG. 10), for example, via a press fit or mating threads with or without applying a thread locking material. Pin 95 includes an engagement surface 295 (FIG. 35) that engages a retaining lip 275 (FIG. 33) of release button 90. In other embodiments, engagement surface 295 of pin 95 may be an external sidewall of pin 95 and does not need to be tapered or shaped. Contacting engagement surface 295 with retaining lip 275 prevents release button 90 from being withdrawn from button aperture 100. In one embodiment, the factory assembly stage provides a pin front shell 40 that is complete with a locking mechanism 55 and a release mechanism 85 and no loose parts, parts capable of becoming loose, or both. As described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 12, 31, and 33, the optional locking mechanism 55 holds a pin connector 10 in a locked engagement with a socket connector 15. As also described below with reference to FIGS. 2, 12, 31, and 33, operation of the optional release mechanism 85 disengages the locking mechanism so the pin connector 10 can be separated from the socket connector 15. The field assembly stage includes preparing the end of a cable by stripping the outer jacket, such as jacket J (FIG. 1) and overall shielding, such as shielding S from a length of the end of the cable. Preferably, a relatively short amount of jacket J is removed to substantially maintain the impedance characteristics of the cable. Cable preparation also includes untwisting each twisted pair and stripping the insulating material from each wire. Preferably, such untwisting and stripping for each twisted pair involves untwisting and stripping a length of each wire that is approximately 0.40 inch to approximately 0.50 inch. In contrast, many currently available electrical connectors, such as those disclosed in the '584 patent discussed above, require 1.0 inch to 1.2 inches, or more, of untwisting and/or insulation stripping for each twisted pair. The present inventor has recognized that requiring a shorter distance of a twisted pair to be untwisted for insertion into an electrical connector, such as electrical connector 5, has one or more advantages. For example, one such advantage concerning untwisting a relatively short distance of each twisted pair is a reduced likelihood of creating NEXT between each twisted pair of wires, a reduced likelihood of impedance mismatches at the near end of a cable, the far end of a cable, or both, a reduced likelihood of creating FEXT between each twisted pair of wires, or a reduced likelihood of creating crosstalk between cables (also known as alien crosstalk), singularly or in any combination. The present inventor has also recognized that reducing impedance mismatches results in reducing reflected signals at the far end, which reduces signal losses at the far end and also reduces the likelihood of creating near end crosstalk resulting from interference from reflected signals. With reference to FIG. 54, once an end of a cable has been prepared by untwisting and stripping approximately 0.4 inch to approximately 0.5 inch for each wire in each twisted pair, a pin contact 20 is used to terminate each such wire. For example, an exemplary pin contact 20 meeting the specifications of MIL-C-39029 includes a crimping barrel 300. A stripped end of a wire is inserted into the crimping barrel 300 and crimped in place as is well known. In other embodiments, other suitable pin contacts may be used and other suitable manners of attaching a wire to a pin contact may be used, such as soldering, for example. In a preferred preparation of each wire of a twisted pair, the insulating layer surrounding each such wire extends to approximately a rear end 305 of a pin contact 20. In other words, after a wire has been attached to a pin contact 20, the insulating layer preferably extends to within approximately 0.05 inch of the rear end 305 of a pin contact 20 to just contacting the rear end 305, that is, touching barrel 300. With reference to FIGS. 4, 23-26, and 40, after each wire of a twisted pair has been terminated with a pin contact 20 (FIGS. 4 and 56), the pin contacts 20 are inserted into a sheath 25 without the use of tools. First, a portion of each pin contact 20 is inserted through a contact aperture 310 in a front wall 315 of a sheath 25. A collar 320 (FIG. 54) of each pin contact 20 rests in a collar pocket 325 so that a rear surface 330 (FIG. 54) of the collar 320 is approximately flush with a rear surface 335 of front wall 315 (as illustrated in FIG. 56). In one embodiment, collar pockets 325 are dimensioned to snap fit, press fit, or lightly hold, collars 320 in place. As best seen in FIG. 56, a twisted pair jacket “TPJ” covers the twisted portion of PAIR 1 and the twisted portion is proximate rear face 355 (FIG. 25) of dividing wall 350. Thus PAIR 1 is untwisted as little as possible. Additionally, the insulating layer “l” covering each of WIRE 1 and WIRE 2 preferably extends to a position proximate the rear end 305 of each pin contact 20, for example, as discussed above. The barrel 300 of each pin contact 20 lies in a wire cavity 340 of a sheath 25. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, and 40, wire cavities 340 include first and second contact troughs 345 (FIG. 25) separated by a dividing wall 350 extending from a bottom of sheath 25. Dividing wall 350 extends rearward from rear surface 335 of front wall 315 a sufficient distance to provide physical and electrical isolation between barrels 300 of pin contacts 20. In one embodiment, the length of dividing wall 350 is approximately 0.08 inch to approximately 0.10 inch longer than the barrel 300 of pin contacts 20. Thus, dividing wall 350 also preferably provides physical and electrical isolation between any stripped portions of wires extending past rear end 305 of pin contacts 20. When a twisted pair of wires terminated with pin contacts 20 is inserted into a sheath 25, an untwisted portion of the wires may be re-twisted together prior to such insertion. Such re-twisting preferably locates the end of the twisted portion of the wires as close as possible to rear face 355 of dividing wall 350 when pin contacts 20 are inserted through contact apertures 310, thus reducing, or minimizing, the length of the untwisted portion of the wire pair. With reference to FIGS. 4, 23-30, and 40, rails 360 on cover 30 are inserted into grooves 365 in sheath 25 and cover 30 slides into place, closing a chamber, such as wire cavity 340. A head wall 370 of cover 30 is shaped and dimensioned to fit over barrels 300 of pin contacts 20 and to abut rear surface 330 of the collar 320 of pin contact 20 (FIG. 54). In other words, head wall 370 pinches, traps, or retains collars 320 in collar pockets 325 when cover 30 is locked in place on sheath 25. With reference to FIGS. 27-30, third and fourth contact troughs 375 of the cover 30 are separated by a dividing wall 380 extending from an underside of cover 30. In one embodiment, the third and fourth contact troughs 375 are sized and dimensioned to contact barrels 300 thus further retaining pin contacts 20 in place when cover 30 is locked in place on sheath 25. Dividing wall 380 assists with providing physical isolation between the two pin contacts 20. When cover 30 slides through grooves 365 of sheath 25, head wall 370 of cover 30 encounters first locking member 385 of sheath 25. A rounded surface 390 of first locking member 385 causes first locking member 385 to deflect toward second locking member 395 and slide over dividing wall 380 of cover 30 when head wall 370 of cover 30 contacts first locking member 385 of sheath 25. First locking member 385 then encounters aperture 400 of cover 30 which permits first locking member 385 to flex back to its original upright position. As cover 30 is further slid into place on sheath 25, a rounded surface 410 of second locking member 395 of sheath 25 encounters head wall 370 of cover 30, causing second locking member 395 to deflect away from first locking member 385 and slide over dividing wall 380 of cover 30. Second locking member 395 then encounters aperture 400 of cover 30 which permits second locking member 395 to flex back to its original upright position. When cover 30 is in its fully closed position, rounded surfaces 390 and 410 of first and second locking members 385 and 395 of sheath 25, respectively, engage edges of aperture 400 of cover 30 to lock cover 30 in place. Applying force to cover 30 in a direction away from front wall 315 of sheath 25 causes first and second locking members 385 and 395 to flex in directions opposite to those described above, and permits cover 30 to be removed from sheath 25. With reference to FIGS. 23A and 23B, in another embodiment, after each wire of a twisted pair has been terminated with a pin contact 20 (FIGS. 4 and 56), the pin contacts 20 are inserted into an insulating sheath 25B without the use of tools. Each sheath 25B may be located outside front shell 40 when the pin contacts 20 are inserted, or each sheath 25B may be located in front shell 40 when the pin contacts 20 are inserted. Preferably, when a sheath 25B is located in front shell 40 contact between button 31 and an inner wall of cavity 35 causes the forward end 33 of cantilever beam top 30B to produce an audible click when each pin contact 20 is properly seated. First, a portion of each pin contact 20 is inserted through a contact aperture 345B in a rear wall 316 of a sheath 25B. A collar 320 (FIG. 54) of each pin contact 20 rests in a collar pocket 325B so that a rear surface 330 (FIG. 54) of the collar 320 is approximately flush with a rear surface 335B of front wall 315B. In some embodiments, collar pockets 325B may be dimensioned to snap fit, press fit, or lightly hold, collars 320 in place. As best seen in FIG. 23B, a twisted pair jacket “TPJ” covers the twisted portion of PAIR 1 and the twisted portion is proximate rear wall 316. Thus PAIR 1 is untwisted as little as possible. Additionally, the insulating layer “l” covering each of WIRE 1 and WIRE 2 preferably extends to a position proximate the rear end 305 of each pin contact 20, for example, as discussed above. The barrel 300 of each pin contact 20 lies in a wire cavity similar to wire cavity 340 discussed above to provide physical and electrical isolation between barrels 300 of pin contacts 20. When a twisted pair of wires terminated with pin contacts 20 is inserted into a sheath 25B, an untwisted portion of the wires may be re-twisted together prior to such insertion. Such re-twisting preferably locates the end of the twisted portion of the wires as close as possible to rear wall 316 when pin contacts 20 are inserted through contact apertures 345B, thus reducing, or minimizing, the length of the untwisted portion of the wire pair. Instead of including a cover, such as cover 30, sheaths 25B include a cantilever beam top 30B. Cantilever beam top 30B includes a front-facing surface positioned and configured to abut rear surface 330 of the collar 320 of pin contacts 20 (FIG. 54). In other words, cantilever beam top 30B pinches, traps, or retains collars 320 in collar pockets 325B when cover sheath 25B is inserted into a pin front shell, such as pin front shell 40B (FIG. 3A), and button 31 engages an inside surface of a cavity 35B (FIG. 3A) to press a forward end 33 of the cantilever beam top 30B toward pin contacts 20. After each wire of each twisted pair has been terminated with a pin contact 20, and each pair of pin contacts 20 have been retained in a sheath 25 (or 25B) as described above, each sheath 25 (closed with a cover 30) is inserted into a cavity 35 in pin front shell 40. No tools are needed to insert each sheath 25 into a cavity 35. Each sheath 25 slides through a cavity 35 until contacting an internal lip 180 (FIG. 13) in each of the cavities 35. With reference to FIG. 4, an optional electrically conductive shield 130 is slid over post 45 and a portion of each sheath 25 until contacting a face 135 (FIG. 8) of the pin front shell 40. Four sheaths 25, each loaded with terminated pin contacts 20, are inserted in recessed portions 140 (FIG. 22) of electrically conductive shield 130. Next, the rear shell 170 is slid over electrically conductive shield 130 and attached to pin front shell 40, for example via a set of mating threads. As the optional rear shell 170 is threaded onto pin front shell 40, rear shell 170 is drawn closer to pin front shell 40, causing an internal sloped surface 415 (FIG. 14) of rear shell 170 to compress cantilever beams 165 (FIG. 21) of electrically conductive shield 130 toward central axis 175 (FIG. 10), thereby constricting an internal opening 151 (FIG. 18) of waist portion 150 of conductive shield 130. The constricted waist portion 150 contacts and retains sheaths 25 in place against internal lips 180 (FIG. 13) of pin front shell 40. Internal grooves 420 (FIG. 21) on each of the cantilever beams 165 of shield 130 facilitate gripping a cable and acting as a strain relief as cantilever beams 165 are moved toward central axis 175. Boot 110 is slid into place over rear shell 170 and pin front shell 40 to cover release button 90 and provide a water and dust resistant environmental seal for pin connector 10. The field assembly stage for the socket connector 15 is similar to the field assembly stage for the pin connector 10. Each wire of each twisted pair is untwisted and stripped as described above. Each wire is crimped into a barrel portion 425 (FIG. 55) of a socket contact 190, or otherwise suitably attached to a socket contact. Socket contacts 190 are inserted into sheath 25A in a manner substantially similar to how pin contacts 20 are inserted into sheath 25, or into a sheath 25C (FIGS. 50A and 50B) similar to how pin contacts 20 are inserted into sheath 25B. One difference is that no portion of socket contacts 190 protrudes from sheath 25A or from sheath 25C in preferred embodiments. Another difference is that collar pockets 325A (FIG. 51) of sheath 25A (and of sheath 25C) are each deep enough to contain a socket portion 430 of a socket contact 190 as well as a collar 435 (FIG. 55) of socket contact 190. Cover 30 is also slid into place and locked in place substantially as described above with respect to sheath 25, and cantilever beam top 30C functions in a manner substantially as described above with respect to sheath 25B. Sheaths 25A (or sheaths 25C) containing wires terminated with socket contacts 190 are loaded into cavities 195 of socket front shell 200 (FIG. 48), and an optional electrically conductive shield 130 and optional rear shell 170 are attached to socket front shell 200 substantially similar to how they are attached to pin front shell 40 described above. Likewise, rear seal 110 is slid into place over rear shell 170 and a portion of socket front shell 200. An assembled pin connector 10 is connected to an assembled socket connector 15, for example, to connect two ends of two cables together or to connect an end of a cable to an electronic device. With reference to FIGS. 2, 12, 31, and 33, when pin connector 10 is brought into contact with socket connector 15, a first alignment feature 440 (FIG. 7) on pin front shell 40 engages a second alignment feature 445 (FIG. 40) on socket front shell 200. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the first alignment feature 440 is a groove formed in an internal surface of shroud 450 of pin front shell 40 and the second alignment feature 445 is a projection formed on an external surface of socket front shell 200. Other suitable alignment features may be used. One purpose of using alignment features 440 and 445 is to properly match twisted pairs between two cables, or between a cable and an electronic device. As illustrated in FIG. 8, post 45 includes indicia 455 indicating that a particular pair of wires, for example, wires #7 and #8, should be inserted into a particular cavity 35, and the order for the pair of wires, i.e., wire #7 on the left and wire #8 on the right side of cavity 35. Likewise, indicia 460 (FIG. 47) are included on post 205. Note that the indicia 460 mirror the indicia 455 so that the same wire is electrically connected once pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are joined. In other words, wire #7 from a first cable electrically connects to wire #7 of a second cable, wire #8 of the first cable electrically connects to wire #8 of the second cable, and so on, for a straight, or patch type connection. Other suitable wire matching or pairing schemes may be used. When alignment features 440 and 445 engage, the insertion plug 231 (FIG. 10) of pin front shell 40 is also received in a connecting bore (locking bore 465) (FIG. 48) formed in socket front shell 200 of socket connector 15. As pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are slidably moved together and mated, cantilever beams 230 are deflected toward central axis 175 by snap-lock ridge 245 bearing against a conductive inner wall surface of locking bore 465. Such movement of cantilever beams 230 causes connecting post 65 to move toward the rear 50 (FIG. 4) of pin front shell 40, thus overcoming the force exerted by spring 70. Pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are brought together until a front edge 470 (FIG. 5) of pin front shell 40 contacts annular ring (flange) 475 (FIG. 40) on socket front shell 200 and snap-lock ridge 245 (FIG. 10) moves past shoulder 480 (FIG. 44) created by inner circumferential groove 485 formed in the internal wall of locking bore 465 in socket front shell 200. When snap-lock ridge 245 moves past shoulder 480, spring 70 urges connecting post 65 toward the front end 80 of locking bore 60, which causes cantilever beams 230 to move away from central axis 175. Snap-lock ridges 245 thus sit behind shoulder 480 and engage shoulder 480 which to latch or lock pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 together, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably, engagement of snap-lock ridge 245 with shoulder 480 provides a solid mechanical connection and electrical connection between pin connector 10 and socket connector 15, even when the joined pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are subjected to mechanical vibrations and stresses, such as mechanical and thermal stresses. Maintaining a solid mechanical and electrical connection between pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 preferably facilitates shielding against external electromagnetic interference that may otherwise interfere with the cables terminated by the pin connector 10 and socket connector 15. Shields 130 made from an electrically conductive material and placed over portions of the sheaths 25 and 25A cooperate with cavities 35 and 195 to substantially electrically isolate each sheath 25 and 25A, and the contacts contained within such sheaths. The electrically conductive rear shells 170 also contributes to such electrical isolation. Lips 180 and 225 of cavities 35 and 195, respectively, provide electrically conductive material proximate and overlapping portions of the front ends of sheaths 25 and 25A such that when pin connector 10 mates with socket connector 15 there is no substantial gap in electrical shielding surrounding the interface between pin contacts 20 and socket contacts 190. Preferably, a gap between lips 190 and respective lips 225 is approximately 0.010 inch or less. Therefore, noise emitted by a pair of pin or socket contacts substantially flows to a conductive path to ground instead of to another pair of pin or socket contacts, or to another cable. Forming an environmental seal between pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 is facilitated by placing facial seal 115 in an internal groove 120 (FIG. 10) of pin front shell 40. The facial seal 115 is compressed into grove 120 by the front of socket front shell 200 when pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 mate together. Facial seal 115 functions to hinder moisture, dust, or other contaminants from entering pin connector 10 and socket connector 15. Preferably, nearly pure compression forces are imparted to facial seal 115 because pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 are linearly joined together, that is, neither pin connector 10 or socket connector 15 is twisted or rotated when they are joined. Such linear compression without substantial torsion preferably provides controlled, predictable compression and expansion of facial seal 115 as well as helps prevent tearing or otherwise breaking down the material of facial seal 115. Facial seal 115 and sealing release button 90 (or using a sealed release button, such as 90A (FIG. 3A)) preferably provide electrical connectors that inhibit moisture, dust, or other contaminants from entering independently of a separate housing. An optional seal similar to facial seal 115, but located between a front shell (40 or 200, for example) and a rear shell (170, for example) may be included to further inhibit moisture, dust, or other contaminants from entering a pin connector (10, for example) or a socket connector (15, for example). In other words, relatively small, lightweight, and simple housings may be used to hold pin and socket connectors 10 and 15 without the need for such housings to hinder moisture, dust, or other contaminants from entering the electrical connectors 10 and 15. In contrast, commonly available electrical connectors typically rely on a housing to inhibit moisture, dust, and other contaminant intrusion. With reference to FIGS. 2, 12, 31, and 33, when release button 90 is depressed, surface 270 of release button 90 engages front facing surface 290 of connecting post 65 to move connecting post 65 toward spring 70. When connecting post 65 moves away from the front end 80 of locking bore 60, the inherent spring force in cantilever beams 230 causes each cantilever beam 230 to deflect toward central axis 175 of pin connector 10. Thus, snap-lock ridges 245 disengage from shoulder 480, which permits connecting post 65 to be withdrawn from locking bore 465 of socket connector 15. Thus, depressing release button 90 allows pin connector 10 and socket connector 15 to be separated from each other. Exemplary housings 500 and 505 are illustrated in FIGS. 57-64. Housing 500 holds two pin connectors 10 and housing 505 hold two socket connectors 15. However, it is not important which housing, 500 or 505, holds pin connectors 10 or socket connectors 15. Two panel mounting devices 510 may be included on each of housings 500 and 505. Panel mounting devices are described in detail in co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 61/420,480, filed on Dec. 7, 2010, for “Panel Mounting Device And Method of Use,” attorney docket number 45627/18:2, which is fully incorporated by reference herein. As best illustrated in FIGS. 60 and 63, housing 500 includes a first portion 515 and a second portion 520. First portion 515 includes two U-shaped seats 525 for receiving pin connectors 10. Pin connectors 10 are inserted through the open section of the U-shape such that ring (flange) 490 (FIG. 7) of pin front shell 40 is received in groove 530. For a first pin connector 10, a protrusion 492 on ring 490 is aligned with slot 535 of first housing portion 515 to orient the first pin connector 10 with respect to the housing 500. With reference to FIGS. 63 and 64, second housing portion 520 includes two U-shaped seats 526 for receiving pin connectors 10. In a preferred arrangement, U-shaped seats 526 are approximately ⅓ the depth of U-shaped seats 525 of first housing portion 515. Second portion 520 is dropped over pin connectors 10 so that rings 490 of each pin connector 10 are received in grooves 531. For the second pin connector 10, a protrusion 492 on ring 490 is aligned with slot 536 to orient the second pin connector 10 with respect to the housing 500. In a preferred arrangement, a gap of approximately 0.010 inch exists between first portion 515 and second portion 520 when pin connectors 10 are contained therebetween. A fastener, such as a screw 540 (FIG. 58), is inserted through aperture 545 in the second portion 520 and into threaded aperture 550 in the first portion 515. Tightening screw 540 compresses first and second housing portions 515 and 520 together to retain pin connectors 10 in place. Preferably, housing portions 515 and 520 do not touch each other when screw 540 is fully tightened, for example, a gap of approximately 0.005 inch exists between housing portions 515 and 520 in one arrangement. As best illustrated in FIG. 57, a preferred arrangement includes each pin connector 10 with its release button 90 facing away from the other pin connector 10. Such an arrangement allows a user to activate both release buttons 90 with one hand to thereby facilitate separating pin connectors 10 from socket connectors 15 as the user's other hand is free to grasp socket connectors 15 or the housing 505 holding them. Housing portions 515 and 520 are preferably made from a rigid material, such as T6-7075 aluminum, other metal, or a plastic, which may be plated with nickel, silver, or gold. One advantage from constructing housing portions 515 and 520 from an electrically conductive material is to create an electrical path from a pin front shell 40 through a housing 500 to ground extra space when housing 500 contacts a grounding surface, such as an electrically conducting interior structure of an aircraft. Each pin front shell 40 substantially surrounds pin contacts 20, and is preferably electrically connected to a shield surrounding twisted pairs of a cable. Therefore, providing an electrical path between pin front shell 40 and housing 500 provides a low resistance path to ground for unwanted electric signals in the cable, at the pin contacts 20, or externally generated and directed toward the cable shield or the pin connector 10. Housing 500 optionally includes anchor apertures 555, panel mounting device apertures 560, or both. Anchor apertures 555 are preferably sized and dimensioned to receive one or more of various fasteners such as screws, wire ties, or other suitable fasteners for securing housing 500 to a structure. Panel mounting device apertures 560 are sized and dimensioned to receive panel mounting devices, such as panel mounting devices described in co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 61/420,480, attorney docket number 45627/18:2, but may be sized and dimensioned to receive one or more of various fasteners such as screws, wire ties, or other suitable fasteners for securing housing 500 to a structure. Housing 500 also preferably includes a first portion 565 of an alignment device used to orient housing 500 with respect to housing 505. With reference to FIGS. 61 and 62, housing 505 is substantially similar to housing 500. For example, in a preferred embodiment both housing 500 and housing 505 use the same housing portion 520 to retain pin connectors 10 or socket connectors 15. One difference between housing 500 and housing 505 is that housing 505 includes a first portion 515A that bears a second portion 570 of the alignment device instead of the first portion 565. Like first portion 515, first portion 515A is configured to orient and secure socket connectors 15 (or pin connectors 10) in conjunction with second portion 520. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 57, first portion 565 of the alignment device is a shaped cantilever post extending from first housing portion 515. Second portion 570 of the alignment device is a shaped socket secured to first housing portion 515A. Because of the shape of the cantilever post and of the shaped socket, housings 500 and 505 can only be brought close enough together for pin contacts 20 to engage socket contacts 190 when housing 500 and housing 505 are in a desired orientation with respect to each other. Such orientation control helps facilitate matching the correct wire pairs between pin connectors 10 and socket connectors 20. Otherwise, it would be possible for either housing 500 or housing 505 to be mis-oriented by 180° which would result in multiple wire pair mismatches. In a preferred embodiment, first and second alignment portions 565 and 570 contact and engage each other before pin contacts 20 engage socket contacts 190 to pre-align the pin contacts 20 with the socket contacts 190. Such pre-alignment preferably helps reduce bending or otherwise damaging the pin contacts 20 and the socket contacts 190 when pin connectors 10 and socket connectors 15 are mated together. Other suitable alignment devices may be used, for example, instead of a single cantilever post two or more posts in a unique arrangement, or two or more posts having different sizes or shapes could be used with corresponding sockets or apertures. FIGS. 65-72 illustrate another housing combination. Housings 600 and 605 are similar to housings 500 and 505 but include four U-shaped seats 625, 625A, and 626. In a preferred arrangement, two modified socket connectors 15A are used with housings 600 and 605. Socket connectors 15, as described above, are located in the two outer sets of U-shaped seats 625 or 625A. The two modified socket connectors 15A are located in the two central sets of U-shaped seats 625 or 625A. The modification to socket connectors 15A includes eliminating the annular inner circumferential groove 485 (FIG. 44) formed in the internal wall of locking bore 465 of socket connector 15. In other words, locking bores 456A (FIG. 46) have a smooth internal wall. Without a shoulder 480 (FIG. 44) in the locking bores 456A (FIG. 46) there is no corresponding snap-lock feature to engage the snap-lock ridges 245 (FIG. 10) of corresponding pin connectors 10. Therefore, pin connectors 10 do not lock into place when mated to modified socket connectors 15A. In another embodiment (FIG. 10A), socket connectors 15 may be used with a pin connector 10B that includes a connecting post 65B bearing a protective cap 66. Cantilever beams 230B have a modified snap-lock feature 245B that includes a rounded surface 232 instead of a planar, or substantially planar, surface such as those of snap-lock features 245 (FIG. 12). Pin connectors 10B may be used in internal positions, such as the two central positions illustrated in FIG. 65, while pin connectors 10 are used in external positions, or four pin connectors 10B may be used (of which the outer two preferably include release buttons such as 90 or 90A). The rounded surface 232 of modified snap-lock features 245B provides sufficient interference with the annular groove 485 of socket connectors 15 to inhibit socket connectors 15 from becoming inadvertently disengaged from pin connectors 10B. But, such rounded surfaces do not prevent socket connectors 15 from becoming disengaged from pin connectors 10B when a suitable pulling force is exerted against both socket connectors 15 and pin connectors 10B, even when release buttons 90 or 90A are not depressed. Pin connectors 10B therefore may, or may not, include release buttons such as release buttons 90 or 90A. Protective cap 66 serves as a guide to facilitate inserting connecting post 65B into locking bores 465 and also inhibits cantilever beams 230B from catching on an edge of the entrance to locking bores 465 or otherwise becoming bent. Pin connectors, such as pin connectors 10, may include protective caps, such as protective caps 66. By orienting the outer pin connectors 10 to have their release buttons 90 facing away from their neighboring pin connectors 10, housings 600 and 605 facilitate a user activating both release buttons 90 with one hand. Because the modified socket connectors 15A do not lock with their corresponding pin connectors 10 (or, because pin connectors 10B do not fully lock with their corresponding socket connectors 15), a user may grasp with one hand the socket connectors 15, 15A, or both, or the housing 600 or 605 holding such connectors, and with the user's other hand depress the outer two release buttons 90 to separate the pin connectors 10, 10B, or both from the socket connectors 15, 15A, or both. In other embodiments, a housing 500, 505, 600, or 605 may include a ridge or lip that snaps over rings 490 to secure pin connectors 10 with socket connectors 15, 15A, or both. In such embodiments, pin connectors 10 may be modified to eliminate the locking mechanism 55 and the release mechanism 85, and cantilever beams 230 may be eliminated or replaced with a solid post, or pin connectors 10B may be used. As illustrated in FIGS. 73-75, pin connectors 10, 10B, or both and socket connectors 15, 15A, or both may be contained in various housing arrangements. Modified socket connectors 15A, or pin connectors 10B, are preferably used when access to release buttons 90 on pin connectors 10 is hindered by a housing, such as a housing 700, 800, or 900 (FIGS. 73-75). an electrically conductive front shell defining a plurality of contact-receiving cavities extending in an axial direction, each of the cavities having an opening at a front face of the front shell, the front shell including an electrically conductive insertion plug portion projecting from the front face in the axial direction from a location on the front face between the openings, the insertion plug having a plurality of cantilever members each including a radially outwardly projecting portion located proximate a free end of the cantilever member. 2. A connector system including the connector of claim 1, and further comprising a mating connector that is configured to be mated to the connector by sliding the connector and mating connector together along the axial direction, the mating connector having a conductive front shell defining a connection bore sized to receive the insertion plug so that at least one of the radially outwardly projecting portions of the cantilever members of the insertion plug bears upon a conductive inner surface of the connection bore when the connector and mating connector are mated, to thereby establish a low impedance connection between the front shell of the connector and the front shell of the mating connector. 3. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the connection bore includes an inner circumferential groove having a shoulder proximate a front face of the mating connector, the circumferential groove sized to receive the radially outwardly projecting portions behind the shoulder to latch the connector and mating connector together. 4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the insertion plug portion and the cantilever members are integrally formed with the front face of the front shell of a conductive material. the peripheral portion, the core, the fins, the front face, the insertion plug, and the cantilever members are all integrally formed in a monolithic structure. a connecting post slidably received in the bore, the connecting post slidable between a first position in which a portion of the post extends forward of the front face between the cantilever members and bears against the cantilever members to urge the free ends of the cantilever members radially outward, and a second position allowing the free ends of the cantilever members to return to a radially inward position relative to the first position, to thereby facilitate insertion of the insertion plug into a connection bore of a mating connector and subsequent decoupling of the connector and mating connector. 7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the peripheral portion, the core, the fins, the front face, the insertion plug, and the cantilever members are all integrally formed in a monolithic structure. 8. The connector of claim 6, further comprising a spring operably interposed between the core and the connecting post for biasing the connecting post forwardly relative to the front shell. 9. The connector of claim 6, further comprising a latch release button retained in the front shell that is manually depressible to drive the connecting post toward the second position. an electrically conductive rear shell adapted to be coupled to the front shell and extending rearwardly of the rear end thereof so as to capture the sheaths between the front and rear shells, the rear shell including a rear opening for admitting the plurality of pairs of wires therethrough. an electrically conductive annular shield separate from the front shell and the rear shell and captured therebetween so as to abut the rear end of the front shell and surround the plurality of pairs of wires, the electrically conductive shield including a flexible rear skirt that is flexed radially inwardly by the rear shell when the rear shell is coupled to the front shell for thereby clamping around the wires. 13. A connector according to claim 12, further comprising a plurality of inner recesses located forwardly of the skirt for nesting the rear end portions of the sheaths therein. 14. A connector according to claim 11, wherein each of the cavities has a curved cross section. 15. A connector according to claim 14, wherein each of the cavities has a cross sectional shape of an arc segment of an annulus having curved ends, thereby resembling a kidney bean shape. 16. A connector according to claim 11, wherein the rear end portion of each sheath includes a rear opening for admitting the pair of wires into the sheath, each of the wires terminated by a wire-terminating portion of one of the pair of electrical contacts contained within the sheath. 17. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the rear end portion of each sheath includes a pair of rear openings, each of which is configured to admit one of the pair of wires into the sheath for termination by a wire-terminating portion of one of the pair of electrical contacts contained within the sheath. an O-ring retained in the groove. a plurality of latch engagement members operably associated with connecting post and movable radially outward in response to sliding movement of the connecting post for engaging the mating connector. 20. The connector according to claim 19, wherein the latch mechanism includes a spring operably interposed between the core and the connecting post for biasing the connecting post forwardly relative to the front shell. 21. The connector according to claim 19, wherein the latch mechanism further includes a latch release button retained in the front shell that is manually depressible to drive the connecting post along the axial direction for releasing the latch mechanism.

2019-04-19T19:17:46Z

https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120171884A1/en

1. As used herein, “Harrah’s” means Harrah’s Operating Company, Inc. and its parent, affiliates and subsidiaries including, but not limited to, Rio Properties, Inc, dba Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Harrah’s reserves the right to refuse anyone entry into the tournament, in its sole and absolute discretion. 2. Entry into the World Series of Poker (herein “WSOP” refers to all events from May 30, 2008 through July 17, 2008) is limited to persons 21 years of age and older, with proof of age, that Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion, deems appropriate. Only one entry is allowed per person, per event as set forth in event descriptions. 3. Participants may register for any 2008 WSOP tournament event in person at the WSOP Registration Area in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, 3700 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103, beginning May 28, 2008, for scheduled events in the 2008 WSOP. Cash, cashier’s checks drawn from accredited banks and made out to registrants or the Rio, and Rio gaming chips may be used to pay for entry into a WSOP event. 4. Subject to the restrictions described in these rules, pre-registrations can be initiated by downloading a pre-registration form online at www.worldseriesofpoker.com, The completed form and deposit must be submitted to the Rio no later than two weeks prior to the start of the selected event(s). The deposit required is for the full amount of an event one pre-registers for and may be applied to the event registration at the Rio or used for whatever other purpose participants may elect. Pre-registration will remain open until two weeks prior to the start of a particular event. All pre-registrants must finalize their registration on site. Thereafter, participants may register in person at the Rio. Complete instructions can be found at www.worldseriesofpoker.com. Pre-registered participants will need to present proof of identity (passport, driver’s license, state identification card or military identification card) in person at the Rio to complete the registration process and obtain his or her table and seat assignment. Participants wishing to apply the deposit to an event other than what was selected during pre-registration must do so in person at the Rio. 5. Third-party registrations for players are not permitted unless submitted by Official WSOP sponsors; Official WSOP promotional partners, or Official WSOP product licensees. No third-party registrations will be accepted from online gaming sites conducting business with U.S. residents. For more information regarding third-party entries please contact Angele Marshall by email at anmarshall@harrahs.com. 6. Harrah’s may limit the number of entries into any WSOP event and may award entries into any event through any means it deems appropriate. Harrah’s intends to award a limited number of entries through satellite tournaments, third-party marketing arrangements and or other promotional activities in its sole and absolute discretion, and will add the required entry fee(s) to the prize pool. 7. Participants are responsible for payment of any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees associated with tournament registration. 8. Participants must show their current valid picture identification (driver’s license, state identification card, or military identification card) acceptable to Harrah’s at registration and Will Call. If a participant is not a U.S. citizen, a current passport, consular identification or alien registration card is required. 9. Employees of Harrah’s and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, owned, operated or managed properties, contractors hired for the operation of the WSOP or parent companies and immediate family members of such employees are not eligible to play in any WSOP events, unless approved in advance by Harrah’s. Immediate Family is defined as: spouse, children and any relative or other person residing in the employee’s place of residence. 10. Individuals who are excluded from casino facilities, either through a government program or by their own request, are not eligible. 11. Each participant must certify their own eligibility. 12. No teams, substitutes, transfers or assisted play will be permitted. Harrah’s reserves the right to accommodate players based on special needs. 13. Cancellations or voids must be completed prior to the start of a particular event. Please contact the Tournament Manager, Daniel Vogel, for a Cancellation Form in the Tournament Offices at the WSOP, by email to dvogel@lvrio.harrahs.com, or by telephoning 702-777-6777. The Cancellation Form must be signed and received prior to the start of a particular event. Email notification is also acceptable provided such notification is received and approved prior to the beginning of the event. 14. By submitting a Pre-Registration Form to Harrah’s for registration in and/or participation in the WSOP, such persons and/or entities agree to these rules. 15. The ability to pre-register as described in these rules is void where prohibited or in any way restricted by law. 16. Entries will be retained for record-keeping purposes in accordance with local legal requirements. 17. WSOP tournament times are approximate. Harrah’s reserves the right to change WSOP tournament times in its sole and absolute discretion. 18. Harrah’s may cancel, modify, relocate or reschedule the WSOP or any individual event within the WSOP for any reason with prior notification to the appropriate gaming regulators, to the extent such is required. 19. Harrah’s is not responsible for electronic transmission errors or delays resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, hardware, software, or telephone failures of any kind, lost or unavailable connections, fraud, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions, whether caused by Harrah’s, users, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the promotion or by any technical or human error that may occur in the processing of submissions, any of which may limit, restrict, or prevent a participant’s ability to participate in the tournament. 20. Harrah’s is not responsible for injuries or losses arising or resulting from participation in the WSOP and is not liable for any acts or omissions by employees, whether negligent or willful, in the conduct of the WSOP, and is not liable in the event of any equipment or software malfunction. This includes, but is not limited to, any loss of any tournament chips players leave at playing tables during tournament play, except during authorized breaks. failures, or any other causes within or beyond the control of Harrah’s that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this tournament, Harrah’s reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Tournament. 22. Prizes and entries are non-transferable. Prize structures depend on the number of entrants and type of event. 23. Winners are responsible for payment of any and all taxes, licenses, registrations and other fees associated with tournament prizes. 24. Winners must show their current valid picture identification (driver’s license, state identification card, or military identification card) acceptable to Harrah’s in order to collect prizes. If a participant is not a U.S. citizen, a current passport, consular identification or alien registration card is required. 25. Entrants will be assigned to a table and seat through a random computer selection. 26. A random seating draw for an event will be determined based on expected participation. Tournament management reserves the right to allow additional table seating beyond expected capacity. In the event tables are added to a tournament beyond the anticipated random draw, those players assigned to the additional tables will be the first to break. 27. If the participant is not present at the start of the tournament, all forced antes and blinds bets will be removed from an absent player’s stack accordingly. If player shows up and still has chips remaining, [s]he may play his or her chips. 28. Harrah’s reserves the right to cancel, change or modify the WSOP at any time, for any reason, subject to all applicable regulatory approval, provided that such modification shall not, as of the date of such modification, materially alter or change any participant’s prize already awarded. 29. No-value tournament chips are used for the tournament and are the exclusive property of Harrah’s and may not be removed from the tournament area or the assigned event. Players found to be transferring chips from one event to another or from one player to another will be subject to penalty in accordance with Rule No. 31. 30. Harrah’s may impose penalties of any kind or nature upon any person who gives, makes, issues, authorizes or endorses any statement or action having, or designed to have, an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interest of the Tournament as determined by Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion. This may include, but shall not be limited to, expulsion from the event and property, forfeiture of a player’s entry fee(s) and/or loss of the right to participate in this and/or any other tournament conducted by Harrah’s. Additionally, Harrah’s may in its sole and absolute discretion impose penalties of any kind or nature upon any person who, in Harrah’s view engages in inappropriate conduct during tournament play. 31. Harrah’s may disqualify any person for any prize based upon fraud, dishonesty, violation of promotional rules or other misconduct while on the property or otherwise occurring in relation to the World Series of Poker or as otherwise reasonable or necessary for Harrah’s to comply with applicable statutes and regulations, in its sole and absolute discretion. Harrah’s also reserves the right to exclude any individual(s) acting in a disruptive or inappropriate manner. 32. Any attempt by any person to deliberately damage, corrupt or undermine the operation of the WSOP tournament may be a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Harrah’s reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent of the law. 33. All decisions regarding the interpretation of World Series of Poker Rules, player eligibility, scheduling and staging of the Tournament, and penalties for misconduct lie solely with Harrah’s, whose decisions are final. 34. Harrah’s employees will use reasonable commercial efforts to consider the best interests of the Tournament and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process, with the understanding that “best interests of the Tournament and fairness” shall be determined by Harrah’s, acting in its sole and absolute discretion. Unusual circumstances can, on occasion, dictate that the technical interpretation of the rules be balanced against the interest of fairness. Harrah’s decisions are final and can not be appealed and shall not give rise to any claim for monetary damages, as each participant understands that, while poker is primarily and largely a game of skill, the outcome of any particular hand or event is dependent on many factors, including but not limited to the cards dealt, the cards retained and the actions of other participants. may impose at any time a zero-tolerance policy for profane language whether directed at another person or not. 36. Excessive celebration through extended theatrics, inappropriate behavior, or physical actions, gestures, or conduct may be subject to penalty. Any player that engages a member of the tournament staff during the celebration or utilizes any property of Harrah’s will be penalized in accordance with Rules No. 31 and/or 51. Harrah’s property includes but is not limited to chairs, tournament tables, and stanchions. 37. Any player(s) adjudged or determined by Harrah’s to be colluding with other players will immediately be disqualified from the event, and will not be allowed to play in future WSOP events at any Harrah's Entertainment property. 38. Player or staff abuse will not be tolerated. A player may incur a penalty up to and including disqualification for any abuse towards another player or staff member, and player could be asked to leave the property. Repeated etiquette violations such as touching another player’s cards or chips, delay of game and excessive chatter will result in penalties. 39. The WSOP is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including gaming, and all aspects of the WSOP are subject to the approval of appropriate regulatory authorities. 40. Tournament Rules and any and all changes in the rules and event descriptions for the WSOP May 30, 2008, through July 16, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be available at the tournament facilities in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. 41. Where a situation arises that is not covered by these rules, Harrah’s shall have the sole authority to render a judgment, including the imposition of a penalty, in accordance with the best interests of the Tournament and the maintenance of its integrity and public confidence. 42. Prior to entering and playing in the Tournament, each participant must execute a Player Release Form. Failure to do so may, at the option of Harrah’s acting in its sole and absolute discretion, subject the player to immediate disqualification at any point in the Tournament. If the player is disqualified he or she shall forfeit all entry fees and not be entitled to any Tournament prize monies or any other prize consideration that he or she may have qualified for at the point of disqualification. (c) Advertise any malt beverage or any distilled liquor or any non-alcoholic product containing the name of a liquor product other than Milwaukee’s Best Light or another product of the Miller Brewing Company. (h) Disparage or libel any person or product. (i) Advertise a dot.com gaming site that conducts business with U.S. residents. (j) Are or might be injurious or prejudicial to the interests of the World Series of Poker, the Rio, Harrah's or its affiliated companies or are otherwise contrary to honest advertising and reputable business in general. This includes but is not limited to the name or logo of any person or entity that uses or has used the trademarks, trade names or logos of Harrah's or its affiliated companies without written authorization from an authorized officer of Harrah's. (k) In addition, all logos, patches, and promotional language for any dot.net website must contain a clear and visible "dot.net" suffix at least the same size as the site name. (l) Harrah’s reserves the right at all times to impose a ban on any apparel deemed objectionable by Harrah’s, in its sole and absolute discretion. 44. Floor People: Floor People are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the top priority in the decision-making process. Unusual circumstances can on occasion dictate that decisions in the interest of fairness take priority over the technical rules. The floor person’s decision is final. 46. Side pots: Each side pot will be split as a separate pot. Pots will not be mixed together before they are split. 47. Odd Chips: The odd chip(s) will go to the high hand. In flop games, when there are two (2) or more high hands or two (2) or more low hands, the odd chip(s) will go to the left of the button. In stud-type games, the odd chip will go to the high card by suit. However, when hands have identical value, e.g., a wheel in Omaha 8 or Better, the pot will be split as evenly as possible. 48. Calling-for-clock procedures: Once a reasonable amount of time, which is no less than three minutes, has passed and a clock is called, a player will be given one (1) minute to act. If action has not been taken by the time the minute has expired, there will be a ten (10) second countdown. If a player has not acted on his hand by the time the countdown is over, the hand will be dead. Any player intentionally stalling the progress of the game will incur a penalty in accordance with Rule No. 51. 49. Dead Button: Tournament play will use the dead button rule. Dead Button is defined as a button that can not be advanced due to elimination of a player or the seating of a new player into a position between the small blind and the button. 50. A player exposing his or her cards with action pending may incur a penalty, but will not have a dead hand. The penalty will begin at the end of the hand. All players at the table are entitled to see the exposed card(s), if requested. A penalty may also be imposed if a player throws a card off the table, violates the one-player-to-a-hand rule or engages in similar behavior. Penalties will be invoked in cases of soft-play, abuse or disruptive behavior. All penalties will be imposed at Harrah’s sole and absolute discretion, in accordance with Rule No. 51. 51. In its sole and absolute discretion, Harrah’s may impose penalties that include verbal warnings and missed-hand penalties. A missed-hand penalty will be assessed as follows: The offender will miss one hand for each player at the table, including the offender, when the penalty is given, multiplied by the number of rounds specified in the penalty. Tournament staff can assess one-, two-, three- or four-round penalties or disqualification. Players who receive a missed-hand penalty must remain outside the designated tournament areas for the length of their penalty. The player must notify the tournament staff prior to returning to their seat. Repeat infractions are subject to escalating penalties up to disqualification. 52. A player who is disqualified shall have his or her chips removed from play and no refund will be provided to that disqualified player. Any player who forfeits play for health or other personal reasons after the start of a tournament will have his or her chips blinded off accordingly. 53. A player must be at his or her seat by the time all players have been dealt complete initial hands to have a live hand. Players must be at their seats to call time. “At your seat” is defined as being within reach or touch of your chair. 54. All cards will be turned face up once a player is all in and all action is complete. If a player accidentally folds/mucks their hand before cards are turned up, the Tournament Staff reserves the right to retrieve the folded/mucked cards if the cards are clearly identifiable. 55. If a player puts in a raise of 50 percent or more of the previous bet but less than the minimum raise, he or she will be required to make a full raise. The raise will be exactly the minimum raise allowed. In no-limit and pot-limit, an all-in bet of less than a full raise does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted. Putting a single oversized chip into the pot will be considered a call if the player doesn’t announce a raise. Putting in two $500 chips on a 300-600 blind level without an announcement will also be considered a call even though it is two chips. If a player puts an oversized chip into the pot and says, “Raise,” but doesn’t state the amount, the raise will be the maximum allowable up to the denomination of that chip. To make a raise with a single oversized chip, a verbal declaration must be made before the chip hits the table surface. After the flop, an initial bet of a single oversized chip without comment will signify a bet equal to the size of the chip. 56. In no-limit or pot-limit, a raise must be made by a.) placing the full amount in the pot in one or more continuous motion(s) without going back toward the player’s stack or b.) verbally declaring the full amount prior to the initial placement of chips into the pot or c.) verbally declaring “raise” prior to the placement of the amount to call into the pot and then completing the action with one additional motion back to the player’s stack. Less than a full raise in an all-in situation does not reopen the betting to a player who has already acted. 57. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Therefore, whether in a hand or not, players may not a.) disclose contents of live or folded hands, b.) advise or criticize play before the action is completed, or c.) read a hand that hasn’t been tabled. While in a hand, players may not a) discuss hands or strategy with any spectator, or b) seek or receive consultation from an outside source. The one-player-to-a-hand rule will be enforced. Players who violate this rule are subject to penalty in accordance with Rule 51. 58. Tournament and satellite seats will be randomly assigned. Tournament staff reserves the right to accommodate players based on special needs. 59. The English-only rule will be enforced at all WSOP tables during tournament play. 60. There will be no foreign objects on the table except for a maximum of one card cap. Card caps can be no larger than two (2) inches in diameter and no more than one-half (1/2) inch in depth. 61. Deck changes will be on the dealer push or limit changes or as prescribed by Harrah’s. Players may not ask for deck changes unless a card is damaged. 62. When time has elapsed in a round and a new round is announced by a member of the tournament staff, the new limits apply to the next hand. A hand begins with the first riffle. 63. If a player announces the intent to re-buy before the first card is dealt, that player is playing behind and is obligated to make the re-buy. A player may not miss a hand. If a player runs out of chips during the re-buy portion of a re-buy event, he must re-buy or declare to re-buy before the start of the next deal. 64. Players must keep their highest denomination chips visible at all times. 65. Verbal declarations as to the content of a player's hand are not binding; however at Harrah’s discretion, any player deliberately miscalling his hand may be penalized. 67. A player who intentionally dodges his or her blind(s) when moving from a broken table must post both blinds and will incur a penalty, in accordance with Rule No. 51. 68. All chips must be visible at all times. Players may not hold or transport tournament chips in any manner that takes them out of view. A player who does so will forfeit the chips and face disqualification. The forfeited chips will be taken out of play. 69. The breaking order for an event will be posted at the beginning of that event. The table to which a player is moved will be specified by a predetermined procedure. Players going from a broken table to fill in seats assume the rights and responsibilities of the position. They can get the big blind, the small blind or the button. The only place they cannot get a hand is between the small blind and the button. Harrah’s reserves the right to alter the breaking order due to unusual circumstances. 70. Play will halt at any table that is at least three players short. In fields greater than 20 tables, players will be moved from the next numerical table at full capacity to the short table. Once a tournament is below 20 tables, players will be moved from the next table in the breaking order that is at full capacity to the short table. Players moving from a full table to a short table assume the same rights and responsibilities of the position as outline in Rule No. 69. In flop games and all other games that use a dealer button, players will be moved from the big blind to the worst position (which is never the small blind) at the new table. In stud games, players will be moved by position (the last seat to open up at the short table is the seat to be filled). 71. There is no cap on the number of raises in no-limit games. In flop games, the initial raise must be at least double the big blind, with all subsequent raises being at least the size of the previous raise. In limit events there will be a maximum of one bet and four raises, even if there are only two players remaining in the hand. Once the tournament becomes heads-up, the rule does not apply. There may be unlimited raises at the heads-up level. 72. In stud-type games, if any of the players' two down cards are exposed due to a dealer error, it is a misdeal. In flop games, exposure of one of the first two cards dealt is a misdeal. Players may be dealt two consecutive cards on the button. The following situations may also be cause for a misdeal, if during the initial deal a) two or more extra cards have been dealt b) the first card was dealt to the wrong position c) cards have been dealt to an empty seat or a player not entitled to a hand or d) a player has been dealt out who is entitled to a hand. 73. If a dealer kills an unprotected hand, the player will have no redress and will not be entitled to his or her money back. An exception would be if a player raised and his or her raise had not been called yet, he or she would be entitled to receive his or her raise back. 74. A dealer cannot kill a winning hand that was turned face up and was obviously the winning hand. Players are encouraged to assist in reading tabled hands if it appears that an error is about to be made. 75. Harrah’s reserves the right to cancel or alter any event at its sole discretion in the best interest of the casino or its players. 76. Poker is an individual game. Soft play will result in penalties that may include forfeiture of chips and/or disqualification. Chip dumping will result in disqualification. 77. Players are entitled to be informed of the pot size in pot-limit games only. Dealers will not count the pot in limit and no-limit games. If requested, dealers may spread the pot so that it can be counted by a player. 78. When heads up in blind games, the small blind is on the button and acts first. When beginning heads-up play, the button may need to be adjusted to ensure no player takes the big blind twice. 79. At the end of the last round of betting, the player who made the last aggressive betting action in that betting round must show first. If there was no bet during the final round, the player to the left of the button shows first, and so on in a clockwise direction. In stud games, the player with the high board must show first. In razz, the lowest board shows first. 80. Players must remain at the table if they still have action pending on a hand. 81. Dealers will be responsible for calling string bets/raises. All players at the table are encouraged to assist in calling a string bet/raise if a dealer fails to identify one. String bets/raises called by a player must be verified by a floor person. A string bet/raise is defined as attempting a bet or raise in multiple movements that include a return to a player’s stack without a prior verbal declaration of intent or include deception intended to induce action our of turn before a player’s action is complete. 82. A player must show cards when playing the board to get part of the pot. particular event, may transfer his or her buy-in for the subsequent event to another event, or may also receive a refund, upon request, provided that the transfer or refund is approved and initiated prior to the beginning of the event from which a transfer or refund is being requested. 84. Players are responsible for checking their tournament entry receipts before they leave the registration window. All changes must be made before the start of any event. 85. Registration is open until the end of the second level of any event. 86. Late registrants for any event will be subject to the following rules in addition to all other rules. In games with blinds, a player who enters during the first round of play will receive no penalty so long as the blinds have not passed their position. Players who enter after the first round of blinds must wait until their first opportunity to post to begin play. In games with only antes, the player must ante at their first opportunity. 87. Cell Phone Rule: All cell phones and other voice-enabled and “ringing” electronic devices must be silenced during tournament play. A player who wants to use a cell phone must be at least one table length away from their assigned table or be subject to penalty. The hand of any player talking on a cell phone, texting, e-mailing or otherwise communicating electronically while in a hand with action pending will be declared dead. Any player using a cellular phone while in a hand with no action pending (player has gone all-in) will receive a missed hand penalty to be assessed on the next hand. Any player using a cell phone while at their seat even if not in a hand will receive a missed hand penalty. No cell phones or other electronic communication device can be placed on a poker table. 88. Approved Electronic Device Rule: Players are allowed to use as approved electronic devices iPods, MP3 and other music players or noise-reduction headsets during tournament play until they have reached the money in any tournament , so long as the approved electronic devices can not access the internet, send or receive SMS texts and are not equipped with any type of communication device. Therefore, iPhones, iTouch, Treos, Blackberrys, and other similar devices will not be allowed. Once players are in the money in any tournament, all approved electronic devices must be removed. An announcement will be made to players once they have reached the money to remove all such electronic devices. Failure to do so will results in a penalty up to and including disqualification. 89. All chips put into the pot in turn stay in the pot. If a player has raised and his or her hand is killed before the raise is called, the player may be entitled to the raise back, but will forfeit the amount of the call. Any chips put into the pot out of turn fall under action "may or may not be binding". 90. Players must act in turn at all times. Action out of turn may or may not be binding. If a player acts out of turn and the action does not change by the time it is that player's turn to act, that player's action is binding. Action changes only if a player makes an initial bet or raises before the action gets back to the person that acted out of turn. Action does not change when the player in front of a player acting out of turn checks, calls or folds. If a player acts out of turn and the action changes, the person who acted out of turn may change their action by calling, raising or folding and may have their chips returned. Players may not intentionally act out of turn to influence play before them. Players will receive a warning for the first occurrence of acting out of turn, and will receive a penalty, in accordance with Rule No. 51, every time after. 91. Rules governing Live Action Play are detailed in the Live Action Poker Manual that will be located at the Poker Podium within the Live Action side of the tournament area. 92. There will be dinner Breaks for all events that begin at 12 noon and will be anticipated after the end of six levels of play. Dinner Breaks will last 90 minutes. There will be no staggered Dinner breaks. 93. There will be no Dinner Break for events that begin at 5 p.m. An extended break will be awarded after four levels of play and will last 30 minutes. There will be no staggered breaks. 94. Play will end after 10 levels of play for all events that begin at 12 noon. Play will resume the following day at 2 p.m. The Tournament Director may modify this schedule for any reason. 95. Play will end after eight levels of play for all events that begin at 5 p.m. Play will resume the following day at 3 p.m. The Tournament Director may modify this schedule for any reason. 96. Tournament Supervisors are to consider the best interest of the game and fairness as the priority in the decision making process. Unusual circumstances may, on occasion, dictate that the technical interpretation of the rules be ignored in the interest of fairness. The Tournament Supervisor's, or highest authority in the room, decision is final. 97. Upon nearing the “Money” (the first level of the prize pool payout), a “Hand-for-Hand” method of determining player placement within the prize pool and the actual amount of prize pool disbursement within that event will be utilized. This will begin by completing the current hand in progress at all tables. Once all hands are complete, the dealer at each table will deal one hand only, then – once the hand is complete – suspend play. This process will continue until enough players have been eliminated to reach the money. During the Hand-for-Hand process, more than one player may be eliminated during the same hand. If two players are eliminated during the same hand at different tables, both players will “tie” for that place finish. If two players are eliminated during the same hand at the same table, the player who began that hand with the highest chip count will receive the higher place finish.

2019-04-19T00:44:00Z

http://blog.billbruce.info/2008/03/2008-wsop-tournament-rules.html

Résidence de Rochebrune: 2 room apartment 4 people. Orcières 1850: Residence "Rochebrune". In the resort. In the complex: reception, restaurant, WiFi, lift. Parking (limited number of spaces). Shop 1 km, restaurant 1 km, park "national des Ecrins". Skisport facilities 100 m. Please note: car recommended. The photograph shows a typical example. There are more similar properties for rent in this same residence. Pets allowed: 30 Euros/week. Baby kit (cot and high chair) 30 Euros/week. Surface area : about 30 m². 2-room apartment 30 m2. Living/dining room with 2 sleeping facilities and TV. 1 room with 2 sleeping facilities. Kitchenette (4 hot plates, dishwasher, microwave). Bath/WC. Electric heating. Balcony. Résidence de Rochebrune: 2 room apartment 6 people. Orcières 1850: Residence "Rochebrune". In the resort. In the complex: reception, restaurant, WiFi, lift. Parking (limited number of spaces). Shop 1 km, restaurant 1 km, park "national des Ecrins". Skisport facilities 100 m. Please note: car recommended. The photograph shows a typical example. There are more similar properties for rent in this same residence. Pets allowed: 30 Euros/week. Baby kit (cot and high chair) 30 Euros/week. Surface area : about 38 m². 2-room apartment 38 m2. Living/dining room with 2 sleeping facilities and TV. Alcove with 1 x 2 bunk beds. 1 room with 2 sleeping facilities. Kitchenette (4 hot plates, dishwasher, microwave). Bathroom, sep. WC. Electric heating. Balcony. Résidence de Rochebrune: 1 room apartment 4 people. Orcières 1850: Residence "Rochebrune". In the resort. In the complex: reception, restaurant, WiFi, lift. Parking (limited number of spaces). Shop 1 km, restaurant 1 km, park "national des Ecrins". Skisport facilities 100 m. Please note: car recommended. The photograph shows a typical example. There are more similar properties for rent in this same residence. Pets allowed: 30 Euros/week. Baby kit (cot and high chair) 30 Euros/week. Surface area : about 27 m². 1-room apartment 27 m2. Living/dining room with 1 x 2 bunk beds, 1 pull-out bed (2 pers.), TV. Kitchenette (4 hot plates, dishwasher, microwave). Bath/WC. Electric heating. Balcony. New premium suite for 4 people with 2 double beds. The saying "Living as God in France" was certainly conceived with the Azure coast in mind. Because the Côte d’Azur, those are beautiful beaches, fashionable seaside resorts and picturesque fishing villages. This southern French coastal area has been the attraction of the rich and the famous for decades thanks to the beautiful azure blue sea, the beautiful weather and of course thanks to prestigious events such as the Cannes Film Festival. This new luxurious holiday suite for 4 people features 2 bedrooms with a double bed. The accommodation is equipped with all comforts and has a pleasant living room with flat screen television and a spacious terrace. The open kitchen is fully equipped (fridge, combi microwave oven, 4 hotplates, kettle, coffee machine, dishwasher, pots and pans, dining service, ...). The bathroom has a shower, washbasin and there is a separate toilet. At 25 minutes from Nice is Vence, a historic town that can undoubtedly be counted as one of the most picturesque places in France. This charming city is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, which is the second most important tourist region in France after Paris. Thanks to the pleasant Mediterranean climate, the sun is present here for around 300 days a year, Vence is not only a popular summer destination, but also the ideal place to spend the winter. The medieval town of Vence is a historic gem, with the Chapelle du Rosaire with paintings by Henri Matisse and the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Nativité as its highlights. You get to know the town best by strolling in the cozy, old streets with its typical shops and nice markets. Vence does not disappoint in the culinary field either: there are numerous gastronomic restaurants, with or without Michelin stars, and other traditional restaurants. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just 4 kilometers away, is also worth a visit. This picturesque artists' village has been the favorite residence of poets, writers and artists such as Picasso, Henri Matisse and Chagall since the 1920s. Art lovers can indulge in La Colombe d’Or and the Fondation Maeght, a private museum with modern and contemporary art from, among others, Giacometti, Miró and Chagall. The beach can be found 15 minutes away from Nice, and we are 20 minutes away from the airport. Reservations General information Holiday Suites only accepts reservations from people who are 18 or older. Holiday Suites reserves the right to refuse a reservation at any time without specifying a reason. All personal information including addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of all people who will be staying with us must be furnished to Holiday Suites to ensure that the required communication with you can take place. If this information is not furnished, Holiday Suites will not be able to provide you with important information regarding arrival and departure (key safe, code, route description, etc.). If people and pets have not been specified when making the reservation, they may not stay with you at the accommodation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. You can make a reservation 24 hours a day through our Internet site ... or by telephone by calling ... between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. (this call may not be free). If you are entitled to a discount, please inform us immediately when making your reservation. We cannot deduct discounts afterwards. Discount schemes and special offers apply to a limited number of holiday accommodation units. Discount schemes cannot be used in combination with special offers. Discounts cannot be combined unless a combination is specified specifically. A limited number of holiday accommodation units are reserved for youths younger than 21 who are travelling alone. They must contact our reservation department before booking. Detailed information You must have paid the full amount of your reservation before your arrival. We will cancel your reservation should payment be late. You can determine the position of your suite yourself for an additional small charge (sea view or sunny side). You can also group multiple suites in the same booking. All preferences will depend on availability and you must make your request when making your reservation. Price General The prices in the brochure and on ... may be different from the actually consulted price when booking your accommodation. A number of elements included in the price must be reviewed regularly such as (but not limited to) energy costs. Holiday Suites reserves the right to change prices and/or to charge a surcharge. Holiday Suites also reserves the right to change discounts and discount schemes. The price specified on the confirmation/invoice is binding. The price includes the following: The rate Use of a flat screen or TV VAT (Obligatory) rental of sheets Energy and water use, taxes, etc. Cleaning upon departure The price does not include the following: (Optional) rental of towels Other supplements (service kit, etc.) Cleaning during your stay (when requested). If you book online, the system will present a detailed overview of all costs and the total price while you are booking the accommodation. Holiday Suites has the right to alter prices or cancel reservations up to 72 hours after booking. Discounts Specific discounts may apply to the price in accordance with specific terms and conditions. Discounts: Cannot be used in combination with other benefits or offers Do not apply to reservations that have already been made Apply to specific arrival dates, periods or target groups (for example: OAPs, families with young children, people who book early, etc.) Apply to a limited number of suites and/or accommodation types Can always be revised Will never apply with retroactive effect Discounts cannot be used any more after confirmation or after the invoice has been issued. Deposit The deposit must be paid in full to Holiday Suites through a bank transfer or a credit card before arrival. The reservation will be refused or cancelled if the above payment is not made in full or in part. The deposit will be reimbursed through a bank transfer by Holiday Suites to the account of the person making the reservation. This will take place once the stay has taken place and will be done within 3 weeks if the Holiday Suites accommodation is in order upon your departure. All our holiday accommodation units are clean and hygienic. If you find that something is missing or broken when you access the accommodation unit, please report this within an hour after accessing the accommodation unit by calling ... EUR/minute). If you do not do so, you run the risk of having to pay for the missing item or damage yourself when you leave. To ensure that the deposit is reimbursed quickly, please let us have your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code when you make your reservation. The following cleaning activities must be carried out by the guest: Clear up the kitchen/kitchenette, i.e. the kitchen unit, all crockery, plates, saucepans, pans and service must be washed up and dried and put away in the units The fridge, cooling, microwave, coffee machine and kettle must be cleaned Waste must be deposited in the containers (see the park plan) when you leave Sheets and (any) towels must be gathered and placed in the washing bag provided in the entrance hall (if a washing bag is not available, they may be simply stacked on the floor) Switch off the lighting and close windows and doors Leave the patio/garden tidy and place the garden furniture in the storage facility (if this applies to your destination) If additional work needs to be carried out by the cleaning company, the deposit will not be reimbursed in full or in part (a minimum of 30 EUR will apply) and the administrative costs for this will be charged. If the park regulations are breached, 50% of the deposit will not be reimbursed (for example, when you park at the site instead of the car park, when driving faster than the maximum permitted speed, etc.). If you lose the key or it breaks off, € 40 will be deducted from the deposit. The entitlement to be reimbursed the deposit will expire two years after the date of departure. You may not have people and pets stay with you if they have not been specified when you made the reservation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part (also see item 10) or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. Smoking is not allowed in any of our buildings. If you do smoke, the entire deposit will not be reimbursed. If you cancel your reservation, the deposit will be reimbursed to the person making the reservation once your stay has finished. This reimbursement will take place within 21 days. Changes & Cancellations Changes If you want to shorten the length of your stay after making a reservation, you can do this up to 1 month before arrival. You can always book additional items and extend your stay based on availability. You can tell us about changes and cancellations by telephone by calling ... EUR/minute). We charge € 25 in administration costs for changing reservations already made. Cancellations If you cancel earlier than 7 days before your arrival date, you are allowed to do so free of charge. If you cancel within a period of 7 days before Please note: the rates do not include the mandatory hirers' liability insurance. This small amount is a percentage of the rental sum starting from 10 Euros per reservation. New family suite for 6 people with 2 bunk beds. The saying "Living as God in France" was certainly conceived with the Azure coast in mind. Because the Côte d’Azur, those are beautiful beaches, fashionable seaside resorts and picturesque fishing villages. This southern French coastal area has been the attraction of the rich and the famous for decades thanks to the beautiful azure blue sea, the beautiful weather and of course thanks to prestigious events such as the Cannes Film Festival. This new luxurious holiday suite for 6 people features a bedroom with a double bed and 2 sleeping corners with a bunk bed for 2 people. The accommodation is equipped with all comforts and has a pleasant living room with flat screen television and a spacious balcony. The open kitchen is fully equipped (fridge, combi microwave oven, 4 hotplates, kettle, coffee machine, dishwasher, pots and pans, dining service, ...). The bathroom has a shower, washbasin and there is a separate toilet. At 25 minutes from Nice is Vence, a historic town that can undoubtedly be counted as one of the most picturesque places in France. This charming city is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, which is the second most important tourist region in France after Paris. Thanks to the pleasant Mediterranean climate, the sun is present here for around 300 days a year, Vence is not only a popular summer destination, but also the ideal place to spend the winter. The medieval town of Vence is a historic gem, with the Chapelle du Rosaire with paintings by Henri Matisse and the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Nativité as its highlights. You get to know the town best by strolling in the cozy, old streets with its typical shops and nice markets. Vence does not disappoint in the culinary field either: there are numerous gastronomic restaurants, with or without Michelin stars, and other traditional restaurants. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just 4 kilometers away, is also worth a visit. This picturesque artists' village has been the favorite residence of poets, writers and artists such as Picasso, Henri Matisse and Chagall since the 1920s. Art lovers can indulge in La Colombe d’Or and the Fondation Maeght, a private museum with modern and contemporary art from, among others, Giacometti, Miró and Chagall. The beach can be found 15 minutes away from Nice, and we are 20 minutes away from the airport. Reservations General information Holiday Suites only accepts reservations from people who are 18 or older. Holiday Suites reserves the right to refuse a reservation at any time without specifying a reason. All personal information including addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of all people who will be staying with us must be furnished to Holiday Suites to ensure that the required communication with you can take place. If this information is not furnished, Holiday Suites will not be able to provide you with important information regarding arrival and departure (key safe, code, route description, etc.). If people and pets have not been specified when making the reservation, they may not stay with you at the accommodation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. You can make a reservation 24 hours a day through our Internet site ... or by telephone by calling ... between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. (this call may not be free). If you are entitled to a discount, please inform us immediately when making your reservation. We cannot deduct discounts afterwards. Discount schemes and special offers apply to a limited number of holiday accommodation units. Discount schemes cannot be used in combination with special offers. Discounts cannot be combined unless a combination is specified specifically. A limited number of holiday accommodation units are reserved for youths younger than 21 who are travelling alone. They must contact our reservation department before booking. Detailed information You must have paid the full amount of your reservation before your arrival. We will cancel your reservation should payment be late. You can determine the position of your suite yourself for an additional small charge (sea view or sunny side). You can also group multiple suites in the same booking. All preferences will depend on availability and you must make your request when making your reservation. Price General The prices in the brochure and on ... may be different from the actually consulted price when booking your accommodation. A number of elements included in the price must be reviewed regularly such as (but not limited to) energy costs. Holiday Suites reserves the right to change prices and/or to charge a surcharge. Holiday Suites also reserves the right to change discounts and discount schemes. The price specified on the confirmation/invoice is binding. The price includes the following: The rate Use of a flat screen or TV VAT (Obligatory) rental of sheets Energy and water use, taxes, etc. Cleaning upon departure The price does not include the following: (Optional) rental of towels Other supplements (service kit, etc.) Cleaning during your stay (when requested). If you book online, the system will present a detailed overview of all costs and the total price while you are booking the accommodation. Holiday Suites has the right to alter prices or cancel reservations up to 72 hours after booking. Discounts Specific discounts may apply to the price in accordance with specific terms and conditions. Discounts: Cannot be used in combination with other benefits or offers Do not apply to reservations that have already been made Apply to specific arrival dates, periods or target groups (for example: OAPs, families with young children, people who book early, etc.) Apply to a limited number of suites and/or accommodation types Can always be revised Will never apply with retroactive effect Discounts cannot be used any more after confirmation or after the invoice has been issued. Deposit The deposit must be paid in full to Holiday Suites through a bank transfer or a credit card before arrival. The reservation will be refused or cancelled if the above payment is not made in full or in part. The deposit will be reimbursed through a bank transfer by Holiday Suites to the account of the person making the reservation. This will take place once the stay has taken place and will be done within 3 weeks if the Holiday Suites accommodation is in order upon your departure. All our holiday accommodation units are clean and hygienic. If you find that something is missing or broken when you access the accommodation unit, please report this within an hour after accessing the accommodation unit by calling ... EUR/minute). If you do not do so, you run the risk of having to pay for the missing item or damage yourself when you leave. To ensure that the deposit is reimbursed quickly, please let us have your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code when you make your reservation. The following cleaning activities must be carried out by the guest: Clear up the kitchen/kitchenette, i.e. the kitchen unit, all crockery, plates, saucepans, pans and service must be washed up and dried and put away in the units The fridge, cooling, microwave, coffee machine and kettle must be cleaned Waste must be deposited in the containers (see the park plan) when you leave Sheets and (any) towels must be gathered and placed in the washing bag provided in the entrance hall (if a washing bag is not available, they may be simply stacked on the floor) Switch off the lighting and close windows and doors Leave the patio/garden tidy and place the garden furniture in the storage facility (if this applies to your destination) If additional work needs to be carried out by the cleaning company, the deposit will not be reimbursed in full or in part (a minimum of 30 EUR will apply) and the administrative costs for this will be charged. If the park regulations are breached, 50% of the deposit will not be reimbursed (for example, when you park at the site instead of the car park, when driving faster than the maximum permitted speed, etc.). If you lose the key or it breaks off, € 40 will be deducted from the deposit. The entitlement to be reimbursed the deposit will expire two years after the date of departure. You may not have people and pets stay with you if they have not been specified when you made the reservation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part (also see item 10) or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. Smoking is not allowed in any of our buildings. If you do smoke, the entire deposit will not be reimbursed. If you cancel your reservation, the deposit will be reimbursed to the person making the reservation once your stay has finished. This reimbursement will take place within 21 days. Changes & Cancellations Changes If you want to shorten the length of your stay after making a reservation, you can do this up to 1 month before arrival. You can always book additional items and extend your stay based on availability. You can tell us about changes and cancellations by telephone by calling ... EUR/minute). We charge € 25 in administration costs for changing reservations already made. Cancellations If you cancel earlier than 7 days before your arrival date, you are allowed to do so free of charge. If Please note: the rates do not include the mandatory hirers' liability insurance. This small amount is a percentage of the rental sum starting from 10 Euros per reservation. Gorgeous, detached villa with nice furnishings on the beautiful domaine Les Demeures du Luc, near Saumane-de-Vaucluse. The domaine features 44 detached villas, a tennis court and wonderful, large, shared swimming pool with a separate children's pool. The villa has two covered terraces and a large terrace in the garden, where you can enjoy the Southern French colours and smells from your lounger. Of course you can play a game of boules (boules balls are present) or shuffleboard; but why not light the BBQ in the afternoon and enjoy a long and wonderful meal? The next day you could go golfing on the beautiful golf course of Saumane. The afternoon is a great time to explore the the Provence. The picturesque village of La-Fontaine-de-Vaucluse for example, where you can find the spring of the beautiful Sorgue river in an impressive rock formation. Or the pleasant village of L'isle-sur-la-Sorgue with its brocante shops. For a big city you can go to Avignon, with its famous papal palace. The children will enjoy the tree climbing park in Saumane-de-Vaucluse and for small daredevils there's a children's kayak course (especially for children between 3 and 8 years old) at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. There's a mobile air conditioning in the villa. Located in Alpes-Maritimes. Sublet.com Listing ID 3769581. For more information and pictures visit https:// ... /rent.asp and enter listing ID 3769581. Contact Sublet.com at ... if you have questions. Provence villa rental. Charming villa ideally located 15mn from Aix-en-Provence and 20mn from the beaches. The villa offers a pleasant framework: a large terrace covered with view over the Sainte-Victoire, a large and luminous living room, five comfortable rooms for 6/8 people. The place is ideal for a family seeking comfort near the Provencal touristy sites. Vacation rental of a villa with pool and jaccuzi in Provence. Beautiful house located walking distance from the Eguilles village near the city of Aix en Provence. Confortable interiors with 4 en suite bedrooms. Nice exteriors with a landscaped garden with superb views on the countryside and a shaded terrasse for al fresco dining. 60 m2 area of ​​La Plaine City Centre and Old Port close. New Holiday Suite for 2 people. The saying "Living as God in France" was certainly conceived with the Azure coast in mind. Because the Côte d’Azur, those are beautiful beaches, fashionable seaside resorts and picturesque fishing villages. This southern French coastal area has been the attraction of the rich and the famous for decades thanks to the beautiful azure blue sea, the beautiful weather and of course thanks to prestigious events such as the Cannes Film Festival. This new luxurious Holiday Suite for 2 people features a bedroom with a double bed and is accessible for disabled people. The accommodation has a pleasant living room with flat screen television. The open kitchen is fully equipped (fridge, combi microwave oven, 4 hotplates, kettle, coffee machine, dishwasher, pots and pans, dining service, ...). There is a spacious bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. There is also a nice balcony. At 20 minutes from Nice is Vence, a historic town that can undoubtedly be counted as one of the most picturesque places in France. This charming city is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, which is the second most important tourist region in France after Paris. Thanks to the pleasant Mediterranean climate, the sun is present here for around 300 days a year, Vence is not only a popular summer destination, but also the ideal place to spend the winter. The medieval town of Vence is a historic gem, with the Chapelle du Rosaire with paintings by Henri Matisse and the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Nativité as its highlights. You get to know the town best by strolling in the cozy, old streets with its typical shops and nice markets. Vence does not disappoint in the culinary field either: there are numerous gastronomic restaurants, with or without Michelin stars, and other traditional restaurants. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just 4 kilometers away, is also worth a visit. This picturesque artists' village has been the favorite residence of poets, writers and artists such as Picasso, Henri Matisse and Chagall since the 1920s. Art lovers can indulge in La Colombe d’Or and the Fondation Maeght, a private museum with modern and contemporary art from, among others, Giacometti, Miró and Chagall. Reservations General information Holiday Suites only accepts reservations from people who are 18 or older. Holiday Suites reserves the right to refuse a reservation at any time without specifying a reason. All personal information including addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of all people who will be staying with us must be furnished to Holiday Suites to ensure that the required communication with you can take place. If this information is not furnished, Holiday Suites will not be able to provide you with important information regarding arrival and departure (key safe, code, route description, etc.). If people and pets have not been specified when making the reservation, they may not stay with you at the accommodation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. You can make a reservation 24 hours a day through our Internet site ... or by telephone by calling ... between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. (this call may not be free). If you are entitled to a discount, please inform us immediately when making your reservation. We cannot deduct discounts afterwards. Discount schemes and special offers apply to a limited number of holiday accommodation units. Discount schemes cannot be used in combination with special offers. Discounts cannot be combined unless a combination is specified specifically. A limited number of holiday accommodation units are reserved for youths younger than 21 who are travelling alone. They must contact our reservation department before booking. Detailed information You must have paid the full amount of your reservation before your arrival. We will cancel your reservation should payment be late. You can determine the position of your suite yourself for an additional small charge (sea view or sunny side). You can also group multiple suites in the same booking. All preferences will depend on availability and you must make your request when making your reservation. Price General The prices in the brochure and on ... may be different from the actually consulted price when booking your accommodation. A number of elements included in the price must be reviewed regularly such as (but not limited to) energy costs. Holiday Suites reserves the right to change prices and/or to charge a surcharge. Holiday Suites also reserves the right to change discounts and discount schemes. The price specified on the confirmation/invoice is binding. The price includes the following: The rate Use of a flat screen or TV VAT (Obligatory) rental of sheets Energy and water use, taxes, etc. Cleaning upon departure The price does not include the following: (Optional) rental of towels Other supplements (service kit, etc.) Cleaning during your stay (when requested). If you book online, the system will present a detailed overview of all costs and the total price while you are booking the accommodation. Holiday Suites has the right to alter prices or cancel reservations up to 72 hours after booking. Discounts Specific discounts may apply to the price in accordance with specific terms and conditions. Discounts: Cannot be used in combination with other benefits or offers Do not apply to reservations that have already been made Apply to specific arrival dates, periods or target groups (for example: OAPs, families with young children, people who book early, etc.) Apply to a limited number of suites and/or accommodation types Can always be revised Will never apply with retroactive effect Discounts cannot be used any more after confirmation or after the invoice has been issued. Deposit The deposit must be paid in full to Holiday Suites through a bank transfer or a credit card before arrival. The reservation will be refused or cancelled if the above payment is not made in full or in part. The deposit will be reimbursed through a bank transfer by Holiday Suites to the account of the person making the reservation. This will take place once the stay has taken place and will be done within 3 weeks if the Holiday Suites accommodation is in order upon your departure. All our holiday accommodation units are clean and hygienic. If you find that something is missing or broken when you access the accommodation unit, please report this within an hour after accessing the accommodation unit by calling ... EUR/minute). If you do not do so, you run the risk of having to pay for the missing item or damage yourself when you leave. To ensure that the deposit is reimbursed quickly, please let us have your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code when you make your reservation. The following cleaning activities must be carried out by the guest: Clear up the kitchen/kitchenette, i.e. the kitchen unit, all crockery, plates, saucepans, pans and service must be washed up and dried and put away in the units The fridge, cooling, microwave, coffee machine and kettle must be cleaned Waste must be deposited in the containers (see the park plan) when you leave Sheets and (any) towels must be gathered and placed in the washing bag provided in the entrance hall (if a washing bag is not available, they may be simply stacked on the floor) Switch off the lighting and close windows and doors Leave the patio/garden tidy and place the garden furniture in the storage facility (if this applies to your destination) If additional work needs to be carried out by the cleaning company, the deposit will not be reimbursed in full or in part (a minimum of 30 EUR will apply) and the administrative costs for this will be charged. If the park regulations are breached, 50% of the deposit will not be reimbursed (for example, when you park at the site instead of the car park, when driving faster than the maximum permitted speed, etc.). If you lose the key or it breaks off, € 40 will be deducted from the deposit. The entitlement to be reimbursed the deposit will expire two years after the date of departure. You may not have people and pets stay with you if they have not been specified when you made the reservation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part (also see item 10) or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. Smoking is not allowed in any of our buildings. If you do smoke, the entire deposit will not be reimbursed. If you cancel your reservation, the deposit will be reimbursed to the person making the reservation once your stay has finished. This reimbursement will take place within 21 days. Changes & Cancellations Changes If you want to shorten the length of your stay after making a reservation, you can do this up to 1 month before arrival. You can always book additional items and extend your stay based on availability. You can tell us about changes and cancellations by telephone by calling ... EUR/minute). We charge € 25 in administration costs for changing reservations already made. Cancellations If you cancel earlier than 7 days before your arrival date, you are allowed to do so free of charge. If you cancel within a period of 7 days before your arrival date, the full rate is due and payable. If you cut your stay short, the full rate is due Please note: the rates do not include the mandatory hirers' liability insurance. This small amount is a percentage of the rental sum starting from 10 Euros per reservation. New deluxe suite for 6 people with 2 bedrooms. The saying "Living as God in France" was certainly conceived with the Azure coast in mind. Because the Côte d’Azur, those are beautiful beaches, fashionable seaside resorts and picturesque fishing villages. This southern French coastal area has been the attraction of the rich and the famous for decades thanks to the beautiful azure blue sea, the beautiful weather and of course thanks to prestigious events such as the Cannes Film Festival. This new luxurious holiday suite for 6 people features 2 bedrooms of which one with a double bed and one with 2 single beds. There is a sleeping corner with a bunk bed for 2 people. The accommodation is equipped with all comforts and has a pleasant living room with flat screen television and a spacious balcony. The open kitchen is fully equipped (fridge, combi microwave oven, 4 hotplates, kettle, coffee machine, dishwasher, pots and pans, dining service, ...). There are 2 bathrooms of which one with a shower and one with a bath. Both bathrooms have a washbasin and a toilet. At 25 minutes from Nice is Vence, a historic town that can undoubtedly be counted as one of the most picturesque places in France. This charming city is located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, which is the second most important tourist region in France after Paris. Thanks to the pleasant Mediterranean climate, the sun is present here for around 300 days a year, Vence is not only a popular summer destination, but also the ideal place to spend the winter. The medieval town of Vence is a historic gem, with the Chapelle du Rosaire with paintings by Henri Matisse and the Cathédrale Notre Dame de Nativité as its highlights. You get to know the town best by strolling in the cozy, old streets with its typical shops and nice markets. Vence does not disappoint in the culinary field either: there are numerous gastronomic restaurants, with or without Michelin stars, and other traditional restaurants. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, just 4 kilometers away, is also worth a visit. This picturesque artists' village has been the favorite residence of poets, writers and artists such as Picasso, Henri Matisse and Chagall since the 1920s. Art lovers can indulge in La Colombe d’Or and the Fondation Maeght, a private museum with modern and contemporary art from, among others, Giacometti, Miró and Chagall. The beach can be found 15 minutes away from Nice, and we are 20 minutes away from the airport. Reservations General information Holiday Suites only accepts reservations from people who are 18 or older. Holiday Suites reserves the right to refuse a reservation at any time without specifying a reason. All personal information including addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of all people who will be staying with us must be furnished to Holiday Suites to ensure that the required communication with you can take place. If this information is not furnished, Holiday Suites will not be able to provide you with important information regarding arrival and departure (key safe, code, route description, etc.). If people and pets have not been specified when making the reservation, they may not stay with you at the accommodation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. You can make a reservation 24 hours a day through our Internet site ... or by telephone by calling ... between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. (this call may not be free). If you are entitled to a discount, please inform us immediately when making your reservation. We cannot deduct discounts afterwards. Discount schemes and special offers apply to a limited number of holiday accommodation units. Discount schemes cannot be used in combination with special offers. Discounts cannot be combined unless a combination is specified specifically. A limited number of holiday accommodation units are reserved for youths younger than 21 who are travelling alone. They must contact our reservation department before booking. Detailed information You must have paid the full amount of your reservation before your arrival. We will cancel your reservation should payment be late. You can determine the position of your suite yourself for an additional small charge (sea view or sunny side). You can also group multiple suites in the same booking. All preferences will depend on availability and you must make your request when making your reservation. Price General The prices in the brochure and on ... may be different from the actually consulted price when booking your accommodation. A number of elements included in the price must be reviewed regularly such as (but not limited to) energy costs. Holiday Suites reserves the right to change prices and/or to charge a surcharge. Holiday Suites also reserves the right to change discounts and discount schemes. The price specified on the confirmation/invoice is binding. The price includes the following: The rate Use of a flat screen or TV VAT (Obligatory) rental of sheets Energy and water use, taxes, etc. Cleaning upon departure The price does not include the following: (Optional) rental of towels Other supplements (service kit, etc.) Cleaning during your stay (when requested). If you book online, the system will present a detailed overview of all costs and the total price while you are booking the accommodation. Holiday Suites has the right to alter prices or cancel reservations up to 72 hours after booking. Discounts Specific discounts may apply to the price in accordance with specific terms and conditions. Discounts: Cannot be used in combination with other benefits or offers Do not apply to reservations that have already been made Apply to specific arrival dates, periods or target groups (for example: OAPs, families with young children, people who book early, etc.) Apply to a limited number of suites and/or accommodation types Can always be revised Will never apply with retroactive effect Discounts cannot be used any more after confirmation or after the invoice has been issued. Deposit The deposit must be paid in full to Holiday Suites through a bank transfer or a credit card before arrival. The reservation will be refused or cancelled if the above payment is not made in full or in part. The deposit will be reimbursed through a bank transfer by Holiday Suites to the account of the person making the reservation. This will take place once the stay has taken place and will be done within 3 weeks if the Holiday Suites accommodation is in order upon your departure. All our holiday accommodation units are clean and hygienic. If you find that something is missing or broken when you access the accommodation unit, please report this within an hour after accessing the accommodation unit by calling ... EUR/minute). If you do not do so, you run the risk of having to pay for the missing item or damage yourself when you leave. To ensure that the deposit is reimbursed quickly, please let us have your IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code when you make your reservation. The following cleaning activities must be carried out by the guest: Clear up the kitchen/kitchenette, i.e. the kitchen unit, all crockery, plates, saucepans, pans and service must be washed up and dried and put away in the units The fridge, cooling, microwave, coffee machine and kettle must be cleaned Waste must be deposited in the containers (see the park plan) when you leave Sheets and (any) towels must be gathered and placed in the washing bag provided in the entrance hall (if a washing bag is not available, they may be simply stacked on the floor) Switch off the lighting and close windows and doors Leave the patio/garden tidy and place the garden furniture in the storage facility (if this applies to your destination) If additional work needs to be carried out by the cleaning company, the deposit will not be reimbursed in full or in part (a minimum of 30 EUR will apply) and the administrative costs for this will be charged. If the park regulations are breached, 50% of the deposit will not be reimbursed (for example, when you park at the site instead of the car park, when driving faster than the maximum permitted speed, etc.). If you lose the key or it breaks off, € 40 will be deducted from the deposit. The entitlement to be reimbursed the deposit will expire two years after the date of departure. You may not have people and pets stay with you if they have not been specified when you made the reservation. If a Holiday Suites employee or a representative of the company should determine that this is the case, Holiday Suites may decide not to return the deposit in full or in part (also see item 10) or you may be removed from the park without being entitled to a reimbursement. Smoking is not allowed in any of our buildings. If you do smoke, the entire deposit will not be reimbursed. If you cancel your reservation, the deposit will be reimbursed to the person making the reservation once your stay has finished. This reimbursement will take place within 21 days. Changes & Cancellations Changes If you want to shorten the length of your stay after making a reservation, you can do this up to 1 month before arrival. You can always book additional items and extend your stay based on availability. You can tell us about changes and cancellations by telephone by calling ... EUR/minute). We charge € 25 in administration costs for changing reservations already made. Cancellations If y Please note: the rates do not include the mandatory hirers' liability insurance. This small amount is a percentage of the rental sum starting from 10 Euros per reservation.

2019-04-19T16:58:55Z

https://en.arkadia.com/vacation-rentals/provence-alpes-cote-d-azur-g241095/

It was on February 16, 2009, much before operation ‘Rah-e-Rast’ had begun, when few young individuals came on the streets of Islamabad and Lahore to raise money for the women of Swat who had been deprived of the right of education. When others were only protesting against the growing effect of ‘Talebanisation’ in Swat, these individuals were in fact on the roads to do something about the next generation of Swat who were likely to grow up without the light of education if the situation persisted. In no time, they were able to collect Rs 250,000 for the burnt schools in Swat from the streets of Islamabad. When the war drums started beating and tanks began rolling in Buner, these young individuals were sitting in a TV show vowing to put aside their differences on whether they support the operation or not, and to launch an effective relief campaign for the internally displaced persons. Their faces wore determination and compassion, and they appealed to the youth to step forward, and to live the change instead of demanding one. These individuals were from Pakistan Youth Alliance, a youth based and youth administered non-political organisation. Having a history that starts from Musharraf’s Emergency rule, PYA had stood up when and before no one even cared. A group of youth were more politically and socially aware then their peers, which realized the dream of having an unbiased platform for the youth of Pakistan, different from the “student unions” which were used by political parties to realize their shady motives. Casually dressed in jeans young boys and girls, ostentatiously representing the ‘urban elite’ which is often labeled as apathetic, were out there in scorching heat of noon in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, when they ought to be sitting in their air-conditioned homes. It was a heart warming sight as they had not only set up camps at various market places but they also reached personally to people and asked them to contribute generously. It all started from Bahria Town, Islamabad where Rs 100,000 were collected in few hours on May 16, and they targeted Mardan Khas government school on the very next day to distribute the relief items. The first relief effort was successfully completed in 36 hrs, and the spark they ignited had to spread amongst masses and turn into a big fire. With every passing day their ranks started to swell as more and more young people joined the cause and donations started rising. They held fundraising campaigns during the whole week in different cities, and on the weekends instead of sitting on comfy sofas at some eating place they reached those far lying schools of Mardan and Swabi which were holding fresh refugees. PYA had representation of local young individuals who knew the region well, and this made the task of need assessment easier. In this manner they touched hundreds of families. On their second trip they distributed relief items of worth more than half a million rupees in schools of Mardan Khas and Daula Zai. This practice continued for the weeks to come as they also reached families in the areas of Shakrial in Islamabad and Topi, Swabi. Their work still continues as they believe that these relief efforts must not be worn out by time. The work of PYA has been acknowledged by various segments of media and people belonging to different walks of life. By posting pictures, documentations and receipts on various social networking websites like facebook, they were open to all to ensure transparency and accountability, which appealed greatly to the donors. The pictures of young kids of Swat smiling celestially and wearing tags and shirts of PYA have often replaced apathy with the feeling of empathy in the hearts of many. They proclaim to “Live the change” instead of just proposing it and how well have they lived up to their words. What is enthralling about these people is that they are not an outgrowth of some political party or a NGO. PYA comprises of bright young individuals belonging to various universities, or who have different jobs, and they know no divides on the lines of sectarianism or provincialism. Rather than limiting themselves in daily drudgery, they take some time out of their daily routine to ponder how they themselves can be the change they believe in. As Wordsworth had written about the French Revolution, “Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive... But to be young was very Heaven.” The current wave of youth activism is a silent revolution, not a rebellious one indeed. And it is very heaven to be young these days. The Citizens Trust Blog, takes immense pride in presenting to you... Pakistan Youth Alliance. What follows is a compilation of material from various sources. We urge you to read, review and watch everything... If this doesn't wake you up... Nothing will! An Interview with the Founding Force of Pakistan Youth Alliance. Mr. Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi is a 22 year old man, who lives in Islamabad, Pakistan. Very recently, he, along with his friends, started a youth movement, that by the looks of it is all set to change the course of our country. With planned and organized rallies being held throughout the country, the Pakistan Youth Alliance is serving its purpose well by providing a platform for the youth of today. The PYA, although only initiated a few months back, has already shown its potential, and will hopefully lead Pakistan forward! I got a chance to talk to Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi about the PYA, the difficulties he had to face, and his achievements and the future of Pakistan, and his commitment to his cause is a force to reckon with. VP- Tell me about your movement, the Pakistan Youth Alliance. What is it about? PYA- PYA is silent revolution; it is by no means a rebellious initiative. We don’t like to point, we aim to change! We don’t mean to burn, we aim to spark! PYA is a youth motivated, youth run, and youth centered non-political/ indigenous movement which aims to wake the youth of Pakistan from the sleep of apathy. We have had it with the flaws, we have had it with injustice and we have had it being quiet. The anger in us all boils our inside so much that we wish to scream, but if we come out on streets in an unorganized manner, no one would listen. We are educated, we are enlightened and we wish to change the mindsets! We start from self-accountability and self realization (Khudi - Iqbal) and then wish to spread the vibes in our schools, universities and neighborhoods. We want to realize the dream of Iqbal and make it Quaid’s Pakistan. We want to change the attitude “this is Pakistan, everything works!”. We want to make the kids realize that they would have to lead this country, in whatever capacity they would be, so they must be mentally prepared to put their country’s interest before personal gains and lusts. We wish to nourish their souls, so that 160 million souls coincide to form such a strong bond, that it won’t be broken and no one would dare challenge our sovereignty and eye our land! VP- What motivated or inspired you to start this? PYA- I was like everyone else. I was sitting at Hotspot with some friends, who were here from Harvard and some who were just angry at what drama had unfolded in the country, I am talking about the time of emergency, when the only emergency seemed to be in President’s House. The moment emergency was announced, we started roaming around in the capital to see where the emergency was at, but we couldn’t find it anywhere. When some people thought that keeping us in the dark and blocking media and outside world contact might help us absorb what they were doing, we had this sudden revelation that we have to stand up. If we won’t, who will? This anger in us, when channelized properly, gave us the strength and courage to stand up and make ourselves heard, and by the grace of God, we are at least trying. VP- What difficulties have you had to/still face with regard to the development of the PYA? PYA- Difficulties! The more precious the thing is, the harder it is to get. Nature teaches us that. The more the struggle, the greater the rift and the in the end, the greater the prize! We are facing pressures from everyone, families to intelligence to big shot political parties, this has never happened in the history of this country. We are being stopped in every step. They try to malign what is so needed, you can’t ignore it! You have to fight and remain true, like a soldier in war, we won’t give up, even if it takes everything away from us. VP- What would you call your success milestones over the years? PYA- I got a call from Bajaur agency, a young passionate Pakistani who loved Pakistan to the core, his village was bombed, 42 members of his family died and he still had the purity to love his country! He called and wanted to join us, I met him and he melted my heart. I did an event that got postponed to another date due to weather conditions, a woman in green Vitz with a Pakistan flag souring high from her window came with her little kids, I stood there and it melted my heart. I get e-mails and calls daily from America to Japan, passionate Pakistani youth wanting to join us. That is my milestone, and that is what gives me hope and instills in me, greater faith! We are good people, Pakistanis, we just need to learn from our past and wake up. Like Iqbal says, “God hasn’t changed the state of that nation, that which in itself does not want to change!” We need to understand Iqbal; his words are enough to guide us and show us light. VP- What reaction did you get from your family and peers when you told them your plans regarding the PYA? PYA- Initially, my family didn’t support me. They had issues with me being a “kid” and “trying to be a hero” but with time they realized that a person has to do what he has to do. They realized that if they, the educated lot would stop me from trying to wake people up, imagine what would happen to the rest 70 % of the uneducated? I request every parent/guardian/teacher reading this, that it is your responsibility more than mine to try and change the mind sets of the strayed youth of this country. We are 60% of the total population. We are the future of this country, you did a terrible job and brought us here, at least realize it now and prepare little soldiers in your houses. If you would discourage them, we would cease to be. The whole world is after us! VP- To what extent is the media influential in enhancing the mental development of the youth? PYA- Media can play the role of the catalyst to reform our society, it needs to be more responsible and create the right “hype “. All this negativity won’t help! How many programs have you seen on these 30 odd TV channels with good looking women being the newscasters and reporting that Shahrukh Khan’s new movie has been released? They need to set their priorities straight and play the role of a catalyst rather than making fuss all the time! VP-Can the PYA ever serve as a foundation for a political career in the future for you? PYA- I am already being contacted by big shot political personalities asking to join them. But the seeds that I have sown will take time to grow, let it grow and if this dream transforms into reality, you will see us running this country. VP- What does the youth of today mean to you? PYA- Youth of today is a dark house. Youth of today is the light at the end of the tunnel. Youth of today would define who we would be in 2020. Youth of today can lead us. They are the ONLY HOPE! Very few people at such a young age actually take the initiative to work towards such causes, and I, like many other people my age, was thoroughly impressed with what the PYA has planned in the near future. Such movements have potential, and will hopefully, go a long way! Mobilink Camp becomes operational - First Families Move In! In just one week since Mobilink announced its formal commitment to establish a relief camp for 1,000 displaced families and has committed $ 1 million to it, it is an honour to share that the first families have begun to move into the camp, with approx. 200 families expected to be inhabited by end of week. Mobilink camp, situated at Kund Park near Nowshera, is located on the confluence of the Indus and Kabul rivers where NWFP meets Punjab province. This park is a tourist destination with greenery and lush vegetation providing plenty of shade. Children’s recreational areas are also available on site such as swings. Incoming families will be provided with cooked food for the first couple of days as they settle in. Planning to set up a Basic Health Unit as well as primary and secondary schools is underway. Procurement of items has been personally conducted and supervised by a team of Mobilink employees to ensure that quality standards are maintained. The blog admin urges you to make hearty donations. Donations can be made at Mobilink offices at Special Donations Camps set on site. Life's Too Short- So Why Wait? A short story competition for brilliant young Pakistani minds. I love the jury: Kamila Shamsee, Daniyal Mueenuddin and Mohammad Hanif (a case of exploding mangoes)! There are cash prizes for the winners and amazing opportunities to get your story published. Deadline is the 30th of June, so Hurry and express yourself with a lovely story. I can not speak any local language. I do now know any. Of the over dozen languages spoken in my country, I know none. I do know English though, which is why I’m here. Writing, communicating to a wider audience. I have reached out, through articles and academic papers to the international community, but it’s a shame I am unable to converse with the IDPs, who have moved to my city, and tell them I care. I do not have the words. I can not understand when they share their plight. I will not be able to reach out to my own people, and for that I am ashamed. My parents spoke Punjabi at home, sometimes, mostly to speak to the servants in the house, but I was never interested. No one spoke these languages in school. It was considered uncouth. I do know enough Punjabi to sing along to wedding songs, and Kh. Khursheed Anwar’s timeless music. I understand Punjabi, somewhat, but what about other languages. What about the rest of my people? I work in the development sector, because I want to help. Period. No two ways about it. But how can I go about propagating wanting to reach out to the people when I am handicapped. Rozan Islamabad needs volunteers to provide counseling to the IDPs. I want to be a part of this process, part of this journey. I want to feel like I’m a small part of something bigger, better, greater than myself. Yet, I can not. What about our Sindhi siblings, and the Baloch, who feel alienated and isolated? If only I, with my Islamabad upbringing, fashionable English and western attire, could go and sit inside a Balochi home, and speak in their language, listen to their stories. Maybe then they would feel less isolated.My daughter is two. She talks more than her father and I combined, and yet, we have taught her nothing but urdu and some feeble English. Her cousins, I feel, are superior, since they speak Seraiki at home. My daughter will remain underprivileged because she is privileged. I urge you all, as I urge myself, not to deprive your child or yourself from the essence of who we are. Urdu, we are proud of, but other languages connect us to each other. Just as we encourage our children to connect to the outside, let’s connect to one another. Maybe that will make us a better nation, more united, more together. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and English is the official language. Apart from Urdu and English, there are four major provincial languages spoken in Pakistan and these are Punjabi (44%), Pashto (15%), Sindhi (14%) and Baluchi (4%). The number of living languages listed for Pakistan is 72, some with millions and some with only around thousand or so speakers. civil servants in the employ of the state, to manage it. Just like the Armed Forces are likewise employed to defend it! No the establishment or the Bureaucracy! How and why you ask, aghast at such a suggestion! Simply put in one word, EDUCATION. Having grown up going to a range of schools from some that had class rooms without roofs and doors to 'tatties' (toilets) in Gujranwala (late 1949-51)! to the posh upper class ones like Trinity School, Karachi, run by the great old lady Miss Dickens, (early 1950 s), Saint Josephs Convent (Sister Cecelia), Saint Francis Grammar School, Quetta ( Father Cadeireo, later Cardinal), Saint Marys PAF School, Peshawar (Father Grant) where I got the basic grounding in my EDUCATION and went to College at Edwardes College, Peshawar, (Phil Edmonds, aka Baba) my greatest Teacher and Mentor in EDUCATION and life! While this was unfolding, I noted how my family ensured that the children of the cook of many years, were also getting an EDUCATION, not just at school but at home with exposure to a better life style! While this was unfolding, I noted how my family ensured that the children of the cook of many years, were also getting an EDUCATION, not just at school but at home with exposure to a better life style! The result was that they all studied to BA level before one son became an executive in an Insurance firm in the 1960 s, one daughter married a Businessman living in East Pakistan, one daughter joined the Nursing Services in the PAF Medical Corps and married an airforce officer! the youngest was still studying when I lost track of them; the father was a young tea picker in the Kangra Valley who got a job as a masaalchee before I was born. He retired as the Head Chef of the PAF Officers Mess, at Mauripur in the 1970 s! Now coming back to the realities of today, EDUCATION has failed us or we have failed it, and in turn failed the entire Motherland; have you noticed, how I avoid the use of the word Nation, and choose the word Motherland? reason, we are NOT a Nation yet after 60+ years! sadly. develop our syllabus to keep pace with modern times, we did not spread it to the lower levels of the population and if we tried it was too little too late! More importantly, the delivery system for EDUCATION has been 'nakas' as we say in the vernacular. We have nuclear scientists, aviators, miners, medical men, you name them we have them, and we have Baboos but we do not have top level,high grade teachers! not enough of them at all for 16 million population! There are not enough Top Quality colleges and Universities for the profession of EDUCATION. Why? its obvious!!! the wages they get don't draw or attract the finest brains in the land! so there isn't a demand for EDUCATION institutions; and that's where we have failed our Motherland and the hapless EDUCATION fraternity. We are still continuing to give little priority to EDUCATION in the budget and unless more generous allocation is made we will slide further down the tube to oblivion among the lessor developed states in the world, sad but true! around requesting people to make me the minister of EDUCATION, and they laughed when I told them why! then I went around wanting then (Baboos) to make teachers the highest paid cadre in the land, they laughed again!! I ask who's laughing now! not me! I ground my teeth with frustration and my dentist got rich! but still I wasn't able to make the difference. So, here is, what we all must do, put one child/person through school so they can develop in to contributing members of society, at any level, along side that push for more allocation in Federal and Provincial budgets in EDUCATION and only elect those to the Parliament who have a sworn commitment to further the cause of EDUCATION! Maybe, one day, someone who is a daily wage laborer will sit down at his home and browse the net and say, Amen! About Zahid Husain: Formerly, Head of Business D evelopment with various Multi-National Companies, a senior and experienced, conceptually literate management professional, his career has spanned over 39 years encompassing both executive marketing and head office management roles. A result driven “Serial Start-up Professional”, He has developed, guided and implemented successful strategies for the various Multi-Nationals belonging to both Manufacturing and Services Sectors, in which, he was a highly contributing member of the management team. For the Past 10 years he has managed his own HR Services & Solutions firm. When Arshad Kaleem left Baton Rouge for Pakistan two weeks ago to attend ceremonies following his mother's funeral, his wife Saima posted her fears online by updating her Facebook status. Bombings erupted in Lahore just hours after Kaleem boarded his flight. she wrote in the status line of her profile on the widely popular social networking website. Nearly instantaneously, her update elicited support and sympathy from friends and family members. "InshaAllah he goes safely and comes back safely," wrote one poster. "Yeah, it's crazy there," her brother replied. "I told mom to be careful too!" Another friend tried to console her. "Oh boy," she wrote, following the phrase with a string of prayers and good wishes in Urdu. While the nation's news media has been prohibited from reporting extensively on military exercises, on Facebook and over instant text and e-mail messaging, concerns crop up swiftly among Pakistani users when attacks ensue. Lately, among those Pakistanis who live either at home or abroad, discussions on whether the government's offensive to root out Taliban militants might have been implemented any sooner are becoming commonplace. Estimates reflect three million people have now been displaced from Buner and Swat districts - a figure akin to the late nineteen-forties when the region saw tremendous upheaval during Partition, that moment in which modern India and Pakistan were first formed. The vast migration of people to the two, newly-cast, separate territories forced millions from their lands and ancestral homes at the time, leaving families vulnerable to mob attacks, rioting and civil unrest. The day Kaleem's plane landed in Islamabad he had planned to attend ceremonies in his mother's hometown of Malakand, a village near Swat, several miles north. But once he arrived, explosions seventy-five miles south in the eastern city of Lahore prompted him to change course. Minutes from the blasts, Shahana Munawar, a mother of two, began alerting friends and family as she watched the news. She uploaded television footage of the incidents to her Facebook profile. Munawar had been called to pick her children up from school and, at the time the incidents occurred, felt her doors and windows vibrate. It was alarming. [I] didn't know what it was till messages poured in. Got a call from my 6-year old's school to collect him in the middle of final exams. The school decided summer vacation was in immediate effect. In response to the news footage Munawar posted, one friend considered other harrowing moments in the country's previously unstable past. he commented under her video. I remember some place called Bhori Bazaar and seeing pictures in Time magazine. Pakistanis have experienced significant violence in recent weeks, but similar incidents in the late seventies plagued the country, after the proxy war the US launched in Afghanistan to thwart Soviet interests, made life perilous for locals. Weapons that flooded the country's frontier provinces brought mayhem to city residents. Similar explosions were planned in prominent and heavily-trafficked civilian areas. Karachi, otherwise isolated by its geography in the south, turned out being most vulnerable to resulting sectarian clashes. Mehreen Jabbar, a Pakistani filmmaker, based in the city was emotional the day of the Lahore bombings. she wrote in an update. The response to her post was brisk and spirited. "It hurts," wrote one Facebook friend. Another suggested people donate to help those displaced from Swat Valley. Others urged for a local theatre production promoting patriotism and free expression. In an interview, Saima Zaman-Kaleem was rueful. "This operation is something that should have happened years ago. Why would they take this long to do it? Why broker a compromise in Swat at all?" Zaman-Kaleem's family members, in the meanwhile, canceled plans to have the funeral in Malakand after curfews were instituted, and relatives instead opted to stay in Peshawar where much of the family is based. However, Zaman-Kaleem says they are now considering a move to areas away from the outskirts where much of the family lives and where military operations are underway. Instead, they're searching for a place closer to the city center. Munawar stressed that her friends on Facebook are concerned about safety but haven't yet opted to move. According to her, they support the military's offensive. Most people I know have one stance and that is, "Long live the troops, drop dead Taleban." They are not taking any measures to leave or migrate. If they travel, it's only for summer break. She added the city is back to normal and that people who choose not to leave home daily do so not because they fear attacks, but because of citywide power cuts and the unforgiving summer heat. Pia Sawhney, Director/producer, Chai Break Films. Pia is an award-winning independent producer and director, and has collaborated on films for PBS/Frontline, PBS/American Experience, HBO and MTV Networks. She holds a graduate degree in broadcast journalism, and lives in New York. Recently, some friends who are due to arrive in Pakistan for an upcoming wedding inquired if it was safe to visit. Whereas I don't blame them at all for generating this query courtesy the world media mostly and the on ground situation partially, I did smile after reassuring them it would be fine. Perhaps you'll wonder why I smiled, and that was at the beautiful irony of the situation itself... People worrying about their security; yet here we are gearing to celebrate the Shadi in the true Pakistani style and colours. This is my Pakistan. For most of you, who live here and a few of you who might be contemplating a visit or just googling Pakistan for the sheer sake of curiosity, I present to you my beloved homeland and its people... Finally, the Taliban has met its match. We cry when our people cry and together we laugh heartier than any nation in this world. We are the best of friends and unfortunately for the Taliban, we are also the worst of enemies. We are a nation as colourful as the Yellow Mustard that grows in our fields, or the Red that a bride adorns, or as Green as our flag that flies, as Blue as each one of the rivers that gushes through our land. We are musical... Tablas, Dhols, Sarangis, Sitars, Bansories... you name it. We are festive, we celebrate our Eids with the same fervor that we celebrate our independence day and even Basant, We are nation that is alive... we cry when our people cry and together we laugh heartier than any nation in this world. We are the best of friends and unfortunately for the Taliban, we are also the worst of enemies. We are nation of brave women, who send their sons to war with their head high, We are a nation of brave men who will gladly give their lives three times over before letting anyone take us over! All this is probably sounding extremely emotional to you... and it is. But that is who we are. So yes, when I say the Taliban has met its match, I say this because we cannot and will not let them win. Such is the resilience of my country and its people. We have so far survived what not many nations could... and we have come out stronger. Our people are more inspired and involved today than they have ever been. We have so far survived what not many nations could... and we have come out stronger. Our people are more inspired and involved today than they have ever been. For every time the cowardly jackasses blow themselves up, our people are more resolved to get rid of them. What the world sees of us today is grey, but take it from me... As soon as the sun rises you will see all the colours of this beautiful nation. Library Image: Local Jirga Tribemen, You don't mess with them!! ISLAMABAD – Hundreds of Pakistani tribesmen furious over a deadly suicide bombing at a mosque laid siege to several Taliban strongholds in their troubled northwestern region, killing at least 11 militants, officials said Sunday. The weekend clashes appeared to be the latest evidence of growing anti-Taliban sentiment in U.S.-allied Pakistan, a shift that comes as suicide attacks have surged and the military wages an offensive in the nearby Swat Valley. attack on the mosque left 33 worshippers dead and wounded dozens more during Friday prayers, angering residents of the Haya Gai area of Upper Dir district who have had tensions and minor clashes with local militants for months. Some 400 villagers banded together to attack five villages in the nearby Dhok Darra area that were known militant strongholds, said Atif-ur-Rehman, the district coordination officer. The citizens' militia has occupied three of the villages since Saturday and was trying to push the Taliban out of the other two Sunday. Some 20 houses suspected of harboring Taliban were destroyed, he said. At least 11 militants had died as of Sunday afternoon, district police Chief Ejaz Ahmad said. He said around 200 militants were putting up a tough fight but were surrounded by the villagers. The government has encouraged local citizens to set up militias, known as lashkars, to oust Taliban fighters, especially in the regions that border Afghanistan where al-Qaida and the Taliban have hide-outs. But villagers' willingness to do so has often hinged on confidence that authorities will back them up if necessary. With the army reporting advances against the Taliban in Swat — an operation that also reaches into Lower Dir district and has broad public support — that confidence appears to be growing. Already, military officials say that as they've proceeded with the operation in Swat, local residents who have remained in the region have grown increasingly cooperative, providing tips on militants' hide-outs and more. "It is something very positive that tribesmen are standing against the militants. It will discourage the miscreants," Rehman said. Ahmad, the police chief, added, "We will send security forces, maybe artillery too, if the villagers ask for a reinforcement." Najmuddin Malik, a lawmaker from Upper Dir, said the militants fighting with villagers were from all over Pakistan, including Swat, but that most were foreigners. He said there was no need for army intervention yet. "People there have arms, small and big, and they are fighting on their own," Malik said. The month-old Swat offensive, the latest round in a valley that has experienced fighting for two years, is seen as a test of Pakistan's resolve to take on al-Qaida and Taliban fighters on its soil. The U.S. hopes the offensive will eliminate a potential sanctuary for militants implicated in attacks on Western forces across the border in Afghanistan. More than 1,300 militants and 105 soldiers have died so far in the offensive, the military says. The offensive has generally broad public support, thanks in part to Pakistani anger over a video showing militants flogging a young woman and a speech by a pro-Taliban cleric that condemned the notions of democracy and elections. Taliban infiltration into a district just 60 miles (95 kilometers) from the capital also rattled Pakistanis who had long considered the militancy a distant problem easily blamed on the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. The Taliban have threatened to stage suicide attacks in major Pakistani cities in revenge for the Swat operation. One attack that seemed to fit with the threat came late Saturday in Islamabad, when a man wearing an explosives-laden jacket attacked a police compound but was shot before he could enter the main building. Two officers died and six were wounded in the explosion, police said. Also Sunday, police in the southern city of Karachi said they arrested a would-be bomber allegedly linked to Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. Explosives and bomb-laden jackets were found during the morning raid, senior police official Javed Bukhari said, "He was planning to carry out large attacks in Karachi with other accomplices, but we have averted the attempt," Bukhari said. Associated Press writers Habib Khan in Khar and Ashraf Khan in Islamabad contributed to this report. The time has come. The time to rise, the time to make a positive difference, the time to give a damn (about things other than Shahrukh Khan and your neighbours love life) and the time to get your hands down and dirty. Your country needs you! And while it may seem that she has not given you anything, you are what you are because of her. Perhaps one of the biggest problems with our society is lack of respect. We don’t respect anyone but our own selves, who perhaps we respect a little more than needed. I urge everyone to instill a sense of respect in themselves and people around them. Insist and Emphasize on dignity of Labor, Someone’s financial status does not and should not dictate the respect you give. Start calling people ‘AAP’ for a change. You’re pretty educated; act and sound like you are too! We are lucky to live in a country where labor comes cheap. As a result we have maids and drivers and gardeners and cleaners and chefs and God only knows who else. By paying someone more, you’re increasing their quality of life. A few thousand might not pinch you as much, but they will make a huge difference in someone else’s life. Run a welfare state in your house, it pays back in more ways than you can imagine. If you dedicate man hours to actually go to an underprivileged school great, but if you feel that it’s not worth messing your Gucci loafers, teach at home. Teach underprivileged children Mathematics, Teach Parveen or Nasreen or whoever works for you a thing or two about the benefits of family planning, give out basic lessons on hygiene or civic sense or patriotism… I’m sure you’ll find plenty around you desperately needing these lessons, teach someone how to use a computer or Perhaps English. No excuses! If you’re smart enough to read this, you’re probably smart enough to write this. Trying googling Pakistan or Pakistan Police or Pakistan Army or anything Pakistan. Make it your mission to change the way the World (wide web) sees Pakistan. Start uploading positive images, start writing positive thoughts, start commenting on negative news items about Pakistan. The world needs to know that we’re not a lost cause and you of all the things sure as hell aren’t. If you can think of anything else to add to this list feel free to add to comments. Our soldiers are men who willingly lay down their lives, men who often return maimed or paralysed to their families. In other countries, such men would enjoy heroic statures. And yet, here in Pakistan, when they turn on their television sets at night, they see their nation scoffing at them. Many years ago, as a student in New York, I was invited to my roommate’s house for the weekend. Her parents lived a couple of hours away from the city in a quiet little town where she had grown up. As for myself, I must admit, I was looking forward to leaving the concrete jungle of Manhattan behind for a few days. As we drove over the Willis Avenue Bridge towards the Taconic Parkway, leaving the grey high-rises behind, I saw more than just the landscape change. And I realised that Manhattan was an island in more ways than one. Besides being physically set apart from the land around it, it stood alone in its liberalism. The left-wing writers whom I loved, my professors who freely criticised their government, even the people rallying in front of the United Nations in protest of Bush Sr’s invasion of Iraq, had no place in small town America. This was a place where everyone was a “patriot”. As we drove through the cluster of little streets that led to her house, I noticed that all the houses in her neighbourhood had either an American flag or a giant yellow ribbon pasted on the front door. The flag, I understood — the country was at war. But the yellow ribbon? “It’s our way of saying we support our troops,” said my roommate. “But you said you didn’t feel that the invasion of Iraq was justified,” I said. That weekend, I admit, I got into many a debate about the yellow ribbons. Not only were they on the houses, they were pinned onto people’s clothes! They irked me. If you didn’t agree with your government, how could you support your troops? They were, after all, carrying the government’s agenda. I returned to the city on Sunday night quite irritated, convinced that everyone in suburbia was brainwashed. It has been more than 17 years since that day. Much has happened in the world since then. But today, as Pakistan stands on the verge of anarchy, at war with an enemy that has seeped into the very fabric of our society, I long for an expression of unity. And I find myself thinking more and more of that yellow ribbon. What is so wrong with being a patriot? And why are we afraid to rally behind our armed forces, to send out positive, supportive signs as these men lay down their lives for us? Since 9/11, the Pakistani army has suffered more than any other army in the world in terms of casualties. And yet we get nothing but negative reports about its performance in the media. One can be angry with Zardari, think that Musharraf sold out and believe that the ISI is a “sinister” organisation with its own agenda without losing compassion for our soldiers, the young men who are being killed every day. These are men who willingly lay down their lives, men who often return maimed or paralysed to their families. In other countries, such men would enjoy heroic statures. And yet, here in Pakistan, when they turn on their television sets at night, they see their nation scoffing at them. So fond of flinging mud on all in sight, our media moguls seem to have lost sight of the larger picture. And so used to being cynical, we have stopped empathising with those willing to die for us. Seventeen years ago, I met a group of people in a small suburb of New York who were neither sophisticated nor educated. And yet they were able to recognise the shades of grey, the fact that it is possible to support your troops without blindly supporting your government. Here in Pakistan today, we are too busy either being Taliban apologists or posing as intellectuals who feel it is our duty to run down everything in sight, without thinking of the national interest. As we stand on the eve of a massive crackdown on the Taliban, we need to realise that in the weeks and months ahead, there will be blood — dead soldiers and dead civilians. And yet there has never been a greater time to stand behind our troops, to show solidarity as a nation if we want to defeat the single greatest threat to our way of life. Our intellectuals will have to learn that it is possible to be analytical without being negative, to be patriotic without being brainless. And our media moguls and talk show hosts will have to learn to stop catering to the lowest common denominator by sympathising with a group of murderers. When Jinnah created Pakistan, he envisioned us as a nation that adhered to the principles of “Unity”, “Faith” and “Discipline”. For me there can be no greater show of unity than for a nation to support its troops. Maybe a yellow ribbon is not the answer. But I, for one, am putting a Pakistani flag outside my house today to show my solidarity with my nation — the one created by Jinnah, not the Taliban.

2019-04-23T22:35:30Z

http://thecitizenstrust.blogspot.com/2009_06_07_archive.html

Many countries are facing consistent growth in the number and proportion of elderly people in their populations. This significant social transformation is likely to have implications not only for the health and social protection systems, but also for nearly all sectors of society (Christensen, Doblhammer, Rau, & Vaupel, 2009; European Commission, 2017). Aging and longevity, and their impact on welfare systems, especially on healthcare and pensions, have shaped the research agenda of numerous demographers, sociologists, gerontologists, economists, and other experts for decades. LTC is defined as a range of services and assistance required by people with a reduced degree of functional capacity, physical or cognitive, and who depend for an extended period of time on help with basic activities of daily living or are in need of some permanent nursing care (Colombo, Llena-Nozal, Mercier, & Tjadens, 2011). In this sense, there are four major differences between LTC and acute medical care (Norton, 2000). First, LTC is required by people who suffer from chronic illness or disability, while medical care treats acute health problems. In addition, chronicity usually perpetuates over the life span and is associated to lasting, and sometime catastrophic, expenditures on both medical and LTC care. Second, institutional care is predominantly provided in for-profit facilities and faces excess demand, while hospitals are mainly managed by the public sector or by nonprofit organizations. Third, elderly individuals rely on informal care provided by family and friends to attend to their LTC needs, while medical care is provided by paid qualified professionals. Finally, health and LTC insurance plans differ in many aspects, such as coverage, participation rates, and copayments. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), public spending on LTC, including healthcare and social services for those with chronic conditions who require continuing assistance, was on average 1.4% of GDP in 2014 (Fig. 1) and it is estimated to more than double by 2050 (Colombo & Mercier, 2012; OECD Health Statistics, 2017). The expected growth in LTC expenditures as a share of GDP and of public and private spending can be explained by the increasing demand for LTC services due to the aging population, the greater probability of survival to older age, and the decline in the supply of informal caregiving. The latter is closely related to some major social changes, such as new family structures, declining household size, increased prevalence of unstable partner relationships and lower marriage rates, greater geographical mobility that may hinder children in taking care of dependent parents, and higher female labor market participation (Costa-Font, Courbage, & Swartz, 2015; Pezzin & Steinberg Schone, 1999). Figure 1. Public spending on long-term care (health and social components) in 2014 as a percentage of GDP. Source: OECD Health Statistics (2017). People of all ages may become dependent on LTC, but the risk of dependency is highest among the elderly (aged 65 and over). In 2016, 19.2% of the European Union population was aged 65 and over. Projections foresee a growing number and share not only of elderly persons but also of the very old (aged 85 and over), for whom the need for LTC is highest due to increased probability of developing chronic pathologies, comorbidities, or other impairing conditions. The unprecedented recent demographic changes, understood as an increased life expectancy, are hypothesized to lead to higher morbidity and functional impairment rates. There are three approaches that provide conceptual framework to analyze the triad among aging, longevity, and disability (Graham, Blakely, David, Sporle, & Pearce, 2004). According to the theory of expansion of disability, improved medical treatments and prevention strategies add years of life to individuals with age-related conditions and disabilities at the end of life (Gruenberg, 1977; Kramer, 1980). On the contrary, the “compensation” of disability approach asserts that better treatment and prevention of diseases result in an increase in life-years free of impairments (Fries, 1980, 2003; Fries, Green, & Levine, 1989). Finally, the “dynamic equilibrium” hypothesis (Manton, 1982) combines the previous two scenarios and stipulates that the proportion of life span with serious disability remains stable or decreases, while the period lived with less severe functional limitations is prolonged. Nevertheless, empirical evidence fails to unequivocally support the theoretical argument that the burden of disease and disability significantly rises in aging societies (Colombo et al., 2011; Crimmins & Beltrán-Sánchez, 2010; Guzman-Castillo et al., 2017; Lafortune & Balestat, 2007; Lin, Beck, & Finch, 2016). Regardless of the inconclusiveness of empirical research on the trends of disability prevalence, the number of older people with care needs will perceptibly expand over the next decades, mainly as a consequence of the population’s aging, which comes with poorer health and will induce a positive shift in the demand for health and LTC care. Substantial social changes have accompanied this rapid demographic evolution, which have modified the traditional pattern of delivery of LTC. Although families (and friends) still provide the majority of help and care to people with functional limitations, the changes in the population structure (aging population, combined with increased life expectancy and falling birth rates), weakened family ties, increased participation of women in the labor market, and withdrawal of early retirement policies, have resulted in a decrease in the provision of informal care, which is likely to put pressure on the demand for formal care services in terms of both quantity and quality (Siciliani, 2013). Other major public policy concerns include the sustainable financing of LTC services, which has declined significantly over the years following the 2008 economic crisis, and the pursuit of equity. LTC lies on the boundary between health and social care. Some of the needs of dependent people, mainly those related to acute health problems, are better attended by healthcare providers, while others, stemming from some chronic conditions, can be more appropriately delivered in social care settings. The lack of consensus on who should bear the responsibility for the provision and financing of LTC, as well as the specific cultural and social traditions, has led to the development of diverse LTC systems across countries (Costa-Font, Karlsson, & Øien, 2016). Some countries dedicate a tiny fraction of their GDP to formal care, less than 1%, and rely heavily on informal provision of LTC services (e.g., Italy, Spain, Portugal). Others offer comprehensive public LTC coverage that accounts for over 3.5% of their GDP (e.g., Finland, The Netherlands, Sweden) (Colombo, Llena-Nozal, Mercier, & Tjadens, 2011; Grabowski, Norton, & Van Houtven, 2012; Karlsson, Mayhew, & Rickayzen, 2007; Muir, 2017). Related to these is the question of the interdependency between the LTC sector and acute care sector (Costa-Font & Costa-Font, 2011). According to Ansah et al. (2014), the relationship is dynamic and policy makers should account for it when implementing policies aimed at the LTC system directly, as these may significantly impact the healthcare sector as well. In line with this, Costa-Font, Jiménez-Martín, and Vilaplana-Prieto (2018) provide evidence on the causal impact of a policy change in caregiving affordability, related to dependency allowances and the reception of home care, on hospital admissions and length of stay in Spain. In general, LTC comprises a broad spectrum of services required by persons with reduced functional capacity, both physical and cognitive. These services range from formal care provided at home (e.g., home help, meals on wheels, community nursing), in an institution (e.g., care centers, residential and nursing homes) or, increasingly, in supported housing settings (e.g., sheltered housing, assisted living, or some retirement communities) to informal care usually delivered by family (mainly spouses and children) and friends who are not getting paid for it (Knapp & Somani, 2009). The balance between formal and informal care results in varying institutional settings across countries. Nevertheless, families (and friends) are the main providers of help and care to relatives with functional limitations (Grabowski, Norton, & Van Houtven, 2012; Karlsson, Mayhew, Plumb, & Rickayzen, 2006; Rodrigues et al., 2013). The majority of dependent adults of all ages prefer to receive LTC in their own homes if possible, or in sheltered housing with assistance services (Hajek, Wegener, Riedel-Heller, & König, 2017; Nishita, Wilber, Matsumoto, & Schnelle, 2008; Pinquart & Sörensen, 2002; Wolff, Kasper, & Shore, 2008). In addition, informal caregiving is strongly correlated to the availability and affordability of other types of LTC, which may act as substitutes or complements to unqualified and unpaid care provided by relatives (Bolin, Lindgren, & Lundborg, 2008a, 2008b; Bonsang, 2009; Costa-Font, Jiménez-Martín, & Vilaplana, 2017; Van Houtven & Norton, 2004, 2008). There is no general consensus on whether formal and informal care are complements or substitutes when dealing with basic services. However, most studies agree that when more specialized assistance is required, both types of care are clearly complementary in nature. In such circumstances, qualified professionals take care of the more complex and demanding types of assistance, while relatives provide support in basic activities. In this complementary idea, it is very important that there are structures that facilitate communication, planning, coordination, and cooperation between both types of care for things such as mobility and transport (Leichsenring, 2012). Bolin, Lindgren, and Lundborg (2008a) analyzed the degree of complementarity or substitutability between formal and informal LTC in Europe and whether the relationship differs across countries. The authors used data from the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) corresponding to 2004, and estimated the utilization of different types of LTC and healthcare. The endogeneity of informal care was accounted for by estimating instrumental variable models. The main findings were that informal help and formal care provided in the household are substitutes, whereas if provided in healthcare settings, hospitals, or doctors’ offices, both types of LTC are complements. The interrelation between formal and informal care, however, is not unequivocal among different welfare regimes and social norms. Some evidence of the north-south gradient, explained by cultural and institutional differences across Europe, is reported. Bonsang (2009) analyzed the impact of informal care provided by the children on the use of LTC among elderly parents in nine European countries. The authors estimated a two-part utilization model to assess the effect of informal care receipt on the demand for paid domestic assistance and nursing/personal care among those aged 65 and over. The data used in the analysis came from the first wave of SHARE. Instrumental variables techniques were applied to control for the potential endogeneity between formal and informal care. The results highlighted the complex relationship between the different types of LTC. Support by family members, who provide unskilled care, was found to act as a substitute to formal services for elderly people with a lower degree of disability. The need for qualified assistance increases with the burden of dependency; that is, for severely impaired elderly people, informal and formal care act as complements. Bonsang (2009) claims that the underlying assumption regarding the substitutability of both types of care is crucial in assessing the effectiveness of policies on the sustainability of LTC expenditures. Igel, Brandt, Haberkern, and Szyclik (2009) studied intergenerational time transfers, differentiating between two support forms: help (less intensive support) and care activities (indispensable assistance). Help activities to parents and children depend on the characteristics and the opportunity structure (sufficient time available, good health status, low cost of forgone alternatives) of the provider of assistance, while care is determined by the needs of the receiver. Multilevel models of help and care were estimated. The data for the empirical analysis were drawn from the 2004 wave of SHARE and compared the situation in 11 European countries. The findings supported the “specialization hypothesis,” in which qualified professionals provide more demanding and essential care to the elderly than families, who give less intensive help. Differences among countries are attributed to country-specific cultural norms and institutional structures. The main policy implication of their research is that LTC provided by the state and the family should be considered complementary support sources. Related to Igel, Brandt, Haberkern, and Szydlik (2009) are the works by Brandt, Haberkern, and Szydlik (2009) and Brandt (2013). The authors differentiated between help and care services provided by adult children to their parents in Europe and analyzed the main determinants of the use of one type of care or another. Both used data from SHARE and estimated logistic regression models of the utilization of each type of care (Brandt, Haberkern, & Szydlik, 2009) and multilevel models (Brandt, 2013) to account for distinct geographical distribution of informal care. The main conclusion, from a policy perspective, is that public and private LTC services encourage the provision of family help (“crowding in” effect), but tend to reduce more demanding types of informal care (“crowding out” effect), thus providing evidence to support the specialization theory between formal and family care. The authors discussed differences among countries, especially the north-south divide in Europe, and linked them to the generosity of the welfare state and societal norms. Another study that aimed to elucidate the true relationship between formal and informal care for the dependent elderly in Europe is by Vilaplana, Jiménez-Martín, and García Gómez (2011). Employing data from SHARE 2004, the authors estimated bivariate probit models of the demand for LTC, controlling for institutional features of the varying LTC systems such as the responsibility of the state, the LTC coverage or the availability of allowances for the caregivers, and individuals’ demographic, socioeconomic, health, and environmental characteristics. A positive correlation between formal and informal care was found, meaning that, conditional on receiving care, a clear preference for a care mix is observed. There are clear differences in use of formal and informal care across countries in Europe. The probability of receiving any type of LTC is shown to be higher in countries where families are legally responsible for providing care to their dependent elderly and in the presence of a greater provision of institutionalized care. Vilaplana, Jiménez-Martín, and García Gómez (2011) claimed that taking into account the caregivers’ satisfaction and providing assistance to those who give informal care is essential for the adequate design of LTC policies under tight budgetary constraints. Bakx, De Meijer, Schut, and Van Doorslaer (2015) studied the impact of country-specific institutional characteristics on the use of formal and informal care in two countries with universal public LTC insurance, The Netherlands and Germany. Their findings demonstrate that the choice is significantly determined not only by the population characteristics, but also by the features of the LTC system such as eligibility rules and coverage generosity and, indirectly, social preferences. The investigation of LTC utilization in Europe, distinguishing between formal care and informal support, was the aim of a study by Badia and Brau (2014). The reciprocal interaction between the two types of care was estimated with a bivariate two-part model. A common latent factor approach was used to account for endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. To assess the impact of age and disability on home care utilization, a proximity to death (PtD) measure was constructed. The PtD indicators are documented to better capture health deterioration and increased expenditures and demand for healthcare services at the end of life than age per se (Weaver, Norton, & Spector, 2009; for a review of the studies, see Payne, Laporte, Deber, & Coyte, 2007). Balia and Brau (2014) showed that formal and informal care are perfect substitutes in basic assistance activities, but become complementary when more professional and skilled services are required. However, given that the estimated average partial effects are negligible, it is claimed that there is no need to focus much attention on the substitutability-complementarity binomial between formal and informal care. What is important from a policy point of view is that incentives for informal support are not very likely to significantly alter demand for LTC services in Europe (Balia & Brau, 2014). Therefore, the effectiveness of policies incentivizing the use of informal care as a cost-containment instrument should be seriously reconsidered. Given the predominant role of informal care in the LTC sector in many societies, many researchers have analyzed the direct and indirect costs associated with informal caregiving, such as lost days of work (Reid, Stajduhar, & Chappell, 2010; Ugreninov, 2013), forgone career opportunities (Bolin, Lindgren, & Kundborg, 2008b), and employment (Grabowski, Norton, & Van Houtven, 2012; Meng, 2012; Michaud, Heitmueller, & Nazarov, 2010; Moscarola, 2010; Nguyen & Connelly, 2014; Van Houtven, Coe, & Skira, 2013). In addition to their economic well-being (Arno, Levine, & Memmott, 1999), the physical but mainly mental health of caregivers may worsen as a consequence of the caring activities (Bobinac, Van Exel, Rutten, & Brouwer, 2010; Kaschowitz & Brandt, 2016; Pinquart & Sörensen, 2003, 2007; Schulz, O’Brien, Bookwala, & Fleissner, 1995). Through the adverse health impacts, caregiving may also increase carers’ need for and use of healthcare (Coe & Van Houtven, 2009; Do, Norton, Stearns, & Van Houtven, 2015). By its nature, informal care is not exchanged in the market and has no price attached to it. Nevertheless, there is a line of research that attempts to assess its value (Van den Berg, Brouwer, & Koopmanschap, 2004). The most common approaches for valuing informal care are based on the opportunity cost of time employed in caregiving instead of using it in the labor market (Van den Berg & Spauwen, 2006), on the market value of alternative care options (Arno, Levine, & Memmott, 1999), or on estimates of the monetary compensation for providing an additional hour of care, keeping caregiver’s well-being constant (Van den Berg & Ferrer-i-Carbonell, 2007). Bauer and Sousa-Poza (2015) reviewed the research on the effect of informal care in three different domains of the carer’s life: employment, psychological health, and family dynamics and living arrangements. The main conclusion was that informal caregiving has adverse consequences on all the domains of the lives of those providing informal assistance. Moreover, caregiving imposes a higher toll on women than on men. The great heterogeneity in informal caregiving arrangements calls for flexible policies that can adjust to adequately meet the carer’s needs. In a comparative study, Wagner and Brandt (2017) tried to determine whether and how regional formal LTC provisions impact the well-being of spousal caregivers across European countries. The authors showed that spousal caregivers’ well-being, proxied by life satisfaction, loneliness, and depression, was positively related to the availability of public LTC services. In terms of future policies, both formal care supply and support for informal caregivers should be targeted to prevent adverse health and socioeconomic consequences for those providing care. There is also evidence on the association between the provision of LTC services and the caregiver’s quality of life. Verbakel (2014) compared 18 European countries and observed that there is less difference in well-being between informal carers and noncarers in countries with more generous LTC systems. However, the findings vary across countries. Policy instruments designed to support informal carers do not significantly improve well-being, but strong country-level family norms are shown to reduce the negative consequences from caregiving. As previously mentioned, people with LTC needs may receive care from a variety of sources. Unfortunately, not all dependent elderly have access to or can afford to pay for formal care and some may not be able to count on informal support either. In such circumstances, LTC will not be met and this may have a devastating effect on an elderly person’s health, quality of life, and well-being. In addition, many people may perceive that the existing provision of health and social care are insufficient to cover their LTC needs (Hughes, Conrad, Manheim, & Edelman, 1988; Komisar, Judith, & Judith, 2005; Williams & Rowland, 1997). Hence, unmet need for LTC services can be understood as subjective and objective perceptions or between normative need, a person’s or group’s felt need, and technical need. The empirical evidence on unmet LTC needs is still not abundant, but it is steadily growing. For example, Yen et al. (2014) attempted to determine whether LTC policy in Taiwan met the needs of people with disabilities, as those impaired have priority in getting LTC insurance. The authors compared the functional status of three disability groups and investigated the coverage provided by the planned LTC insurance in the country. People with physical or sensory disabilities exhibit the most drastic differences in the domain of daily living, and people with intellectual disabilities are found to present major variations in the cognitive domain. After matching the planned coverage services, the authors showed that the planned LTC insurance did not meet the diverse needs of people with disabilities. In particular, social participation and a sense of security and satisfaction regarding the psychological aspects of having a disability must be considered in LTC insurance policies. Using representative data on the noninstitutionalized disabled population in Spain, García Gómez, Hernandez, Jimenez, and Oliva (2015) analyzed the determinants of several LTC services and unmet need. The horizontal inequity was measured and unmet need proxied by both self-reported and objective indicators. After controlling for a large set of need variables, the authors found evidence of horizontal inequity in the distribution of use and unmet need for LTC services. Namely, formal care was disproportionally concentrated among those who are better off, while pro-poor inequity in intensive informal care was found. Regarding the unmet LTC needs, the objective indicator considered in the analysis revealed a greater pro-poor inequity compared to more subjective measures of unmet needs. Finally, the use of formal LTC services was unequally distributed among the better-off individuals with a major degree of disability, the only group with universal LTC coverage. Using national panel data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, Zhu (2015) explored the determinants of the three-year mortality rate among elderly people who require LTC. Exponential parametric hazard models were estimated to assess the impact of unmet need on mortality. After controlling for demographic characteristics, dependent elderly with unmet needs showed an approximately 10% higher risk of mortality compared to those whose LTC needs were appropriately met. Some interesting differences in the determining factors between urban and rural settings were also shown. Among the elderly, women and urban dwellers experience higher risks of mortality. Gu and Vlosky (2008), Zhen, Feng, and Gu (2015) and, more specifically, Li and Otani (2018) also studied the Chinese LTC system. They discussed challenges and provided recommendations in terms of financing. Special emphasis was put on the local governments’ financial capacity to support LTC services by comparing the expense level to fiscal revenue. Population aging is expected to double LTC expenses by 2030. Therefore, the authors pointed to the need to establish an LTC insurance system that will allow distribution of the financial responsibility for LTC, thus far borne exclusively by individuals and families, among the government, individuals, and families. Moreover, with the LTC reforms adopted between 2012 and 2016 and implemented primarily by local governments in China, the authors believe that the central government should bear some of the fiscal responsibility by conducting fiscal transfers to partially support undeveloped regions that are establishing an LTC system. All these findings have important implications for policy makers because socioeconomic status is shown to play a determining role in shaping unmet needs among the elderly, and especially, among the oldest old. Therefore, providing financial help or some insurance coverage may help to ensure that the LTC needs of the oldest elderly are met. Besides studies on unmet need, another less explored strand of research analyzes the quality of LTC services. Many studies have tried to explain the low quality of nursing home services, especially in the context of the United States. The degree of public financing generosity, supply side factors, information asymmetries, and macroeconomic environment are found to determine variations in nursing home services quality (Grabowski, 2001, 2004; Grabowski, Angelelli, & Mor, 2004). Main concerns regarding quality of care are related to how to measure it, how to improve it, and how to ensure it through appropriately designed regulations (Knapp & Somani, 2009). Challenges in measurement are related to the type of care. For instance, informal care quality is very difficult to assess, as is the quality of formal care provided to severely mentally impaired individuals. Existing evidence points to low wages and high turnover among LTC workers as the main hurdles to ameliorating service quality. Public expenditures on LTC (as a percentage of GDP) significantly differ across countries and are quite low overall as compared to public spending on healthcare or other age-related social instruments (such as old-age pensions). Population aging in combination with important social changes will undoubtedly increase the need and demand for healthcare and LTC in the coming years. This, in turn, will raise serious concerns about the future and sustainability of financing LTC. The alternative to public protection against LTC costs is the reliance on private sources, such as LTC insurance, precautionary savings, or the use of housing equity (Costa-Font, Courbage, & Swartz, 2015). Even if the onset and length of old-age dependency is quite uncertain (Barr, 2010), the objective probability of being in need for LTC and of having to pay extremely high LTC costs steeply increases with age (Frank, 2012; Kemper, Komisar, & Alexhih, 2005). Nevertheless, investment in private LTC insurance is generally not very common. This myopia in individuals’ perceptions of the risk (Cremer & Roeder, 2013) may result in catastrophic LTC costs, from an individual’s standpoint, if public social support is not available. Estimates for the lifetime cost of LTC in England can rise to EUR 27,000. LTC costs are considerably higher for women and for those most in need (Forder & Fernández, 2009). Other countries such as China show similar trends (Li & Otani, 2018). In the United States, LTC costs for elderly dependents are found to amount to more than USD 100,000 per year (Kemper, Komisar, & Alecxih, 2005). Table 1 shows the main implications on equity and efficiency of the several financing models for LTC. There is no model that is always preferred to any other. In this regard, the main sources of LTC financing include out-of-pocket payments, LTC insurance (social or private), and subsidization of formal and informal LTC from general tax revenue. These models differ according to funding balance, risk pooling, and government involvement. All financing systems are based on redistribution schemes over the life cycle, such as payments to LTC accounts during working age, taxes, or social insurance contributions. Source: Authors’ elaboration based on Knapp and Somani (2009) and Yang, He, Fang, and Mossialos (2016). The literature on financing LTC is quite abundant. For example, Costa‐Font, Courbage, and Zweifel (2015) examined the heterogeneity in the public financing of LTC and the wide range of instruments in place to finance LTC services. They distinguished and classified the institutional responses to the need for LTC financing as ex ante and ex post. Although ex ante and ex post mechanisms coexist in most advanced economies, and despite the fact that instruments considerably vary across countries, in general, each acts as a substitute for the other. Most countries recognize that there are trade-offs between forms of ex ante financial support against the risk of going into dependency in the future and the ex post financial tools that aim to provide care to those already in need but who cannot afford to pay for it. Expenditure estimates indicate that the public financing of LTC is highly sensitive to a country’s income, the aging profile of the population, and the availability of informal caregiving. Costa‐Font, Jiménez-Martin, and Vilaplana-Prieto (2018) have argued that institutional responses to the necessity to ensure ex ante the financial risks of needing LTC are insufficiently developed. On the contrary, policy makers mainly focus on the mechanisms to finance LTC ex post, designing measures aimed to support public LTC provision and family carers. Both ex ante and ex post types of financing instruments are found to present weaknesses that force policy makers to face uneasy dilemmas. The latter are confronted in various ways, causing a great deal of cross-country heterogeneity in the financing and provision of LTC services. Wouterse and Smid (2017) focused on the effects of rapid LTC spending growth on fiscal sustainability. Rising LTC costs threaten the financial health of Dutch public finances, and therefore, additional public revenues are needed to cover the expected future increase in spending. Wouterse and Smid (2017) claim that future increases in LTC expenditures will be explained by population aging and wage increases as well as by factors such as higher demand for higher-quality care and lower growth in labor productivity. They presented four alternative policies to finance the anticipated additional growth in LTC spending that differ in the distribution of costs over time and age cohorts. A generational accounting approach was followed to assess the impact of each of the four financing mechanisms on intergenerational redistribution. The effects on savings and labor supply were also accounted for in the model. The authors found a relatively large intergenerational redistribution of lifetime net benefits for a pay-as-you-go system and for an immediate one-time increase of the premium rate, while a cohort-specific savings system or a pensioner tax would have relatively small intergenerational effects. Labor supply and private consumption decrease in all four financing scenarios, although the effects vary in size and timing. The timing of the onset of LTC needs and their use requires further attention, as such analysis might reveal whether more disadvantaged individuals delay the use of formal care or decide not to use it at all (Bakx, De Meijer, Schut, & van Doorslaer, 2015). Although there are some studies on the interrelation between LTC and healthcare, the topic still offers many possibilities for future research. For example, does the universality of the access to healthcare lead to an increased use of medical services that are free at the point of delivery or require a low copayment as a substitute of LTC services, which are considerably more expensive and mainly financed out-of-pocket? Additional research is also needed on the political economy of LTC care. Nuscheler and Roeder (2013) developed a two-dimensional model to determine the socially desirable set of income distribution and public provision and financing of LTC. The authors showed that to balance the conflicting interests of families with disabled parents, favoring comprehensive public provision and financing of care, and of those with healthy parents who oppose public involvement, informal care should be provided for the equilibrium to exist. The model explains the negative association between income inequality and LTC financing that has been found by empirical research and allows predictions about how the organization and financing of LTC might be affected by demographic changes. Maarse and Jeurissen (2016) analyzed the 2015 major LTC reforms in the Netherlands, which attempted to reign in expenditure growth to safeguard the fiscal sustainability of LTC. Furthermore, they demonstrated the attention paid to the political decision-making process and the politics of implementation and evaluation. Perceptions of the effects of the reform widely differ: positive views alternate with major critics. Though the reform is radical in various aspects, LTC provision will remain publicly funded for the most part, and individuals in need of residential care will be covered by the existing statutory health insurance scheme. The analysis of institutionalized care is another niche in the literature on LTC. Kim and Lim (2015) are among the few to discuss the issue. The authors used administrative data from South Korea to estimate the first-year impact of subsidies for formal home and institutional care on informal care use and medical expenditures. Their main finding was that the benefits of subsidized home and facility care are heterogeneous across physical function level, and that setting policy accordingly has the potential to dramatically reduce medical expenses. They also found that formal LTC is a substitute for informal care at the intensive margin (i.e., the days spent in institutional care), but did not find such evidence at the extensive margin (i.e., the probability of receiving informal care by a child and of independent living). Unfortunately, there are no internationally comparable data available on costs and access to social care (LTC included) to perform cross-country analyses. Therefore, the successful policy initiatives that some governments have adopted to ensure fair access to affordable social care are difficult to assess from a comparative perspective and it is even more complex to define LTC policy recommendations applicable to heterogeneous welfare systems. LTC expenditures, if needed, are likely among the major financial risks faced by the elderly, especially in welfare settings that are mainly dependent on private out-of-pocket payments or informal care. Yet, very few elderly people voluntarily insure against catastrophic LTC costs, even among the affluent (Gottlieb & Mitchell, 2015). Disentangling the causes for the low participation rates of private LTC insurance requires further analysis. For those without insurance, future LTC costs alternatively may be covered by savings. However, the evidence on the relationship between health-related expenditures and the savings behavior of the elderly is scant (De Nardi, French, & Jones, 2010; Dobrescu, 2015; Kopecky & Koreshkova, 2014). Further research on the impact of LTC on elderly people’s savings behaviors, which should also respond to another major concern, namely, old-age pensions, is needed. The authors acknowledge financial support from the Fundación Ramón Areces (project 162PR19693); the European Commission through the Seventh Framework Program (project AGENTA No. 613247); the Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness (project ECO2016-78991-R), and the Catalan Government (Xarxa de Referència en Economia i Polítiques Públiques). The authors are especially grateful to Elisenda Orteu Irrure for her valuable research assistance. Carrino, L., & Orso, C. (2014). Eligibility and inclusiveness of long-term care institutional frameworks in Europe: A cross-country comparison (Research Paper No. 28/WP/2014). Venice, Italy: University Ca’ Foscari of Venice, Dept. of Economics. Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/abstract=2541246. Rodrigues, R., Schulmann, K., Schmidt, A., Kalavrezou, N., & Matsaganis, M. (2013). The indirect costs of long-term care. European Commission (Research note 8/2013). Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=11780&langId=en.

2019-04-21T08:28:18Z

http://oxfordre.com/economics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190625979.001.0001/acrefore-9780190625979-e-364

Embothrium J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. The International Proteaceae Register and Checklist provides for registration of cultivar names of all members of the Family Proteaceae, excluding the Australian genera. All genera that fall within the scope of this Register and Checklist are included in this publication. The collective name "Proteas" is used when generally referring to genera of this family. Cultivar names of the Australian genera of the Family Proteaceae are registered at the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority (ACRA). For ease of reference the Register and Checklist have been combined. See format of entries for distinction between registered and non-registered cultivar names. Breeders and introducers of Protea cultivars are urged to register their cultivar names, preferably before commercialisation of the cultivar to ensure that the name is unique. However, registration could take place after commercialisation has commenced. Registration concerns all named cultivars. Registration forms can be obtained from: The ICRA for Proteaceae, Directorate Genetic Resources, Private Bag X5044, STELLENBOSCH 7599, South Africa. The format of entries for registered cultivar names is as follows: Cultivar name; parentage (in italics); the names of those involved in the breeding, introduction and registration of the plant with the relevant dates (O = originator; H = date hybridised; S = date selected; N = named by...; I = introducer; REG = registrant. Where a date is given without a name, it can be assumed that the person or organisation involved is that immediately preceding it e.g. N: VOPI I & REG: 1979, in which VOPI named the cultivar, introduced it and registered the name in 1979); a short description of the flower head and time of flowering. Unless otherwise indicated, all flowering dates given are for the Southern Hemisphere. The format of entries for the Checklist is as follows: Cultivar name followed by parentage, name of originator, date selected (if known), country of origin, plant breeders' rights (PBR) if applicable, flower characteristics (if available), remarks, publication. In the case of duplicate names, priority is determined by registration in the IPCR (or otherwise e.g. PBR), followed by date of publication. Duplicate names are indicated with an "*". If any information is incomplete or incorrect, please do not hesitate to supply the ICRA for Proteas with the necessary information. All Proteaceae cultivar names that have been registered up to July 31, 2002 are included in this publication. New additions to the Register are indicated with a "#". Small shrub. New growth has red tinge. Flower head yellow (for both male and female). Summer. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. New Zealand. Growth habit small, compact and slender. Leaves needle-like. Stems slender. Silvery inflorescences. Spring in NZ. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ld. strobilinum New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. Leucadendron J. Hobbs. New Zealand. PBR grant in NZ 2000, expires 2023. Bracts rosy-red in autumn to winter. Bracts cream in early spring. UPOV-ROM 1999/03. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ld. laureolum x Ld. eucalyptifolium ? ARC. South Africa. Bracts yellow-green. Leaves green. July - August. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. stelligerum hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts yellow. Late winter to spring. Proteaflora label 1991. Ld. salignum x Ls. laureolum male New Zealand. Bracts tinted bronze-red; floret mass golden yellow. Spring. Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum male I Bell. New Zealand. Bracts creamy-yellow, flushed with red; floret mass golden-yellow. July to September. Introduced in 1983. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. Ld. laureolum x Ld. salignum Red selection New Zealand. Bracts crimson red. Mid to late winter. Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum selection S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1994. REG: 1996. Bracts pink-red. Colouring March to June. Flowering June to August. Ld. laureolum x Ld. discolor ? ARC. South Africa. Bracts yellow – cream. Floret mass bright red. August. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. salignum x Ld. xanthoconus female New Zealand. Bracts bronze-red; floret mass dark bronze. Autumn to winter. Matthews & Carter 1983. Leucadendron Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Foliage and bracts cream-yellow. Autumn to spring. Released in 1988. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Ld. salignum ? O: VOPI. S: 1977. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Bracts deep red on outside (RHS 45A), yellow on inside (RHS 12C); inner bracts yellow (RHS 10C). April to August. Synonym of `Silvan Red' used by Protea Australis. Ld. laureolum x Ld. eucalyptifolium ? S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1994. REG: 1996. Bracts yellow (RHS5C) with red to yellow margins. Cone green-brown, changes to pink-brown after flowering. June to August. Ld. tinctum male New Zealand. Bracts bright yellow, strongly flushed with orange-red; floret mass large, golden. Late winter to spring. Matthews 1993. Ld. procerum male New Zealand. Bracts yellow; floret mass small, wine-red; tendency to multi-heading. September to October. Introduced in 1979. Matthews & Carter 1983. Leucadendron female Bracts yellow with red tint; shape of bract is broad with tapering apex. August. Ld. discolor x Ld. gandogeri male C Lennox. 1984. USA. Bracts broad, cream, edged with pink; floret mass orange-red. September to October. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. Ld. laureolum x Ls. salignum female USA. Bracts cream, with apricot flush. Smaller bracts and more dense habit than `Maui Sunset'. Late winter. Matthews 1993. Ld. laureolum female C Lennox. USA. Bracts dark golden-yellow. Late winter to early spring. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum selection ? O: MR Timm. S: 1996. N & I: 1998. REG: 1999. Bracts tri-colored red/yellow/green. April to July. Ld. gandogerii x Ld. spissifolium Corringle Proteas. Australia. PBR granted in AU 2001. Expires 2021. UPOV-ROM 1999/04. APVJ 14(1) 2001. Leucadendron New Zealand. Bracts pure cream in winter. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ld. salignum x Ld. discolor ? ARC. South Africa. Bracts cream to pink. Floret mass red. Leaves green. August. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld salignum x Ld discolor ? O: VOPI. H: 1986. S: 1992. REG: 2000. Bracts yellow-cream-scarlet, inner bracts yellow-cream. Leaves green. August - September. Ld. salignum Mrs Dobson. 1974. New Zealand. Bracts deep red. Similar to `Mrs Stanley'. Riverlea 1986. Ld. salignum x Ld. discolor male. Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts cream, brilliant red floret mass. Spring to early summer. Introduced in 1987. Proteaflora Catalogue 1987. Ld. stelligerum hybrid ? O: VOPI. S: 1987. N & I: VOPI. REG: 1996. Bracts yellow (RHS 4B) with red margins and tips (RHS 46A). Floret mass yellow June to July. Ld. salignum female. New Zealand. Bracts yellow and flushed with red. July to August. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. discolor male Bracts yellow, fringe on margins of bracts. August. Cultivar name not acceptable. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. Ld. salignum G Jewell. 1984. New Zealand. Bracts small, bright yellow. Autumn to mid winter. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. sessile New Zealand. Matthews 1993. Ld. orientale Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Bracts cream/gold; long stems. Spring. Released in 1988. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Leucadendron hybrid Silvery foliage. Bracts gold/red. Spring. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Bracts small, orange-red. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts yellow, turning red. Spring. Ground cover. Proteaflora Catalogue 1986. Ld. tinctum New Zealand. Bracts cream with orange and red tints. Late winter to spring. Similar to `Rose Cockade'. Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum x Ld. eucalyptifolium ?. Mrs Mills. ARC. South Africa. Bracts maroon. Leaves green. During flowering involucral leaves change to cream-yellow in August. Stem dark maroon. February to September. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. floridum ? selection Bracts silver-green. May to September. Roodeplaat Bulletin 1995. Ld. tinctum x Ld. daphnoides male. New Zealand. Bracts large, pale gold; floret mass bright yellow. Late winter to early spring. Matthews 1993. Ld. lanigerum ?, dwarf. New Zealand. Bracts small, bright golden and red-tinged; floret mass small, rich yellow; grouped in clusters. August to September. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. stelligerum hybrid ?. Australia. Bracts wide open, deep yellow, edged and flushed with bronze-red. Spring. Matthews 1993. Ld. stelligerum ? Australia. Bracts: inner bracts cream, outer bracts red. Leaves green-maroon. July to August. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum Proteaflora Nursery. Australia. Bracts rich golden-yellow, pointed, edged with red. Late winter to spring. IPA Poster 1991, Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum female. New Zealand. Bracts large, clear creamy-white. Winter to early spring. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Bracts cream; dwarf spreading growth habit. Duncan & Davies 1978. Leucadendron. J. Harre. New Zealand. PBR grant in NZ 2002, expires 2025. UPOV-ROM 1999/04. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum ? O: Duncan & Davies. S: 1986. N: JP Rumbal. I: Duncan & Davies 1990. REG: Woodford. 1996 PBR granted in NZ 1991, expires 2014, PBR granted in ZA 1996,expires 2027. Sport of `Safari Sunset'. Foliage variegated: pink, cream and green. April to July. Ld. salignum ? O:JL Condy. S: 1996. N & I: Resincraft. PBR granted in ZW 1999. Sport of `Rising Sun'. Leaves coloured yellow (RHS 10C), red (RHS 47A) and green (RHS 137C). Ld. laxum hybrid ? O: D Mathews. REG: VOPI 1996. PBR granted in ZA 1996, expires 2014. Bracts pale green. September. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Bracts green-bronze, inner bracts turn golden yellow, outer bracts turn red in autumn to winter. First available from RA Duncan in 1986. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ld. salignum x Ld. eucalyptifolium ARC. South Africa. Bracts yellow. Leaves green. May to October. ARC cultivar list 1998. Name not acceptable. Ld. laureolum x Ld. salignum ? O: RA Eggleton. S: 1987. REG: Keith Kirsten's 1998. PBR granted in AU 1991, expires 2010. PBR granted in ZA 1998, expired 2001. Bracts and leaves variegated with central area green (RHS 147C-D), margins sometimes yellow (RHS 16C, 10A-B), mainly purple (RHS 184A-C). Autumn to winter. Sport of `Silvan Red'. Ld. salignum Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Bracts yellow, long yellow stems. Spring. Released in 1993. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum USA. Similar to `Maui Sunset', however, possibly inferior. Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum female. New Zealand. Bracts narrow, yellow with red margins. September to October. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. laureolum x Ld. discolor female. VOPI. South Africa. Leaves dark green, stems dark red; inner bracts yellow, outer bracts green-yellow. August. Landbouweekblad 1996. Ld. tinctum female. Bracts green, red shading at base of bracts, floret mass wine-red. August to September. IPA Poster 1991. Leucadendron Bracts dark green-red, slender, very long. Fynbos Poster 1993. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum ? S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1995. REG: 1996. Bracts maroon-red (RHS 59A). June to August. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Bracts squat, dark plum red, tall bush. Formerly `Matthew's Red'. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. Former name of `Manakau Red'. Ld. laureolum x Ld. salignum female. C Lennox. USA. Bracts greenish white (cream), edged with pink. September to October. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. muirii O: A Ackerman, J Ben-Jaacov. S: 1992. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997, terminated 1999. Bracts green, red in winter. High tolerance to calcareous soil. No flowering. Ld. laureolum New Zealand. Bracts small, bright yellow. Late winter. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum Steven Brothers. New Zealand. Bracts deep-red. Late spring to summer. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. discolor ? O: A Ackerman, J Ben-Jaacov. S: 1995. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Bracts yellow. April in Israel. Ld. salignum selection S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1994. REG: 1996. Bracts maroon-pink. Colouring December to March. Flowering June to August. Ld. coniferum ? O: A Ackerman, J Ben-Jaacov. S: 1992. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Rootstock. Resistant to calcareous soil. Bracts green, slender, very long; floret mass yellow before anthesis. September to May in Israel. Ld. uliginosum x Ld. discolor ? R. Warwick & M. Tonkin. Australia. PBR granted AU 1994; expired 2000. Leaves yellow green with red tip. Bracts oblanceolate, pale yellow green (RHS 151D) with red tip. APVJ 11(4) 1998. APVJ 13(3) 2000. Ld. xanthoconus New Zealand. Flower head bright red. Early to mid summer. Riverlea 1986. Ld. floridum hybrid female. G Jewell. 1976. New Zealand. Bracts lime sulphur; floret mass large, silver; foliage silvery green. October to November. Introduced in 1980. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. discolor ? O: VOPI S: 1986 I & REG: 1993. Bracts bowl-shaped, cream-white to light yellow. Floret mass bright red before anthesis. September. Name sometimes used for flowers of `Safari Sunset'. Ld. salignum Duncan & Davies Nurseries. New Zealand. Bracts deep red. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ld. salignum G Jewell. New Zealand. Bracts red with pale centres. Very red foliage. Spring. Introduced in 1983. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum New Zealand. Flower head deep red, tulip shaped. Bracts narrower, smaller, more pointed and brighter red than `Mrs Stanley'. Autumn to winter. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum ?. J Stevens. 1960. New Zealand. Bracts bronze-green with cream centre. Leaves green. Autumn to winter. Introduced in 1963. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. eucalyptifolium x Ld. coniferum ? O: DM Archer. S: 1996. I: Resincraft 2000. REG: DM Archer 2000. Bracts green, turn yellow and pink in summer. June to July, cones September to October. Ld. xanthoconus New Zealand. Floret mass small, bright red. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ld. laureolum female.. New Zealand. 1963. Bracts large, deep yellow with bronze-red edging; floret mass large. July to August. Named in 1983. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum ? Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Bracts dark red (RHS 59A) on outside, yellowish on inside. Leaves on apical part of stem red (RHS 59A), stem wine-red. Spring. Released in 1986. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Ld. laureolum New Zealand. Bracts creamy-yellow. Early spring. Riverlea 1986. Discontinued (IPA Journal 17 1989). Ld. laureolum x Ld. salignum x Ld. stelligerum ? ARC. South Africa. Bracts red to yellow-red. Floret mass yellow. Leaves green. August. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. tinctum female. New Zealand. Bracts large, cream-yellow, flushed with deep red; floret mass large, wine-red. Summer. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. laureolum x Ld. elimense ? S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1995. REG: 1996. PBR granted in ZA 1996, expires 2014. Bracts yellow-green (RHS 145B) with red margins, cone brown-red. July to August. Ld. laureolum female. variant New Zealand. Bracts broad, tapering, golden yellow. Winter to early spring. Named in 1969. Duncan & Davies 1978. Leucadendron Kingflora Nurseries. New Zealand. PBR granted in NZ 1997, expires 2020. UPOV-ROM 1998/01. Ld. hybrid New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. Ld. salignum x Ld. laureolum J Stevens/I Bell. 1962. New Zealand. Bracts deep red. Autumn to spring. Introduced in 1964. 1st international successful protea cultivar. Name `Rainbow' sometimes used for flowers when colour changes after winter. Matthews & Carter 1983, IPA Brochure 1987. Ld. orientale female. Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts yellow, turning pink. Spring. Proteaflora Catalogue 1986. Ld. laureolum x Ld. salignum ?. P Matthews. Australia. Flower head tulip shaped, bracts bright red (RHS 185A), other leaves apical tip purple (RHS 185A), central area and margin green (RHS 147A). Slimmer in size and appearance than `Safari Sunset'. May to August. Proteaflora Catalogue 1982. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. laxum IPA Poster 1991. Ld. conicum x Ld. discolor ? ARC. South Africa. Bracts orange-maroon. Leaves green. Floret mass orange. August to September. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ld. strobilinum hybrid New Zealand. Bracts golden yellow. Spring. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ld. hybrid Protea Australis. Australia. New release. Matthews 1993. Ld. sessile male. New Zealand. Bracts bright golden yellow; floret mass deep gold. Matthews 1993. Ld. floridum New Zealand. Bracts lime-yellow with silver overtones; floret mass golden yellow. October to November. Introduced in 1977. Matthews & Carter 1983. Leucadendron J Ben-Jaacov. Proteaflor Exporting. Israel. PBR rejected in Israel 1982. UPOV-ROM 1997/05. Ld. lanigerum x Ld. salignum male. New Zealand. Bracts rich red, star-like; floret mass bright yellow. Winter to spring. Introduced in 1983. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts red. Autumn to winter. Proteaflora Catalogue 1985. Ld. salignum selection ? S: VOPI 1993. N & I: 1994. REG: 1996. Bracts maroon. Colouring December to March. Flowering June to August. Leucadendron J Harre. New Zealand. PBR application in NZ 2001. UPOV-ROM 2002/03. Ld. strobilinum female. Riverlea Nurseries. 1982. New Zealand. Bracts cup shaped, ivory cream, edged with red. Spring. Released in 1985. Rewa Nurseries sales list, Matthews 1993. Ld. laureolum variant male. New Zealand. Bracts bright yellow. June to July. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. salignum x Ld. discolor male. New Zealand. Bracts wide open, cream; floret mass yellow. Spring. Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Bracts small, cup-shaped, red to yellow; semi-dwarf form. Spring. Released in 1988. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Ld. daphnoides male. 1969. New Zealand. Bracts large, white to pale cream, edged with red; floret mass golden yellow, slight scent. August to September. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. Ld. salignum ? O: VOPI. S: 1984. REG: 1996. Bracts red, yellow on inside, red-maroon tips. June to July. Former name for `Our Vision'. APVJ 10(3) 1997. Ld. salignum ? O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1994. Bracts yellow. March in Israel. Ld. salignum variant New Zealand. Bracts deep yellow. Late winter to early spring. Similar to `Late Yellow'. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ld. salignum Australia. Proteaflora. Introduced 1984. Bracts yellow in winter. Proteaflora Catalogue 1987. Ld. salignum female Bracts yellow with red tips, broad with tapering apex. July. Ld. laureolum IPA Poster 1991. Ls. cordifolium H Asper (Sr). USA. Flower head dark red. Zorro Farms Sales List 1992. Ls. tottum x Ls. vestitum P Holroyde. USA. Poster Proteas of Hawaii 1982. Ls. cordifolium SANF. South Africa. Flower head orange-red. August to September. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. cordifolium Duncan & Davies Nursery. New Zealand. Flower head pale orange. October to December. Named in 1971. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. glabrum hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Released 1995. Proteaflora label 1995. Ls. lineare x Ls. tottum? O: Somerset West Municipality. S & N: VOPI 1976. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1994. Flower head pastel pink. September to November. Former name of `Scarlet Ribbon'. Ls. cordifolium H Asper (Sr). USA. Flower head pale orange. February to April in CA. Zorro Farms Sales List 1986, IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. glabrum Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head orange-red, styles yellow. Early to mid summer. Proteaflora Label 19988, Matthews 1993. Ls. patersonii x Ls. conocarpodendron O: J Ben-Jaacov et al S: 1995. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head: medium, styles orange-red, pollen presenters yellow. April in Israel. Use: rootstock. Resistant to calcareous soil. Trademark of Proteaflora Enterprises for `Dawn', `Sunshine' and `Copper'. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. tottum O: P Barlow. S: 1975. N: VOPI. I & REG: 1979. Flower head medium pink-red, 11 cm diameter. September to November. Ls. tottum New Zealand. Flower head salmon pink. September – December. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ls. cordifolium Dr Kemp. South Africa. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. reflexum New Zealand. Flower head deep red. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. conocarpodendron C Lennox. USA. Poster Proteas of Hawaii 1982. Ls. conocarpodendron x Ls. cordifolium O: JC Steenkamp. S: 1977.I: SANF 1984. Flower head flattened globular, golden yellow. Withdrawn from cultivation. Ls. cordifolium hybrid. Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head yellow-orange. Spring. Proteaflora Label 1995. Ls. cordifolium New Zealand. Flower head orange; foliage grey-green. Matthews 1993. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. glabrum ? H Wood. South Africa. Flower head orange-pink. September to December. Batchelor Award 3rd prize in 1981. SAPPEX News 32 1981, IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. cordifolium SANF. South Africa. Flower head salmon-pink. September. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. patersonii Flower head large, pinkish-orange. Early spring to early summer. Riverlea 1986. Ls. erubescence x Ls. cuneiforme O: ARC. S: 1991. REG: 2000. Flower head orange-yellow (RHS 23A), 9.5 cm diameter. August to September. Ls. cordifolium O: FC Batchelor. S: 1962. I & REG: 1974. PBR granted in ZA 1977, cancelled 1988. Flower head pale pink. Ls. lineare x Ls. vestitum x Ls. conocarpodendron Proteaflora. Australia. Flower head yellow, styles red tipped. Spring. Proteaflora Catalogue 1994. Ls. cordifolium H Wood. South Africa. Flower head yellow-orange. October. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. lineare O: FC Batchelor. S: 1967. I & REG: 1974. PBR granted in ZA 1977, cancelled 1988. Flower head medium red. Ls. cordifolium Duncan & Davies Nursery. New Zealand. Flower head pale orange. Early summer. Named in 1971. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. tottum New Zealand. Flower head salmon-pink. Mid spring to summer. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ls. cordifolium Duncan & Davies Nursery. New Zealand. Flower head bright orange-red. October to December. Named in 1971. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ls. cordifolium O: SANF. S: 1973. N: VOPI. I & REG: 1979. Flower head red, pollen presenters yellow, 9.5-cm diameter. September to October. Ls. tottum x Ls. vestitum (or Ls. cordifolium ?) H Wood. South Africa. Flower head small, deep orange-red, 10 cm diameter. October to December. Batchelor Award 2nd prize in 1978. Landbouweekblad March 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. tottum Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head pink-red. Early summer. Proteaflora Catalogue 1984, IPA Journal 14 1988. Ls. lineare hybrid G Jewell. 1978. New Zealand. Flower head orange-red, 12 cm diameter. September to December. Introduced to New Zealand in 1982. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. cordifolium O: FC Batchelor. S: 1973. N: VOPI. I & REG: 1979. Flower head red, pollen presenters yellow, 9.5-cm diameter. September to October. Ls. tottum x Ls. lineare N: NBI. S: 1987. REG: 1992. PBR granted in ZA 1992, expires 2010. Flower head creamy-white, 8 - 9 cm diameter. October to December. Ls. lineare Flower head yellow-pink. September to November. IPA Poster 1991. Ls. cordifolium SANF. South Africa. Flower head deep salmon with yellow pollen presenters. Early spring. Voigts 1982. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. tottum O: FC Batchelor. S: 1962. I & REG: 1974. PBR granted in ZA 1977, cancelled 1988. Flower head pale orange, 9.5 - 11 cm diameter. November. Ls. cuneiforme O: VOPI. S: 1975. REG: 1981. Flower head deep yellow, 10.5 cm diameter. September to November. Leucospermum New Zealand. Flower head yellow, turning orange. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Ls. cordifolium H Chittick. 1962. New Zealand. Flower head bright orange. November to January. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. conocarpodendron x Ls. cuneiforme P Parvin. USA. Flower head large, golden yellow. Late spring to late summer in HI. IPA Conference Report 1981, Riverlea 1986. (Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium) x Ls. conocarpodendron O: P Ito. H: 1979. S: 1982. N: PE Parvin. I: 1984. REG: 1993. Flower head yellow-orange with yellow ribbons and pink styles, 10 - 11.3 cm diameter. January to February in HI. Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium O: P Ito. H: 1978. S: 1981. N: PE Parvin. I: 1983. REG: 1993. Flower head bright red-orange, 9 - 9.6-cm diameter. December in HI. Ls. lineare x Ls. glabrum O: P Ito. H: 1979. S: 1982. N: PE Parvin. I: 1984. REG: 1995. Flower head bright red, scarlet ribbons, red styles, 9.5 - 10.4 cm diameter. December to January in HI. Ls. glabrum N: VOPI. S: 1973. REG: 1981. Flower head deep orange-red, 10.5 - 11.5 cm diameter. August to October. Ls. cordifolium `Yellow Bird' x Ls. patersonii O: VOPI. H: 1980. S: 1984. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1991, expires 2009. Flower head medium yellow, 10 - 11 cm diameter. September to October. Ls. cuneiforme New Zealand. Flower head bright yellow, orange tints, 9 cm diameter. October to January. Named in 1971. Duncan & Davies 1978. Ls. cordifolium USA. IPA Conference Report 1981. (Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium) x Ls. conocarpodendron O: P Ito. H: 1981. S: 1984. N: PE Parvin. I: 1990. REG: 1993. Flower head bright yellow, 10.1 - 11 cm diameter. March in HI. Ls. cordifolium USA. Flower head light salmon-pink. Mid spring. Matthews 1993. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. spathulatum ? New Zealand. Flower head deep red, 9 cm diameter. October to February. Matthews & Carter 1983. Trade Mark of Proteaflora Enterprises for `Veldfire' and `Baby Flowers'. Ls. erubescens x Ls. cuneiforme J. Moffatt. AU. PBR application in AU withdrawn 1999. UPOV-ROM 1999/03. Ls. cordifolium O: FC Batchelor. S: 1969. I & REG: 1974. PBR granted in ZA 1977, cancelled 1988. Flower head red. November. Ls. cordifolium O: VOPI. S: 1975. REG: 1997. Flower head orange-red, 12 – 14 cm diameter. Styles bi-coloured: basal part yellow-green (RHS 145C), apical part orange-red (RHS 42B). August to October. Ls. vestitum New Zealand. Flower head coral orange-red with mauve-red ribbons. Early summer. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ld. laureolum New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. Ls. patersonii x Ls. conocarpodendron O: J Ben-Jaacov et al. S: 1995. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head: medium, styles orange-red, pollen presenters yellow. March to April in Israel. High tolerance to calcareous soil. Ls. cordifolium Duncan & Davies Nursery. New Zealand. Flower head pale yellow, 9 cm diameter. October to February. Named in 1975. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. patersonii O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. S: 1992. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head: medium, styles orange, pollen presenters yellow. March in Israel. Use: rootstock. Tolerant to calcareous soil. Ls patersonii x Ls. conocarpodendron O: J Ben-Jaacov et al. S: 1995. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head: medium, styles red, pollen presenters orange. April in Israel. High tolerance to calcareous soil. Ls. vestitum Flower head pink-red, styles orange, ribbons scarlet. August to December. IPA Poster 1991. Ls. cordifolium Chittick. 1968. New Zealand. Flower head glowing orange. Long flowering stems. Released by Riverlea Nurseries in 1989. Rewa Nurseries Sales List. Ls. praecox selection Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Proteaflora Label 1996. Ls. tottum Flower head pink. September to November. AFPGA Journal 1995. Ls. cordifolium O: SANF. S: 1973. N: VOPI. I & REG: 1979. Flower head deep pink-orange, 11 cm diameter. September to November. Ls. patersonii ARC. South Africa. Flower head orange. September to October. ARC cultivar list 1998. (Ls. lineare x Ls. vestitum) x Ls. glabrum O: P Ito. H: 1981. S: 1984. N: PE Parvin. I: 1990. REG: 1993. Flower head salmon-orange, 9.5 - 10.5 cm diameter. January in HI. Ls. cordifolium New Zealand. Flower head deep copper-orange. Mid spring to early summer. Matthews 1993. Leucospermum hybrid Flower head yellow with red ribbons. September to November. AFPGA Journal 1995. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. lineare O: JC Steenkamp. S: 1974. I: 1978. REG: 1993. Flower head orange-yellow, 8.5 - 9 cm diameter. November. Ls cordifolium x Ls glabrum O: VOPI H: 1988 S: 1992 I: 1998 REG: 1999. PBR granted in ZA 2000, expires 2025. Flower head red (RHS 46B), styles red (RHS 44C), lower part of styles cream, ribbons deep red (RHS 45A), 11 cm diameter. August to October. Ls. cordifolium Riverlea Nurseries. New Zealand. Flower head very large, intensely orange-red. Mid spring to mid summer. Riverlea 1986. Matthews & Carter 1983. Ls. reflexum ARC. South Africa. Flower head red. September to October. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ls. cordifolium New Zealand. IPA Journal 10 1986. Ls. saxosum ARC. South Africa. Flower head red. September to October. ARC cultivar list 1998. Ls. glabrum x Ls. tottum O: VOPI. H: 1974. S: 1980. I: 1984. REG: 1992. Originally published as 'Bluebeard' in 1983. Flower head multi-coloured, salmon-pink with purple-red ribbons, 9.5 - 11 cm diameter. September to October. Ls. patersonii x Ls. conocarpodendron O: J Ben-Jaacov et al. S: 1995. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head: small to medium, styles orange, pollen presenters orange. March in Israel. Tolerant to calcareous soil. Ls. cordifolium New Zealand. Flower head salmon-pink and apricot; foliage grey-green. Matthews 1993. Leucospermum J Ben-Jaacov. Proteaflor Exporting. Israel. PBR granted in Israel 1985, expired 1992. UPOV-ROM 1997/05. Ls. tottum x Ls. formosum O: P Barlow. S & N: VOPI 1975. REG: 1997. Rootstock. Flower head yellow with cream-pink ribbons, 12 cm diameter. August to October. Ls. patersonii Flower head pale pink-orange. Mid spring to early summer. Matthews 1993. Ls. lineare O: VOPI. S: 1980. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head red, styles RHS 40D and pollen presenters RHS 42A, ribbons pastel pink, 9 cm diameter. September to November. Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium O: VOPI. H: 1979. IPR application. Flower head pink-orange, 12 cm diameter. July to September. Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium O: VOPI. H: 1979. IPR application. Flower head orange-pink, 12 cm diameter. September to November. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. lineare O: JC Steenkamp. S:1977. I: 1984. REG: 1992. Flower head red, 10 cm diameter. September. Ls. cordifolium USA. Flower head pale pink-red. July to December. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. cordifolium x Ls. patersonii O: VOPI. H: 1975. S: 1980. I: 1984. REG: 1992. Originally published as 'Earlybird' in 1983. Flower head medium red, 9.5 - 11 cm diameter. August to September. Ls 'Scarlet Ribbon' x Ls 'Sunrise' O: D Archer. H: 1992. S: 1996. REG: Zimflora 2000. Flower head salmon (RHS 31B), 9 cm diameter. August to October. Ls. lineare x Ls. cordifolium x Ls. conocarpodendron Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head yellow, styles orange, yellow tipped. Spring. Proteaflora Catalogue 1994. Ls. cordifolium. South Africa. Flower head pale lemon-yellow. Foliage greyish. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. Ls. lineare `Diadem' x Ls. glabrum `Helderfontein' O: VOPI. H: 1979. S: 1984. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1994. Flower head deep orange-red, 10.5 - 11 cm diameter. September to October. Ls. conocarpodendron x Ls. hypophyllocarpodendron O: S Thompson. S: 1987. N: NBI. I & REG: 1995. PBR granted in ZA 1995, expires 2013. Flower head yellow (RHS 14B), sweet scent. Growth habit spreading, prostrate. September to December. Leucospermum sp. O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. S: 1990. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1994. Flower head: small, styles yellow, pollen presenter yellow; multi-headed. March in Israel. Use: pot and garden plant. Ls. tottum x Ls. lineare M. Green. South Africa. November. SAPPEX News 20 1978. Ls. patersonii x Ls. conocarpodendron O: A Ackerman et al. S: 1995. REG: ARO Volcani Center 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1997. Flower head large, styles orange, pollen presenter yellow. April in Israel. High tolerance of calcareous soil. Ls. glabrum x Ls. conocarpodendron O & N: H Wood. I: M Jackson. 1979. REG: 1994. Batchelor Award 2nd prize 1979. Flower head yellow with orange perianth ribbons. August to September. Ls. cordifolium O: CW Green. S: 1974. N: VOPI. REG: 1981. Batchelor Award 1979. Flower head deep orange-red (RHS 42B), pollen presenters yellow, 12 cm diameter. September to November. Ls. conocarpodendron hybrid USA. Flower head orange-yellow. March in USA. IPA Brochure 1987. Ls. patersonii x Ls conocarpodendron. A Ackerman et al. Israel. Volcani Center. PBR granted in Israel 2000. Flower head: yellow. Mid spring in IL. Use: garden & pot plant. High tolerance of calcareous soil. UPOV-ROM 2000/01. Ls. cordifolium O: WJ Middelmann. S: 1976. N: VOPI. I & REG: 1979. Flower head medium yellow, 10.5 cm diameter. September to October. Ls. reflexum Flower head yellow. September to November. Could be same as `Luteum'. AFPGA Journal 1995. Small shrub. Flower head small, creamy yellow. August to December. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Erect shrub. Flower head: flat, red reduced leaves, yellow at the base, florets protruding from underneath these leaves. August to March. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Paranomus reflexus (E. Phillips & Hutch.) Fourc. Branched shrub, entire leaves and dissected leaves with red pointed tips. Flower head green-yellow, flowers bending down as buds open. June to August in ZA. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. P. magnifica O: DN Shaw. S: 1995. I: 1998. REG: 2001. Flower head: dark pink-red; black fringe and apical tuft on involucral bracts. Floret mass: pointed, black centre. September to November. P. cynaroides J Moffatt. Australia. Flower head white. P. magnifica x P. compacta HW Strauss. South Africa. Batchelor Award 3rd prize 1985. SAPPEX News 47 1985. P. aristata Flower head: pink, brown area at tips of involucral bracts; floret mass pink-red, tinged with white. August to January. IPA Poster 1991. P. compacta x P. magnifica O: A Roux. S: 1975. N: VOPI. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: large; obovate; medium pink-red with satiny glow, white fringe on bracts; floret mass pale pink with small purple centre. July to September. P. neriifolia x P. longifolia .O: PDJ Roux. H: 1975. S: 1979. I: 1982. REG: 1984. Batchelor Award 1981. Flower head: cylindrical; deep pink (RHS 48A); floret mass black with elongated point. May to July. P. pityphylla x P. effusa S: PDJ Roux 1994. REG: 1997. Flower head: rusty pink, margins of bracts darker pink, floret mass pink with brown hair. April. P. cynaroides E Taylor. GE Jewell. New Zealand. PBR granted in NZ 1998, expires 2021. Growth habit erect, long slender stems. Flower head: white. UPOV-ROM 1997/05, Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. P. aristata O: VOPI. S: 1974. REG: 1996. Flower head: pink-red; floret mass pink, tipped with white hair. November to January. P. magnifica N: VOPI. S: 1975. REG: 1993. Flower head: obovate; medium pink-red with satiny glow, brownish tufts on bracts; floret mass cream with black centre, slightly pointed. June to August. P. cynaroides O: JA Taylor. S: 1994. REG: 1996. Flower head: deep red (RHS 60A - outer bracts, RHS 60B - inside of bracts), bowl-shaped. July tot August. P. magnifica x P. laurifolia Riverlea Nurseries. 1989. New Zealand. Flower head: large; pink-red; prominent black fringe; floret mass white with white centre. Rewa Nurseries sales list. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: salmon-pink, greenish pink towards bottom; floret mass cream, slightly pointed black centre. May to August. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. neriifolia x P. longifolia H Barber. New Zealand. Flower head: large; dark bronzed-pink at base, clear pink towards tips; floret mass heavily tipped with black, slightly pointed black centre. Winter to spring. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. eximia x P. susannae Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: crimson red; floret mass slightly pointed, black centre. Winter. Proteaflora label 1992. P. eximia hybrid S Hardesty. USA. Poster Proteas of Hawaii 1982. P. magnifica x P. neriifolia New Zealand. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. P. cynaroides L Booysen. South Africa. Batchelor Award 1986. September to November. SAPPEX News 52 1986. P. compacta x P. burchellii O: J Winshaw. S: 1975. I: VOPI. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: medium; deep pink-red (RHS 60A), inner involucral bracts RHS 54A; floret mass pink. May to July. P. aurea Australia. Flower head: saucer-shaped; pink; floret mass pink. February to May, September to October. Matthews 1993, AFPGA Journal 1995. Synonym of `Pink Ice' used by Protea Australis. P. magnifica x P. obtusifolia O: AE Cilliers. N & I: Lindeshof. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1992, expires 2010. Flower head: cylindrical to obovate; dark pink-red, white fringe on margins of involucral bracts; floret mass purplish. June. P. longifolia hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: shape cylindrical – obovate; pink, white fringe on inner bracts; floret mass pink, pointed black centre. Autumn to spring. Proteaflora label 1989. APVJ 6(1) 1993. P. magnifica x P. stokoei ? New Zealand. Flower head: bright pink, black fringe; floret mass pink. Mid winter to early summer. Riverlea 1986. P. eximia x P. susannae O: VOPI. S: 1978. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: medium; obovate; pink-red with silver satiny glow; floret mass purplish, slightly pointed. February to April. P. compacta x P. neriifolia O: JC Steenkamp. I: 1982. REG: SANF. 1992. Batchelor Award 1980. Flower head: obovate; pink-red; floret mass pink and pointed. February to March. P. neriifolia x P. compacta ARC: Fynbos South Africa. Flower head: small-medium, pink. March to May. Landbouweekblad 1998, ARC cultivar list 2001. P. magnifica New Zealand. Flower head: cream flushed with pink. Mid winter to late spring. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica O: J Liebenberg. S: 1985. REG: 1993. Flower head: narrowly campanulate; deep pink-red, dense white fringe on bracts; floret mass pink-white with black centre, pointed. P. compacta hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head pink. Autumn/winter. Proteaflora Label 1995. P. neriifolia x P. aurea New Zealand. Flower head: creamy-white, black fringe; floret mass cream. Winter to spring. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides O: VOPI. H: 1990. I: 2000. REG: 2000. PBR granted in ZA 2000, expires 2025. Flower head: red-pink (RHS 148A), floret mass pink-grey, slightly pointed. July to August. P. repens x P. aurea J Clark. 1948. New Zealand. Flower head: deep red; floret mass red with white tips. Mid winter to early spring. 1st protea hybrid named and marketed in New Zealand. Duncan & Davies 1978. Protea F2 hybrid H. Wood. South Africa. P. magnifica x P. neriifolia Australia. Flower head: satin pink, small tufts at tips of inner bracts; floret mass pale pink with slightly pointed burgundy centre. Late autumn to mid winter. Similar to `Pacific Queen'. Released in 1992. Matthews 1993, AFPGA Journal 1995. P. magnifica x P. compacta New Zealand. Flower head: large; clear silvery-pink, white tufts; floret mass white, flattens towards centre, reveals cavity. Late summer to autumn. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. magnifica Duncan Nurseries. New Zealand. Flower head: large; creamy-white, white fringe; floret mass black, pointed. Late winter to spring. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides x P. grandiceps? O: J Moffatt. S: 1988. I: 1992. REG: 1993. Flower head: obovate; pink; floret mass pink. February to April in AU. P. neriifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head cream, inner bracts with black fringe. Mid winter. Proteaflora Label 1990. P. obtusifolia O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. S: 1992. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1999. Tolerant to calcareous soil. Flower head: small, red, cylindrical. November to December in Israel. P. neriifolia hybrid Riverlea Nurseries. 1972. New Zealand. Flower head: bright rose pink-red, dense double row of bracts, black tufts; floret mass yellow. Late summer to winter. Named in 1979. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. hybrid. Flower head: cream and pink - tips of outer involucral bracts pink, rest of bracts cream; upper part of inner involucral bracts pink, rest of bracts cream; floret mass wine-red. April to June, September to January. IPA Poster 1991, AFPGA Journal 1995. P. eximia B Harrington. Australia. Flower head: large; clear pink to red; floret mass wine red. Summer to autumn. Matthews 1993. P. lacticolor New Zealand. Flower head: narrowly funnel-shaped; salmon-pink. Autumn to winter. Matthews 1993. P. repens Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head pink. Mid summer. Proteaflora Catalogue 1993. P. neriifolia Flower head: cylindrical to obovate; pale yellow, burgundy tufts on bracts; broad dry margin on outer involucral bracts. February to May. AFPGA Journal 1995. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: obconical; pink-red; floret mass purple, elongated point. March to July. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. repens O: R Middelmann. S: 1979. I: VOPI. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: obconical; deep red at apex (RHS 53A), creamy white at lower part, outer involucral bracts greenish-red. March to May. P. mundii x P. subvestita O: DM Archer. S: 1998. N: Resincraft. REG: 1999. PBR application in ZW. Flower head: oblong-obconic; outer bracts grey-yellow (RHS 160B), inner bracts pale cream (RHS 150D); floret mass cream-pink. January to February. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Flower head: medium; deep pink, brown tufts. Flowers all year round, peak in winter. Named in 1974. Duncan & Davies 1978. P. magnifica New Zealand. Flower head: large; soft pink, brown fringe; floret mass cream-tinged pink, tipped with black. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. P. neriifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Proteaflora Catalogue 1986. P. eximia O: VOPI. S: 1975. N & I: 1989. REG: 1996. Flower head: deep red (RHS 46A), white fringe at apices of inner bracts; floret mass wine-red, pointed. September to November. P. cynaroides x P. cynaroides O: J Malherbe. S: 1988. N: VOPI. I: 1993. REG: 1995. PBR granted in ZA 1995, expires 2013. Flower head: cream-white; floret mass white. September to November. P. compacta x P. magnifica or P. eximia New Zealand. Flower head: large; rich pink, cream towards base, distinctive silvery pubescence on bracts; floret mass deep wine-red, pointed. August to October. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. neriifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: pink-red, white fringe on inner bracts; outer bracts with dry margin; floret mass pointed, dark red. May to August. IPA Brochure 1987. P. magnifica x P. stokoei ? New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. P. aurea New Zealand. Flower head: deep rosy-red. Late summer to early winter. Matthews 1993. P. grandiceps x P. longiflora Ausflora Pacific. Australia. PBR application in AU 1998. UPOV-ROM 1999/03. P. neriifolia 1950. New Zealand. Flower head: yellow-green, dense brownish-purple tufts; floret mass cream, centre rosy-purple, pointed. Winter. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. eximia USA. HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. obtusifolia USA. HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. repens USA. HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. repens O:VOPI. S: 1981. I:1984. REG: 1993. Flower head: linear oblong; red, cream towards base; floret mass white. December to February. P. neriifolia hybrid P Holroyde. USA. Poster Proteas of Hawaii 1982. P. glabra x P. laurifolia O: EJ de Beer. S: 1989. REG: 1996. PBR granted in ZA 1996, expires 2014. Flower head: dark pink (RHS48A), outer involucral bracts greenish-yellow (RHS 145B) with dry margin, floret mass maroon. June to August. P. cynaroides Australia. Flower head: pale pink, bracts yellowish towards base. September to November, March to May. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. repens selection Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: cream-white; floret mass cream-white. Autumn to early winter. Proteaflora Catalogue 1987. P. repens W Stevens. New Zealand. Flower head: large, greenish-white; floret mass greenish-white tipped with silver. April to August. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides O: DN Shaw. S: 1990. I: 1995. REG: 1999. Batchelor Award 1995. Flower head: globose; cream-white; floret mass white, slightly pointed. January to March. P. cynaroides New Zealand. Flower head: very large; salmon-tinted crimson; floret mass silver tinged with pink. Spring to summer. Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides New Zealand. Flower head: silvery-pink; floret mass silver-grey. Named in 1980. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides New Zealand. Flower head: rosy-red; floret mass silver tinged with red. Spring to summer. Named in 1980. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. cynaroides O: WB Kirkman. S: 1991. REG: 1992. Flower head: semi-globose; cream (RHS 150D); floret mass white. May to June. P. magnifica New Zealand. Similar to `Coronet Peak', possibly synonymous. Matthews 1993. P. lacticolor hybrid O: FC Batchelor. S: 1961. I: 1974. REG: 1974. PBR granted in ZA 1977, expired 1995. Flower head: cylindrical to obconical; pink (RHS 58B); floret mass pink with white centre. July. Protea obtusifolia A Ackerman, J Ben-Jaacov. Volcani Center. Israel. PBR application in Israel 1999. Flower head: medium, pink-yellow, cylindrical, no secondary growth below flower head. December to February in IL. High tolerance of calcareous soil. UPOV-ROM 2000/01. P. amplexicaulis hybrid Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1994, expires 2012. Flower head: obovate; greyed-red (RHS 181A), yellow-green towards base (RHS 154C), inner bracts incurving at apices; floret mass pale red, forms spiral. Late winter to early spring. APVJ 6(4) 1993. P. obtusifolia O: A Ackerman, J Ben-Jaacov. S: 1992. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1999. Use: also rootstock. High tolerance of calcareous soil. Flower head: small, red, cylindrical. November to February in Israel. P. cynaroides x P. grandiceps ARC. South Africa. Flower head large oval, deep pink-red. April to May. ARC cultivar list 1998. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. P. hybrid Protea Australis. Australia. Matthews 1993. P. repens x P. pudens Protea Australis. Australia. New hybrid, to be released 1993/4. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica x P. burchellii Protea Australis. Australia. Flower head: clear red with silver tints; floret mass deep rose-red. Matthews 1993. P. neriifolia hybrid Protea Australis. Australia. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica x P. compacta O: JC Steenkamp. S: 1976. I: 1986. REG: SANF 1992. Batchelor Award 2nd prize 1981. Flower head: oblong; pink-red; floret mass pink and pointed. May to June. P. lacticolor x P. mundii 1950. New Zealand. Flower head: goblet-shaped; rich pink, white fringe; floret mass pink with white fringe, flattened. Summer to winter. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Matthews 1993. P. repens x P. longifolia O: J Liebenberg. S: 1981. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1993, expires 2011. Flower head: oblong; deep pink-red (RHS 53D), white fringe on bracts; floret mass pink with pointed black centre. April to July. P. neriifolia 1950. New Zealand. Flower head: white - creamy-green, dense purple-red tufts on inner bracts; floret mass cream, rosy tips. Smaller flowers and smaller, more compact bush than `Green Ice'. March to May in ZA. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. burchellii selection Protea Australis. Australia. Flower head: striking red, black tufts. P. pityphylla x P. effusa O: PDJ Roux. H: 1987. S: 1994. N & REG: 1996. Flower head: saucer-shaped, inner involucral bracts greenish-pink in central area, dark pink in marginal area (RHS 42B); floret mass: anthers red with brown hair, slightly pointed. April. P. punctata Australia. Flower head: pink, bracts whitish on inside; floret mass pink-red with brownish hair. February to May. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. cynaroides O: ARC. H: 1990. S: 1993. I & REG: 2000. PBR granted in ZA 2000, expires 2025. Flower head: obconical; red (RHS 63A); floret mass grey-pink, slightly pointed. August to October. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Flower head: green, black fringe; floret mass pointed, wine-red. Winter to spring. Matthews 1993. P. compacta x P. magnifica O: DN Shaw. H: 1986. S: 1994. REG: 1997. Batchelor Award 1996. Flower head: cylindrical, deep pink; floret mass pink, pointed. September to October.. SAPPEX News 91 1996. P. magnifica hybrid ARC South Africa. Flower head pink. May to June. Batchelor Award 1982. ARC cultivar list 1998. P. magnifica H Wood. South Africa. Batchelor Award 1982. SAPPEX News 36 1982. P. longifolia hybrid J Liebenberg. South Africa. SAPPEX News 75 1992. P. magnifica x P. compacta ? H Wood. South Africa. Flower head: pink (RHS 51B), white fringe with black tufts; floret mass pink, wine-red centre. Autumn to mid winter. Batchelor Award 1976. IPA Brochure 1987, Matthews 1993. P. obtusifolia O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. S: 1992. I & REG: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1999. Use: also rootstock. High tolerance to calcareous soil. Flower head: medium, greenish-yellow, obconical. November to December in Israel. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: cylindrical; pale pink, outer bracts cream; floret mass pale pink, slightly pointed dark centre. May to August. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. lacticolor New Zealand. Flower head: narrowly funnel-shaped; creamy-white. Autumn to winter. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica x P. compacta H Wood. South Africa. April. Batchelor Award 1977. SAPPEX News 16 1977. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: cylindrical; cream-pink, inner bracts with black tufts and dense white fringe; floret mass pale pink. February to July. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. neriifolia x P. repens O: HW Strauss. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1992, expires 2010. Batchelor Award 1985. Flower head: cylindrical to obovate; pink (RHS 54C); floret mass white with slightly pointed centre. May to July, September to October. Protea F2 hybrid H Wood. South Africa. Flower head: silvery -green with yellow tint (RHS 144D), brown-black tufts, outer involucral bracts yellowish-green (RHS 151A) with brown tufts, dry margin. May to June. Batchelor Award in 1978. SAPPEX News 20 1978. P. burchellii x P. longifolia S & N: PDJ Roux 1994. REG: 1996. Flower head: 7.8 cm diameter; globose; pink (RHS 53C), central part of outer involucral bracts greenish yellow (RHS 146D) with pink margin, floret mass maroon. July. P. magnifica x P. neriifolia L Matthews. 1959. New Zealand. Flower head: pink, white fringe and black tufts; floret mass yellow tipped with wine-red. August to December. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Flower head: large; soft bronze-pink overlaid with silver, dense black tufts. Late winter to spring. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. pityphylla x P. effusa S & N: PDJ Roux 1994. REG: 1997. Flower head: 8 cm diameter; saucer-shaped; involucral bracts pink with darker pink margin; floret mass brown-red, slightly pointed. April. P. magnifica x P. longifolia O: R Middelmann. S: 1993. N: P Swart. I: VOPI. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1995, expires 2013. Flower head: pink-red at apex, cream-yellow towards base of bracts; floret mass pink, black centre, slightly pointed. May to July. P. 'Pink Ice' x P. compacta S & S Smith. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1998; expires 2018. Flower head pink-red (RHS 59C), central area of outer involucral bract pink-red (RHS 59C); floret mass purple-pink (RHS 75B). April to June. APVJ 11(1) 1998. P. magnifica New Zealand. Flower head: large; rosy-pink; floret mass silvery-white, tipped with black. Late winter to spring. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. compacta hybrid O: VOPI. S:1975. REG: 1993. Flower head: medium; obovate; pale pink-red (RHS 54B), basal part of inner involucral bract yellow (RHS 10D); floret mass pink, slightly pointed. June to August. P. magnifica x P. eximia New Zealand. Flower head: cream and pink, brown tufts; floret mass cream, tipped with reddish-purple. Formerly `Fantasy' (IPA Journal 17 1989). Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. P. compacta x P. magnifica B Cullen. New Zealand. P. compacta x P. susannae P Matthews. Australia. Flower head: deep pink, silver pubescence; floret mass pink, deep red centre, slightly pointed. January to October. Promoted internationally in 1987. Proteaflora Catalogue 1984, Australian Horticulture 1990. P. compacta USA. Flower head: sparkling pink. September to May in HI. Hawaii Poster 1982. P. neriifolia Australia. Australian Poster 1988. P.'Pink Ice' x P. longifolia S & S Smith. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1998; expires 2018. Floweerr head: pink (RHS 61D), central area of outer involucral bract yellow-green (RHS 154D); floret mass pointed, purple (RHS 79A). June to August. APVJ 11(1) 1998. P. compacta x P. magnifica Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1997, expires 2017. Flower head shape broad obovate – semi globose, purple-red (RHS 60A), innermost bracts narrow spathulate with dense white pubescence on margins and apices; floret mass greyed-orange (RHS 175C). Spring. APVJ 9(3) 1996. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Flower head: large; satin pink; black fringe with white tufts. Named in 1973. Duncan & Davies 1978. P. compacta HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. neriifolia variant Australia. Winner of Peter Mathews Award 1998. Flower head: bright pink, white apical tufts on involucral bracts. March to May in Australia. Buds & Bracts 11(1) 1999. P. magnifica x P. compacta O: JA du Preez. S: 1966. REG: 1984. Flower head: cylindrical to obovate; pink; floret mass pink-white. May to June. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: red, white fringe on inner bracts; floret mass wine red, pointed centre. May to September. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. pudens x P. longifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1996, expires 2014. Flower head obovate – obconical, outer bracts red (RHS 47A), innermost bracts linear-oblanceolate, fine white pubescence on margins, dark spot of hair at apices; floret mass conical, greyed-red (RHS 187A). Winter to spring. APVJ 9(1) 1996. P. neriifolia Protea Australis. Australia. Flower head: pink, black tufts at tips of bracts, inner involucral bracts curving strongly inwards. March to June. Matthews 1993, AFPGA Journal 1995. P. magnifica x P. longifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1993, expires 2011. APVJ 6(1) 1993. P. laurifolia x P. sulphurea O: HL Steyl. S: Blydskap Nurseries 1994. REG: 1996. PBR granted in ZA 1996, expires 2016. Flower head: obovate to saucer-shaped; solid dusty pink; floret mass brownish red with pointed centre. April to August. P. neriifolia O: S de Wet. S: 1991. REG: 1998. PBR granted in ZA 1998, expires 2023. Flower head: red-pink, white fringe and black tufts on inner involucral bracts; floret mass cream, rounded. January to February. P. compacta Flower head: pink; floret mass pink. February to October. IPA Poster 1991. P. magnifica x P. laurifolia O: JC Steenkamp. S: 1977. I: SANF 1986. Flower head: pink-red, white fringe and tufts; floret mass pink, elongated point, black centre. Withdrawn from cultivation. P. grandiceps Australia. Flower head: pink-red. August to December. Australian Fresh Flower Buyers' Guide 1988, IPA Poster 1991. P. neriifolia x P. burchellii L Engelke. Batchelor Award 2nd prize 1980. May to October. SAPPEX News 28 1980. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Flower head: large, creamy-white, heavy black tufts on inner bracts; floret mass light cream. Early winter to late spring. Named in 1978. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. compacta x P. obtusifolia O: Caledon Municipality. S: 1975. N: VOPI. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: medium to large; cylindrical to obovate; outer bracts: dry, brown margins, central area greenish red; inner bracts dark pink to red (RHS 60A), short white fringe on margins, central area covered with silvery pubescence; floret mass pink with slightly pointed centre. June to September. P. cynaroides O: VOPI. S: 1976. N: VPOI. I & REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1994, expires 2012. Flower head: obconical; deep red; floret mass white. November to December. P. neriifolia O: VOPI. S: 1980. REG: 1996. Flower head: deep pink-red, black fringe and tufts on apical area of inner bracts; floret mass light yellow, slightly pointed. May to July. P. laurifolia J Harré. New Zealand. Riverlea 1986. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Flower head: medium; deep pink, black tufts; floret mass wine-red. Flowers all year round. Named in 1974. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P grandiceps x P eximia O: DM Archer. S: 1992. I: Resincraft 2000. REG: DM Archer 2000. Flower head: pink-orange (RHS 174B), fringe on inner involucral bracts, apical tuft pink; floret mass pink (RHS 181C), flattened. October to March. P. laurifolia New Zealand. Flower head: soft green, dense reddish-purple tufts on inner bracts; floret mass bronze, pointed. April to August. Matthews & Carter 1983, Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. P. repens O: VOPI. S: 1976. REG: 1996. Flower head: obconical; red (RHS 60A); floret mass white. January to March. P. longifolia New Zealand. Flower head: rosy-red. Autumn to early winter. Duncan & Davies 1978. P. neriifolia variant New Zealand. Flower head: pink, overlaid with silver, black tufts; floret mass yellow. Late winter to spring. Riverlea 1986, Matthews 1993. P. repens selection Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: pink, cream-white towards base; floret mass pinkish white. Autumn to early winter. Proteaflora Catalogue 1987. P. hybrid Australia. Flower head: reddish, very few inner bracts, white fringe on tips of inner bracts; floret mass greyish, slightly pointed black centre. March to July. Matthews 1993, AFPGA Journal 1995. P. magnifica x P. obtusifolia O: HW Strauss. S: 1975. I: 1978. REG: 1980. PBR granted in ZA 1991, expires 2009. Flower head: cylindrical; red (RHS 53A); floret mass pink. June to July. P. longifolia hybrid O: VOPI. S: 1973. I: VOPI. REG:1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: small; pink-red and cream pastel colours, white fringe. June to August. P. cynaroides Matthew's Nursery. 1979. New Zealand. Flower head: large; deep scarlet-red; floret mass white. Summer. Matthews & Carter 1983, Matthews 1993. P. obtusifolia O: J Ben-Jaacov, A Ackerman. S: 1992. I & Reg: Volcani Center, 2000. PBR granted in Israel 1999. Use: rootstock. High tolerance to calcareous soil. Flower head: small, pink, cylindrical. November to December in Israel. P. magnifica x P. burchellii O: HW Strauss. S: 1974. I: 1978. REG: 1980. PBR granted in ZA 1991, expires 2009. Flower head: obovate; pink; floret mass pink with black pointed centre. June to July. P. neriifolia Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Flower head: pink, inner bracts with heavy black fringe and tufts; floret mass black, slightly pointed. Early winter. Proteaflora Catalogue 1986. P. cynaroides New Zealand. Flower head: creamy-white; floret mass silver-grey. Matthews 1993. P. neriifolia ARC. South Africa. Flower head deep crimson, black and white beard. February to may. ARC cultivar list 1998. P. neriifolia Riverlea Nurseries. 1961. New Zealand. Flower head: larger than `Snowcrest', pink-red, white fringe and black tufts; floret mass yellow. Winter to spring. Named in 1968. Matthews & Carter 1983. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: obconical; pink; floret mass white, slightly pointed centre. March to June. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. neriifolia O: J Moffatt. S: 1989. I: 1991. REG: 1993. Flower head: oblong; creamy-white, white fringe with black centres on bracts; floret mass cream. P. repens O: JD Sneyd. S: 1976. N: VOPI. REG: 1993. PBR granted in ZA 1993, expires 2011. Flower head: medium, obovate to obconical; deep red (RHS 60A), cream towards base; floret mass white. January to March. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Flower head: rose to bright pink, white fringe and tufts with black centres; floret mass yellow. Matthews & Carter 1983, Riverlea 1986. P. cynaroides Matthew's Nursery. 1979. New Zealand. Flower head: creamy-white, faintly tinted pink; floret mass silver-grey. Autumn. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. magnifica New Zealand. Flower head: large; greenish-cream; floret mass silvery-white, dusted with black, pointed. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica VOPI. South Africa. Flower head: large, deep pink, dense white hair and tufts on tips of bracts; floret mass white, pointed, black centre. April to June. Landbouweekblad 1996. P. compacta Australia. Flower head: obconical; white; floret mass white. April to July. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. neriifolia x P. longifolia ? New Zealand. Flower head: pink, bronze shaded, white fringe and tufts with purple centres; floret mass deep red, pointed centre. Winter. Named in 1982. Matthews & Carter 1983. P. magnifica hybrid P Steele. New Zealand. Flower head: large, silvery pink, brownish fringe. Foliage blue-green. Released by Riverlea Nurseries in 1981. Rewa Nurseries sales list. P. repens selection O: VOPI. S: 1989. I: 1994. REG: 1996. Flower head: large; deep red (RHS 60A). Floret mass white. Almost no secondary growth below flower head. January to March. P. magnifica x P. susannae O: PDJ Roux. H: 1975. S: 1980. REG: 1984. Flower head: medium to large; cylindrical to obovate; outer bracts: dry, brown margins, central area yellowish-green (RHS 151A), covered by silvery pubescence; inner bracts salmon pink, marginal area pink (RHS 53C), central area yellow-orange with pink tint (RHS 18B with pink tint), cream towards base; floret mass pinkish-white with slightly indented blackish centre. March to May. P. repens x P. mundii O: S de Wet. H: 1989. REG: 1998. PBR granted in ZA 1998, expires 2023. Flower head: pink-red; floret mass white-cream-pink, rounded. February to March. P. eximia x P. susannae O: VOPI. S: 1977. I & N: VOPI. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1991, cancelled 1993. Flower head: medium to large, pink-red with bronze satiny glow, cream-yellow towards base. November to February. P. compacta hybrid H Wood. South Africa. Released in AU 1988. Flower head: shape narrow obovate, inner bracts light pink, white fringe on margins; outer bracts creamy green with narrow pink margins becoming dry margins on outermost bracts; floret mass light pink with white hairs, pointed. April to July. Proteaflora Catalogue 1995. P. cynaroides mini. Australia. Flower head: small; red, very few bracts. March to April, September to October. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. lepidocarpodendron New Zealand. Flower head: long; greenish-yellow, black fringe. Winter. Duncan & Davies 1978, Matthews 1993. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: pink, white fringe on inner involucral bracts; floret mass pink, rounded. April to August. AFPGA Journal 1995. Protea hybrid Australia. Flower head: cylindrical to obovate; pink; floret mass with slightly pointed wine-red centre. March to June. AFPGA Journal 1995. P. cynaroides x P. compacta P Michell. South Africa. Batchelor Award 2nd prize in 1983. Flower head: silvery pink; floret mass white, pointed. SAPPEX News 39 1983, Fynbos Poster 1993. P. neriifolia New Zealand. Flower head: deep rose-red, black fringe. Winter to spring. Matthews 1993. P. magnifica x P. neriifolia ARC. South Africa. Flower head pink to orange-yellow. May to August. ARC cultivar list 1998. P. aristata x P. repens O: CSM Michell. S: 1993. I: VOPI. REG: 1994. PBR granted in ZA 1995, expires 2013. Flower head: pink-red, marginal area of inner involucral bracts (RHS 53C), central area (RHS 59A), outer involucral bracts deep red (RHS 59A), white fringe on inner bracts; floret mass pink-red, pointed. July to October. P. cynaroides O: H. Chalmers & J. Reed. I: 1996. REG: 2001. Peter Mathews Memorial Award 1999. Flower head: white. Floret mass: white, slightly pointed. July to November in AU. P. neriifolia HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. 'Pink Ice' x P. obtusifolia S & S Smith. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1998; expires 2018. Flower head: pale yellow-green (RHS 1C), central area of outer involucral bract yellow-green (RHS 152C); floret mass purple, elongated point. April to June. APVJ 11(1) 1998. P. longifolia x P. repens S & S Smith. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1998; expires 2018. Flower head: yellow-green (RHS 154D), exposed area of outer involucral bract yellow-green (RHS 153A); floret mass black (RHS 202A), elongated point. August to November. APVJ 11(1) 1998. P. neriifolia J Heid. USA. P. neriifolia. HortScience 8(4) 1973. P. neriifolia Zorro Farms Sales List. Erect shrub. Flower head obconic to bell-shaped, pink-red. October to February in ZA. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Vigorous growing shrub. Flower head green, floret mass white, inner involucral bracts curve inwards, with white fringe. Spring. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Common name: King Protea. Flower head pink. Autumn to spring. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. Protea nana (P.J. Bergius) Thunb. Common name: Mountain Rose. Flower head pendulous, cup-shaped, red. Winter. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. This is the "white" (cream) form of P. neriifolia. Autumn to spring. Duncan & Davies 1978. Tall shrub. Flower head pink. Flowers most of the year. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Flower head red. Winter. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. This is a "white" (cream) form of P. repens. Winter. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. Small rounded shrub. Flower head whitish green. Flowers most of the year. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. Low growing shrub. Flower head whitish-pink, white fringe on margins, thick brown apical tufts on inner involucral bracts. September to October. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. Sasol Proteas 1995. Spreading shrub. Flower head green with red tips on outside, sulphur yellow on inside, floret mass golden brown. April to August. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. S. florida x S. rosea O: VOPI. S: 1976. REG: 1996. Pot plant. Flower head: rose-pink (RHS 54B); floret mass grey. June to August. S. rosea New Zealand. Flower head deep pink. Matthews 1993. S. florida x S. rosea ARC Fynbos South Africa. PBR granted in Australia 2001, expires 2021. Flower head small, deep pink. October to November in Australia. APVJ 14(1) 2001. S. florida x S. rosea O: VOPI. S: 1984. REG: 1996. Pot plant Flower head: rose-pink; floret mass grey. July to September. S. florida selection Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. Bracts white (RHS 155C). Proteaflora Catalogue 1994. S. glomerata New Zealand. Flower head: pale lemon. Mid to late spring in NZ. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000. S. florida x S. barbigera F Batchelor. South Africa. Name not established. Cultivar not cultivated anymore. Susceptible to fungal diseases. S. florida x S. rosea Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1991, expires 2010. Bracts red-purple (RHS 62A). Late winter to spring. APVJ 3(4) 1990, Matthews 1993. S. florida Proteaflora Enterprises. Australia. PBR granted in AU 1995, expires 2013. Flower head: inner involucral bracts narrow elliptic, white (RHS 155C). November to December. APVJ 8(4) 1995. Small shrub. Flower head pink with long silver hairs. July to October. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Common name: Blushing Bride. Flower head pink, prominent involucral bracts pale pink, hairless. July to October. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Erect, compact shrub. Flower head pink, prominent involucral bracts, pink, hairy. August to October. Te Horo Ornamentals Catalogue 2000, Sasol Proteas 1995. Ls. reflexum var. luteum Cultivar name not acceptable due to similarity with Latin name of subspecies. `Ria' P. pityphylla x P. effusa PDJ Roux. ANONYMOUS. 1978 - 1998. LANDBOUWEEKBLAD. ANONYMOUS. 1979 - 1996. Journal of the South African Protea Producers and Exporters Association (SAPPEX News). ANONYMOUS. 1982. Poster of Proteas in Hawaii. ANONYMOUS. 1986 - 1992. Journal of the International Protea Association (IPA Journal). ANONYMOUS. 1986. Riverlea Nurseries. Complete Master Catalogue and Cultural Guide of Proteaceae. ANONYMOUS. 1986. Zorro Protea Farms Sales List. ANONYMOUS. 1987. Brochure of the International Protea Association (IPA Brochure). ANONYMOUS. 1987. Exotic Australian native flowers. Poster printed by Australian Flower Exports (Pty)Ltd, Victoria, Australia. ANONYMOUS. 1988. Australian fresh flower buyers' guide. Published by the Australian Trade Commission. ANONYMOUS. 1988 - 1994. Australian Plant Varieties Journal. Volumes 1 - 7. Official journal of the Australian Plant Variety Rights Office. ANONYMOUS. 1991. Protea and other wild flowers around the world. Poster published by the Secretariat, IPA, Victoria, Australia. ANONYMOUS. 1992. Zorro Protea Farms Sales List. ANONYMOUS. 1993. Fynbos Commercial Products Poster. Fynbos Research Unit, Elsenburg, South Africa. ANONYMOUS. 1995. Journal of the Australian Flora and Protea Growers Association. Volume 7, No 1. Information sheet produced by Central Coast Protea & Waratah, Australia. ANONYMOUS. 1998-2002. UPOV-ROM Plant Variety Database. International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. ANONYMOUS. 2000. Te Horo Ornamentals Y2K Production Catalogue. DUNCAN & DAVIES.1978. Trees, Shrubs and Climbers Nursery Catalogue. HITCHCOCK, A. & BRITS, G.J. 1992. More Pincushion (Leucospermum) cultivars available from Kirstenbosch. Veld & Flora vol. 78(3):74-75. LITTLEJOHN, G. 1995. Protea and Leucadendron Cultivars - New Releases. Roodeplaat Bulletin No 44. MATTHEWS, L. 1993. Protea Growers' Handbook for New Zealanders. David Bateman Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand. MATTHEWS, L.J. & CARTER, Z. 1983. South African Proteaceae in New Zealand. Matthews Publishing, Manakau, New Zealand. MATTHEWS, P.(Ed.) 1981. Growing and marketing of Proteas. Report of the First International Conference of Protea Growers, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Proteaflora Enterprises (Pty)Ltd, Australia. PARVIN, P.E.; CRILEY, R.A. & BULLOCK, R.M. 1973. Proteas: Developmental Research for a New Cut Flower Crop. HortScience vol. 8(4):299-303. REBELO, T. SASOL Proteas: A field guide to the Proteas of Southern Africa. Fernwood Press & NBI. South Africa. VOIGTS, M. 1982. South Africa's Proteaceae - know them and grow them. C.Struik (Pty)Ltd, Cape Town, South Africa. Archer, D.M. Resincraft, PO Box 3168, Paulington, Mutare, ZW. Blydskap Nursery, PO Box 10068, George 6530, ZA. Condy, J. PO Box 39, Bromley, Zimbabwe. De Beer, E.J., PO Box 129, Clanwilliam 8135, ZA. Du Preez, JA. Modderkloof, PO Box 1, Klipheuwel 7303, ZA. Jackson, M. PO Box 23, Stanford 7210, ZA. Kirkman, WB. PO Box 12, Juliasdale, Zimbabwe. Liebenberg, J. Liebenwerda Nursery, PO Box 763, Cullinan 1000, ZA. Lindeshof, PO Box 11, Koue Bokkeveld 6836, ZA. Michell, CSM. Calenick Family Trust, PO Box 303, Stellenbosch 7599, ZA. Middelmann, R. Private Bag X10, Botriver 7185, ZA. Moffatt, J. Nanju Proteas, Mail Service 582, Toowoomba, Queensland 4352, Australia. NBI, Kirstenbosch, Private Bag X7, Claremont 7735, ZA. Parvin, PE. See Maui Agricultural Research Centre. Resincraft, PO Box 3168, Paulington, Mutare, ZW. Roux, PDJ. Elandsrivier, PO Box 97, Villiersdorp 7170, ZA. Shaw, D.N. Berghoff, PO Box 122, Porterville 6810, ZA. Strauss, HW. Foxenberg, PO Box 756, Wellington 7655, ZA. = Taylor, J.A. Nyamheni, POBox 3189, Paulington, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Timm, M.E. Romany Farm, Private Bag 2004, Ruwa, Zimbabwe. VOPI, ARC Fynbos Research Unit, Private Bag X1, Elsenburg 7607, ZA. Zimflora, PO Box 3168, Paulington, Mutare, ZW.

2019-04-22T15:57:43Z

https://www.daff.gov.za/docs/GenPub/proteaceae_register.htm

On today’s podcast, Dr. Varma tells us all about extreme classification (including where in the world you might actually run into 10 or 100 million options), reveals how his Parabel and Slice algorithms are making high quality recommendations in milliseconds, and proves, with both his life and his work, that being blind need not be a barrier to extreme accomplishment. Manik Varma: In 2013, I thought there is no way we can learn 10 million or 100 million classifiers. And even if we could learn them, where would we store them? And even if we could store them, how would we make a prediction in a millisecond? And so, I just turned away from one-versus-all approaches and we tried developing trees and embeddings. But today, we’ve actually managed to overcome all of those limitations. And the key trick is to go from linear time training and predictions to log-time training and prediction. Host: If every question in life could be answered by choosing from just a few options, machine learning would be pretty simple, and life for machine learning researchers would be pretty sweet. Unfortunately, in both life and machine learning, things are a bit more complicated. That’s why Dr. Manik Varma, Principal Researcher at MSR India, is developing extreme classification systems to answer multiple-choice questions that have millions of possible options and help people find what they are looking for online more quickly, more accurately and less expensively. On today’s podcast, Dr. Varma tells us all about extreme classification (including where in the world you might actually run into 10 or 100 million options), reveals how his Parabel and Slice algorithms are making high quality recommendations in milliseconds, and proves, with both his life and his work, that being blind need not be a barrier to extreme accomplishment. That and much more on this episode of the Microsoft Research Podcast. Host: Manik Varma, welcome to the podcast. Manik Varma: Thanks, Gretchen. The pleasure’s entirely mine. Host: So, you’re a principal researcher at MSR India and an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at IIT Delhi. In addition to your work in computer science, you’re a physicist, a theoretician, an engineer and a mathematician. You were a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and a University Scholar when you did your doctoral work there. And you were a Post Doc at MSRI Berkeley. And you’re blind. I’m not going to call you Superman, but I would really love to know what has inspired you to get to this level of accomplishment in your life. What gets you up in the morning? Manik Varma: I guess it’s a combination of my hopes and desires on the one hand, and I guess fears as well on the other. So, I guess hopes and desires – I hope every day I get up I learn something new. That’s one of the best feelings I’ve had, and that’s what’s driven me all this way. And actually, that’s why I’m in research, because I get to ask new questions and learn about new things throughout my career. So that’s fantastic. And the other hope and desire that I have that drives me is to build things and build things that will help millions of people around the world. And I guess there’s some fears lurking behind that as well. I’ve been worried about the “Imposter Syndrome” all my life, and, uh, yeah… So, I guess the best way to tackle that is actually to try and do things and get things out there and have people use them and be happy with them. So, I guess that’s the fear that’s driving the hopes and desires. Host: So Manik, all of this has been without the use of your eyes. How have you gone about all of this? Manik Varma: Right, so I have a condition where the cells in my retina are deteriorating over time. So, in about 2009, I think, I started using a blind stick, and then I lost the ability to read papers, then recognize faces, stuff like that. But it makes life interesting right? I go up to my wife and ask, who are you? That’s the secret to a happily married life! Host: Well, so, you haven’t been blind since birth? Manik Varma: Well, it’s a hereditary condition, but nobody else in my family has it, so it started deteriorating from the time I was in school, and I lost the ability to do some things in school. But, it’s only over the last, let’s say, 10 years where it’s become really significant. But again, it’s been no big deal also, right? It’s only in the last decade where I’ve had to think about it, and that’s, I think, because of my kids, right? I want to set them an example that they can… because this is hereditary, there is a probability they might have it, and if they do, I don’t want them to feel that they can’t do something, right? So, if they want, they can go climb Mount Everest or become the best historian or the best scientist or whatever. As long as they set their minds up, they can do it. Host: We’re going to talk about this relatively new area of machine learning research called extreme classification in a minute. But let’s start a bit upstream of your current work first. Give us a quick review of what we might call the machine learning research universe, as it were, focusing on a bit of the history and the types of classification that you work with, and this is just to give the framework for how extreme classification is different from other methodologies and why we need it. Manik Varma: So, if you look at the history of machine learning, then the most well-studied problem is binary classification where we learn to answer yes/no questions involving uncertainty. And then the community realized that, actually, there are many high-impact applications out there in the real world that are not just simple yes/no questions, right? They’re actually multiple-choice questions. And this leads to the field of multi-class classification. And then, after that, the community realized that there’s some high-impact applications that are not only multiple-choice, but they also have multiple correct answers. And this led to the establishment of the area of multi-label classification. So just to take examples of all of these, if you ask the question, is Gretchen speaking right now or not, then that’s binary classification. Whereas if you turn this into a multiple-choice question such as who’s speaking right now? Is it Gretchen or Manik or Satya Nadella? So that’s a multiple-choice question, that’ll be multi-class classification. But now suppose you threw a cocktail party and you invited all the top machine learning AI scientists over there. And then you took a short clip and asked, who’s speaking in this clip? That becomes a multi-label classification problem, because now multiple people could be speaking at the same time. And so, if you have L choices in front of you, then in multi-class, the output space is L dimension, or order L. But if you have a multi-label, then the output space is two to the power L. Because every person may or may not be speaking. So, you go from two choices in binary classification to tens to hundreds and thousands of choices in multi-class and multi-label learning. And if you looked at the state of the art in about 2012, the largest multi-label data set out here had about 5,000 labels. And I remember all my colleagues like running their algorithms for weeks on big clusters to try and solve this problem, because two to the power 5,000 is way more than the number of atoms in the universe. So, it’s a hard problem. Host: So, this has been a problem for quite some time. It’s not brand new, right? But it’s getting bigger? Is this our issue? Manik Varma: Right. And actually, that’s how extreme classification got started. So, as I mentioned, in 2012, the largest publicly available multi-label data set had about 5,000 labels. But then in 2013, we published a paper which exploded the number of labels being considered in a multi-label classifier from 5,000 to 10 million. Manik Varma: And that really changed the nature of the game. So, the motivating application was to build a classifier that could be used as a tool by advertisers that would predict which Bing queries would lead to a click on the ad or the document. And, you can well imagine from the context of the application that this is a really important problem, from both the research as well as a commercial perspective. And so many sophisticated natural language processing, machine learning, information retrieval techniques have been developed in the literature to solve this problem. But unfortunately, none of these were working for our ads team. They had billions of ads for which all these sophisticated approaches were not making good quality predications. And so, we decided to go back to the drawing board. We set aside all of these approaches and simply reformulated the problem as a multi-label classification problem where we would take the document as input, and then we would treat each of the top queries on Bing as a label, so you took the top 10 million monetizable queries on Bing, and now you just learn the classifier that will predict, for this particular document or ad, which subset of top 10 million Bing queries will lead to a click on the ad. Manik Varma: Yeah, so from 5,000 to 10 million. This was just a very different and completely new way of looking at the problem. And it took us two years to build the system, run the experiments, publish our results and check everything out. But once the results came in, we found that our approach was much better than all these traditional approaches. So, the number of ads for which you are making good quality recommendations went up from about 60% for the Bing system to about 95-98% for us. Manik Varma: And the quality of our recommendations also improved a lot. And so that led to the establishment of the area of extreme classification which deals with multi-class and multi-label problems in extremely large label spaces. In millions or billions of labels. And I think that’s exactly why extreme classification grew to be a whole new research area in itself. And that’s because, I think, fundamentally new research questions arise when you go from, let’s say, 100 labels to 100 million labels. Let me just give you a couple of examples if you’ll permit me the time. Manik Varma: The whole premise in supervised machine learning is that there’s an expert sitting out there who we can give our data to, and he or she will label the data with ground truth: what’s the right answer, right? What’s the right prediction to make for this? But unfortunately, in extreme classification, there is no human being who can go through a list of 100 million labels to tell you, what are the right predictions to make for this data point. So even the most fundamental machine learning techniques such as cross-validation might go for a toss at the extreme scale. And you’ll have missing labels in your test set, in your validation set, in your training set. And this is like a fundamental difference that you have with traditional classification where a human being could go through a list of 100 labels and mark out the right subset. Another really interesting question is the whole notion of what constitutes a good prediction changes when you go from 100 labels to, let’s say, 100 million. When you have 100 labels, you need to go through that list of 100 and say, okay, which labels or relevant? What labels are irrelevant? But when you have 100 million, nobody has the time or patience to go through it. So, you need to give your top five best predictions very quickly and you need to have them ranked with your best prediction at the very top and then the worst one at the bottom. And you need to make sure that you handle this “missing labels” problem, because some of the answers that you predict might not have been marked by the expert. So, all of this changes as you go from one scale to the next scale. Host: Let’s talk for a second about how extreme classification can be applied in other areas besides advertising. Tell us a little bit about the different applications in this field and where you think extreme classification is going. Manik Varma: I think one of the most interesting questions that came out of our research was, when or where in the world will you ever have 10 million or 100 million labels to choose from? If you just think about it for a minute, 100 million is a really large number. Just to put it in context, to see how big a number this is, when I was doing my PhD in computer vision, the luminaries in the field would get up and tell the community that, according to Biederman’s counts, there are only 60,000 object categories in the world. So, none of the classical visual problems will make the cut. And even if you were to pick up a fat Oxford English Dictionary, it would have somewhere around half a million words in it. So many traditional NLP problems might not also make the cut. Then over the last five years, people have actually found very high impact applications of extreme classification. And so, for example, one of them leads to reformulations of well-known problems in machine learning like ranking and recommendation, which are critical for our industry. So, suppose you wanted to, for instance, design a search engine, right? You can treat each document on the web as a label, and now when a query comes in, you can learn the classifier that will take the query’s feature vector’s input and predict which subset of documents on the web are relevant to this particular query. And so, then you can show those documents and you can rank them on the strength of the classifier’s probabilities and you can reformulate ranking as a classification problem. And similarly, think about like recommendation, right? So, suppose you were to go onto a retailer’s website. They have product catalogs that run into the millions, if not hundreds of millions. And so no human being can go through the entire catalog to find what they’re looking for. And therefore, recommendation becomes critical for helping users find things they’re looking for. And now you can treat each of the hundred million products that the retailer is selling as a particular category, and you learn a classifier that takes the user’s feature vector as input and simply predicts which subset of categories are going to be of interest to the user and you recommend the items corresponding to those categories to the user. And so you can reformulate ranking and recommendation as extreme classification, and sometimes this can lead to very large performance gains as compared to traditional methods such as collaborative filtering or learning to rank or content-based methods. And so that’s what extreme classification is really good for. Host: Let’s talk about results for a minute. How do we measure the quality of any machine learning classification system? I imagine there are some standard benchmarks. But if it’s like any other discipline, there are tradeoffs, and you can’t have everything. So, tell us how should we think about measurement? What kinds of measurements are you looking at, and how does extreme classification help there? Manik Varma: So, the axes along which we measure the quality of a solution are training time, prediction time, model size and accuracy. So, let’s look at these one by one. And they’re all linked also. So, if you look at training time, this is absolutely critical for us. We cannot afford to let our extreme classifiers take months or years to train. So, think of the number of markets in which Bing operates. All over the world. If it were to take you, let’s say, two days to train an extreme classifier, then every time you wanted to deploy in a new market, that would be two days gone. Every time you wanted to run an experiment where you change a feature, two days gone. Every time you want to tune hyperparameters, two days gone. And again, when I’m saying two days, this is probably on a cluster of a thousand cores, right? So how many people or how many groups have access to those kinds of clusters? Whereas if you could bring your training time down to, let’s say, 17 minutes of a single core of a standard desktop, now you can run millions of experiments and anyone can run these experiments on their personal machines. And so the speed with which you can run experiments and improve the quality of your product and your algorithm, there’s a sea change in that. Manik Varma: So, training time becomes very important. But as you pointed out, right, you want to maintain accuracy. So, you can’t say, oh, I’ll cut down my training time, but then I’ll make really bad predictions. That’s not acceptable. And then the second thing is model size. So, if your classifier is going to take, let’s say, a terabyte to build its model, then your cost of making recommendations will go up. You need to buy more expensive hardware. And, again, the number of machines that have a terabyte is limited, so the number of applications you can deal with in one go is limited. So again, you want to bring your model size down to a few gigabytes so that it can fit on standard hardware and anybody can use this for making predictions. And again, there’s a tradeoff between model size and prediction time, right? You can always trade speed for memory, but now the question is, how can you bring down your model size to a few gigabytes without hitting your prediction time too much? And the reason prediction time is important is because, again, at the scale of Bing, we might have 100 billion documents that we need to process regularly. So, if your prediction time is more than a few milliseconds per document, then there is no way you can make a hundred billion predictions in a reasonable amount of time. So, your solution simply will not fly. And all of this, as I said, is tied to accuracy. Because people will not suffer poor recommendations. Host: Well so, circling back, how does extreme classification impact your training time, model size, speed, accuracy, all of that? Manik Varma: If you look at the papers that we are publishing now, like Parabel and Slice, we can train on that same data set in, as I said, 17 minutes of a single core of a standard machine. And so, we’ve really managed to cut down training time let’s say by 10,000 times over the span of five years. We’ve managed to reduce our model size from a terabyte to a few gigabytes. Our prediction time is a few milliseconds per test point, and we managed to increase accuracy from about 19% precision at one, to about 65% today. So, precision at one is if you just look at the top prediction that was made, was that correct or not? So, on a standard benchmark data, say it was 19% in 2013, and we managed to increase that to 65% today. So, there’s been a remarkable improvement in almost all metrics over the last 5-6 years. Host: You just mentioned Parabel and Slice. So, let’s talk about those right now. First of all, Parabel. It’s a hierarchal algorithm for extreme classification. Tell us about it and how it’s advanced both the literature of machine learning research and the field in general. Manik Varma: So, for the last five years, we’ve been trying out lots of different approaches to extreme classification. We tried out trees. We tried out embeddings in deep learning. And we looked at one-versus-all approaches. And in a one-versus-all approach, you have to learn a classifier per label. And then you use all of them at prediction time to see which ones have the highest scores, and then that’s the classes or the labels you recommend to the user. And in 2013, I thought there is no way we can learn 10 million or 100 million classifiers. And even if we could learn them, where would we store them? And even if we could store them, how would we make a prediction in a millisecond? And so, I just turned away from one-versus-all approaches and we tried developing trees and embeddings. But today, we’ve actually managed to overcome all of those limitations. And the key trick is to go from linear time training and predictions, to log-time training and prediction. And originally, I thought this was not possible, right? Because you have to learn one classifier per label. So, if you have 100 million labels, you have to have 100 million classifiers, so your training time has to be linear in the number of labels. But, with Parabel we managed to come up with a log-time training and a log-time prediction algorithm. And the key is to learn a hierarchy over your labels. So, each node in the hierarchy inherits only about half of its parent’s labels. So, there’s an exponential reduction as you go down the hierarchy. And that lets you make predictions in logarithmic time. Now the trick in Parabel was, how do you make sure that the training is also logarithmic time? Because at the leaves of the hierarchy, you will have one, let’s say, label in the leaf node. And so, you have to have at least as many leaves as classifiers, so that gives you back the linear costs. But somehow Parabel – you’ll need to read the paper in order to get the trick. It’s a really cute trick and… but you can get away with log-time training. And so that’s why Parabel manages to get this 10,000-times speed up in prediction, in training, in reduction in model size, and accuracy is great. It’s a really cool algorithm. Host: More recently, you’ve published a paper on what you’ve called the Slice algorithm. What’s the key innovation in Slice? How is it different from – or how does it build on – Parabel? Manik Varma: Right. So, Slice is also a one-versus-all algorithm where you learn a classifier per label. It also has log-time training and prediction, but it’s based on a completely different principle. So, in Parabel, our approach was to learn a hierarchy. So, you keep splitting the label space in half as you go down each node. Slice has a very different approach to the problem. It says, okay, let me look at my entire feature space. And now if I look at a very small region in the feature space, then only a small number of labels will be active in this region. So now, when a new user comes in, if I can find out what region or feature space he belongs in or she belongs in very quickly, then I can just apply the classifiers in that region. And that’s the key approach that Slice takes to cutting down training time and prediction time from linear to logarithmic. And it’s about to appear in WSDM this month. And it scales to 100 million labels. I mean, if you look at ImageNet, right? So that was 1,000 classes with 1,000 training points per class. And now we have 100 million classes. So, we used it for the problem of recommending related searches on Bing. So, when you go and type in a query on a search engine, the search engine will often recommend other queries that you could have asked that might have been more helpful to you or that will highlight other facets of the topic. And so, for obvious queries, the recommendations are pretty standard and everyone can do a good job. The real fight is in the tail for these queries that are rare that we don’t know how to answer well. Can you still make good quality recommendations? And there, getting even a 1% lift in the success rate is a big deal. Like it takes dedicated time and effort to do that. And we managed to get a 12% lift in performance with Slice in the success rate. So that’s like really satisfying. Host: Yeah, and you had some other percentages that were pretty phenomenal too in other areas. Can you talk about those a little? Manik Varma: Right. So, we also saw increases across the board in trigger coverage, suggestion density and so on. So, trigger coverage is the number of queries for which you could make recommendations. And we saw a 52% increase in that. Manik Varma: And… yeah, that’s right. That was amazing. Host: Statistically significant, on steroids. Manik Varma: Right. And then the suggestion density is the number of recommendations you make per query. And there was a 33% increase in that as well. So yeah, we had pretty significant lift, and I’m very glad to say like Slice is making billions of recommendations so far. And people are really happy. It’s really improved the success rate of people asking queries on Bing so far. Host: That’s cool. Speaking of where people can find stuff… I imagine a number of listeners would be interested to plunge in here. Where can they get this? Uh, is it available? Where are the resources? Manik Varma: So, we maintain an extreme classification repository, which makes it really easy for researchers and practitioners who are new to the area to come in and get started. If you go to Bing and search for the extreme classification repository, or your favorite search engine, you can find it very easily. And there you’ll find not just our code, but you’ll find data sets. You’ll find metrics on how to evaluate the performance of your own algorithm. You’ll find benchmark results showing you what everybody else has achieved in the field so far. You’ll find publications and, if you look at my home page, you’ll also find a lot of talks so you can go and look at the recordings to explore more about whatever area fascinates you. And all of this is publicly available, freely available to the academic community. So, people can come in and explore whatever area of extreme classification they like. Host: So, Manik, we’ve talked about the large end of extreme classification, but there’s another extreme that lies at the small end of the spectrum, and it deals with really, really, really tiny devices. Tell us a bit about the work you’ve done with what you call Resource Efficient ML. Manik Varma: Yeah, that’s the only other project I’m working on. And that’s super cool too, right? Because for the first time in the world, we managed to put machine learning algorithms on a micro controller that’s smaller than a grain of rice. Think of the possibilities that opens up, right? So, you can now implant these things in the brains of people who might be suffering from seizures to predict the onset of a seizure. You could put them all over a farm to try and do precision agriculture, tell you where to water, where to put fertilizer and where to put pesticide and all of that. The applications are completely endless especially once you start thinking about the internet of things. A number of applications in the medical domain, in smart cities, smart housing. So, in 2017, we put two classical machine learning algorithms based on trees and nearest neighbors called Bonsai and Protonn onto this micro controller. It has only 2 kilobytes of RAM, 32 kilobytes of read-only flash memory, no supported hardware for floating point operations, and yet we managed to get our classifiers to run on them. And then last year we released two recurrent neural network algorithms called FastGRNN and EMI-RNN. And again, all of these are publicly available from GitHub. So, if you go to GitHub.com/Microsoft/HML you can download all these algorithms and play with them and use them for your own applications. Host: So, while we’re on the topic of your other work, you said that was the only other project you were working on, but it isn’t. And maybe – maybe they’re tied together, but I’ve also heard you’re involved in some rather extra-terrestrial research. Can you tell us about the work you’re doing with SETI? Manik Varma: Yeah, so they’re related. But apparently, some of these algorithms that we’ve been developing could have many applications in astronomy and astrophysics. So, if you look at our telescopes right now, they’re receiving data at such a high rate that it’s not possible to process all of this data or even store all of this data. So, because the algorithms we’ve developed are so efficient, if we could put them on the telescope itself, it could help us analyze all types of signals that we are receiving, including, perhaps, our search for extraterrestrial intelligence. So, that’s a really cool project we run out of Berkeley. But there are also lots of other applications, because, if you’re trying to put something on a satellite, I’m told by my astronomer friends that the amount of energy that an algorithm can consume is very limited because energy is at premium out there in space. And so, things that are incredibly energy efficient or will have very low response time are very interesting to astronomers. Host: So Manik, I ask all my guests some form of the question, is there anything that keeps you up at night? You’re looking at some really interesting problems. Big ones and small ones. Is there anything you see that could be of concern, and what are you doing about it? Manik Varma: Extreme classification touches people, right? So, people use it to find things they’re looking for. And so, they reveal a lot of personal information. So, we have to be extremely careful that we behave in a trustworthy fashion, where we make sure that everybody’s data is private to them. And this is not just at the individual level but also the corporate level, right? So, if you’re a company that’s looking to come to Microsoft and leverage extreme classification technology, then again, your transaction history and your logs and stuff, we make sure that those are private, and you can trust us, and we won’t share that with anybody else. And because we’re making recommendations, there are all these issues about fairness, about transparency, about explainability. And these are really important research challenges, and ones that we are thinking of at the extreme scale. Host: At the beginning of the podcast, we talked briefly about your CV, and it’s phenomenally impressive. But tell us a little bit more about yourself. How did your interest in physics and theory and engineering and math shape what you’re doing at Microsoft Research? Manik Varma: Yeah, so because I’ve been exposed to all of these different areas, it helps me really appreciate all the different facets of the problem that we’re working on. So, the theoretical underpinnings are extremely important. And then I’ve come to realize how important the mathematical and statistical modeling of the problem is. And then once you’ve built the model, then engineering a really good-quality solution how to do that, what kind of approximations to make, that you start from theoretically well-founded principals, but then you make good engineering approximations that will help you deliver a world-class solution. And so, it helps me look at all of these aspects of the problem and try and tackle them holistically. Host: So, what about the physics part? Host: You know, I’ve got to be honest. I’ll bet your bad at physics is way better than my good at physics. So, let’s put it in context, right? All right, well at the end of every show, I ask my guests to offer some parting advice or inspiration to listeners, many of them who are aspiring researchers in the field of AI and machine learning. What big interesting problems await researchers just getting into the field right now? Manik Varma: Yeah, we’ve been working on it for several years, but we’ve barely scratched the surface. I mean, there’s so many exciting and high-impact problems that are still open and need good quality solutions, right? So, if you’re interested in theory, even figuring out what are the theoretical underpinnings of extreme classification, how do we think about generalization error, and how do we think about the complexity of a problem? That would be such a fundamental contribution to make. If you’re interested in engineering or in the machine learning side of things, then how do you come up with algorithms that bring down your training, prediction and cost and model size from linear to logarithmic? So, can we have an algorithm that is log-time training, log-time prediction, log model size, and yet it is as accurate as a one-versus-all classifier that has linear costs? And if you’re interested in deep learning, then how can you do deep learning at the extreme scale? How do you learn at the scale where you have 100 million classes to deal with? How do you personalize extreme classification? If you wanted to build something that would be personalized for each user, how would you do that? And if you’re interested in applications, then how do you take extreme classification and apply it to all the really cool problems that there are in search, advertising, recommendation, retail, computer vision…? All of these problems are open. And we’re looking for really talented people to come and join us and work with us on this team. And location is no bar. No matter where you are in the world, we’re happy to have you. Level is no bar. As long as you’re passionate about having impact on the real world and reaching millions of users, we’d love to have you with us. Host: So, we’ve talked about going from 100 to 100 million labels. What’s it going to take to go from 100 million to a billion labels? Manik Varma: Yeah, that’s really exciting, and that’s actually some of the things that we’re exploring right now. In fact, not only do I want to go to a billion labels. I want to go to an infinite set of labels. That would be the next extreme in extreme classification! Manik Varma: And that’s really important, again, for the real world, because if you think about applications on Bing or on search or recommendation, you have new documents coming on the web all the time, or you have new products coming into a catalog all the time. And currently, our classifiers don’t deal with that. Thankfully, we’ve managed to cut down our training costs so that you can just retrain the entire classifier periodically when you have a batch of new items come in. But if you have new items coming in at a very fast rate, then you need to be able to deal with them from the get-go. And so, we’re now are starting to look at problems where there’s no limit on the number of classes that you’re dealing with. Host: Well, I imagine the theory and the math, and then the engineering to get us to that level is going to be significant as well. Host: “Come on, it’ll be fun!” he said. Host: Manik Varma, it’s been an absolute delight talking to you today. Thanks for coming on the podcast. Manik Varma: Thank you, Gretchen. As I said, the pleasure was entirely mine. Varma’s team published a paper that exploded the number of choices that could be considered from a search engine from five thousand to ten million. This changed the nature of the game and led to the establishment of a new research area in machine learning called extreme classification. Extreme classification deals with multi-class and multi-label problems involving an extremely large number of choices. Since then, extreme classification has opened a new paradigm for ranking and recommendation applications, such as suggesting related queries on a search engine.

2019-04-25T12:26:39Z

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/competing-in-the-x-games-of-machine-learning-with-dr-manik-varma/

The RGVBF has long been known for its low ratio of participants to guides and for the quality of its leaders. Check out the Trip Leaders section for a summary of this year’s guides. We have an outstanding group of talent this year to guide our field trips, and several new destinations including new pre-festival and post-festival trip destinations. Also new this year is the Young Birders track plus a series of trips for mobility-challenged birders. While we have kept the classic field trips that define our Festival, we have also added a few new locations, and a few twists on old favorites. Click on Schedule for a simple overview of the daily trips. Below is a more detailed daily description of the activities offered, with access to the specific information in each box. Please stay in Harlingen during the Festival – trips leave early and cannot be met at the sites. Buses/vans do not wait for tardy birders. For special trips for photographers, see the PhotoTrack section. Vegetarian lunches available – choose when registering online. Keep in mind that, with their limited seating, van trips tend to sell out quickly. * Designates a special trip -new offering, distinctive leader or only conducted this year. Be prepared for South Texas sun and bugs on all trips. Chiggers live here, so stay on paths when on field trips and avoid tall grasses. Bring appropriate remedies if chiggers love you. Water and water bottles provided. Check with driver to be sure your scope and tripod will fit on vans. On bus trips, tripods may need to be stored in luggage area of bus. Hand-held cameras are fine on most trips; icons just designate a better opportunity. Cameras with long lenses and tripods cannot be accommodated on van trips other than PhotoTrack. For special trips for photographers, see the PhotoTrack section. Bus/van designation may change. We reserve the right to make adjustments as needed. Check out the “Wondering Which Field Trip is Right for You” under FAQ for special interest trip recommendations. Always refer to this website for latest trip updates. Friend us on FACEBOOK to keep up with latest announcements. By special arrangement for the Festival, Wildlife Biologist Tony Henehan will take us on a tour of the closed Arroyo Colorado Unit of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In recent years, this area of thorn scrub habitat near the Arroyo Colorado has attracted a variety of rarities (including Blue Bunting and Rose-throated Becard). As it is an under-birded tract, the day’s list could be surprising. Targets: White-tipped Dove, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Carolina Wren, Long-billed Thrasher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Olive Sparrow. This is a wonderful opportunity for a small group to view some of the spoil islands of Laguna Madre Bay. The islands were created from materials dredged during the construction of the Intracoastal Waterway and, under the protection of the National Audubon Society, are now invaluable habitat for nesting, feeding and roosting waders, shorebirds and larids. Stephanie is the Conservation Biologist with the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, which has for many years studied and monitored the bird populations of the islands. Our group will divide into two upon arrival at the dock and each group will spend half their time on the water and half their time on land birding Adolph Thomae County Park and surrounds. Note: Hand-held cameras are appropriate for this boat trip. Restrooms at dock only – no facilities on the boat. It can be cool on the water– bring a jacket. Targets: Close views of herons and egrets, gulls and terns and, with luck, Mangrove Warbler. . The ongoing restoration of the Bahia Grande is the most significant environmental success in South Texas in recent years. Over 21,000 acres were acquired as part of Laguna Atascosa NWR in 2000. At that time, because construction of the Intracoastal Waterway had severed its connections to the Bay, Bahia Grande was an arid wasteland with only ephemeral wet areas. New channels have now been excavated, restoring the natural tidal flow. On this trip, we’ll have an opportunity of witnessing the dramatic results and the privilege of birding an area not generally open to the public. Note: There are no on-site restroom facilities. We will have a restroom stop before and after our birding. Targets: Herons, egrets, shorebirds, gulls and terns, Aplomado Falcon, White-tailed Hawk, wintering sparrows. This trip back into history is a new first for the RGVBF! Did you know expert birder Jon Dunn is quite the history buff, and is passionate about the Civil War? Putting these two resources together – birds and battlefields – for Jon was the perfect combination. The Battle at Palmito Hill, contested more than a month AFTER Lee’s surrender to Grant, was the last battle of the Civil War. The Palo Alto Battlefield was where the first battle of the Mexican-American War was fought. Both these sites are in the coastal prairie with expansive vistas and, of course, the birds that love these open tracts. Learn about the history and significance of these geographic areas as you appreciate the prairie birds. Important: We will be passing through a U.S. Border Patrol Check Station on Boca Chica Road. Make sure you have your driver’s license or other official photographic ID with you; participants without proper identification will not be permitted to board. Targets: White-tailed Kite, Harris’s and White-tailed Hawks, Long-billed Curlew, Couch’s Kingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, Chihuahuan Raven. With its 760 acres of land and bird list of 358 species, it’s not surprising that this oldest of the South Texas state parks was chosen as the headquarters of the World Birding Center complex. The woodlands are home to many of the Valley’s specialties. The hawk tower gives uninterrupted views of the skies, and the gardens surrounding the green-designed Visitor Center are a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. If this is your first trip to the Valley, prepare to have an infusion of life birds here! Targets: Plain Chachalaca, Hook-billed Kite (rare), Gray Hawk, Green Kingfisher, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole. Ever hear about Big Days and wonder what they would be like? Here’s your chance to get in on the action on one of our most talked-about trips. Prepare to be flexible, as routes will be chosen by your skilled leaders. Five vans will go outbound for lots of birds and friendly competition. This is a great choice for Festival returnees, Texas Century Club members or listers, as it will be speedy birding. A prize will be given to the participants in the van with the longest list! Goals: Racking up an impressive day list – Valley specialties, visitors and residents – as many as we can see. This is not leisurely birding – box lunch provided if on-the-fly. Is climbing in and out of a van a difficult task now? Do you use a personal mobility device? Still enjoy the benefits of birding in a group? This track was designed just for you. In order to bring your walker or scooter, participants will be given directions to MEET YOUR RGVBF GUIDES ON SITE, which is not allowed on other trips. We’ll take our time and cover less ground, and we’ll enjoy all the birds we see as we amble through the selected parks. Small group size. Please contact us for additional information before registering if you have questions. Note: Restrooms available on site. Times quoted are meeting times at the field trip site, not departure times. Directions to meeting site will be given to participants at registration. Dorian Anderson holds an extraordinary record – 617 species seen in the U.S. in one year (2014) and all strictly under his own steam! During the year he biked 17,830 miles, walked 493 miles, and canoed 8 miles – and raised some $50,000 for conservation! Read all about Dorian’s adventures on bikingforbirds.blogspot.com. On these trips, which will each be limited to eight participants, we’ll have the pleasure of biking and birding with Dorian, but we’ll be travelling to and from the parks sites in a van, so we will be cheating a little! Bikes will be furnished to all participants on site. These trips continue to be popular and refreshing. Saturday – Southmost Preserve of The Nature Conservancy, biking on dirt roads at this normally closed preserve. Goals: Enjoying a morning’s ride in some of the Valley’s most productive birding areas. Have you ever had the thrill of releasing a banded bird? Join biologist and educator Mark Conway for some close encounters with Valley specialties in the picturesque, birdy grounds of historic Quinta Mazatlán. Mark will be demonstrating the skills of bird banding and explaining the key role it plays in his long-term studies of bird populations in the Valley. Seeing birds “in the hand” will give you a totally different perspective in your pursuit of becoming a better birder. Between captures, enjoy the many birds of the property flying around you. Targets (both in hand and in field): White-tipped Dove, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Altamira Oriole, Olive Sparrow. What better way to build on Friday’s program than spending time in the field with Steve Howell and relating what you see (or think you see…) to his 12-step ID framework. No specific target birds, just looking, watching, listening, and learning at a gentle pace. We will practice looking at birds and focus on how we approach each identification. You will want to bring your copy of the recently published Peterson Guide to Bird Identification—In 12 Steps, co-authored by Steve and Brian Sullivan (available at the Birder’s Bazaar) to get the most out of this trip! Goals: Put the skills learned in Steve’s presentation into practice in the field, perhaps even taking some simple field notes (in a notebook, not on a screen!). Bring your favorite field guide (preferably an actual book, not an app), along with a pen/pencil, notebook, and maybe even risk leaving your digital crutches in the hotel room. Whether you’re just discovering the joys of birding or seeking to sharpen your birding skills, this is the trip for you. The workshop will be a combination of classroom tips and field trip application and will be hosted by the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center. Leader Jennie Duberstein, a former education and outreach specialist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and other organizations, as well as co-leader of the ABA’s Camp Colorado and VENT’s Camp Chiricahua is an excellent guide and instructor. This trip has been a fan favorite for years. Goals: Developing basic birding skills, learning bird identification, enjoying time in the field. We’ll explore Boca Chica Road all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. This area of coastal prairie has interesting areas of salt flats, grasslands and thorn scrub habitats. Important: We will be passing through a U.S. Border Patrol Check Station on Boca Chica Road. Make sure you have your driver’s license or other official photographic ID with you; participants without proper identification will not be permitted to board. No restrooms on site, but restroom stops before and after. Targets: Snowy Plover, Reddish Egret, White-tailed Kite, Harris’s and White-tailed Hawks, Chihuahuan Raven, Gull-billed Tern, Aplomado Falcon, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Cassin’s Sparrow. As our reunion celebration continues, enjoy Texas hospitality and a delicious buffet breakfast on the delightful grounds of the Inn at Chachalaca Bend. Set on 41 acres at the bend of a picturesque resaca, this trip offers birding opportunities before, during and after breakfast with the property’s extensive trails and birding stations. This is an ideal way to relax and unwind on this last day of the Festival with some of the Festival’s original founders and special guests. Targets: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Neotropic Cormorant, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Altamira Oriole. Over 300 species of butterflies have been recorded in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, making it by far the richest butterflying area in the U.S. This tour, led by lepidoptera experts, is to our most productive site – the National Butterfly Center in Mission, the flagship of the North American Butterfly Association, with a list of 237 butterflies and over 275 birds. Looking up or down, you won’t be disappointed. Targets: Silver-banded Hairstreak, Red-bordered Pixie, Zebra Heliconian, Malachite, Band-celled Sister, Mexican Bluewing, Guava Skipper, Potrillo Skipper, rarities show up anytime. Island naturalists Scarlet and George Colley make this version of a South Padre Island trip very special. Scarlet is well-known for her dolphin research and activism, and for many years both she and George have been leading advocates for Gulf Coast conservation. Enjoy this unique and intimate experience exploring in their pontoon boats (weather permitting), as they share the unique ecosystems of the Laguna Madre. Note: Although there will be photo opportunities, please only bring hand-held cameras. Most of the morning will be on a small pontoon boat – restrooms at dock only. It can be cool on the boat in mornings – bring your jacket and sunscreen. Targets: Brown Pelican, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Clapper Rail, Sora, Snowy and Piping Plovers, American Oystercatcher, Marbled Godwit, Peregrine Falcon, hopefully Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler. And, of course, dolphins! DIGISCOPING FROM THE DECK (Click Here) – see listing in Photo Track section. If you have seen any of Richard’s ID Guides, you know what an outstanding experience birding with this author will be. His revolutionary guides document the many plumages of the species, and this trip we will be focusing on ducks, although we will study all the birds that appear. We plan to visit Laguna Atascosa NWR’s famous Osprey Overlook, where huge numbers of waterfowl are present in winter. Prior scouting of the Valley for best opportunities may alter our plans. The diversity of duck species and the opportunity to study them near and far with the author of the new Crossley ID Guide on Waterfowl will be unparalleled. Goals: Train your eye to look critically at structure, shape, size, and plumage as well as behavior and use these as elements of bird identification to build your success in identification and your enjoyment of birding. Love birding, but prefer not walking so much? This track is designed for you. Bird electric carts or special access van tours that leisurely loop the back roads of famous Valley refuges, getting off at promising vantage points for up-close views of the native wildlife. Note: Getting on and off trams or vans and some walking at site still necessary. Restrooms available at site, but not on vehicles. Targets: See target birds for each of the destinations listed. Want to learn how to get the most out of eBird’s free birding tools? Join Ian Davies of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird team in the field for insider tips and tricks on becoming a better birder and eBirder. Bring your fully-charged Smartphone with the free eBird Mobile app downloaded and join Ian on a birding trip with a side of eBirding! Ian will also share tips on estimating flock size, how and when to use breeding codes, and more. Your local eBird reviewer will love you for it. This is also a terrific opportunity to visit Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a great venue for a small group, with many of the Valley’s specialty birds and always the chance for a rarity! Goals: Learn how eBird can help you track your sightings, find more birds, and how to become a better eBirder! Visit two of the nine World Birding Centers on this tour – both inspiring examples of how enlightened local communities can conserve and enhance urban and suburban areas for the benefit of wildlife and the environment. Edinburg Scenic Wetlands has large ponds and smaller water features, birding trails, feeding areas, butterfly gardens, observation platforms and a modern interpretative center set in some 40 acres of native vegetation and wetlands. Quinta Mazatlán is a wonderfully restored adobe hacienda surrounded by 15 acres of sub-tropical gardens and native woodlands with birding trails, statuary, lively feeding stations and attractive water features. Targets: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove, Eastern Screech-Owl, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Green Parakeet, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole. Diverse habitat zones (read: attracts lots of different kinds of birds) make this site one of the most popular of the World Birding Center network’s sites. Reclaimed wetlands, marshes and ponds, all contiguous to the Arroyo Colorado, are ideal habitats for shorebirds, waders, and waterfowl. Add boardwalks, birding trails through woodlands and thorn scrub, a touch of prairie, native butterfly gardens and a green-design visitor center with a super observation deck, and you’ll see why Estero Llano Grande State Park is a favorite of local birders. Targets: Cinnamon Teal, Least Grebe, Anhinga, Roseate Spoonbill, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Eastern Screech-Owl, Vermilion Flycatcher, wintering warblers and sparrows, and a random alligator or two. One of the largest ranches in the world (larger than the state of Rhode Island), the King Ranch is a magical place. The Norias Division, known for more resident Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls than anywhere else in the US, is only open to the Festival at this time of year. The sandy soils of Norias support extensive areas of grasslands, thorn scrub and live oak woodlands, whose mottes hold the avian treasures we seek. Lead guides for this trip are specialists for the King Ranch and are passionate and knowledgeable about the role of the ranch and the wildlife it supports. Targets: Wild Turkey, Harris’s Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Greater Roadrunner, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Vermilion Flycatcher, Sprague’s Pipit, Audubon’s Oriole, maybe even a Tropical Parula. Kleberg County offers a myriad of delights, from random wetlands to open country, agricultural fields to oak mottes, and the diversity of wildlife that lives there. On this trip, we’ll be visiting the most productive wetlands and hotspots to amass a good list. This is an excellent trip for county listers as well as visitors to the region. The trip will be limited to eight participants. Stops will be made at public restrooms. Important: There is a U.S. Border Patrol Check Station on U.S. 77 northbound. Make sure you have your driver’s license or other official photographic ID with you; participants without proper identification will not be permitted to board the van. Targets: Waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, sparrows plus White-tailed and Harris’s Hawk, Crested Caracara. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is the largest protected area of natural habitat left in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. While the regular tour route will be under construction, we have been offered a special visit to the private areas, where wildlife rarely sees visitors. We will be joined by a refuge volunteer who will take us into the habitat behind the public boundaries of this 97,000-acre refuge (roads permitting). This tour will go to the actual lake that gives the refuge its name. The fresh water Laguna Atascosa is the local saloon for Redheads wintering on the hyper-saline Laguna Madre, where 70% of the world’s Redhead population congregates. Targets: American Wigeon, Redhead, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Clapper Rail, Sora, Royal Tern, Peregrine Falcon, Couch’s Kingbird, Great Kiskadee, and always a chance at a rarity (Blue Bunting, Rufous-backed Robin, and Long-tailed Flycatcher have been a few). MARTIN REFUGE (Click Here) – see listing in PhotoTrack section. The McAllen Nature Center has quickly become a local favorite. We’ll explore the trail system through native brush, and spend some time watching the feeding stations. This urban park has had some exciting sightings in the past year which further underlines its importance in the Valley. Afterwards we’ll visit the San Juan Wetlands with reclaimed marshes and a host of wetland birds. Targets: Plain Chachalaca, Green Kingfisher, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Clay-colored Thrush, Curve-billed and Long-billed Thrashers, Olive Sparrow, waterfowl. Aplomado Falcons disappeared from South Texas in the 1950s, but a successful Peregrine Fund reintroduction program was begun in earnest in 1993. Now 33 breeding pairs grace the coastal prairies, and Old Port Isabel Road cuts right through this expanse. Join the search to see this beautiful species, other local raptors, and often a good variety of sparrows. OPI Road is a bit of a misnomer – think dirt road with two tracks. Note: If the road is impassable due to recent wet weather, we’ll seek the falcons elsewhere. Restrooms are limited. Targets: Aplomado Falcon, Long-billed Curlew, White-tailed Kite, White-tailed and Harris’s Hawks, Crested Caracara, Cactus Wren, Cassin’s Sparrow, Sprague’s Pipit, wintering sparrows. Join Jon Dunn for this special trip to Estero Llano Grande State Park. Jon’s interest in taxonomy and the history of ornithology are common subjects in his guided tours. This special tour will give you a different way to use a field guide as well as insights into ornithology past and present. The birdy Estero Llano Grande, with its varied habitats, is a wonderful site for this field workshop and will surely spur lively dialogue. Goals: Developing a deeper understanding of birds and bird identification and honing field-craft skills. The Valley is home to several large flocks of Red-crowned Parrots – possibly more than are left in all of Mexico at this time. As part of the Tejano Parrot Project, these flocks have been studied and tracked for two years now, to better understand their behavior and habits for conservation purposes. The Harlingen flock, while predictable, is always a chase. Join the search (we need everyone’s eyes and ears) as the parrots come in for their final feeding frenzy prior to roosting. These countable parrots, noisy as they are, can instantly go quiet, once roosted. The antics of the younger parrots can be quite entertaining. Come see why these colorful and personable parrots have captured our hearts and were again chosen as this year’s Giving Back Donation Project recipient. Note: Guides will not keep an official eBird list for this trip, so you can keep your own. Targets: Red-crowned Parrot and Green Parakeet. Watch for Red-lored and jumbo Yellow-headed Parrots in the mix (not ABA countable, yet). This trip will be an exploration of parts of Willacy County – the least birded county in the Lower Rio Grande Valley – as well as an opportunity to learn a little of its history and culture. On our way to Port Mansfield we’ll be stopping at the Grace Heritage Ranch, where the Brian and Mary Schalk Family has created a self-sustaining homestead on some 100 acres with heritage animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables. The Schalks have been creating a wildlife refuge on their land and we’ll have the opportunity of birding their nature trail. There will be potential stops as we pass through Sacahuistale Flats in route to the Laguna Madre Bay, which is our picnic lunch destination. New birding boardwalks and viewing platforms at the nature center afford additional vistas, while the fishing pier and sand flats always attract shorebirds. On the way back in the afternoon, we’ll concentrate on the many seasonal freshwater wetlands in the area. Stops will be made at public restrooms. Targets: Waterfowl, herons and egrets, shorebirds, raptors, Cassin’s Sparrow, wintering sparrows. Resaca de la Palma State Park, one of the World Birding Centers, comprises some 1200 acres of protected land, including a large tract of native thorn scrub and woodlands and some particularly attractive wetlands. It’s one of the less birded reserves in the Valley and every visit still has the feel of an adventure. Afterwards we’ll go urban, and visit the tree-lined resacas on the campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Brownsville) and its surrounds. Targets: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Least Grebe, White-tailed Kite, Groove-billed Ani (rare), Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Red-crowned Parrot, Green Parakeet, Great Kiskadee, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Black Phoebe, Bewick’s Wren, wintering passerines. Board the large and comfortable Riverside Dreamer and see the Rio Grande River in a delightful new way. The vegetated banks on either side can yield many of our area’s exceptional species of passerines and raptors, with other exciting possibilities lurking. Back on land, a visit to Anzalduas County Park will show the river from another perspective and you’ll understand why this riverside area’s fame goes beyond its county park status. The mature ash and Live Oak trees can hold a wide variety of species, both resident and rare. Note: It can be cool on the boat in the mornings – bring a jacket. Targets: Hook-billed Kite (rare), Gray Hawk, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Black Phoebe, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers, Olive Sparrow, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Altamira Oriole, wintering warblers. The Sabal Palm Sanctuary is managed by the Gorgas Science Foundation and they have done a wonderful job of enhancing the already outstanding habitats and restoring the historic Rabb Plantation House, now the sanctuary’s impressive headquarters. The forest of native Sabal Palms is the last major remnant of an ecosystem once much more widespread in the Valley and is unique in the U.S. Its shady depths and managed waterways shelter a remarkable diversity of wildlife, revealed to us along the trails and overlooks. Several feeding stations and butterfly gardens provide photo ops – see the live action cam on their website for a preview of what is to come! Targets: Least Grebe, Plain Chachalaca, Groove-billed Ani (rare), Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Clay-colored Thrush, Hooded and Altamira Orioles, Olive Sparrow, wintering warblers. Widely famous and justly so, especially in the news this past year. With the second highest bird count (after Laguna Atascosa) in the entire NWR system, the riparian woodlands and multiple waterways of Santa Ana are a great place to experience many of the Valley’s compelling species. An added attraction is the 40’ hawk-watch tower and suspended walkway, offering delightful views of birds and their habitat from above the forest canopy. Targets: Mottled Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Long-billed Dowitcher, Groove-billed Ani (rare), Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Northern Beardless -Tyrannulet, Vermilion Flycatcher, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow. This special edition of our Upper Rio Grande trip will visit the nearby Santa Margarita Bluffs on a private ranch overlooking the Rio Grande. We will walk on uneven and sometimes steep ground a short distance to the bluffs. The vista provided by this elevated bluff gives us a better chance for some difficult species including Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon, and raptors. After we’ve had our fill of this very scenic spot, we’ll head to Salineño for a riverside view and a visit to the well-stocked feeding station. Targets: Muscovy Duck (rare), Hook-billed Kite (rare), Gray Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk (rare), Red-billed Pigeon (rare), Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Bewick’s Wren, Verdin, Pyrrhuloxia, Altamira and Audubon’s Orioles. How about a trip focused on the identification of a group of birds that often confounds and befuddles, especially out of breeding season? Join expert guides on this in-depth field trip to hone your shorebird identification skills. Suitable for birders of all levels. Space will be limited, but with a small group, lucky participants will have an unforgettable experience. While shorebirds are the emphasis, we’ll look at and enjoy all the birds we see! Targets: Willet, Least/Western/Semipalmated Sandpiper, Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, and so on with plovers, gulls and terns. The SPI Birding and Nature Center was built as the easternmost wing of the World Birding Center chain and has over 3300 feet of meandering board walk. The board walk offers 5 covered look-out stations as it spans salt and brackish marsh and lagoons and bisects thick Black Mangrove stands. This property frequently yields surprising sightings in addition to its delightful permanent residents. Rails can be quite accommodating, and the resident alligators are often visible on warm days. There are many opportunities for your point-and-shoot on this walk. Once we’ve completed the boardwalk loop at the Birding and Nature Center, we’ll make a stop at the notable Valley Land Fund lots on Sheepshead Street to see what might be present. Late fall has turned up a number of surprises here due to the concentrated habitat offered and the water features provided. Targets: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Redhead, Neotropic Cormorant, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Clapper Rail, Sora, Forster’s/Royal/Caspian/Sandwich Terns, Peregrine Falcon, Tropical Kingbird, Great Kiskadee, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Marsh Wren and more of the 235 species reported there in November! Seeing shorebirds in the winter reminds us that this sub-tropical paradise is forever promising, and that winter is miles away. Explore boardwalks over coastal marsh, visit the concentrated woodlots and enjoy a leisurely cruise aboard a pontoon party boat on the salty Laguna Madre, amidst Bottle-nose Dolphins and avian flyovers. Always a popular trip, so sign up early. Note: It can be cool on the boat – bring your jacket. Peregrine Falcon, Clapper Rail, Sora, Snowy and Piping Plovers, American Oystercatcher, Marbled Godwit, Forster’s/Royal/Caspian/Sandwich Terns, Black Skimmer, Marsh Wren, lingering migrant songbirds. Adjacent to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary is a little-known jewel of shared habitat – the Nature Conservancy’s Southmost Preserve. We are being allowed access by special arrangement, so don’t miss the chance to visit this unique area of Sabal Palms and riparian woodland, home to many of our Valley specialties. Using our vans will allow us access to remote areas (weather permitting) that were inaccessible on past trips. Targets: White-tailed Kite, Harris’s and White-tailed Hawks, Couch’s Kingbird, Hooded and Altamira Orioles, Olive Sparrow, wintering warblers. Luckily for us, birds don’t recognize our international borders. The river’s wooded edges and the arid uplands of Starr County are rich with both riparian sub-tropical and desert southwest species. The feeding station at Salineño is always a highlight with a colorful frenzy of orioles, kiskadees, and Green Jays! Some rare specialty birds are found along the Rio Grande in this area, and we’ll certainly look, in hopes of seeing them. After we’ve enjoyed the beautiful view of the Rio, we’ll drive down the road to Falcon State Park, where we’ll look for desert specialties. Ideal for those Texas Century Club members building a Starr County list. Targets: Gray Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk (rare), Red-billed Pigeon (rare), Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Cactus Wren, Verdin, Morelet’s (formerly White-collared) Seedeater (rare), Black-throated Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, Hooded (rare), Altamira and Audubon’s Orioles. Many birders have a special fondness for hawks. Judging by the number of species nesting in, migrating through, or wintering in the Valley, raptors seem to have a similar feeling for the Valley. On this special trip, led by Harlingen resident and world-renowned raptor expert Bill Clark (Peterson Guide to Hawks, A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors, Raptors of Central America), we’ll try our best to see as wide a variety of species as possible as we traverse the 5-county area. Tips from Bill on hawk ID – priceless! Targets: White-tailed Hawk, Hook-billed Kite (very rare in recent years), White-tailed Kite, Gray Hawk, Harris’s Hawk, Crested Caracara, Aplomado Falcon and any other hawk that crosses our path. On this leisurely tour, we’ll visit two urban gems in Weslaco – the 15 acres of Frontera Audubon Thicket and the 6 acres of the Valley Nature Center. But don’t be misled by their size – both have attracted an impressive array of Mexican vagrants, including a Crimson-collared Grosbeak found on a previous Festival tour. With their wonderful mix of thorn brush, wetlands and butterfly gardens, each provides nesting habitat for many of our Valley specialties and a haven for wintering passerines. Time and conditions permitting, we will stop at a local sod farm on our return trip. Targets: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch. Every avid birder knows those special little pocket locations that are close to home and sure to contribute to a productive day of birding. If you are lucky enough to live in the Rio Grande Valley, these seasonal jewels become regular stops on any given day. Join some of our leading local birders as they share these spots to bird on the road less traveled in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties. Ideal for Texas Century Club county listers. Note: There are no specific targets. Multiple habitat zones will be visited in each county to maximize sightings. Participants (no more than eight per trip) will see many Valley specialties and perhaps flush out a surprise or two. Lucky young birders (age 12-20 only) will join our expert guides for exclusive field trips, limited to 8 participants. Each guide is experienced in working with teens, and there will be one to two guides per trip depending on registration. If registration warrants on Thursday and Friday, we’ll use a separate van rather than bus-pool with the regular trip. Destinations will vary each day, as do target species, but sign up every day for the full valley-wide experience! If this is your first trip to the Valley, be prepared to have your mind blown.

2019-04-25T08:04:09Z

https://www.rgvbf.org/schedule/trips/

I've been reading WSO for years and it helped me out immensely when I was trying to figure out the best route to take in order to achieve my goals. Now it's time to try and return some of that value, so here goes. I'm currently a 3rd year Analyst at a $1 -$5Bn Hedge Fund. We focus on primarily on public equities with a relative value approach, but also do some private deals across the capital structure. I graduated from a target school with a 3.8 GPA and was lucky enough to join my current HF right out of undergrad (did standard ibanking internship while in uni). Anyway, I can answer questions about pretty much anything except raising capital and fund accounting, so fire away. Thanks for the info, did u get your CFA in school or after? and aremost of your coworkers CFA certified? I did get my CFA but It's certainly not required. I'd say maybe half of my co-workers are certified. I just didn't want it to be the one thing that could possibly hold be back at some point in my career so I took the pain and got certified. Did you pass Level 1 of CFA while still in school, so you could put it on your resume? Hey, I just graduated from High School, and I'm attending Baruch College. I know this school isn't ideal, I originally planned to go to UT Austin but my guidance counselor screwed the whole application up, I got into University of Michigan but it was just too much money. I'm telling you my situation because I want to transfer from Baruch to another Target school, but I would just like some advice on what I should do to have the best transfer profile. Also, what should I do to follow your footsteps in college to land into a HF. is the cfa that difficult? Something I try and ask those who go from banking to hedge funds but how did you position your experience in banking as a logical predecessor to joining a hedge fund? If anything, I used my banking experience to highlight why I didn't want to be a banker. In addition to being interested in investing, I discussed how things like alignment, critical analysis/reasoning, and the desire to keep digging until you really have a deep understanding of a subject are all very important to me, and how most work in banking is kind of the opposite. That being said, having it on my resume helped get an interview and the experience itself helped me better explain basic finance concepts and derive implications when discussing more technical topics in the interview. What has been one of the most important things you have learned in your current role? If you don't understand something, ask, ask, and ask again until you understand (even if you're the most junior person). Chances are there are several other people in the room who don't understand either, and there's a good chance the person talking intended it that way. What's your comp (including bonus)? Actually? Damn. That would mean you're pulling in at least 400k a year. Sure, I'm jealous, but $500K sounds too rich...even for a NYC based HF. Many hedge funds are underperforming the market right now. I always thought you have to be a decent PM to make that kind of dough. Are you sure you're not just screwing with us? lol. What are you normal hours during the week? Weekend? How often are you working alone on an idea vs. with a manager? What is your favorite and least favorite part about the role? What skills/accomplishments do you need in order to get promoted? Most of the initial work is done alone. Then you bounce ideas off of fellow analysts and engage in some productive discussions/arguments. Once you feel comfortable you present and discuss with one (or more) of the managing partners. From there on, whenever anything of note happens, you generally discuss and evaluate with a partner. No formal requirements, but I think the most important things are being able to quickly digest a lot of information and boil it down to a few really important takeaways (without missing key information), being able to cut through consulting speak to identify whether management is smart and has integrity or whether they're trying to sell the street a story and get paid more. Lastly knowing where to best spend you time. I think this last point is very important and is often overlooked. It's easy to get carried away in the weeds sometimes. You mentioned and idea database, could you expand on that? Is it composed of past investments/ideas in certain economic/financial situations and you would try to find investments in similar situations? How many hours a week do you work? Do you work on weekends? how much vacation time (in weeks) do you get? usually less than 60hours and rarely on weekends. there isn't really a cap on vacation time, but when you get paid based on performance, you learn to value your time. This by no means results in people not taking vacation, it just means that people are reasonable and don't take advantage of the lack or formal policy here. i think 3 weeks is probably a decent average. Thanks for doing this. Want to get your take on how your fund approaches valuation and modeling? I tend to eye-roll when a fund has a culture of modeling every line item given by the management (typically tends to be a fund with a lot of ex-bankers). Do you see value in detailed modeling? Or, are you at a fund where culture is "hey, I think this thing is trading cheap, and I think if X, Y, Z happen, this thing can trade at x times higher"? Thanks again. Look forward to learning from you. It's a little bit of both. We spend a lot of time building detailed models, but this is primarily to understand the true profitability of the company and analyze management's past actions. Accounting figures and Adjusted non-GAAP EPS/EBITDA can tell a very misleading story, especially once you start digging in to "one time costs", restructuring, "other adjustments", working capital, capex, etc. Add to that a slightly rosy version of the truth being told by management...This can be particularly important when they have made lots of acquisitions (have they created value of have they just spent shareholders' money and to get bigger). Once you've become comfortable with all of that, it really gets more high level. Later on, running some different scenarios through the model can help with the discussion on when to sell. Thank you for doing this. Very helpful. Have you ever gotten a name in the book? Is that common for analysts at your fund? Is the process for getting a name to the idea bank different from getting in in the book? Are those two seperate paths or a single path that ends in kill, idea bank, book? really rough estimate 20%-30% of analysts get one in. we're not very big, so statistically it's really not that relevant. I'd say it's a similar path, the process just becomes more rigorous. First you have to get your boss to agree it's worthwhile to spend any time on whatsoever. Then determine, and later prove, that it really has the potential to be a good idea. If you think it's actionable, then pitch to whole team and have your thoughts and assumptions torn apart by the team, if consensus agrees with you , then you really dig in and do even deeper research. Then present to team again. There are often several iterations of this until everyone is comfortable enough to make a move. Hi ActiveShare, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. I was particularly interested in learning more about what goes into the "deeper research'. Also, how much time do you usually get between the first pitch and the final pitch to the team? If the research process lasted too long, wouldn't you miss the trade? What's the holding period for one trade? How do you see your career panning out? Do you want to stay at your current fund? Is there a partner track at your fund? Do you want to do that? Or do you want to do something else after a few years at your HF? not really sure...there are no formal tracks, but I would imagine that with good performance, partnership is an option. The focus right now is on accumulating enough capital make a decent living investing my own funds. This would allow me to start my own fund relatively easily if partner is not on the table down the road. Can you walk through your idea generation process? Sorry, should have phrased it better. Would you recommend HF out of undergrad? Do you have to kill it at a top target to even have a chance out of undergrad? Any tips for breaking in? If you can land at a good fund out of undergrad, I can't think of any rational argument not to. I think it's generally the case that you have to be at a target but I'm sure there are people from non-targets who were able to network their way in. The reason is that a lot of smaller or mid- sized funds run quite lean in positions away from investing. As such, recruiting is a lot of work and narrowing it down is important so you don't have people spending all their time on that instead of doing what they were actually hired for. Most important thing is to have a genuine interest and be aligned with the fund's strategy. If those things are true and you're smart and hard working, then everything else will fall in place. What was your starting comp? Not asking about your current comp, just what you started with as a 1st year. What type of strategy would you run if you had your own fund, and what fund philosophy would you have? I'd run a relative value based strategy similar to what we do here. I never would have gotten the position if I didn't believe it was the right approach (it's easy to tell if someone is BSing this in an interview). Not entirely sure what you mean by philosophy but I believe that in order to succeed, you have to have conviction, but never dig your heels in if evidence points to you being wrong. And you have to be willing to take some short term pain in favor of long term gains. What is the background of other analysts at your fund (former IB/ AM/ ER, straight out of undergrad, target vs non-target etc.)? How do you deal with stress related to the markets? What about relative value appeals to you versus other investment styles? What is the culture like at your firm? It's a bit of a mix between straight out of undergrad, former bankers, and former consultants. However, it doesn't matter whether you have 3 years of banking experience or join right out of undergrad, you start in the same position. You won't get credit for past positions. The only credit you get is for how you perform here. It's all mental...It takes a certain type of person to deal with the pressure...I used to play competitive sports and that helped me be able to deal with stress and pressure. I believe that due to a flurry of factors (human psychology being a large one) most securities are mispriced at any given time. relative value lets you exploit that without engaging in the superhuman task of trying to forecast macro events. everyone is aligned with fund performance so everyone is pulling on the same rope. Doesn't mean that everyone wants to go out and party together, but everyone wants everyone else to succeed. Also any thesis, assumption, or recommendation is fair game for criticism, even if its an intern criticizing a partner (as long as you can back up your criticism). How much valuation/modeling skills did you come in with from your internships? I am really interested in going down the HF path of a distressed or event driven strategy. I am going to be interning for my Junior SA at a top RX shop, and was curious to know if the experience from one summer is enough to make a jump? I tried to improve my model skills as much as possible before my internship, so I felt well prepared. However, with a little practice, modeling is easy and is not high up there on the list when we look at hiring someone. It's a nice to have, but can be taught pretty quickly. How good was the group you were in at your IB internship? Were you recruited by a headhunter into your fund? What do you think about the show Billions? also, since it's topical, what do you think about eisman's long gm - short tsla RV trade? can't talk about specific investments but the reasoning is rarely simple enough to briefly explain on a forum (our sales people don't even bother trying to speak about specific calls most of the time). Every once and a while the though process is really simple, but there's usually a lot more to it. I'm very poorly informed on the GM - TSLA trade. I wouldn't enter into this trade because of the substantial downside in shorting something like TSLA that has such a large opportunity. However, if I had to chose between one or the other, I'd side with Eisman (especially now that TSLA has rebounded and GM is near 52wk low). Both companies seem terrible at producing cash flow, but TSLA is just burning cash like there's no tomorrow...at some point even Elon Musk will be challenged to raise capital at a reasonable cost. Do you have any specific HF managers who you "looked up to" in the past, or just thought they were very intelligent? What's your opinion on jumping straight to the credit arm of a large MF PE firm (GSO, Ares, Apollo) out of undergrad in comparison to doing banking with the end goal of ending up at a value oriented or distressed/special situations hf? I think that a value oriented shop will be looking for something completely different than a distressed or special situations fund. I think working at the credit arm of a large PE player would make sense for the latter, but would not be very applicable for a value oriented shop. I work in a back office of big US financial company in Europe. My dream is to get to some hedge funds (or even investment fund), I was trying to send my CV few times to one hedge fund but they have never even open it (via online agency, you get information once they open file). As of now I have pass CFA level 1 exam. Any advices what to do in order get to to the place where you are right now? I'm going to be very blunt and honest. You will have to do a lot more than just sending you CV to one HF "a few times". Given your background, you will be fighting an uphill battle. If no one at the fund has spoken with you and likes you, it is highly unlikely someone with your resume would be considered. Just consider how many investment bankers and high performing new grads are applying to the same funds. Without knowing someone at the fund, you need a very strong GPA from a well known university, coupled with investment banking, private equity, consulting, or other investment fund experience in order to receive any consideration whatsoever. Here's what you need to do: read a lot about investing and finance, and develop your own investing philosophy. Think about it and come up with what you think is the best way to deploy capital. next, start reaching out to as many people as you can who work in the industry. Try to meet up with them and have face to face conversations. Ask their advice, talk about investing and how you think about things compared to them, etc. etc... careful: don't be arrogant and think that just because you spent time thinking about your approach and because your method would have achieved good results over the past few months or couple of years that it is the best approach (or even a good approach). use the opportunity to learn about other ways, get feedback on your thinking and continue refining your thoughts. As you go through this process, your conversations will improve and someone may be impressed and like you as a potential candidate. Apply to firms once you've had at least one interaction with someone there (if you're from out of town, try to set up a trip to meet several people over a couple of days). Thoughtfulness and adaptability are a lot more important for this type of role than it is for investment banking roles, where the main requirements are often work ethic and fit. If you've been out of school for more than a year and have only passed CFA level 1, then that will be held against you. So if that is the case, don't highlight it. If you're a fresh grad then it's ok to show. Thank you for all the advices! Do you have any books/pages which you could recommend? Would you also recommend me to work on next CFA's levels or get some local Investment Advisor certification (in Poland I would get Polish license once I would have 3 CFA levels passed + 4 year of experience in Investment Advisory, to get only Polish certification I would have to pass 3 easier exams which I can make in about a year and no experience is required)? To give you a better understanding of position, I'm 25 with bachelor's and master's degrees in Finance from top university in my part of country. There is also only 1 HF in this part of the country (t's still pretty uncommon in Poland, there are more of them in a capital city, I am considering moving there). And here is my last question - if HFs were not very common in your country, would you think about moving your area of interest to for example private equity? 1. How do you think research at traditional non-quant funds will be affected by automation / AI? Do you think it will eventually begin to replace human jobs or simply be used as an aid to analysts? 2. Given that most hedge funds underperform over time, do you see the industry shrinking over the long-term? Well I think that AI will be an aid to analysts, but by default this means that it is a threat to human jobs, since you will need less people to do the same work. The idea that hedge fund underperform is in and itself a fallacy. What do they underperform against? articles love to tout that an index fund would have beaten most hedge funds over the past 10 years. the problem with this is that the index is not a benchmark for most hedge funds. most hedge fund mandates are not to generate a better return than the index, they are to limit downside risk. Also, the last 10 years have been a very unusual time with extremely low volatility, so it's a bad time frame to use when evaluating. Despite this, I do think you will see the HF market shrink and the fees compress overall, as there are many bad fund managers charging 2/20. However, there are also many mangers who will continue to raise more money and will continue charging 2/20 (or more). Just like in any other industry where supply has increased substantially, there will be a consolidation period where some exit the market, others start competing on price, and the few with a real product advantage make all the profits. Curious as to your recruiting process - touched on it a little in the original post. Say for someone in an IB role currently as a summer looking to explore the investing HF side potentially out of UG, what's the best approach? take a look at my reply to Piotr-M just above. You're in a better spot than him, but the process would be the same. What made you want to go into HF vs PE? Also, do you want to stay in that HF long-term or possibly open your own fund? The thing that appeals to me about HF vs. PE is that you have more flexibility in what you invest in, and you get presented with mispriced opportunities far more often. In PE you're generally buying from and selling to well informed sophisticated parties. If you're looking at public markets, the chance that an asset becomes mispriced is a lot more likely. Right now I'm just focused on doing the best job I can and learn as much as I can. I don't see myself moving to a different fund, but whether I stay at my current fund for my career or open my own fund depends on a myriad of factors that are impossible to predict at this point in time. Have spoken to a few analysts at top funds (gotham, tiger global) and they said that for valuation, they usually don't use dcf and use comp analysis because of the time frame of holdings and complexity of a dcf. Is there any particular approach you take while valuing businesses? How much loss do you wait out until closing positions where the stock's going in the opposite direction of your thesis? Will be interning at a fund this coming fall, any tips on how I can network efficiently to leverage that to a summer at a hf and then eventual ft role? Or any tips on networking in general? it depends on the thesis/rational for the specific investment. If we find the right company we will at times take a very long term approach. In that scenario we will use a dcf. but if the thesis is expected to play out within the next couple of quarters or even year, then a dcf is somewhat pointless (can be used to support a multiples approach). we don't think about it in terms of how much loss we're willing to wait out. We'll maintain (or increase) a position until something changes that indicates we were wrong. In terms of networking, I think it's important to have read a lot about investing and have a well thought out investment approach that you believe in. That way you can have a productive discussion. Just don't get caught thinking that simply because you've spent a lot of time thinking about it that there's nothing that can be improved about your approach. Be open and use your networking discussions to improve your philosophy and with that improve future discussions and interviews. You'd be surprised how many people I sit down with and they say that they're really interested in the industry but haven't really thought about what how they'd approach investing...either you're lying about your interest or you're really damn lazy. either way, it's a big ding. One more question, I'm interested in relative value because, correct me if i'm wrong, it combines value investing and catalyst/event driven investing and could be played out over a shorter time frame period than compared to traditional value investing, maybe not always but maybe most of the times? hence easier to exploit? what did you originally think? when did you know that you were wrong? can't be specific, but a smaller company that had a very valuable software product for a core group of about 30 large companies. The CEO was a large shareholder himself, and was very passionate. The CEO wasn't that strong financially, but the CFO seemed quite strong. they were just getting starting with a lot of room to increase penetration with their core customers and possibly adapt the software to be valuable to smaller companies or companies in other industries. Growth was good and margins were strong for quite some time. One day, the CFO left "for personal reasons" and an internal guy was promoted on an interim basis. We reached out and he confirmed that he left for personal reasons. Of course this doesn't really mean much, since termination contracts often involve clauses around saying anything that may be considered as negative towards the former employer. For the next couple of quarters, growth actually accelerated slightly, but margins and cash flow were weaker than expected. This was attributed to inefficiencies due to higher demand resulting in more implementations (overtime, additional contract workers, etc.). The street actually loved this and the stock went up a lot. We still liked their growth prospects, but the weak cash flow and apparent execution weakness made us uneasy, so we sold about half of our position here. However, then growth decelerated and margins did not improve like they should have with lower growth. As a result, the stock started to weaken rapidly. Shortly after, they made an acquisition that did not appear very savvy. They paid a high revenue multiple and because of their weak cash flow, they had to issue both debt and equity to do the deal (remember, their their stock had been weak). At this point we bailed. It appeared that the interim CFO was too weak to stand up to the CEO. We later found out that the their customers had started asking for discounts so they could increase the speed of roll-outs and make up the lower price with higher volumes. CFO thought that was a bad idea (CFO was right). CEO loved the idea of accelerating growth and pushed the CFO out. Their customers started smelling blood when they were willing to discount and then when their cash flow weakened, their customers got even more negotiating power over them, so the discounting increased (they couldn't afford for their customers to not make an order in any given quarter). The CEO panicked and bought another company with valuable technology to those same customers. He hoped to combine the two products and get away from discounting again. This may have worked out if they had more time (I doubt he would have been able to execute on this but who knows), but shareholders and debt holders were had lost faith in them and they were eventually forced to sell themselves for about 30% less than we had put our original position on for. Thanks to trimming our position early on it wasn't quite a painful as it could have been, but it was pretty bad non the less. The board in this case was full guys from their VC funding days who valued growth over anything and either agreed with the CEO or didn't want to stand up to him. Awesome, where do you do your research to scan for companies like this? this was a great response and story...got any others? oh lol. I actually came across a chinese company when I took part in a trading competition in feb. I'm assuming that they have a similar story like the company you talked about - ceo hasn't changed since the company went public, but cfo has changed at least 2-3 times and all of them left for "personal reasons." All of the cfos were internal guys. price is up 800% since the last year, and they have a sketchy history (underwriter history, auditor history, alleged auditing malpractice, etc.). It's can be a really interesting short - I modelled a fair value about 80% below current price but it has low float so very risky too. What technical resources did you use to prepare for the technical questions? Any advice for someone nearing their second year of banking thinking of lateraling into the industry? I used the standard technical interview guides for my internship interviews. For full time I was confident in my knowledge and didn't do any technical prep at all. I go to a decent public(think unc/ucla). Is this tier of school out of the question for your fund? How do you guys view kids with CS backgrounds and software engineering internships but are still knowledgeable through books/clubs/personal accounts about finance/investing? Is there any quant related stuff that you guys do? Any general life or school advice for a hungry to succeed college kid? certainly not out of question for us, but we won't actively recruit from there. The reason is simply that recruiting takes a lot of time and we'd rather spend that time making money for out investors. We want to target as few schools as possible that are conveniently located and offer high quality candidates. We are not in a situation where we have to hire someone each year, so if we don't find a good candidate for a year or two, that is ok. Someone with that profile would have to make an effort to demonstrate that they are a good candidate. If I simply got a resume from someone with that background it would land in the waste basket. Again...this is in the interest of time. you have to understand that we get hundreds of resumes and simply don't have the time to talk to each candidate and find out if their a good candidate or not. About 30% of applicants have an obvious background (PE, HF, banking) and that is still too many to interview, so if you're background is not an obvious fit, you have to reach out, talk to someone and make a good impression to be considered. No one can determine you knowledge from books/clubs/personal accounts (everyone claims great success in their PA) without talking to you about investing and finance and seeing how you can think on your feet. You've repeatedly mentioned it's critical to develop an individual "investing philosophy" and "process". Can you expand on what this means? Do you mean like (i) develop a screener (ii) read their 10K/Q (iii) build a model, etc.? Coming from S&T (the trading side), would it be possible (and realistic) to join a hedge fund as an Analyst? Or is this wishful thinking and I'd only ever be considered for an execution trader role at a hedge fund? I don't have any special coding skills, just a love for the markets who couldn't get an IB job out of undergrad. I mean read about different investors and how they think about investing, talk to people about investing and then start thinking about how you would invest $100MM. What asset classes would you invest in AND WHY? how would you think about what percent you'd allocate to the various asset classes AND WHY? Within each asset class, how would you determine which specific asset to purchase (or short) AND WHY? When would you decide to sell an asset or even an entire asset class AND WHY? High level, that will be your philosophy/process. How you'd go about researching or finding the actual investments is secondary. First you have to know what you're looking for and have a well thought out reason why you're looking for it. Not impossible but very tough. I'm going to over generalize here (and maybe be a little blunt?) just so that you can get a sense for some of the preconceptions you'd be up against. In general, Traders tend to have very different priorities and thought processes and attention spans than investors/analysts. They often lack the intense need to dig and dig and dig until they fully understand everything about a specific investment. They often overvalue small but instant gratification of a successful trade quickly executed over a longer term thought out thesis that has been painstakingly researched over months. coding skills are not necessary most places but comments such as a "love for the markets" would act as a confirmation that you're a trader at heart who sees tickers and charts and not real companies, strategic decisions, value creation, and profit dollars. If you want to move into an analyst role, you will have to take an active role in combating these preconceptions. Can you elaborate on why a "love for the markets" is mutually exclusive from investing? I'm not interested in technical analysis (nor do I employ it at work). Our team starts with a macro view, but then narrows to sector-specific impacts when when trading and pitching ideas to the buy-side. Sure, we don't build full valuation models, but I'm not sure I agree with your comment that a love for markets means we don't analyze strategic decisions, value creation, margins, etc. I'm heading into a masters degree in Finance this September, and am hoping to score an analyst position after. This sounds rather general and undecided, but I love to work when I can dive into a topic / a pool of information and learn about it as much as I can. My question goes towards a specialization in my masters degree. They have two options, corporate finance and asset management, and I am tending to lean towards corporate finance, as AM track will only provide me with some risk analysis tools I know, and some more bs on comparing investment performance. Do you care about choices like these when you look at a candidate? And do you actually need to worry about riskiness / volatility estimation at your job (I would not think so)? I'd tend to agree with you. the AM track appears to be more relevant to a back office role. In general we don't care too much which track you take. However, if there's an investment club, student run fund or something like that, I'd highly recommend that you take on an active role. I absolutely have to worry about riskiness! you can't be an investor without thinking about the risk. However, volatility is not risk....it sounds like the risk you'd learn about in your program is highly theoretical and only relevant to back office roles. Alright, that makes sense! Thanks! Yes naturally one needs to consider risk at all times, I was using it more with regards to the mathematical BO version of it, correct. Thanks for your reply! Is the recruiting process for the credit arms of large funds the same as the regular PE/HF recruiting cycle? What about for smaller standalone credit funds that invest across cap structure? IBD is definitely the best route. the experience you get during an internship is really somewhat irrelevant....it's too short and you're not going to get to work on anything really tough or meaningful. However, in general it is harder to get an IBD internship and as such it screens better when skimming over resumes. Do you mind extrapolating on what some of those bad habits are and how you might perceive someone from AM? Do you think it's better to pitch a micro/small cap in fundamental interviews, or something the fund would actually deploy capital in? In addition to there being less efficiency in micro caps, my experience is that it's easier to get a very granular understanding of the business (because it will often have only a few products and/or a very straightforward business model). But not sure how important it is to stay within the fund's investable universe. I highly recommend pitching something that's relevant to the fund. If not it will be a very bring and one sided discussion. There more the interviewer knows about the company you're pitching, the more engaged they'll be. Doesn't matter if you end up with a different view on the stock or if your interviewer actually knows it better than you (he does this for a living after all). The assumption is, that if you're pitching something small and obscure, it is because you didn't spend a lot of time researching the pitch and didn't want to talk about something your interviewer may know. You mentioned that your shop looks down upon those with experience at either sell-side ER or close-indexing asset management due to the bad habits developed. Do they also look down on buyside ER experience at HF's that have a different investment philosophy? Are they only poaching talent from a pool of firms with similar investing strategies? Or are they trying to only hire brand new talent? good question. the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's a balance between just acquiring raw talent and acquiring someone who believes in our general philosophy and knows what to look for to succeed with our strategy. We have in the past hired people from funds that have a completely different philosophy, but only because they wanted to switch here specifically because they were personally not aligned with their current fund's philosophy. I can't stress enough, that is incredibly difficult to succeed somewhere when you don't truly believe in the fund's investment philosophy (of course there will be differences around the edges). - This is why it is so important to come up with your own (at least high level) philosophy before considering which funds to apply to. when you perform analysis, how much of the information you use is privileged (whether through cost or access) and how much would you say is generally available through public filings? at what point do you have conviction on an idea and decide to present to your PM or pass up channels? would you say you're most often looking for value between two securities in the same industry? or will your hedging get more creative? say you lost your job tomorrow, how might you look for excess returns as a retail investor? do you feel confident you'd succeed without the infrastructure around you? the most most valuable information is publicly available, but getting access to management and such obviously requires a reasonable amount of AUM or a lot of tenacity. some things like industry reports require a subscription, but you could get by without them without much trouble. not sure how to answer this lol at the end of the day you try to maximize your worth to the fund. If you keep on bringing things that aren't ready, you're wasting everyone's time. If you consistently spend too much time on something then you're just unproductive. It's just a judgement you've got to make for yourself. I think that's the most common case, but not exclusively. could for instance also be between different types of securities for the same (or different) company. no. I might, I might not. I'm confident that I wouldn't fail miserably, but I couldn't confidently predict whether my returns would be average, below average, or above average. It would certainly be harder without the infrastructure low trading commissions etc. My portfolio would also be very concentrated because I don't have enough time to research a lot of positions all on my own. Also still have plenty to learn. for a current research analyst (myself) who has a goal of working in a hedge fund, what would you say is the most important to focus on to get there? do you think getting the CFA significantly improves the chances? Especially if the person did not go to a top school (me). most important thing is to work on your personal investing knowledge and develop a solid investing philosophy that you believe in, and then continue improving it as you read more and speak to people. CFA will NOT significantly improve your chances - debatable whether it would improve them at all given that you're already working as a research analyst. I would like to say that once you've graduated and you're out in the industry working, the school you went to doesn't matter any more and it's all about you're personal performance. However, I think that, unfortunately, school pedigree will follow for a long time in some way or another. Won't necessarily be held against you, but will benefit people's perception of your competition that has a big name in their resume. - The efficient market hypothesis most certainly does not hold true when it comes to recruiting. What about for a first year associate out of a small, unknown school? Do you use DCF or multiples? far too many variables to list and which ones are relevant depends entirely on the company... There is no one size fits all in this industry, you have to be able to determine what's relevant and adapt. Did your ability to handle emotions (esp. when prices move a lot) change or improve as you worked more? How did the growth curve look like there? How do you divide your time on quantitative/qualitative analysis? If you see a stock for the first time, how do you determine if it's worth to look into it or not? all 10Ks and letters to shareholders that you can find (up to say maybe a max of 30yrs). 10Qs, industry reports, analyst reports, relevant article, credit agreements, presentations conference call and presentation transcripts and such probably for latest 5-8 years. depends how I come across the stock. could be that management appears smart, could be that their financial show strong returns, could be another investor said something interesting about them, etc.. - all 10Ks and letters to shareholders that you can find (up to say maybe a max of 30yrs). 10Qs, industry reports, analyst reports, relevant article, credit agreements, presentations conference call and presentation transcripts and such probably for latest 5-8 years. - depends how I come across the stock. could be that management appears smart, could be that their financial show strong returns, could be another investor said something interesting about them, etc.. You will work through 30 years of 10K's? I'm also an IB intern looking to get into HF straight away. What's your best advice (blogs to read, things to think about, classes to take, etc.) to distinguish yourself in an HF interview straight out of undergrad? Appreciate any advice you can give. Thanks! I've written about my advice a little further up. Haven't identified specific things to read since I think there are plenty of good books to read and a lot of lists of must reads. Not sure my list would be any better, more useful, or even that much different from what you've probably seen all over the place but i'll throw a couple suggestions in at the end. I don't really read any blogs as I haven't found any that I really find valuable. classes obviously depend on your college, but anything finance, accounting, or investing related. Did you read any specific book to learn about relative value? In a similar manner do you have any book recommendations on more fundamental analysis that's applicable to your job or that your recommend (like Intelligent Investor and Margin of Safety)? Hi ActiveShare, thank you for giving back! 1a) Upcoming 2nd Year finance UG, from what I've gathered from your responses, IBD is the least worst place to be to move into a HF. I'm doing a Summer internship this coming year but have no insight days or any finance work experience, if i cannot get an IBD placement, what do you recommend is next best? The idea being to crack into a HF straight out of UG. 2) Say i find my philosophy, investing style, would cold emailing HR and fund managers with CV, Cover letter, 1 shorter side (length i mean) stock pitch and 1 longer side stock pitch be sufficient to get interviews? Lastly, can all this preparation for Q2 be done in two years by the time i graduate? Of Course, i'm desperately trying to find finance related work experience right now to have a better chance for the appropriate summer internship. 1b) For an internship I'd focus more on knowing at least 3 stocks that you can speak about intelligently. make sure the names you know are at least somewhat relevant to the fund (i.e. no micro caps if they invest in mid-large caps, no international if they focus on US, etc.). Don't have to be a buy, but you should have a recommendation on each (buy, hold, sell) and be able to speak about them in quite a bit of detail (management, returns, margins, history, main driver, etc.) You should understand how models work for the interviews, but you can focus on improving your actual modeling skills after you've secured the position. It's very rare to be tested on modeling during internship interviews but you should be pretty good once your internship starts so you can make a good impression. 2) Unlikely. We get a ton of cold emails with exactly what you described. Reach out to more junior employees and try to meet with them. Your preparation for these meetings should be similar to the interview prep above. Send them your CV and pitches after speaking with them so they can look over your work after already hearing you speak. This path shows more initiative and is more likely to get a response, but don't forget or be scared to follow up. emails from kids wanting to meet up frequently just get buried or forgotten if they come while i'm busy or traveling. Thoughts on growth vs value vs cyclicals, or is this a function of your fund's philosophy? Do you think a great management team is more important than being in the right industry? What are criteria for shorts? Based on relative over-valuation/pair-trades? Fundamentally broken business models? Quarterly informational edges (i.e knowing company will miss consensus estimates)? How do you think about where your edge lies? Informational (proprietary data, market flow information, gauging market sentiment and whats priced in), or analytical (spotting beneficiaries of secular growth, doing more granular work on the operational model vs the street)? imo if you do value properly, it includes both growth and cyclical components. growth prospects can be factored into value (not speaking graham style cigar butts). and the same is true for cyclicals if you do a decent job at estimating what point in the cycle we're at. depends. on average, yes. the market is generally good at acknowledging that a company is in an attractive industry and as such they are often fully valued. A diamond in the rough on the other hand can often be priced attractively. Also, a lack of capital discipline by a company in an attractive industry can easily destroy value or only create minimal value over time. could be any of those except for the last one, although we'd look at them all in the same way, as being relatively overvalued. ex. If a broken business is trading at the same valuation as a good one, it's relatively overvalued since their earnings will grow slower or decline. more analytical. a lot of investment decisions tend to be influenced by emotion (fomo, herd mentality, etc.) and being able to identify that and just stay away from emotional decisions is a surprisingly significant advantage. generally we're expected to come prepared with our recommended execution strategy, but if it's time sensitive it's better to bring it forward and get the team to help than wait too long. Hi, what's the most important thing to look for when looking for a college? Thanks again. imo it's reputation and on campus recruiting (generally go hand in hand). most of your learning will come after you graduate. You want the best opportunity to get in front of as many high quality employers as possible. If you're smart and a hard worker, you'll be able to shine in interviews and on the job. Is it just age discrimination playing a part in not getting a look from most hiring managers? Or is it because my experience, MBA, and soon acquired MS are not the right pedigree? If you have had a successful "first half" of your career (at least monetarily and academically), where do you think the best fit for a trader/broker/accountant/investment manager/customer relationship manager/and whatever other title/hat a small business person holds would be? Would have to know more, but accumulating degrees can be perceived negatively (far more so than age), especially if they're from second tier institutions. Knowledge gained in school is such a small portion of what is required. Funds want to find the smartest people, so they go to the schools with the best reputation that are the hardest to get into. Target universities are simply used as a filter to get to the smarted people, not because they think the students there will get a better education and will know more finance theory after they graduate. As such, additional degrees are really not that valuable. It could also be that you're simply sending in your application and waiting for a reply, whereas your competition is actively reaching out to employees and trying to meet with them to showcase themselves, and demonstrate initiative and enthusiasm. As for the second part of your question...do you have experience in all of those fields? If you've had good success monetarily and are interested in investing, why not try to go at it as your own boss and live from investing your own money? What's your take on multi-manager v. single manager? What type of fund are you at and how do you think the velocity of idea generation affects your process? How has your work changed since your first year on the job? Any regrets jumping straight to HF? Thoughts on staying at the same firm for long stretches of time? Pros and cons v. moving around? I know some people prefer to lateral between companies and industries, but I think I'd be inclined to go FT at the place I summer'd at and stay there for the long-run. But does your balance sheet balance? is it supposed to?? damn it! first of all, congrats and I hope you absolutely kill it! I'm at a single manager and I like it that way. Get to focus on and get aligned with one strategy that I believe in. I think it also simplifies performance evaluation and internal politics. Hasn't changed that much...I spend a lot less time building models myself and spend more time traveling and meeting with management teams. I have more of a voice in meetings and investment decisions and have more freedom in determining what I spend my time on and what I push to the side. I'm a big believer of staying long term. If you identify and join a good fund, then the only reason that I can see to jump to another fund would be if you're not performing, and as such not getting paid well and not getting the promotions and respect you want. You can generally get a promotion, signing bonus, and /or salary bump out of a lateral, but if you're performing at your current fund, performance comp would more than make up for it, since it really increases as a result of trust earned over time. At this point in time, I think I'd only leave to start my own fund. Thanks for the kind words and advice. Great to hear that you're getting more involved in meetings, conferences, etc. Honestly seems like one of the more interesting bits of the job. As for the point about staying long-term, I'm glad you said what you did -- I've now heard this from multiple people, and I feel like it rings more true each time a voice is added to the chorus. - Did you IB internship bring you valuable skills for your current position? - What was the interview process like? - How do you come up with your short ideas? First round was about 2hours spread over two interviews with different people. Second round was about 6 hours long and included a case study. Most discussions were conceptual and tried to get an understanding for my thought process as opposed to testing technical skills. Technicals required for finance are really not difficult and if an otherwise ideal candidate isn't techically strong, they can easily learn technical skills on the job. Everything comes down to (relative) value, so coming up with a short is no different from coming up with a long. instead of meeting a management you think is smart, you might meat a team that seems to either not understand capital allocation or is only interested in getting bigger so they can justify a higher salary. Often you find a long and in analyzing competitors in the industry, you quickly find a potential short. Thats really what I feel like would be the main value proposition to me as a hedge fund analyst vs. private equity at a MF. Thanks. it really depends on the quality of your work and how insightful your meeting/discussion contributions are. Given that we're relatively lean, you can position yourself to be someone who adds value quite quickly. The flip side is, if you speak up too much too early, before actually being capable of adding value, you'll be marked as not trustworthy for a long time. Thanks for the response. So then, in regards to trying to land an interview for a potential job opportunity with a fund like yours, how much does it help when you cold email a firm with an investment pitch that fits their criteria and demonstrates the ability to think in alignment with the way that the fund does? Will they take you more seriously when you're trying to break in even if your from an non-target, non-traditional background, etc.? Thanks again in advance, @ActiveShare, hope these questions aren't too basic / general.

2019-04-23T20:10:56Z

https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/ama-3rd-year-hedge-fund-analyst

What would happen if lying were the norm? Spouses wouldn’t be able to trust one another; leaders wouldn’t be credible; and the news would be meaningless. Everything, and I mean everything, depends on honesty. That’s why it’s so critical to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The truth is . . . we can’t build relationships if we mistrust what friends say; we won’t follow leaders if we mistrust what they do; and we can’t make good decisions if we doubt the accuracy of the information that we receive. Absent truth, instead of taking action, we’d spend our time looking over other people’s shoulders, second-guessing their intent, and unraveling the facts from the falsehoods. The result is that trust is shattered, reputations are damaged, and suspicion rules the day. Misrepresentation. Distorting facts to consciously mislead or create a false impression. Spinning the truth, presenting opinion as fact, and using revisionist thinking or euphemisms to masquerade the truth are all forms of misrepresentation. Fabrication. Deliberately inventing an untruth or spreading a falsehood such as gossip or a rumor. Exaggeration. Stretching the truth to give a more favorable impression. Denial. Refusing to acknowledge the truth or to accept responsibility for a mistake or falsehood that was made. Lack of transparency. Withholding information knowing that full disclosure will have negative consequences. Redirection. Deflecting blame to another person to prevent personal embarrassment or responsibility. False recognition. Stealing the credit for someone else’s hard-earned success. Broken promise. Making a promise with no intention of keeping it. Hypocrisy. Saying one thing and consciously doing another. When words don’t match actions, someone is being dishonest with others or themselves. Bait and switch. Attracting someone with an exciting offer only to divert them to an inferior deal. Living a lie. Pretending that you are something you’re not. The value of honesty cannot be overstated. Every time someone lies, alarm bells aren’t going to go off and that person’s nose isn’t going to get larger (like Pinocchio’s), but something definitely happens. The liar may suspect that the only reason the customer said, “yes” to his proposal, the only way she dodged the blame, and the only reason the recipient of the lie thought highly of him or her was due to the lie itself. The question remains: Even though they fooled someone else, how do liars feel about themselves? The obvious truth is that they thought they didn’t deserve the outcome or else they would have told the truth in the first place. They may explain away the lie by telling themselves that everybody does it or that the lie fell in a gray area. But I must ask you, is that any way to live your life? When you stand for honesty, you believe in yourself and everything you represent. When you stand for honesty, everything you say carries the voice of credibility. But, when you’re dishonest, your soiled reputation will do the speaking for you. Bend over backward to communicate in an open and honest fashion. Simplify your statements so that everyone clearly understands your message. Tell it like it is, rather than sugarcoating it. Present both sides of each issue to engender objectivity. If you have a personal bias or a conflict of interest, make it known. Tell people the rationale behind your decisions so that your intent is understood. If something is misinterpreted, quickly correct the record. Don’t shoot the messenger when someone tells you the truth. Thank them for their honesty and treat the information provided as a gift. Willingly accept responsibility by admitting a mistake or an error in judgment — in a timely fashion. Hold people accountable when their words do not match their actions. Never compromise your integrity and reputation by associating yourself with people whose standards of integrity you mistrust. The truth shouldn’t be told only when it’s convenient. Honesty must be a way of life. Honesty means that you care deeply about trust, cherish your relationships, and value the importance of a solid reputation. Honesty means that you try to do your best and are willing to accept the consequences of your actions. Honesty means that you respect others enough to tell them the truth and that you value your opinion of yourself enough to never live a lie. As the saying goes, “It’s simple. Never lie to someone who trusts you, and never trust someone who lies to you.” That’s why it’s critical to always tell the truth — or the truth will tell on you. Honest. Tell Me the Truth. What Do You Think About Honesty? To tell you the truth, this post is very thought provoking! I have never seen Honesty and dishonesty outlined in such depth. The different ways of being dishonest…… HONESTLY made me think DEEPER on this topic! There is an enormous amount of WISDOM and INSIGHT and food for thought. each dishonesty can be a topic on its own. each honesty can be a life lesson. I feel this article is VERY important and should be revisited many times- because each time you can learn something new about yourself. Thank you for what you do FRANK this world needs YOU. We need you. Sometimes honesty and integrity don’t get the play that they deserve because it’s hard to quantify the impact that they have on our lives. So much of what we do hinges on building trust with others. It’s hard, if not impossible, to have a meaningful relationship without honesty. The truth is, when I wrote this post I was surprised by the sheer number of ways that people lie. It’s time to hold everyone accountable for telling the truth. It does pay off as YOU as a person DOES NOT feel frustrated, guilty, worried, cold swets, panic, it releases pressure on the MIND and SOUL. Thanks for sharing your words, talent and perspective Frank. This is among my favorite of your blogs, but I feel like I say that about everyone of them so imagine how the length of my “favorites” list. You provide a great service to everyone who reads your work – and that’s the plain and simple truth. My parents drummed the importance of honesty and integrity into our heads at an early age. So, I’ve been thinking about the importance of trust and integrity for a long time. I’m always taken back when people are surprised that two people have an “honest relationship.” I grew up thinking that was the rule, not the exception. Thanks so much for sharing my posts with your colleagues. I appreciate it. Telling the truth can be uncomfortable. Most shy in tough situations and lie to feel better. You outlined a few wonderful ways to tell the truth, and of course, how people lie too. You’re right … telling the truth isn’t always easy. (Yes… sometimes the truth hurts) I’ve learned that honesty is a critical component of trust and respect. And, that means the world to me. So, I’m willing to withstand the short-term “hit” to strengthen the long-term relationship. Frank this is one GREAT post on a critical subject. A few things spring to mind. One of the greatest enemies of the truth is self deception: when we lie to ourselves it becomes that much easier to lie to others. As a corollary to this, becoming an honest person depends as much or even more so on CHARACTER than it does on being able to intellectually discriminate between truth and fiction. It takes a brave and dedicated person to not just tell the truth but live it every day. Finally I have a question: I admire this piece for your take no prisoners contention that lying is NEVER justified? Is this your actual position? Or would you make allowances for a manager, say, who “spins the truth” a bit about the quality of a subordinate’s work in order to encourage rather than crush? Thanks again for an incredible post. Be re-reading this for days. Like Lolly above I don’t think I’ve ever seen the case for honesty laid out so well. Great question! To answer it generally, there are three types of lies 1) Lying in error 2) Bold-faced lies 3) White lies. I can categorically say that I don’t tell bold-faced lies. I’m sure I’ve lied in error or told a white lie to protect someone’s feelings. But, that’s a very slippery slope. And, honesty is very important to me. If I tell the whole truth he will of course assume layoffs are a sure thing and will not believe me when I say they were only part of a 1% worst case planning scenario. Soon everyone in the company will be in an uproar over “layoffs.” If I say “no comment” or “I’m not free to say” then his imagination may dream up even worse things with even more damaging consequences to morale. So instead I “make up a story” or tell only a “half truth.” I “honestly” 🙂 believe that as long as there are such things as self fulfilling prophecies a policy of “just the truth, ma’m” can never be total. Winston Churchill could not afford to tell the English people the whole truth all the time and still win the war. And yes, this IS INDEED a slippery slope. Thanks for your thoughts. Once again you make some great points. I hear what you’re saying and agree completely with your position. Here’s the rub … The leader withholds information for the “good of the company” while their real motive is hitting their quarterly bonus; The politician spins the truth for the “good of the country” yet their true intent is positioning themselves for the next election; The boss tells the employee they’re doing fine, while the real story is that he’s uncomfortable delivering bad news. The worst part about these scenarios is that they believe their own lies. The difference is that in my examples, the individual “lied” for personal gain while in your examples their intentions were honorable. I still believe that there is a slippery slope –– Some people start out with good intentions and cross the line. That, my friend, is where character comes into play. I hope I answered your question. Thanks again for enriching the conversation. Have an awesome evening. The distinction of “why” behind the decision (yes, it is a choice to lie) is pivotal. I worry that lying has become the norm in our country, and worse, we are not teaching our children the power of truth. What baffles me is how common sense your words are, but yet how we have allowed personal gain to be okay. We have role models for lying for personal gain in abundance these days. I wish this could be a “course” taught in K-12, higher ed and corporate L&D, with structured accountability systems and consequences for personal choices. Your words ring so true. I also believe that children should learn the importance of honesty at an early age. Role models including parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, coaches etc. should take part in that effort. But we can’t stop there. It’s time for us to speak up and hold lousy role models accountable for their actions. The first step in solving any problem is recognizing that there is one. The next step is doing something about it. The mission of this blog is to highlight the urgent need to reawaken a commitment to personal values and personal responsibility. Thank you so much for sharing the passion and recognizing the need to bring about change. This article inspired me to create a page on my blog dedicated to articles on Core Values. I see it as a resource for anyone who wants to learn and understand more about what it takes to be the person they WANT to be. I don’t know if there is already a something out there like it but my main intention is to help people who interact with my GPS Theory based Success Engineering services (personal, professional, organizational) to understand the meaning of the words they use to answer this powerful question: What words do you want other people to use to describe you and the life you’ve lived? Thanks for inspiring this idea, Frank! I’ll be sure to look through your blog to see how many other gold nuggets there are to link to from my resource page! I’m so glad that this post inspired you to write about personal values. “We” need all the help we can get. Thanks for this blog. Sometimes to achieve our goals, we exaggerate for some events to show our importance & lie to satisfy our boss. The worst enemy to honesty is the word “I know everything”. This is a weak point for unconfident person & may cost a lot as a result. You’re right. Greed, ego and lack of humility often get in the way of success. Wow! I love this list! The dishonest behavior is so subtle sometimes that we don’t overtly acknowledge it…these are great reminders of how insidious dishonesty can influence all aspects of our life. You’re right. Some of these items are subtle and others overt. The key is that dishonest people trade short-term gain for trusting relationships. As a forensic evaluator for behavior health and the court systems, I encounter your list of deceptive techniques on a regular basis during my interviews. It is disheartening to me sometimes as a people helper how much energy people put into telling untruthful things. I find that when others are “surviving” or “just existing” they are more inclined to tell mistruths. Those that are truly living, accepting themselves and their faults, and have an internal security are less likely to tell lies. The problem with lying is the long term detrimental mental health effects that tend to attach themselves to others lives. I have often referred to chronic lying as “delusional denial” where recognition of the truth can no longer be recognized, because the brain connections have re-wired toward the un-real-ness of life. Frank: Thanks again for a well thought out post. Have a great week, Brian. It’s great to hear from an expert on the matter. It’s interesting that you find that people who are “surviving” or “just existing” more inclined to tell mistruths. Then, what do some executives, celebrities or politicians have to say for themselves? It’s sad, and as you say, disheartening how much energy people put into telling untruths. Thanks so much for advancing the conversation. …And that in a nutshell is what needs to be told..the truth for our society to get back on track. Truth, trust and honestly…. as usual so well said Frank! Thanks Janet. There are three things that we can do to get back on track. First, we must live by the rules that we expect others to live by. Second we should teach the importance of honesty and integrity to our kids. Third, we must hold people accountable rather than turning a blind eye to dishonest behavior. Frank, What a terrific post. I find that in business there is so much time spent on “positioning” as a means of justifiying half-truths. Very dangerous… and will undermine credibility. I wholeheartedly agree with you. Many leaders feel that they have to sell their way of doing things. I’ve found that when leaders shift their thinking from “my” problem to “our” problem, everyone pitches in to find the best solution. Plus, you get buy-in of the process. Thanks for your thoughts! Frank, What can I say about you? you are one of a kind human specie. I love this post, because it points out the many ways one can be lying and not realizing it. I have a story to share, actually two similar stories. I have lost three brothers, my father and my step father who practically raised us, so we loved him as our father. The second brother we lost, my mother had just came out of a big surgery and her health was very delicate or fragile. It was Christmas Eve’s we were cooking the dinner for that day, when we received the notice from my county. My sister my brother and I had a little reunion to see what was the best thing to do in this case, my mother was very fragile, she was recuperating from a big surgery and on top of all was suffering from a little depression at that time. It was a hard thing to do not only because we had to hide our emotions, I remember I wanted to cry so bad, and every time I will get close to my mother I would have to run and hide in the bathroom to cry and then put lots of make up so she would not noticed my tears. I remember saying to my self, how could I deliver such a painful news to her?? I saw her little face so sad, as if she knew deep inside but at the same time I saw hopes in her eyes. So we decided not to tell her until two weeks later when we talked to her doctor and her doctor advised us to tell her the truth. So you see there are circumstances in life that put us in places we don’t want to be and kind of forces us into doing things that goes against our moral, and values. Until this day I think we did the right thing at that time. The second brother they had told us there was no hope they told us he only had days to live, we did not tell my brother or my mother that as well, because we thought it was enough pain the pain we were going through, we did not them to go through that pain as well. So Frank what do you thing about our situation? what would you have done, tell the truth or how would you handle a situation like this?? Your family has been through a lot. I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s certainly not up to me to judge, but I believe you did the right thing. The difference is that in my examples, the individual “lied” for personal gain while in your situation you withheld the truth out of love. There’s no need for you to doubt your intentions. They were honorable and come from a loving heart. There is a slippery slope when it comes to honesty –– Some people start out with good intentions and cross the line. I am part of the Quaker community where truth is part of it’s value. What I find within this community is that truth is perceived in very different ways which can suggest that a person has lied. When the truth can’t be found opinions replace it. Those opinions seem to come from the spirit of the person. How do we recognize what is in ourselves can be so different in other without calling it out as being dishonest? I must confess … I’m not familiar with the Quaker norms around truth and honesty. I’m not comfortable commenting. I did find this passage which I found interesting. A well written blog Frank!.. I completely believe that honesty should be a way of life.Satisfaction & self respect we have with such a life is invaluable. Truth be told & truth be listened whatever the circumstances may be.That is basis of each relationship. I think spreading rumour is also dishonesty. I’m glad that you brought “self respect” into the equation. People with character listen carefully to their conscience. The truth matters to them. For them, the downside of dishonesty isn’t that they’ll be caught, it’s that they have to live with themselves for the rest of their life. Thank you for a great article, Frank. Truth is so often overlooked, but is the single most important pillar in Life, Love … and business! I’m so glad you like the article. You’re right, “Truth is overlooked.” That may be because things like honesty, trust, creativity, and courage are hard to measure –– So, we discount their value. The truth is, they’re instrumental to success in all facets of life. This is one of the most important concepts for all humans. It’s the center of what the bible tells us and psychology validates. Truth saves, and it’s THE ONLY WAY to LOVE. Jesus symbolizes TRUTH and God is LOVE. Love without truth is a volatile thing. I believe the Old Testament shows us the problems that arise when love is not coupled with truth– The New Testament shows us the benefits of TRUTH manifested & utilized. I’m glad you’re passionate about the truth. I am too. I don’t tell the truth for fear of getting caught. I tell the truth because I have to live with myself and can’t accept anything less. It’s part of my DNA. One of the things I’ve found when it comes to the topic of truth, honesty, and integrity is that it is surprisingly something most people BELIEVE in as an ‘idea’ yet very few people believe in enough to PRACTICE. Or people mistake the BELIEF in the idea as the practice in and of itself. And this is the invitation for us all. If the truth is good and if it sets us free, why aren’t more people telling the truth? Why are people so afraid to be honest with one another? Or why is honesty good for other people to do and live up to but not always the leaders who expect it? There’s a great divide between the dream and reality of honest communication that is exchanged with integrity. This is our mission and challenge in the world today. To stop making a mockery of the most important and foundation principle that is the building block of trust in our relationships. Without trust, everything falls apart. One of the reasons people lie is that they think (or hope) that others won’t find out. What amazes me is that they’re willing to sell their soul to get what they want. How do they respect themselves the next day? I’m so glad that you’re talking and writing about truth. You’re making a difference. I am having a moral dilemma. In reading about lying, dishonesty, truth, and honesty… is it not possible to make an honest mistake when asked a question? If someone asks me a question, and I provide the wrong answer (but truly believe it is the correct one), am I lying? What if, when the correct answer is pointed out, I admit I made a mistake? I have gotten into serious disagreement with my spouse about this – she says I lied to her; I said I made a mistake, and admitted it as soon as the true facts became apparent. She says – it doesn’t matter – I lied, and cannot be trusted. I have read opinions supporting both viewpoints. In my opinion, a lie is a deliberate attempt to provide incorrect information (in other words, the liar knows what they are saying is or may not be the truth/correct, but asserts is as the truth/correct). The INTENT is the significant factor. How can anyone hold anyone else to be perfect? I believe that dishonesty is a deliberate attempt to to mask the truth. The first step in resolving conflict is to air it out in the open and discuss it. This is a great article. Never thought about all the facets of lying. Really helpful in what I am dealing with in my life at this point. Thank you!! Thanks Lincoln. I’m glad you like it. One of the reasons why I broke out several forms of dishonesty is to discourage folks from claiming that some lies are less bad than others. Remember, big or small … a lie is a lie. I just stumbled across your article and it was a good read. I despise liars so much and it’s a pity that I know so many of them. It’s really hard to trust the things that they say and it makes certain interactions with them extremely unpleasant. I was just wondering though, what you thought about lying about something for the sole intention of not to cause trouble? For example, if my mum and dad had split up, and mum was always talking about dad in a hostile way. Then, one day dad comes along and asks me if mum has been saying anything degrading about him. We know that lying is wrong and frowned upon, but does it become acceptable if I was to tell him “no” because that could cause havoc between the two? Even though I, with all my soul, hate when people lie, I feel, if it has to be done, this is the only slightly acceptable way to do it. What are your thoughts? Thanks for your time. Excellent work Frank! Good job! Thanks Robert. I’m glad you like it. Excellent description for why one’s integrity matters,not only to others, but most importantly to themselves. So, to test your conviction for personal integrity I have a basic question. Who did you support in the primaries, Clinton or Sanders? Once again, thank you for the very thoughtful article about honesty. Thanks for your kind words, Skylar. I’m glad you like the post. With regard to the election, I promised myself several things when I started this blog. First, I want to be positive rather than negative. So, you’ll never see me bad-mouthing a person nor organization on this blog. Second, you’ll never see me endorse nor slam a politician or political party. (I’ll leave that to others) My goal is to reawaken our commitment to character, values and personal responsibility. I really enjoyed this brilliant thought provoking blog. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, thoughts and comments. Hi Frank. I Have been reading your blog’s and have been inspired to tell you and others my story.It stretches out to 60yrs my age.I will try to shorten it down somewhat.We imigrated from the Uk to Australia in 1964,Mum Dad and my 3 brothers and sister.We travelled around Australia for the next 10yrs,sounds great doesn’t it.Well if you want to sacrifice foundation,stability,education,etc etc,go for it.During this time all us kids were learning from our parent’s all the wrong things,this i think sent me on a path of self destruction,ie failed marriage,hoodwinked into a poedaphile situation,multipul relationships,drinking.About a year ago i made a promise to myself to be brutaly honest,and be the same with others.I can say with all honesty that i feel my life has changed for the better and heading in the right direction.Thanks for listening.John. Thanks for sharing. I’m so glad that your story had a happy ending. You proved that we’re never too old to learn. Thanks for taking the time to write. Honesty is the aspect of moral character that deals with respect for and adherence to the truth. On the other hand, integrity is doing the right thing –– which includes adherence to the rules and laws of society. Thanks for your thoughts. Hi! I am doing a report on Honesty in the Age of Reason. Could you happen to help me with that? Please send me a brief email highlighting what you have in mind.I can be reached at frank@franksonnenbergonline.com. I teach a class in Ethics and found unethical practices often run parallel with lying. We all know that people lie, but why? In my quest to uncover why, I found it rooted in three distinct behaviors: Ethical Behavior, Moral Behavior, and Pragmatic Behavior. Based in rules and laws, we have a complete court system to discover whether someone charged with breaking these laws have lied or not. Few of us, when pulled over for speeding, haven’t attempted to lie our way out of it. It’s a sin to lie. Faith and values based, starting with how we were programed as a child by our parents. Their behavior, what they believed to be true, liked or disliked, accepted or rejected, said or didn’t say, what they chose to wear, drive, and eat became a meta model to us as children. Moral behavior and parental messages are an integral part of who we are today. We unconsciously adapt these imprinted behaviors as our choice. When I was about ten, our doorbell rang and my mother said, “It’s a salesman. Tell him I’m not home.” My mother, who washed my mouth with soap for lying. Taught me it’s okay to lie to a salesman. Being happily married for over 40 years, I must say this is the right answer! Daily, ‘High Profile Personalities’ exhibit ‘Pragmatic Behavior’ partly because of public adoration and partly because no one tells them otherwise. After awhile, they actually feel they have different standards than the minions not to mention how Media plays to their ego. A reporter confronted Donald Trump with, “Didn’t you bankrupt Trump Casino in Atlantic City?” He answered, “I made Atlantic City a lot of money.” He justified his actions then reframed it so as not to be called a lie. Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, Martha Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Brian Williams, and Paula Deen! Even Jell-O Pudding Pop, Dr. Huxtable himself, Bill Crosby. We may have a dominant behavior; nevertheless, all three reside within us. It seems that Truth is on trial and lying becomes the norm. What is the answer as to why people lie? Habit. Ethically we don’t want to be found guilty. Morally we know lying is wrong. However, Mom did it, my priest did it, so I’ll do it and pray for forgiveness later. Pragmatically, is lying needed to get ahead? Well that depends on what the meaning of “is” is. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for advancing the conversation. I thoroughly enjoyed your perspective. I encourage everyone to read it. My study is going deeper on honesty with your article. I also like a type of dishonesty as such “withholding information knowing that full disclosure will have negative consequences”. Because i’m victim of that type. Tell me one thing how we get unaffected from manipulatI’ve people, which emotionally fools us? I’m glad this post helped you with your research. As I said, it is dishonest to intentionally withhold information to deceive someone. If people care about their credibility and reputation, desire the respect of friends and family, or want to be taken seriously in life…trust matters. The truth is, trust takes a long time to develop, but can be lost in the blink of an eye. I found this outline a great tool for the young men we are working with. This does an exceptional job at shining the light into the ‘gray’ areas of dishonesty. It has been out objective to speak plainly through all aspects of our lives. You are doing your young men a tremendous favor by talking about the importance of honesty. It will benefit them for their entire life. I love your posts…honesty has always been very central to me throughout my life. I have found that not everyone appreciates it though particularly if they are not being honest with themselves ! Being authentic is a way of life and defines me. I don’t have a lot of friends but the ones I do have I have had for many years because our friendship is based on trust. It would never be my intention to hurt anyone but I will always be honest with them. I recently found myself in a situation where a number of people around had various secrets that they confided to me. At first that was fine, I was happy that people trusted me enough to confide their secrets to me. But over time, as a result of the various secrets among these people, relationships became more and more complicated, and more and more difficult and trust among the group deteriorated more and more. Eventually, I got to the point where I could not take it anymore and I started refusing to keep anymore confidences and I started doing what I could to untangle the web of secrets where I could do so without betraying confidences. I now am very reluctant to become the keeper of confidences. I have now adopted the belief that the problem is not that people expect me to keep their secrets but that they have secrets to keep in the first place. If your life is full of secrets, you have to ask yourself if you are truly living life properly. People who live their lives with honesty and integrity should have very few secrets. I recognize that this is cannot be an absolute rule. There are some secrets that people do need to keep. None-the-less, someone whose life is full of secrets is not someone I necessarily want in my life. Nor do I want to be the kind of person who feels the need to keep a lot of secrets. A secret is, after all, very often just another form of lie. It’s tough when people share their inner-most secrets with you because it may place you in an uncomfortable position. But here’s the other side of the coin…When people confide in you, they’re placing their trust in you and letting you know that they value your thoughts. On a personal note, I don’t like to keep secrets. I don’t feel I have anything to hide. Thanks for your thoughts. Have an awesome weekend! Honesty and Integrity have to be taught at home. Clearly, these values don’t exist in government or corporate America today. There is no grand recognition for those choosing to live a life of integrity other than for the individual themselves. As such, our consolation is a lonely but worthy venture. Peace of mind about who you are is a great one…. I understand how you, like so many others, feel that too many people lack honesty and integrity today. It’s important that we serve as positive role models, spread the word that moral character matters, and hold people accountable for their actions. Living with honor is its own reward. What’s more valuable than being able to look into the mirror each day with a clear conscience? The first sentence of this blog really says all we need to consider about honesty: “What would happen if lying were the norm?” In my experience, the people who become the most outraged about being lied to are the very people who are themselves deceptive. The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” does not seem to apply to the dishonest. This is glaringly obvious in the movies when a villain stabs others in the back, but when someone is disloyal to them, the villain is vengeful. The very fabric of society would disintegrate if honesty was not the moral norm, and this is certainly true in the business setting. In his essay “A Framework for Understanding Organizational Ethics,” O. C. Ferrell enlightens that some research supports the suspicion that many businesspeople do in fact live with two conflicting sets of rules—one for business and one for their lives outside of work (2004). This notion is alarming, and suggests that people are more apt to want to bend the rules to make a buck in the business setting, but they would not partake in the same behavior in their personal life. Honesty is what keeps the world spinning—not deception or deceit, and it is refreshing to read a blog that champions honesty! Integrity in the marketplace appears to be sinking farther and farther down the drain, as evidenced by the many scandals that have come to light in the past two decades. However, there are many companies who pledge to always do the right thing, no matter the consequences, and it is these companies and businesspeople who are shining stars in an increasingly unsettled world. Lying may one day become the norm, and for some it already is, but I pray that this does not continue—and we must each do our part to ensure that honesty reigns supreme, no matter the setting! I believe strong moral character can’t be turned on and off like a light switch (home or business). In my mind you have it or you don’t. I am being very dishonest, but I would not say that I am an evil or bad person or that I lie because of conscious intentions. I just came from a very religious and socially poor background while being gay and an immigrant (from Morocco to the Netherlands). I had difficulties being with other people and started lying about myself at a very young age. I started lying about my family, my sexuality (of course) and also really disliked my name (Ahmed) so took on different names which made it even worse. Now I am this point where I constantly isolate myself from everyone (family and colleagues) and always tend to lie. I really feel like a dishonest person who wants to completely withdraw from life and live as a witch/wizard somewhere outside of town (to put it symbolically) and probably be seen as a freak/outcast. Why I choose to say as witch or wizard is because of my spiritual attainment that I think I have. I transcended religion and do know that there is so much more to life. P.S. don’t get me wrong, I am a good-looking young man with a masters degree and a good job, but I just can’t be myself. The most important person to be honest with is yourself. Be proud of who you are and what you represent. You have to live with yourself for the rest of your life.

2019-04-21T15:24:12Z

https://www.franksonnenbergonline.com/blog/honesty-the-plain-and-simple-truth/

A common method of managing tailings in semi-arid environments is to self-impound the waste as it dries. This paper presents the results of research carried out on the in situ drying behaviour of platinum tailings. Monitoring of gravimetric water contents following deposition and the quantity of water released during sedimentation indicated that a tailings beach acts as a gravitational thickener. After sedimentation, water contents were observed to decrease at a rate correlated with reference evapotranspiration, reaching a steady-state condition. Field capacity values determined from laboratory experimentation and predictive modelling correlated closely with this steady state. Further near-surface moisture reduction is inhibited due to the relative abundance of moisture rising from below to replenish deficits. Liquidity indices demonstrated that, as a result, only the head of the beach dries to a steady-state condition which provides strength to impound the tailings. The world is faced with a growing problem of how to utilise its mineral resources in a sustainable manner. With the depletion of high-grade ore bodies and advances in extractive metallurgy, the volume of tailings requiring storage is ever-increasing. Typically, mill-circuits extract small percentages of the sought mineral from ore via a wet process, resulting in slurried tailings. The need to dispose of the tailings in an environmentally friendly, structurally stable and economically viable manner has resulted in a number of available solutions. Tailings disposal involves both process engineering for the thickening of tailings and geotechnical engineering for the deposition of tailings. Tailings may be thickened1 to a low-density slurry or a paste, or even filtered to a cake, increasing upfront water recovery, albeit at extra cost. Tailings then require impounding or can self-impound if the geotechnical behaviour results in sufficient strength within realistic time-frames. No single solution is universally applicable as each has its merits. This paper builds on research previously presented by the authors (Blight et al 2012) which highlighted the gravitational thickening of low-density slurries during subaerial deposition, and extensively investigates the drying phase leading to strength gain in platinum tailings. The strength gain of deposited "conventional" slurries is dependent on increasing inter-particle forces during sedimentation, consolidation and, finally, drying. Pane & Schiffman (1985) linked the Kynch (1952) theory of sedimentation and the Gibson et al (1967) theory of non-linear, finite strain consolidation of saturated clays, to model the pelagic (i.e. in the open ocean) sedimentation and simultaneous consolidation of sediments. Although applied to tailings deposition, conditions are often not pelagic, with deposition characterised by unstable, meandering, turbulent rill flow (Blight & Bentel 1983). Wels & Robertson (2003) concluded that only water liberated during initial sedimentation and bleed water during consolidation are available for recovery. Lyell et al (2008) proposed that by reducing the surface area over which low-density slurries are deposited, water recoveries achieved from the dam can be similar to those from paste thickening. As solids settle out of the slurry a viscous mass results, with the quantity of pore water above the liquid limit, Donaldson (1960) showed that in semi-arid environments evaporative drying results in the tailings losing pore water and gaining strength at a rate faster than can be estimated by the self-weight consolidation theory. The movement of pore water is governed by gravitational forces and suction-induced potentials. The reduction in pore water, quantified by the gravimetric water content, wc, through seepage and evaporation, is proportional to the reduction in volume while the soil skeleton remains saturated. When the solids skeleton reaches a maximum density, air enters the voids and the resulting pore water menisci create an increase in suction. The relationship between volume change and water content or suction at constant (zero) total stress is termed the Volumetric Shrinkage Curve (VSC), while the corresponding relationship between water content and suction is termed the Suction-Water Content Curve (SWCC) (Fredlund & Rahardjo 1993). As suctions develop, gravitational seepage reduces and eventually water may be drawn up from within the deposit via the suction potentials (i.e. capillary action). When gravitational seepage becomes negligible, the soil has reached its field capacity, with classical soil science defining the corresponding suction to be 33 kPa, although this is often closer to 10 to 20 kPa (Miller & Donahue 1990). Koorevaar et al (1999) suggested that when the water table is at shallow depths, field capacity corresponds to hydrostatic equilibrium. Due to the reduction in permeability as suctions develop, Meyer & Gee (1999) proposed that field capacity occurred when the hydraulic conductivity decreases to between 10-9 and 10-11 m-s-1, depending on soil type and texture. Ratliff et al (1983) investigated 401 soils and found the average standard deviation of laboratory and in situ field capacity values of similarly textured soils to be 3.6% and 4.9% respectively. Depending on the availability of water to replenish deficits, soils can remain at field capacity for considerable periods. Evaporation from bare soil is often characterised as occurring in two distinct stages: the "energy limited" stage and the "falling rate" or "soil limited" stage. During the energy-limited stage, the rate is defined by the evaporative energy available to vaporise water within the soil. During the soil-limited stage, the hydraulic properties of the soil are unable to supply moisture at the potential evaporation rate. Allen et al (2005) analysed a number of soils and determined that the change from stage one to stage two evaporation occurs at a wc between the field capacity and wilting point. The wilting point is defined as the wc at a suction of 1 500 kPa (Miller & Donahue 1990). Stage two continues until the wc is half the wilting point value, which is presumed to approximate air-dry conditions. Evapotranspiration is the combined process whereby liquid water contained within soils and plant tissue is vaporised. The rate of evapotranspiration is influenced by macro-climatic conditions, microclimatic conditions and the development and management of plant type. A means to determine a reference évapotranspiration, ET0, to reflect purely macroclimatic conditions, was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Allen et al 1998). Two methods are outlined: the FAO Penman-Monteith method, Equation 1, when sufficient climatic data are available, and the Hargreaves method, Equation 2, for limited climatic data. To further improve the performance of the Hargreaves method, linear regression between ET0 values from the two methods is proposed to develop a regional calibration. A review of the literature and analysis of carefully collected lysimeter data over a three-year period by Benli et al (2010) in arid to semi-arid climates indicated the FAO Penman-Monteith method to be generally superior, with variable results from other methods. Hargreaves and Allen (2003) outlined the historical development of the Hargreaves method and assessed it against 59 000 global sites finding it universally applicable, although it tended to underpre-dict in climates with high wind and overpre-dict in climates with high relative humidity. 1. Determining the quantity of water released by gravitational thickening during deposition. 2. Developing an empirical correlation between and the rate of moisture loss. 3. Demonstrating the steady state that limits the degree of moisture loss during active deposition. Test work was carried out at Anglo American Platinum Mogalakwena mine, 30 km north of Mokopane, South Africa (23°59'S, 28°56'E). During testing the mine operated two back-to-back facilities: Dam 1, a conventional upstream spigoted facility (raised at 2.3 m-year-1) and Dam 2, a waste rock impoundment, filled via a series of spigots (raised at 4.6 m-year-1). Two separate processing plants supplied similar tailings: the South Plant to Dam 1 and the North Plant to Dam 2. Figure 1 shows the site plan, indicating the test strips, locations of the rain gauge, A-pan and site office which housed a small laboratory for determining gravimetric wc. More detailed testing was conducted at the University of the Witwatersrand. The sampling points for Dam 1 were marked out by poles every 50 m and accessed by a specially constructed catamaran drawn by a steel cable, along AC in Figure 1. Owing to operational constraints, a similar arrangement was abandoned on Dam 2, necessitating a new test strip with sampling points accessed via conveyor belting and scaffold planks from the pool-training wall. Test depositions were scheduled separately to operational depositions, with the intention of depositing 400 mm of material each time on each test strip. However, the depth of material deposited was not uniform due to the inherent beaching behaviour. The rate of rise along each test strip was determined by survey data, shown in Figure 2, and the time between depositions, given in Table 1. For the outer 100 m of both test strips, the rate of rise was roughly 2.5 m-year-1. On Dam 1 the rate for the remainder of the 400 m beach was roughly 1.2 m-year-1, whereas on Dam 2 the rate for the remainder of the 200 m beach was roughly 4.0 m-year-1. Table 2 details the raw data collected. To fully liberate Platinum Group metals, IsaMillTM technology (trademark of Xstrata Technology) was being introduced at the two plants to produce a finer grind of material. During testing the technology had been partially introduced at the South Plant and was fully operational at the North Plant. Consequently, the grading envelope along the Dam 1 beach was wider than that along the Dam 2 beach, as illustrated by Figures 3 and 4. Grading curves at the point of deposition (0 m) contained slightly more coarse material with little segregation along the rest of the beach. The mean particle specific gravity, Gs, was 3.10, as determined by the vacuum method from 31 samples, with a standard deviation of 0.03. Atterberg limits, determined from five data sets, indicated that the liquid limit, wL, varied between 25% and 20% with a mean of 23%, and that the plastic limit, wP, varied between 21% and 18% with a mean of 19%. Based on the average plasticity index and average clay fraction, the activity (wL-wp/% clay fraction) was 0.3, indicating that the clay fraction contains only a small portion of clay minerals. The permeability was determined on two remoulded samples of representative material during the consolidation stages of triaxial testing during the study. Permeabilities were also determined on remoulded samples, during the consolidation stage of triaxial testing, as part of mine operational monitoring. The results from both sets of test work are summarised in Table 3. The water released from the slurry during sedimentation was investigated by taking successive grab samples after cessation of deposition. Relevant average slurry properties during deposition, and the corresponding values after sedimentation, are given in Table 4. These values were calculated from wc, using the mean Gs, due to the small scatter in values and assuming full saturation, as samples were taken from the beach surface soon after deposition. Based on the successive grab samples, sedimentation was observed to be complete within 65 hours (7 hours standard deviation) with the time increasing down the beach towards the pool. One anomalous result, not included in Table 4, was the average settled conditions following the first deposition on Dam 1. Owing to operational constraints, the test section had remained dormant for six months, resulting in a dry beach, and sampling only took place five days after deposition had ceased. Consequently, a large volume of water was drawn into the underlying dry layers, resulting in average settled wc values along the beach of 20% (cw = 83%). An investigation by the mine (Vietti et al 2010) with a view to implementing paste technology illustrated that a slurry density of 1 900 kg-m-3 (cw = 70%, wc = 43°%) could be achieved for similar material. The experimental evidence discussed in this paper suggests that, provided deposition is not onto a dry beach, and all decant water is recovered, the beach acts as a gravitational thickener at no additional cost. To investigate how much of the supernatant water released during sedimentation is recovered, water balances were determined from April to November on Dam 1 and from April to June on Dam 2. Table 5 shows the water balances components, the quantity of water recovered and the apparent settled conditions determined from the unrecovered water volume and dry tons deposited. On Dam 1 the apparent and measured settled conditions were comparable, confirming that the water released was recovered. On Dam 2 the apparent settled conditions and measured values differed, suggesting that some of the water released during sedimentation was not recovered. A possible reason for this is that 75% of the outer wall on Dam 2 and the pool-training wall were constructed from highly pervious waste rock. During field work, ponded water was observed between the toe of the rock wall and the solution trench, even though it was the dry season. It is plausible to say that the unaccounted water seeped through the rock wall interface. A multiple straight-line regression model was fitted to the observed moisture loss based on gravimetric wc. The initial wc was taken from plant slurry densities. Surface samples were recovered and tested during sedimentation, drying and apparent steady state. On Dam 2 a total of three depositions were sampled at five sampling points 50 m apart, resulting in 15 data sets. An iterative statistical method was used to intersect three separate linear regression curves through the sedimentation stage, drying stage and steady-state condition. The methodology followed is outlined in Table 6. Figures 5 to 9 illustrate the fitted regression models, along with the raw data from the 15 test depositions. The sedimentation behaviour as discussed in the preceding subsection was observed to be complete within three days, with no significant seasonal variation. The drying period varied depending on the season, with the steady-state wc being predominantly a function of beach position. The steady state is discussed at length in the following subsection. The scatter plot in Figure 10 illustrates the performance of all the multiple straight-line regression models against the field data. Individual scatter plots showed that the performance of the model was poorer for the sampling points at 150 m and 200 m along the beach. ET0 values calculated for the test site were found to compare adequately with historical data from Polokwane and Mokopane. The mean ratio between the A-Pan data and ETo values was 0.65, which is consistent with expected behaviour reported by Allen et al (1998). However, a great deal of scatter was observed. This is considered a consequence of variable microclimatic conditions and operational constraints with the A-Pan. An empirical correlation between the change in wc per day during the drying stage for the outer 100 m and ET0 was developed, as shown in Table 7. In order for the coefficient to be compared with other sites, it was necessary to correlate the rate of drying with a macroclimatic measure of evaporative energy. This is independent of the dam surface microclimate that resulted in scattered A-Pan data. It is clear that the rate of drying is slower during the winter periods when evaporative energy is low and high during the summer period. The steady state reached, as shown in the next subsection, is field capacity, when seepage losses become negligible. Up to this point water loss is due to both evaporation and seepage. Evaporative energy varies throughout the year. However, the rate of seepage is controlled by the materials' permeability, which remains essentially constant (assuming the material remains saturated and density does not change significantly). During winter the evaporative energy is lower and more moisture may be lost through seepage, with the opposite being the case during summer. It is also likely that this water bleeds up to the surface and is recovered as the material consolidates. This is illustrated by the k-values being slightly higher during winter than in summer, but a longer study would be required to quantify this variation. The relationship would need to be developed taking into account evaporation, seepage and bleed water. Figure 11 illustrates the time required for the sedimentation step and then, using the average k-value, the number of days to reach steady state based on daily ET0 values. Such relationships can be used to optimise the safe development of tailings dams. The wc regime was investigated by analysing auger samples taken at 200 mm intervals to a depth of 1 m, increasing to 2.5 m as the study progressed. The large quantity of data generated enabled the apparent steady state to be investigated relative to sampling position, sampling time and material parameters. Five laboratory evaporative drying tests and a filter paper test were used to determine the Volumetric Shrinkage Curves (VSC) illustrated in Figure 12. All the samples dried along the zero air voids curve to a wc of roughly 27%, after which air entry occurred. After air entry the dry density remained essentially constant, at roughly 1 700 kgm-3, consistent with accepted in situ dry densities for the material. Box plots (indicating the minimum, maximum and interquartile values) of all the wc values determined for the respective dams are included in the figure for comparison. This illustrates that roughly 25% of the samples were taken before peak density, whereas 75% of the samples were taken at varying degrees of desaturation. Three separate Suction-Water Content Curves (SWCCs) were determined. Two drying and subsequent wetting curves were determined with calibrated gypsum blocks on samples before and after the introduction of the finer grind (Tests 1 and 2 in Figure 13). The third drying curve was determined by the filter paper method on a prepared sample of finer grind material (Test 3 in Figure 13). The computer program RETC (Van Genuchten et al 1991) was used to estimate the SWCC from the raw data based on the Van Genuchten model. Figure 13 illustrates the curves obtained: the range of air entry values, the range of field capacity values at 33 kPa and asymptotic suction increase below a wc of 14%. Air entry occurred at an average wc of 25% and a standard deviation of 4.9%. The average field capacity was 21% with a standard deviation of 4.3%, similar to the range reported by Ratliff et al (1983). The range in values reflects the slight differences in grading of the samples tested. Due to the fine nature of the material, the SWCCs have a steep gradient which results in air entry and field capacity occurring at close wc values. The computer program SEEP/W (GeoStudio 2007) was used to predict the relationship between wc and hydraulic conductivity. The volumetric water content function was determined using the modified Kovacs method proposed by Aubertin et al (2003). This method assumes that both capillary and adhesive forces act simultaneously to induce suction and is applicable to tailings, silts and various other soils. The input variables are the particle size corresponding to 10% and 60% passing on the particle size distribution curve, porosity, and liquid limit. To account for the range in particle sizes along each beach, the minimum, maximum and quartile grading parameters were used. The porosity was calculated to be 0.48 from the dry density of 1 700 kg-m-3 and particle specific gravity of 3.10. The method uses the liquid limit in an empirical expression to calculate the specific surface area for fine-grained plastic-cohesive materials. This expression, however, is required only when the wL is above 30%, which was not the case for this material as the average wl was 23%. The hydraulic conductivity function was estimated from the volumetric water content function, saturated hydraulic conductivity and residual water content using the Van Genuchten method. The average saturated hydraulic conductivity of 7.5x10-8 m-s-1 was used. The residual volumetric water content, 4.6%, was determined from the wc at a suction of 1 500 kPa (Van Genuchten 1980) using the filter paper SWCC. This is roughly 10% of the saturated volumetric water content. Volumetric water contents were converted to wc using phase relationships. Meyer & Gee (1999) suggested that field capacity occurs when the hydraulic conductivity decreases to between 10-9 and 10-11 m-s-1, depending on soil type and texture. Figure 14 illustrates the hydraulic conductivity curves and the range in field capacity values at a hydraulic conductivity of 10-9 m-s-1. The values at 10-11 m-s-1 were lower than the laboratory-determined values and therefore not realistic. The average and standard deviation of predicted field capacity values were 22% and 6% for Dam 1, and 23% and 4% for Dam 2. This was comparable to the laboratory-determined values (average 21% and standard deviation of 4.3%). The larger variability of the predicted values on Dam 1 compared with Dam 2 is a consequence of the wider grading envelope for the former, highlighting the sensitivity of soil-suction characteristics to particle size distribution. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate that there was no correspondence between wc values at incremental depths over time. Rather, wc values varied within a narrow band that did not change within the time-frame of a depositional cycle. The focus of the study therefore was to explore what this distribution was, whether it changed with depth or over longer time steps, what impact the weather had and what material properties controlled it. Finally, the impact of this limitation on drying, to strength gain, was assessed. The entire data set was analysed against depth, and Figure 17 shows the mean and variance of wc at each depth increment. The mean is essentially constant, although the variance is roughly 50 for the top 500 mm, 35 from 500 to 1 000 mm and 20 below 1 500 mm. The large dispersion of the data for the first 500 mm is a consequence of samples being at varying stages of drying, from sedimentation to air-dry. As the depth increases, this dispersion decreases as the influence of evaporation becomes less. Figures 18 and 19 indicate the deposition sampling periods for the respective dams, with black dots indicating the sampling dates. The ranges of wc determined for each sampling period are represented by separate histograms, with row lengths representing the relative frequency. The mean wc for the entire data set was 27% with a standard deviation of 6%. Therefore, assuming a normal distribution, 98% of the data lie between 41% and 14%. These values correspond to the average wc after sedimentation and the wc at which asymptotic suctions develop. The Pearson coefficient of skewness quantifies the degree of skew about the mean of the entire data set. Initial sampling on Dam 1 was to a depth of 1 m and on a beach that had been dormant for six months due to catamaran commissioning constraints. Figure 18 illustrates that, as a result, the wc values were prominently skewed to low values indicative of large suctions. The first deposition "hung up" on the dry beach with virtually no material deposited past 150 m. The large skew in the baseline sampling was not observed during active deposition, although the distributions for the first three depositions during summer and autumn were skewed to lower values. As the beach did not dry out as much during active deposition, subsequent depositions were more uniform. Substantial rainfall during the second deposition highlighted the limited effect of these events on drying. The final deposition during winter on Dam 1 was slightly skewed to values higher than the mean of the entire data set. During winter the ETo values were markedly lower, reflecting the lower evaporative conditions. Although the sampling period was similar to previous depositions, less drying took place. Before the test work, Dam 2 was raised at roughly twice the rate of Dam 1 and consequently the initial sampling resulted in a distribution skewed to high values. Three test depositions on Dam 2, in spring and summer, were at similar rates of rise to that of the outer portion of Dam 1. Despite the high evaporative conditions, the distributions remained slightly skewed to values above the mean. Dam 2 was therefore significantly moister than Dam 1, although the sampling window and evaporative conditions were similar. The wet baseline conditions appeared to have persisted throughout. It is also postulated that the finer material and shorter beach length affected these results. H0: Water contents at each sampling point have a different population mean to the field capacity mean. H1: Water contents at each sampling point have the same population mean to the field capacity mean. The two-tailed t-test with unequal variances was used to test the hypotheses. The variances were assumed to be different as the field samples were taken at various stages of drying, whereas field capacity has a narrower variance. The predicted field capacity values for each dam were used as these were assumed to better represent the grind differences. Figure 20 illustrates the distribution of wc at each position along the beach against the results of the hypothesis testing for Dam 1. The alternative hypothesis is accepted for the outer 250 m, although the degree of confidence decreases from being high at the head of the beach. Past 250 m the hypothesis is rejected as the probability is less than 0.05. Following air entry, determined to occur from a wc of 27%, suctions start to develop. As the material reaches field capacity, seepage becomes negligible with moisture loss being dominated by evaporation. Initially, capillary rise will provide moisture at a rate equal to the evaporation rate. If suctions can continue to develop, the hydraulic properties will restrict this moisture loss and stage two evaporation starts, continuing until the material is air-dry. During active deposition only a few samples indicated that suctions larger than field capacity had developed. It is assumed that seepage into base layers during deposition rises during drying to replenish the developing deficits. As illustrated earlier, it was only during the six months of dormancy on Dam 1 that this moisture was depleted and stage two evaporation was observed to have occurred. Hence, during active deposition the degree of moisture loss is controlled by the material's field capacity. Further along the beach moisture can also be obtained from the closer phreatic surface springing from the pool. This is illustrated by the larger portion of saturated wc values past 250 m due to equilibrium with the phreatic surface. Figure 21 illustrates the relationship for Dam 2, with the alternative hypothesis accepted for the outer 100 m, albeit with less confidence, and rejected for the remainder of the beach. From the baseline sampling, this dam contained significantly more moisture from previous depositions to replenish any developing deficits. Equilibrium with the phreatic regime appears to occur higher up the beach and this is postulated to be the result of the phreatic surface not becoming as depressed along the shorter beach. To illustrate the effect of the limited drying that occurs on strength gain, liquidity indices IL were calculated from the average Atterberg limits. The IL values have been divided into three categories: less than 0 (i.e. wc < wp), between 0 and 1 (i.e. wc between the wP and wL) and greater than 1 (i.e. wc > wj). Negative Il values are indicative of heavily overconsoli-dated soil deposits (Das 2008) and high shear strengths (Bovis 2003). Values between 0 and 1 are indicative of soils that behave plastically, resisting shear failure, whereas values greater than 1 are indicative of soils that are extremely sensitive to breakdown if sheared (Holtz & Kovacs 1981). These categories are shown graphically in Figures 22 and 23 respectively, in relation to sampling positions relative to the final elevation at the end of the test work. On Dam 1 it is apparent that only the outer section reached a state of high shear strength, with 48% of the samples having an IL less than 1 and 34% being negative-based on the average Atterberg limits. However, 75% of the wc values at this position were lower than the maximum wL of 25%. After 50 m the proportion of samples with an Ij less than 1 was on average 15% for all sampling points, being slightly higher at 50 m and decreasing towards the pool. Thus, the majority of the interior is prone to fail under shear, although it is able to support a man and prevent the auger hole from collapsing. At the head of the beach the distribution with depth is fairly constant for the baseline beach and the first two depositions. As mentioned, the baseline conditions were dry due to the extensive dormant period. The first two depositions during months with high evaporative conditions resulted in a similar strength gain. The third deposition was done under evaporative and rainfall conditions similar to those of the second deposition, but appeared to result in less strength gain. On closer inspection, 65% of the samples were below the maximum wL so it is likely that this material was slightly finer. Due to the low evaporative energy during the final deposition, only 30% of the samples reached a high strength state during the sampling period. Baseline sampling on Dam 2 indicated that it had not gained significant strength, with only 30% of the samples at the head of the beach having an IL below 1 and the average for the remainder of the beach being 5%. This is attributed to the high rate of rise prior to the test deposition. Analysis at the head of the beach within the first two test depositions indicated that 51% of the samples had an IL below 1, with 75% of the samples being below the maximum wL, as was the case for Dam 1 at this position. This drying front also appeared to extend roughly 1 m below the first deposition, yet insufficient strength gain appeared to have occurred during the shorter sampling window of the final deposition. This paper has reported on extensive field and laboratory work to guide mining houses in disposing of tailings. Test work was carried out on two back-to-back facilities receiving similar tailings at Anglo American Platinum Mogalakwena Mine. Dam 1 is an upstream spigot facility and Dam 2 is a waste rock impoundment facility. On-beach sampling was undertaken with laboratory test work carried out on site and at the University of the Witwatersrand, and additional data were sourced from monitoring records. The following conclusions are drawn from the study in order of the stated objectives. 1. On-beach sampling illustrated that within 65 hours (7 hour standard deviation) the settled wc values equalled those anticipated from mechanical paste thickening. Deposition onto a dry beach indicated that cycle times should maintain wet beaches to release water. A rate of rise of 2.5 m-year-1 over the 100 ha Dam 1 was adequate to achieve this. Water balances indicated that the water released on Dam 1 was indeed recovered, providing a significantly cheaper means of recovering water. Similar water recoveries were not observed on Dam 2; it is assumed that this was due to water losses through the highly pervious waste rock impoundment. 2. Following sedimentation, the rate of change of wc values during the drying stage was correlated with ET0, a macroclimatic measure of evaporative energy. The average ratio or k-value was calculated to be 0.21, being slightly lower during the winter months due to lower evaporative energy. The effects of seepage and consolidation bleed water on moisture loss over the course of the year need to be investigated further to fully define the k-value. Such relationships can be used to optimise the safe development of tailings dams. 3. After the drying stage a steady state developed, with wc values varying within a narrow band. The mean wc for the entire 11-month data set was 27% (standard deviation of 6.0%) which was also determined to be the air entry value. Assuming a normal distribution, 98% of the data were between 41% and 14%. These values corresponded to the average settled wc and the wc below which asymptotic suctions developed in suction tests. With depth the mean wc remained constant, although the dispersion decreased substantially. The freshly deposited layer exhibited the greatest dispersion, with samples at varying stages from settled to air dry. Below this layer the dispersion was lower, decreasing steadily to 1 500 mm before remaining constant, suggesting that this is the limit of evaporative influence. The wc distribution was observed to vary slightly from one deposition to the next, reflecting changes in evaporative conditions and baseline conditions. The Dam 1 baseline was significantly skewed to low values, indicative of high suctions due to six months' dormancy over spring and summer. Test depositions in summer and autumn resulted in more values below the mean wc, with the opposite being the case for the one winter deposition. Baseline sampling on Dam 2 indicated skew to high wc values due to the high rate of rise prior to test depositions. Test depositions were similarly negatively skewed, albeit to a much smaller extent, although the sampling period and evaporative conditions were similar to those of Dam 1. The wet baseline conditions appeared to have restricted drying. During active deposition wc distributions were controlled by the material reaching field capacity. Distributions for the outer section of the beach matched those of classically defined material field capacity values as partial suctions developed. During deposition, seepage into the beach rises to replenish deficits, preventing the development of suctions greater than field capacity. The baseline dormancy on Dam 1 illustrates that over long periods this source of moisture can be diminished and air-dry conditions may be approached. Closer to the pool the distributions were observed to be in equilibrium with the phreatic surface due to the greater portion of saturated values. This observation was more pronounced on Dam 1 than on Dam 2, presumably due to the fact that phreatic surfaces become more depressed along longer beaches. Particle size distributions at the head of the beach contained slightly coarser material which contributed to the drier conditions at this point, despite the minimal beach segregation. This was a result of the IsaMillTM technology utilised by the mine, leading to a predominantly silty material being deposited. As a consequence of these factors controlling moisture loss, liquidity indices showed that substantial shear strength developed only within the first 25 m to 50 m of the beach. Liquidity indices for the remainder of the beach indicated that the material was prone to fail under shear. This observation was made for all test depositions where the rate of rise for the outer sections was 2.5 m-year-1. The baseline conditions on Dam 2 did not exhibit this strength gain at the beach head due to the 4.6 m-year-1 rate of rise - hence the requirement of a waste rock impoundment. The authors wish to acknowledge Anglo American platinum, Fraser Alexander Tailings, SRK Consulting and the South African Weather Bureau for making this study possible. 1 Here thickening is a process step whereby the solids concentration by mass, cw is increased by a mechanical process. Low-density slurry has cw values between 30% and 50%, paste has cw values between 50% and 65% and cake has cw values above 80%. CHARLES MACROBERT, who is a Candidate Engineer and an Associate Member of SAICE, received his BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Cape Town and worked for Anglo American Technical Services. During his time at Anglo he completed his MSc at the University of the Witwatersrand before moving to the university as a lecturer in Geotechnica Engineering. His research interests lie in innovating the way in which tailings facilities are monitored, and developing the understanding and implication of seepage through coarse mine residues. PROF GEOFF BLIGHT is Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He has specialised in the study of environmenta geotechnics and geomechanics since 1957 and has published more than 300 papers on the subject in refereed journals and the refereed oroceedings of international conferences. He has also published five books on these and related subjects. He was the Cross Canada Lecturer of the Canadian Geotechnical Society in 1996, the Rankine Lecturer of the British Geotechnical Society, the first GRC Lecturer of Singapore's Nanyang University in 1997 and the Lawrence Lecturer of the Solid Waste Association of North America in 1999. He was awarded the South African Geotechnical Medal and elected an Honorary Fellow of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering in 1997.

2019-04-20T20:11:15Z

http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1021-20192013000300007

Walgreen's Surprises Medical Cannabis Advocates? The subject of medical cannabis has been a source of widespread debate for decades. This has become even more true in April 2016, when pharmacy giant Walgreen's published a blog post entitled “Clarifying Clinical Cannabis”. Walgreen’s post defines medical cannabis, lists the illnesses and conditions it can help manage, and outlines its various methods of administration. It also explains how the substance affects the body, what its potential side effects are, and how patients can get a prescription for it. The article even talks about why the use of clinical cannabis has been debated for so long, pointing out that it’s associated with negative effects but has also been discovered to help with appetite improvement, muscle stiffness, and pain relief. The blog post, which was written by Dahlia Sultan (a resident pharmacist at Walgreen's and the University of Illinois-Chicago) surprised many medical cannabis advocates. The fact alone that Walgreen's decided to talk about this topic was a shock, considering that many corporations either decline to comment about it or avoid the subject altogether. A lot of people were also astonished at the neutral tone of Walgreen’s blog post and the informative approach it took. Many took this as a good sign, since the post doesn’t only open the doors for discussion but also educates patients that opioid painkillers are not the only option. In fact, the blog post states, “If you’d like more information about the use of medical marijuana.” This is an important message since a lot of patients nowadays are dealing with chronic pain, but their doctors are hesitant to suggest clinical cannabis. Alan Brochstein of New Cannabis Ventures sums up the thoughts of many medical cannabis advocates by saying, “I can’t recall any S&P 500 company ever sharing such a supportive view.” This is particularly even more significant for Walgreen's which, as Brochstein points out, is actively involved in the lives of patients and is considered to be a reliable source of healthcare advice. Another interesting sentence from Walgreen's blog post is its disclaimer that the company is “not a licensed medical marijuana provider.” According to Ricardo Baca of The Cannabist, Walgreens might have recognized that pharmacies may soon get the permit to be a legal supplier. This is especially true now that prescription drugs made of cannabis derivatives are working toward getting an FDA permit. Brochstein also asks if Walgreen's has smelled a huge opportunity, considering that Canadian pharmacies have stated that they want to be a part of the medical cannabis program. It might be true that Walgreen's wants to cash in on the clinical cannabis trend and is taking steps toward getting the license to sell the substance. However, this doesn’t change the fact that, as of the moment, pharmacies in the U.S. are not allowed to supply this substance — even in states where the use of medical and recreational cannabis is already allowed. Any pharmacist who disobeys this rule will lose his or her license and will no longer be allowed to dispense controlled substances to patients. There are many reasons why U.S. pharmacies are not allowed to dispense medical cannabis. One of the biggest reasons is that pharmacies are required to sell only drugs that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Cannabis, unfortunately, is a long way from getting FDA approval. In fact, it’s stuck in a catch-22: it’s classified as a Schedule I substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse and has “no currently accepted medical use”. (Heroin is another substance placed under this category.) This makes it difficult for researchers to study cannabis and identify its medical uses, which would have helped remove it from Schedule I and downgrade it to a less severe schedule. Because of this classification, researchers find it hard to get grants and even obtain cannabis plants to experiment on. This means that they can’t put cannabis through the standard drug development research process, like what commercially available medications have gone through. This process is important since it would have allowed scientists to study the potentially active chemicals in the plant and understand how they interact with each other and with other substances. These information, in turn, can help reduce the public stigma of cannabis and convince the government, the healthcare system, and patients that medical cannabis is a viable treatment option. It’s also important to note that many Big Pharma companies are not interested in creating FDA-approved drugs based on cannabis — simply because it doesn’t have a lot of earning potential. They can’t claim ownership of cannabis outright since it’s impossible to patent a plant. This means they’d have to spend time and money on developing an extraction process for one of cannabis’s active chemicals then file a patent for that process. However, even this won’t give them protection since other companies can still extract the chemical using virtually the same procedure with slight variations. The legalization of medical and recreational cannabis use has also discouraged Big Pharma from pushing the matter forward. After all, if people can easily buy the substance from dispensaries, why would they opt for more expensive versions? This lack of assurance in a stable market has resulted to a slowdown in the development of FDA-approved cannabis-based drugs. Fortunately, the future of clinical cannabis isn’t bleak. Many organizations and companies are swimming against the current to learn more about the plant and its active chemicals and discover how they can be used in the medical setting. British company GW Pharmaceuticals has been studying a drug called Sativex, which is made of THC and CBD (the two major chemicals from cannabis). The Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies, meanwhile, wants to compare cannabis smoking and vaporizing to see which is the safer administration method. Some countries have also realized that dispensing drugs through pharmacies is a smart step to take. The Canadian Pharmacy Association, for example, has expressed its belief that pharmacies provide the safest means of dispensing cannabis, compared to dispensaries and compassion clubs. This approach will hopefully spread to the United States and eventually make it possible for the substance to be sold in pharmacies. Organizations are even providing training to help people become more knowledgeable in the clinical use of cannabis. One of these is Americans For Safe Access, which has created the Medical Cannabis Advocate's Training Center for those who want to learn more about citizen lobbying, grassroots campaigning, and other activities. Are you looking to start or further your career in the pharmaceutical industry? You are sure to find career options on job boards, on a pharmaceutical company’s website, recruitment agencies and through LinkedIn pharmaceutical career search. LinkedIn is a social network where business owners, organizations, employees and professionals meet to establish their profiles and take advantage of the online platform’s many features. It offers plenty of benefits as well. For the employed, unemployed and student, LinkedIn jobs provide a variety of career options in one place. Regardless of the industry you're in, you're sure to find a job on LinkedIn in your preferred location. It has become a useful tool for headhunters and recruiting managers. Social networking sites have become part of recruitment strategies, and as a network of and for professionals, it is only logical for a recruiting team to use LinkedIn to search for the next pharmacist or researcher. Provides records and data essential in your job search strategy. Just run a LinkedIn pharmaceutical career search, and your query will return a list of people, jobs, companies, and groups in the pharmaceutical industry separated by tabs. There is even a list of registered pharmacy and pharmaceutical schools that will be provided. Most profiles are listed as a specialty, or classified according to your industry or career. So whenever someone searches for a pharmacist or one with related qualifications, LinkedIn will point you in the right direction with accuracy. You can bet that a search result will be related to the pharmaceutical industry. This effectively narrows down your options, and helps you find prospective employers. By sell, it means a profile that catches attention and conveys a message that a potential employer wants to see. Three of the most important things you need to showcase is your headline, name and photo. A good headline must be creative without being too informal or unprofessional, and memorable. Giacomo Bracci Helsen provides an excellent example with a headline that says “He's a left/right brainer design thinking strategist”, instead of the usual marketing and advertising specialist. Your profile should say a lot about you being a job seeker and not just someone being part of the social network. A good headline should send a shout out to recruiters and employers looking for a pharmacist or similar careers. LinkedIn lets you add videos, blog posts and other tools that can boost your profile. So why stick with the usual way to present your work experience, achievements, and the like? What better way to know if your target company is hiring new employees, than to follow them on LinkedIn via their company page? Get the latest update, newsletters and other information that you can use to reach out to hiring managers. Similar to other social networks, LinkedIn lets you connect with colleagues, friends and other professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, some of which know someone in the business. This is the easiest way to increase your visibility and get first-hand information for any job offers and openings. If you and someone in your network has a common connection with your target company or person, ask them to introduce you. This works in the virtual world as well as it does in the real world. Do you have a target company in mind? Using the Advanced People Search feature in LinkedIn, you will be able to identify the hiring manager of the company you wish to work with. Simply type in the company name and the title of the hiring manager. When you know more about a company, you can create a sales pitch that will conform to its vision, mission or culture. Who doesn't want a candidate that fits? If you use a target company’s name in the Advanced Search page, you will know who in your network are connected, one way or another, with the organization. Talk to them and get details. Don’t be that job seeker who waits and does nothing after completing their profile. Even if your headline grabs attention, you should find ways to exploit LinkedIn to your advantage. Take into account all the tips listed above, and improve your profile and resume accordingly. Remember to make your headline count, and upload other tools to boost your online visibility. The 340B Drug Pricing Program: Cut Backs Or More Addendum's? THE 340B DRUG PRICING PROGRAM: CUT BACKS OR MORE ADDENDUM’S? Created by the US federal government in 1992, the 340B Drug Pricing Program was supposed to help poor patients acquire outpatient drugs at significantly reduced prices. It mandates drug manufacturers to allow covered entities to reach as many eligible patients as possible by stretching scarce federal resources. Unfortunately, the pricing program has now become a source of pain, rather than cure, for many patients. A clever lawyer discovered a massive loophole in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, turning it from an obscure government program into a means for hospitals to make money at the expense of patients. 340B specifies that drug manufacturers provide discounts for poor people, not whoever provides the outpatient drugs. This gave hospitals the idea to keep the discounts for themselves, instead of passing it on to patients. Pharmacies, especially brand new stores, are exploiting the loophole as well. But the benefits that hospitals and pharmacies are enjoying right now are at risk of coming to an end. A report by AIR 340B, a group linked to drug makers, revealed that the 340B Drug Pricing Program has gone unchecked for too long, resulting in an estimated program sales of $16.1 billion in 2016 and an expected total drug sales to reach $23 billion by 2021. The group is urging policymakers to reexamine theprogram, and ensure that it serves its original intent. They're also pushing to limit the program's expansion. Manufacturer shall furnish the Secretary with reports, on a quarterly basis, that include the price of each covered outpatient drug that is subject to the Agreement, that according to the manufacturer, represents the maximum price that covered entities may permissibly be required to pay for the drug (referred to in this addendum as the “ceiling price”). Manufacturer shall offer each covered entity covered outpatient drugs for purchase at or below the applicable ceiling price, if such drug is made available to any other purchaser at any price. With the new changes coming, the fight to discredit the drug pricing program is renewed. Hospitals, pharmacies and other safety-net providers, however, claim that the program must be protected, since it allows entities to provide improved healthcare services with little to no insurance. In a December email to Bloomberg BNA, 340B Health’s vice president of communications, Randy Barrett, accused the drug industry to have “commissioned a cynical report designed to protect future profits”. Any move that will cut back the program could have an adverse effect to the poor across America, since this will result in an increase in medicine prices and a decrease in access to clinical care. With the ongoing debate and opposing moves, the future of the 340B Drug Pricing Program is definitely uncertain. Do you want to be a part of a lucrative business while helping other people? Your best bet is to join a pharmacy franchise, where you not only sell medicines, but also provide other forms of assistance to patients who need them. It is also a great way to gain business confidence, considering that you've been entrusted to use someone else's brand and help market it. Why join a pharmacy franchise? In a franchise, every aspect of a business is taken care of before it is handed to you. Unlike a regular startup, you don't need to create a business plan, study the trends and your target market, or find a suitable location for your business. You may need to take out a business loan or borrow money to pay for the franchise, but everything else will be handled on your behalf. In some cases, even hiring employees will be handled by the mother company. So if you want to start a business in the pharmaceutical industry, a pharmacy franchise is a great idea. What is your company’s vision and mission? How are employees expected to act? What type of services should they offer? The answer to these are already provided, so you don't need to develop your own rules and policies. Just follow what has already been established and proven effective. In franchising, you are selling a brand that usually has an established market or following. This provides better branding and marketing, which will prove advantageous to a franchise owner. After all, they are not only marketing the brand, but the quality of service as well. This gives you an edge over new, and unknown startups. How you pay for your franchise will depend on agreed terms and policies. When franchising a pharmacy, you may be required to pay a one-off franchise fee, followed by a royalty fee paid monthly. With a predictable payment option, a franchise owner need not worry about fees changing without notice, and they know how much they need to make to cover payments and gain a profit. When you join a pharmacy franchise, you don't need to worry as to where you can source medicines and other supplies, since these will be provided for you. Just keep your inventory updated and you won't have to run out of stocks. Different franchises, however, may have different levels of requirements in terms of the look and feel of a pharmacy, which will dictate as to which stocks you can and can’t carry. In business, however, not everything is all sunshine and happiness. Joining a pharmacy franchise is no different, and its biggest risk would be the company’s reputation. It only takes one franchise to ruin an entire company. But, if you choose a trusted and well-known brand, it will take a lot to ruin its reputation. With the advantages outweighing the disadvantages, you should not hesitate to join a pharmacy franchise. Request more information about joining a Pharmacy Franchise Now! Donald Trump’s new administration is causing many marijuana users to worry about the future of the marijuana policy. Trump’s statements in the past and his actions following his win were both pro- and anti-marijuana, throwing people into a state of uncertainty. While his statements have been pro-marijuana, he has appointed anti-marijuana people in key positions, such as Jeff Sessions as Attorney General. Sessions has been described by colleagues as someone who had a problem with the Ku Klux Klan, particularly because they smoke cannabis. Many believe that it is unlikely that Sessions has changed his stance against marijuana. This has pushed marijuana activists and the American Legion, the largest veterans organization in the United States, to urge Trump toreschedule marijuana. The legion is asking the new administration to reschedule the status of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, which will “allow easier access to pure strains of the substance to cultivate quantifiable research and statistics regarding marijuana’s medical benefits”. At present, its designation as Schedule I puts marijuana in the same level as Ecstasy, heroin, Quaaludes, LSD, and peyote. But veterans are adamant that marijuana is made more accessible or, at least, research into its medical benefits be continued, because of its potential to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury. Considering that many veterans suffer from PTSD, pushing for a reschedule is definitely worth fighting for, what with the possibility of marijuana providing a possible cure. The Legion further pushes for the amendment of the legislation, so that cannabis will be recognized as a drug with a potential medical value. The Drug Enforcement Agency has approved the study on the effectiveness of cannabis for treating PTSD. The agency has already approved the use of marijuana to treat the disorder through inhalation. This makes the move to reschedule marijuana more logical than ever. During a meeting between the Legion and Trump’s transition team, it was noted that the new administration’s officials were guarded in giving feedback, but when the subject of cannabis potentially healing war wounds of military veterans came up, the team’s reaction changed significantly. National director of the Legion’s veterans affairs and rehabilitation division, Louis Celli, told Marijuana.com that Trump officials were a little caught off guard when that piece of information was revealed. But is it enough to convince the administration to reschedule marijuana? The Legion certainly hoped that there wouldn’t be a roll back on the progress of marijuana research because of its potential to cure PTSD. Everything else seems ineffective. Former Veterans Affairs psychiatrist and lead researcher Dr. Sue Sisley said that veterans feel like guinea pigs being used to test various treatments for PTSD, but with no positive results. They are simply exhausted and getting desperate. With the failure of traditional medications to address the problem, Sisley hopes to pursue further her research on cannabis as a treatment for mental health conditions. According to her, “While I can’t say definitively that medical marijuana works for PTSD -- we are three years away from published data -- we owe it to veterans to study this plant”. Between marijuana activists and the American Legion, the latter is much more respected in the eyes of Trump officials. If they can convince a reschedule and get the pharmaceutical industry in on research and development, PTSD may finally have a cure. Around 20 years ago, the pharmacy industry offered the best opportunity to students: a six-figure income, a respected job title, a rewarding career that allows them to help people, and plenty of jobs waiting for them after they graduate. Today, however, this is NO longer the case. The pharmacist job market has become over-saturated to the point that student pharmacists are finding it hard to land a job. A 2013 study conducted by eight Midwest schools found out that, out of 783 pharmacy students who were about to graduate in four weeks, only 81 percent had found employment or was getting into a post-graduate program. Sixteen percent had not found a job, and three percent had not begun looking for employment. These figures contrast starkly with the observations of pharmacy professor Daniel L. Brown, who noted that, before 2009, almost 100 percent of pharmacy students had jobs waiting for them around six months before they graduated. Purdue University, which has one of the leading pharmacy schools in the country, has also observed this upward trend in unemployment among graduating pharmacy students. In 2009, Purdue’s pharmacy students had 12 job offers before they graduated, but that number dwindled to one to three offers a few years later. In 2008, only one student out of the entire graduating class was still looking for work; in 2013, 12 students were still looking for a job a few weeks before graduation. Data collected by the Pharmacist Demand Indicator (formerly the Aggregate Demand Index) also reflect the challenges in the pharmacist job market. Its Quarter 4 2016 report shows that only a handful of states have high employment demands and are finding it hard to fill positions. The rest have moderate demand or are maintaining a precarious balance between demand and supply, and some even don’t have enough jobs for the number of pharmacists in the area. There are many factors that contribute to the downward trend of the pharmacy job market. Laws that would have expanded the roles of pharmacists and allow them to take on some client counseling responsibilities have not yet been approved both on state and federal levels. This means that pharmacists can’t charge for their counseling and advisory services and that the industry as a whole cannot financially support the influx of more pharmacy professionals. Academic expansion is also an issue. When the Pharmacy Workforce Center predicted in 2001 there would be a shortage of over 150,000 pharmacists in the next two decades, colleges and universities all over the U.S. opened new pharmacy programs and increased their class sizes. As a result, more and more students received pharmacy degrees, saturating the market and competing with each other for limited job vacancies. Survey: What Do Student Pharmacists Think Of The Job Market? With everything that’s happening in the job market, the American Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance (APPA) decided to conduct a student pharmacists job market survey. It took place in April 2017 and had 122 participants, who were asked to answer five questions about the job market. The purpose of this survey was to find out how students feel about their job prospects and the future of pharmacy as a career. Their opinions are an important part of the job market discussion because they are the demographic that is most impacted by the decrease in demand of professional pharmacists. With fewer job opportunities plus rising student loan debts, many student pharmacists can find themselves in difficult situations after graduation. The APPA student pharmacists job market survey found out that a lot of students feel there is currently a surplus of PharmD graduates. Some have noted that many of their fellow student pharmacists have left their hometowns to secure employment. Others have observed that doing Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) is no longer enough to distinguish pharmacists, which pushes many professionals to do PGY2. According to one participant, there might come a time when third-year postgraduate studies become necessary for pharmacists to stand out and be noticed by employers. A lot of student pharmacists feel that pharmacy schools should consider decreasing their student enrollment since the rising number of graduates contributes to the over-saturation of the job market. Some point out that the current state of enrollment rates decreases the amount of competition to get into pharmacy schools and produces graduates who are less competent in their field. Others, meanwhile, feel that the increasing number of people with PharmD degrees decreases the value of the degree. The student pharmacists job market survey also touched on the issue of pharmacists who study abroad and have less schooling than those who study in the United States. Many of the participants have noticed that these overseas-educated pharmacists do have an impact on the U.S. pharmacy job market, especially in the retail and community setting. Some of the study participants point out that the issue might be influenced by American pharmacists’ belief that pharmacy education abroad does not match the United States’ standards. The study participants were also asked to give advice to current pharmacy students on how they could secure employment right after graduation. Many important tips were given, including positioning themselves as a leader even while they’re still in school and doing networking activities to build relationships with other professionals and potential employees. Joining relevant clubs, obtaining internships, and doing volunteer activities in the pharmacy community are other strategies to stand out as a candidate, either for a job or for a residency position. The final question of the APPA student pharmacists job market survey asked the participants if they would consider picking another profession, considering what they know about the employment outlook for pharmacy students. A lot of the participants revealed that they would NOT switch professions even if the current job market presents challenges instead of opportunities. Some revealed that being a pharmacist was their dream since it allows them to help other people, so giving it up is not an option. Others state that, aside from reducing the number of pharmacy schools and making class sizes smaller, another way to improve the job market is to make the profession more focused on people and service and less on sales. Still others point out that all job markets — not just pharmacy — are saturated, so it all boils down to finding a niche in your industry where you can build your success. How Can You Find Success in the Current Job Market? Among the topics tackled in APPA’s student pharmacists job market survey, perhaps the most important is the strategies that students can use to improve their employment practices. As mentioned above, there are several ways for students to secure a job before or right after they graduate. One of the most effective is getting into a niche market. Many pharmacy niches are not as saturated as the traditional markets, which means you’ll deal with less competition and find it easier to stand out from the crowd. A lot of niches focus on new and interesting branches of pharmacy, making them a great option if you’re looking for exciting and challenging work that test your skills and knowledge. Specialty Pharmacy — This niche focuses on dispensing high-cost specialty medications for rare, chronic, and complicated health conditions, including cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis C, and HIV. Specialty pharmacies are on the rise because they help with proper drug administration and patient education and contribute to better compliance and better patient health. Clinical Pharmacy — This niche originated in clinics and hospitals, although clinical pharmacies can now be found in any healthcare setting. If you decide to become a clinical pharmacist, you’ll need to work closely with doctors and other healthcare providers to promote patient recovery and disease prevention. Long-Term Care Pharmacy — While any pharmacy can technically offer long-term care, this niche usually refers to pharmacy services that are found in nursing homes, mental health facilities, correctional institutions, rehabilitation centers, and the like. Pharmacies in these settings usually offer medications and care that are customized to the resident population’s specific needs. Pharmacy Genomics — It is a well-known fact that people can react differently to medications due to the differences in genetic makeup. Pharmacy genomics takes advantage of this fact by tailoring drug treatments according to the patient’s DNA blueprint and unique metabolic processes. Diabetes Management — Diabetes is on the rise both in kids and adults. To help manage this, many pharmacies now specialize in the diabetes management niche. They provide not only the right medications for diabetes but also educate patients on how to improve their lifestyle and keep their blood sugar at a healthy level. These are just some of the pharmacy niches you can explore. Choosing the right niche to specialize in can be overwhelming, so it’s important to take the time to make your decision. Consult your professors and mentors and get their perspective; they can help you go over possible niches and choose one that best suits your strengths. Once you’ve identified a niche that you might like, look for volunteer opportunities that will give you the chance to test the waters and see if this niche really is the right choice for you. Drug abuse is illegal in most places. But some countries in Europe are making the unhealthy vice more acceptable through “safe injections sites” in a bid to protect users against possible overdose. The same concept is on its way to the United States, which can have serious consequences, especially where heroin use is concerned. Is safe house for heroin injection really the solution to ensure heroin users stay safe and alive for longer? Heroin, also called dope, junk, horse, and smack, is an opioid made from morphine. It is often injected, snorted or smoked. When it enters the brain, it transforms back into morphine and binds to brain receptors linked to feelings of pain and pleasure, creating a feeling of euphoria. Heroin is highly addictive and can lead to an overdose that could result in death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 13,000 people died of a heroin-related overdose in 2015. Most deaths involve males aged 25-44. Massachusetts and California are just two of the cities in the US that recommend the use of a safe house for heroin injection. The former has yet to make a vote, while the latter already has a bill that is just waiting to be passed. The goal is to provide heroin users access to clean and safe injections that they can use and have a legally-sanctioned room where they can ride out their high under the supervision of a nurse or doctor. Supervised drug consumption facilities already exist in Europe, but has yet to be available in the US. Are Safe Injection Sites the Answer? In 2015, about 33,000 Americans died from an overdose of opioid use, which is a result of a deadly, and widespread opioid abuse. Prescription drugs OxyContin and Vicodin deliver similar effects as heroin, which is why most people who abuse them ended up using heroin. Officials in California and anywhere else in the US are simply looking for ways to deal with a deadly epidemic, and safe injection sites could be the answer. According to Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman, the facilities will keep addicts from infections due to use of unclean injections and from assaults. She also pointed how this can limit the number of needles being thrown on the streets and then used by someone else, resulting in infections and, in worse cases, contracting HIV and hepatitis C. It is a fact that heroin users that inject drugs are at risk of getting HIV and HCV through the needles they use or share with someone else. But legislative director for the California State Sheriffs’ Association, Cory Salzillo, voiced concerns over what happens after a person leaves the facility. The aftereffects are still there, but the monitoring is no longer available. He also said that opening injection sites sends the wrong message and may even create liability issues. There’s also a huge possibility that heroin addicts converging in one place will allow them to network with other addicts, have better and easier access to the drugs, and any hope of them getting better or opting for rehabilitation is lost. Is a safe house for heroin injection really the answer? Most of the pharmacies, pharmacists, and other organizations involved in Medicaid and Medicare Fraud schemes were taken down and persecuted with the help of whistleblowers, also called “relators” under the law. In the case of pharmacy Medicare fraud, most whistleblowers are former or current employees of pharmacies or pharmaceutical companies. Under the Pharmacy False Claims Act, anyone who blows the cover on fraudulent activities and companies is awarded a handsome amount. Who would say no to that? It was Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War Congress that first passed the original federal False Claims Act. The goal was to enlist the help of citizen whistleblowers in a bid to fight against fraudulent profiteers in the war industry. It permits or authorizes anyone to initiate legal actions on behalf of the government, even when they have no affiliation with the federal government. In return, they get rewards and substantial legal rights. The False Claims Act entitles the government and whistleblowers to recover three times the amount of the fraudulent act committed and proven true. 15% to 30% of the amount collected from fraudulent companies, including substantial penalties and attorney fees, will be awarded to whoever blew the cover on them. The recovered amount is called the qui tam provision. Right up to the 1980s, the False Claims Act was linked to war-related activities. But in the late 90s, the focus shifted to healthcare fraud. This is when reports of false claims in healthcare provisions increased and became a majority of cases filed under the statute. This resulted in individual pharmacies, pharmacy chains, and the pharmaceutical industry being scrutinized under the federal False Claims Act. Similar false claims act have been passed by at least 22 states, which contributed largely to the government recovering billions of dollars from fraudulent corporations and organizations. With Medicare and Medicaid fraud one of the largest areas for recoveries, the Pharmacy False Claims Act has now become a weapon against pharmacies, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical companies. There are several ways that pharmacy fraud can happen, such as auto-refilling of prescriptions that patients never requested, pharmacy kickbacks and bribes, fraud committed by pharmacy benefit managers, and drug switching. All these nefarious acts can be the basis of a whistleblower lawsuit, a term used for a case filed by a whistleblower. Medicare reports that, every year, billions of dollars are paid off to pharmacies and individuals who commit pharmacy fraud. Unless someone tells on these corporations and individuals, the government will continue to pay services and products that never went to the designated recipients. With more whistleblowers coming forward, however, Medicare has taken down huge corporations and collected penalties in the vicinity of hundreds of millions. Now that the Pharmacy False Claims Act is strictly imposed and more people are coming forward to point fingers, concerned corporations and individuals would have to operate with integrity and find ways to avoid qui tam actions and false claims act liability. It will encourage them to establish a compliance department, encourage employees to report concerns within the company, perform regular checks for internal problems, consider self-disclosure of complaints that have merits, and to respond to a complaint in a timely manner. Although most whistleblowers work as a current or former employee of a pharmacy or pharmaceutical company, anyone can actually take a qui tam action against suspected fraudulent institutions. This encourages patients and other individuals to be watchful of any transactions they make with pharmacies or physicians. In doing so, pharmacy fraud will be reduced and discouraged. Big company names have also made settlements in previous years – GlaxoSmithKline and Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals made a settlement with the government at $750 million and $500 million, respectively. Major takedowns on companies have resulted in government recoveries amounting to billions. With whistleblowers receiving 15% to 30% of such settlements, you should seriously consider being on a lookout for pharmacy fraud. Regardless of your motivation, however, it is important to note that there are rules to follow and possible implications for the qui tam actions you take or the whistleblower lawsuit you file. Is it worth becoming a whistleblower? A 15 to 30% reward from a fraud case can be substantial, depending on the amount recovered. But there are pros and cons to being a whistleblower. Sure, you get to experience extreme gratification, especially if a case is proven true resulting in a recovery, but it takes a huge amount of courage to file a whistleblower lawsuit, what with you fighting against major corporations. Your identity will become public knowledge once the government’s investigation is complete, which puts a huge question mark on your privacy and safety. There's also a possibility that a fraud case would take years to resolve, which will keep your reward way out of your reach. And because the result is uncertain, the chances of you receiving a reward is also uncertain. However, if you only want to do what’s right and ensure no one else falls victim to fraudulent acts, any reward or possible consequence would not be much of a problem. Help keep taxpayers, which likely includes yourself, from picking up the tabs of small to large pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies by reporting fraudulent activities. Check out the State False Claims Act Reviews of Office of Inspector General (OIG) to learn more about how to file a report under the statute of the Pharmacy False Claims Act. "We had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Michael Castagna, CEO of Mannkind Corporation for July's issue of Pharmacy Edge Magazine, which is our monthly publication for Independent Pharmacies, Pharmacists and Pharmacy Buyers." Dr. Michael Castagna is the Chief Executive Officer for Mannkind Corp. Dr. Castagna has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty pharmacy industries. He joins MannKind from Amgen, Inc., where he spent over three years as Vice President, Global Commercial Lead for a portfolio of nine biosimilar drugs, and Vice President, Global Lifecycle Management. Prior to Amgen, Dr. Castagna, was Executive Director of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Immunology franchise, where he served as co-lead to relaunch Orencia IV and launch Orencia SC, both rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Before BMS, Dr. Castagna was with Sandoz (Novartis) as Vice President and Division Head for Biopharmaceuticals, North America, where he established the US Biologics Business Unit and relaunched its lead product, Omnitrope, a human growth hormone. Prior to Sandoz, Dr. Castagna held a variety of positions with EMD (Merck), Serono, Pharmasset and DuPont Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Castagna serves on the board of directors of Pet Partners headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Castagna received his Bachelors of Science – Pharmacy degree from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, his Doctor of Pharmacy from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and his MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. "MannKind Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products for patients with diseases such as diabetes." FDA-approved AFREZZA is the only inhaled insulin working to help control adult diabetics’ blood sugar during mealtime. AFREZZA is fast-acting insulin that helps you reach and maintain your A1C goal. The rapid-acting insulin reaches maximum (peak) level in 12 to 15 minutes and can stay active for up to 3 hours. There’s a shift occurring in the world of pharmacy as the profession is the in process of a rebranding. New ideas are spawning innovations in revenue streams such as preventative and nutritional coaching services. This rebranding is being lead by a grassroots movement of pharmacy owners seeking to change their patient's perception of medication use. For years, these ideas have been shared in in-person organization-sponsored pharmacy conferences, but for the first time ever they are available in a brand new way. The platform is the internet and the Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit is the first-ever completely virtual pharmacy conference experience. In April 2017, over 1,200 pharmacists from across the globe registered and participated in the ElevatePharmacySummit.com. As the founder and host, I was able to craft in-depth interviews with innovate pharmacists and experts to share ideas about how you can “Elevate Your Practice of Pharmacy”. I was able to interview pharmacy leaders and innovative entrepreneurs to discuss how they’ve launched and grown successful pharmacy businesses. I asked them the questions that you wish you could ask the speakers at the national meetings! And the deeper I dug, the more insight we were able to uncover for other pharmacist-entrepreneurs. For me, there were so many “ah-ha” moments, but there were a few that still stick out in my mind as the key ideas that came from the 2017 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit. One: Less than 5% of pharmacies are utilizing email newsletter as a marketing tool vs. 40% of businesses in other industries. Think about how many newsletter you are on. Ever wonder why when you buy a new piece of clothing they ask for your email address? Its because you are worth more as a customer if they can communicate with you via email. Email is cheaper than traditional marketing methods. And because of the ease of purchasing goods online, it is one of the most effective methods of marketing. A very small number of pharmacies are taking advantage of this effective and very cheap marketing method. Two: Physicians are actively searching for partners. As expectations change in the healthcare industry, physicians are looking for pharmacists and pharmacies to help them achieve their patient care goals. Payment is being based on performance and therefore, profit is increasingly linked to patient outcomes. Pharmacists can offer high quality services that focus on physician quality benchmarks, once they understand MACRA and MIPS. Three: Successful entrepreneurs are hiring professional business coaching and help. The most successful pharmacy owners and consultants are NOT doing it alone. They invest in themselves, their businesses and in hiring professional business coaches. One of the biggest surprises that came out of the Summit for me was the number of business owners, myself included, who retained business coaches. Four: There are huge opportunities in nutritional consulting and integrative medicine. As more and more people are looking to prevent chronic disease and find a way to slow the aging process, there is a huge opportunity for integrative medicine. The gap comes in the number of pharmacists and healthcare providers skilled in providing these services. New CLIA-waived lab tests that can be administered by a pharmacist will go a long way in helping move these consulting services forward. Five: Successful entrepreneurs focus on self development and building their "soft skills". The big, gaping hole in my own pharmacy education was DEFINITELY in knowing how to build and run a business. Not even to mention the hiring and management knowledge gap. Pharmacy owners who are successful quickly learn to invest in their own personal development. Many times as a pharmapreneur, your brand IS you. This is called personal branding and it is very hard to brand yourself as a successful business if you haven’t gotten your personal development in check. Six: The riches are in the niches. Don't try to be everything to everybody. The most success pharmacy owners that I interviewed on the Elevate Pharmacy Summit understood that they had certain strengths. They started with ONE THING and perfected it. Then, they were able to build in new programs after creating a strong foundation. One example that comes to mind is in health coaching. One pharmacist I interviewed started with HRT and thyroid consultations. She was able to really focus on that program and build on the success of those initial patients. If you are waiting for your state association to provide you a framework for exactly how to do something, you WILL be too late. Innovate entrepreneurs understand that plans change and you can always adapt, but you can’t wait until you have everything figured out. My mantra is, “once you begin taking action, your path becomes clear”. Eight: Following your curiosity is the best way to find your passion. I’ve tried many different ‘hobbies’ on for size. I’ve been curious about everything from gardening and canning to online business and personal finance. The way that I came to my current business is from following my curiosity about MTM services. I learned as much as I could about MTM and started sharing that information. Soon, I unexpectedly became “the person to ask” about MTM services. It was something that I didn’t expect, but something I am now deeply passionate about. Whether it is your pharmacy or a side hustle, if you haven’t found your passion, try a few ‘hobbies’ on for size and see where your curiosity will lead. Nine: Continually educate yourself. Not just for CE, but again by following your curiosity and continuing a path of self-development. This goes back to investing in yourself. There is a fine line to walk when deciding to pursue expensive pharmacy certifications versus just obtaining the required knowledge. You really must think about return on investment. Luckily there are many, many free resources to have at your disposal. Blogs, podcasts, webinars, e-courses, virtual summits; there are so many options that will give you an idea of what opportunities to pursue. Ten: Entrepreneurship takes guts and luckily rejection doesn’t kill. Failing is inevitably comes with the territory for entrepreneurs. Fortunately the upside is that you realize how thick your skin can be! When I’m feeling fearful, I do a little exercise with myself that has been helpful to many of my clients as well. I think about the thing I am fearful of, let's use the example of pitching a collaborative program to a physician. Now I visualize how completely wrong that meeting could go. I imagine the worst case scenario in which the physician is completely uninterested and cuts the meeting short because they do not understand the value in pharmacy services. Then, I visualize myself driving home to my family and putting the meeting behind me. I know it isn't easy to put yourself out there, nor is it easy to agree to be interviewed on video, so I want to especially thank all of the pharmacy leaders who agreed to participate in this year’s Summit. I continue to be inspired by the speakers on the Elevate Pharmacy Summit and their commitment to elevating the profession of pharmacy. If you are interested in registering for the 2017 Elevate Pharmacy Virtual Summit Encore, go to ElevatePharmacySummit.com to enter your best email address. The Summit will be live again September 15-19th, 2017 for those registered, just watch your email for instructions on how to join and participate. See you on the Summit Encore!

2019-04-26T03:52:46Z

https://joinappa.com/News?pg=4

Regulation of blood coagulation is critical for maintaining blood flow, while preventing excessive bleeding or thrombosis. One of the principal regulatory mechanisms involves heparin activation of the serpin antithrombin (AT). Inhibition of several coagulation proteases is accelerated by up to 10 000‐fold by heparin, either through bridging AT and the protease or by inducing allosteric changes in the properties of AT. The anticoagulant effect of short heparin chains, including the minimal AT‐specific pentasaccharide, is mediated exclusively through the allosteric activation of AT towards efficient inhibition of coagulation factors (f) IXa and Xa. Here we present the crystallographic structure of the recognition (Michaelis) complex between heparin‐activated AT and S195A fXa, revealing the extensive exosite contacts that confer specificity. The heparin‐induced conformational change in AT is required to allow simultaneous contacts within the active site and two distinct exosites of fXa (36‐loop and the autolysis loop). This structure explains the molecular basis of protease recognition by AT, and the mechanism of action of the important therapeutic low‐molecular‐weight heparins. Antithrombin (AT, also known as antithrombin III) is the principal inhibitor of the coagulation proteases. Its suicide‐substrate mechanism of inhibition is typical of other members of the serpin family, involving the rate‐limiting formation of a recognition complex (also known as a Michaelis complex), followed by entry into the proteolytic cycle (Gettins, 2002). At the acyl–enzyme intermediate stage of proteolysis, the reactive center loop (RCL) of the serpin rapidly incorporates into the central β‐sheet, resulting in the 70 Å translocation of the protease from the top to the bottom of the serpin (Huntington et al, 2000). The protease is rendered inactive by the resulting distortion of the active site architecture. How the complexity of the serpin mechanism confers a regulatory advantage over the classical ‘lock‐and‐key’‐type protease inhibitors is best illustrated by the activation mechanism of AT. Blood coagulation is a tightly regulated process requiring rapid and localized activation of coagulation proteases at the site of vascular damage (for reviews, see among others Davie et al, 1991; Davie, 1995; Dahlback, 2000; Butenas and Mann, 2002; Schenone et al, 2004). If the hemostatic response is insufficiently robust, the result is life‐threatening bleeding; however, if it is not limited, the result is life‐threatening thrombosis. As AT circulates at a high concentration (2.3 μM) in the blood, its activity must be under tight regulatory control to allow appropriate clot formation while preventing thrombosis. This is achieved by exploiting the inherent conformational plasticity of the serpins (Huntington, 2003), where AT circulates in a conformation that is poorly reactive towards its targets, and only by interacting with a specific pentasaccharide sequence (for a historical review, see Petitou et al, 2003) found in therapeutic heparin and the related heparan sulfate expressed on the blood vessel walls does AT become an efficient inhibitor of the coagulation proteases (Figure 1). AT inhibition of its principal targets, factors IXa, Xa (fIXa and fXa) and thrombin, is accelerated by up to four orders of magnitude in the presence of heparin (Huntington, 2005). The heparin‐binding mechanism of AT. The structural features of native and pentasaccharide‐activated AT are illustrated by ribbon diagrams. AT is shown in the classic orientation, with β‐sheet A (blue) facing, helix A (green) in the back, the principal heparin‐binding helix D (cyan) to the right, and the RCL (yellow) at the top. RCL residues are numbered from the scissile P1–P1′ bond towards the N‐ and C‐termini, respectively, and the positions of the P4 and P3′ residues are indicated. In native AT the N‐terminal region of the RCL (hinge region, circle) is incorporated as strand 4 in β‐sheet A, which constrains the RCL and the P1 Arg393 side chain (red space‐filling). The heparin pentasaccharide (rods with gray C, red O, and yellow S) binds with contacts on helices A and D and induces local and global conformational changes in AT. Of particular relevance is the expulsion of the hinge region from β‐sheet A, which predictably releases the constraints on the RCL and reorients the P1 side chain. How AT is activated by heparin is of great medical importance, as hereditary AT deficiency is a leading cause of thrombosis (van Boven and Lane, 1997) and because heparin is the most widely used drug for the prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis (Bussey and Francis, 2004). Partially depolymerized heparin (known as low‐molecular‐weight heparin) has recently surpassed unfractionated heparin as the anticoagulant drug of choice, due to a reduced risk of bleeding and of heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia, while preserving effective antithrombotic activity. In addition, the AT‐specific pentasaccharide has also been chemically synthesized (Petitou et al, 1986) and is now marketed (generic name fondaparinux) for similar indications as low‐molecular‐weight heparin (Petitou and van Boeckel, 2004). While small heparin fragments are effective antithrombotic agents, they are only capable of accelerating the rate of inhibition of fIXa and fXa by ∼500‐fold and do not appreciably accelerate the inhibition of thrombin. This is because a portion of the activating effect of unfractionated heparin is conferred by a template mechanism, where both AT and protease bind to the same heparin chain. The ability of heparin to act as a template for AT and proteases depends on its length, and thus on its molecular weight. Approximately 18 monosaccharide units are minimal to bridge AT to thrombin (Bray et al, 1989), while heparin lengths of ∼30 units are required to bridge AT to fIXa and fXa (Rezaie, 1998; Rezaie and Olson, 2000; Bedsted et al, 2003). Thus, the activation of AT conferred by low‐molecular‐weight heparin and the synthetic pentasaccharide is fully allosteric. The pentasaccharide‐induced conformational change in AT is summarized in Figure 1, and involves rearrangements in the heparin‐binding region and elsewhere. Of particular relevance for the allosteric activation of AT is the expulsion of the N‐terminal portion of the RCL (the hinge region) from β‐sheet A, effectively relieving a constraint on the flexibility of the RCL. The molecular basis of AT allostery is still unresolved, but two factors have become clear from mutagenesis and structural studies: the hinge region of the RCL must be expelled from β‐sheet A (Langdown et al, 2004) and exosite interactions between AT and fIXa or fXa are critically involved (Olson and Chuang, 2002). We present here the crystal structure of AT in complex with the synthetic pentasaccharide and the catalytically inert S195A variant of fXa. The structure reveals extensive active site and exosite interactions and demonstrates the requirement of AT conformational change for their simultaneous engagement. Our initial attempts to crystallize the Michaelis complex between pentasaccharide‐activated AT and S195A fXa over the last 5 years were unsuccessful. To improve our chances of success, we utilized several forms of AT (the α‐glycoform of plasma AT, the recombinant β‐glycoform of AT (which lacks glycosylation at Asn135), and an AT variant resistant to the latency transition (Li et al, 2004)), with both mammalian cell and Escherichia coli‐derived S195A fXa, but no crystals formed. We thus decided to alter the surface properties of the largest protein in the complex, AT, in order to engender crystal contacts. The approach is to reduce the ‘surface entropy’ of the protein by substituting flexible Lys and Glu residues with Ala (Derewenda, 2004). We chose the 350 loop because its location on the bottom of AT would not be expected to affect heparin binding or protease recognition (Figure 2A). AT variant E347A/K348A/K350A was thus created on the β‐glycoform background S137A (prevents glycosylation at N135), and, as predicted, the mutations did not alter heparin affinity, rate of fXa inhibition, nor the dependence of fXa inhibition on pentasaccharide concentration (data not shown). Small crystals were obtained from the initial screen, which were shown to contain AT and fXa in equal amounts by SDS–PAGE (data not shown). Subsequent refinement of crystallization conditions resulted in slightly larger crystals, which diffracted poorly. Only after annealing were quality diffraction data obtained. Satisfyingly, the resulting structure revealed a crystal contact between the mutated region of one of the AT monomers with the N‐terminus of the light chain of a crystallographically related fXa molecule. It is clear from the nature of the interaction, involving an Arg side chain of fXa, that replacement of the two Lys residues was essential to allow formation of the crystal contact (Supplementary Figure 1). Crystal structure of the Michaelis complex between pentasaccharide‐activated AT and fXa. (A) Stereo view of the complex with AT colored as before, the protease domain of fXa in magenta, and the second EGF‐like domain of fXa in purple (with disulfide bonds shown in green). The orientation of fXa on AT is slightly to the left of the long axis of AT, and is rotated significantly to the left to engage in direct exosite contacts with the top surface of AT. The positions of the AT mutations which allowed crystal contacts to form are indicated by orange balls. (B) It is clear from the stereo representation of the AT–thrombin Michaelis complex superimposed on the AT–fXa complex why one is insensitive to hinge region expulsion and the other critically depends on hinge region extension (hinge region is circled). The RCL of the thrombin complex is orange, with green rods for P4 Ile390 and P1 Arg393, and the RCL from the fXa complex is yellow, with P4 and P1 residues colored red. Thrombin (semitransparent cyan) is oriented towards the front of AT and the RCL enters the active site of thrombin by the most direct line, with P4–P1 aligned along the z‐axis (into the plane). In contrast, fXa is translated towards the left and rotated so that the P4–P1 enters the active site cleft along the x‐axis (from right to left). The position and orientation of the active site cleft of fXa is dictated by the exosite contacts, which are evident to the left of the RCL. The forward position and orientation of thrombin permit short heparin chains (∼16mer) to bridge the heparin‐binding sites of the two molecules (semitransparent cyan rods from the structure by Li et al, 2004). In contrast, based on the position and orientation of fXa observed here, a 28mer (magenta rods for the modeled heparin chain) would be predicted to be the minimal required heparin length for bridging the AT–fXa Michaelis complex. Two copies of the AT–fXa–pentasaccharide complex were found in the asymmetric unit by molecular replacement. The two complexes proved to be identical, except at certain crystal contacts, suggesting a single binding mode for the activated AT–fXa Michaelis complex. A ribbon diagram of the complex in the classic orientation (for serpins the classic orientation places β‐sheet A in front and the RCL on top) is shown in Figure 2A. fXa is docked onto the top of AT in a position similar to that observed for thrombin in its complex with heparin cofactor II (HCII) (Baglin et al, 2002), but the position is somewhat forward and to the right. Comparison to the position of thrombin observed in the heparin‐bridged AT–thrombin Michaelis complex (Li et al, 2004) (Figure 2B) reveals a translation of 17.6 Å towards the back left‐hand side of AT for fXa, accompanied by a 82° rotation in the xz plane and a 30° rotation in the yz plane (based on centroids of heavy chains, with the x‐axis from left to right and the y‐axis from bottom to top along the long axis of AT). The resulting orientation of fXa places the active site facing towards the right in order to engage in exosite contacts on the left. The orientation of the active site cleft of fXa requires a 15.1 Å movement of the P4 residue relative to the position adopted in the AT–thrombin structure, and a 17.0 Å displacement of P6. The P4 interaction could not occur without the expulsion and extension of the hinge region of the RCL out of and away from β‐sheet A (Figure 2B). With exception to the RCL, the conformation of AT is not significantly different from that observed in the previous structure of a pentasaccharide‐bound form (McCoy et al, 2003) (1E03), with an average Cα RMSD of 0.80 Å for all 405 equivalent Cα atoms (excluding RCL residues 380–400), although there is a small narrowing of the s3A–s5A distance at the top of β‐sheet A (∼0.5 Å). The conformation of fXa is also very similar to that used for molecular replacement (1F0S; Maignan et al, 2000), with an average RMSD of 0.74 Å, with only small accommodating shifts in surface loops observed. In the previous structure of activated AT (Jin et al, 1997; McCoy et al, 2003), the pentasaccharide used was a synthetic high‐affinity variant of the natural pentasaccharide, known as idraparinux, which differs in extent and type of sulfation and by the methylation of all hydroxyl groups (Herbert et al, 1996; Petitou and van Boeckel, 2004). The present structure represents the first of AT bound to the synthetic version of the naturally occurring pentasaccharide (fondaparinux), and it is thus worthwhile to briefly describe the interactions. The density for the pentasaccharide is of high quality, as shown in Figure 3A, and the average temperature factor for the two copies of the pentasaccharide is quite low for a carbohydrate polymer (48 Å2). A schematic representation of the individual side chain interactions is given in Figure 3B, and an exhaustive list of all interactions is given in Supplementary Table 1. The pentasaccharide conformation and interactions are very similar to those previously observed for idraparinux, and corroborate the conclusion from mutagenesis data that the critical interactions involve Arg46, Arg47, Lys114, Lys125, and Arg129, with Lys114 of principal importance. The AT–pentasaccharide interactions. (A) A stereo representation of the heparin‐binding region of AT (colored as before) with 2Fo−Fc electron density contoured at one times the RMSD of the map (1σ). All side chains which interact directly with the pentasaccharide (fondaparinux) are shown as rods, with carbon atoms colored as the helix on which they are found (green for helix A and cyan for helix D). (B) Direct side‐chain interactions are illustrated schematically, with salt bridges indicated by solid lines and hydrogen bonds indicated by dashed lines. Individual monosaccharide units are traditionally labeled from D to H. An exhaustive list of all interactions is given in Supplementary Table 1. Serpin specificity is typically determined by the complementarity between the RCL residues from P4–P3′ and the active site of the protease. Accordingly, the RCL contacts for the five serpin–protease Michaelis complexes solved to date are extensive, with multiple main‐chain and side‐chain hydrogen bonds and intimate hydrophobic contacts (Ye et al, 2001; Baglin et al, 2002; Dementiev et al, 2003, 2004; Li et al, 2004). The ability of the pentasaccharide to accelerate fXa inhibition by AT, however, is insensitive to RCL composition and largely depends on exosite interactions (outside P4–P3′) (Chuang et al, 2001a, 2001b). The paucity of interactions between the RCL of AT and the active site of fXa in our crystal structure is consistent with this observation. The interactions are illustrated in Figure 4A, and are described briefly here: Ile390 at the P4 position fits into a shallow hydrophobic groove described by Tyr99, Phe174, and Trp215 of fXa; Ala391 at P3 participates in two hydrogen bonds with the side chain of Gln192 and with Gly216 of fXa; Gly392 at the P2 position makes a single hydrogen bond to the side chain of Gln192; Arg393 at the P1 position is buried in the S1 pocket of fXa and participates in multiple interactions with both main‐chain and side‐chain atoms (discussed below); Ser394 at the P1′ position makes a single artifactual hydrogen bond with the side chain of His57 on fXa (this interaction would not be possible with an active site serine residue); Leu395 at P2′ participates in a single main‐chain hydrogen bond with Phe41 of fXa; and Asn396 at the P3′ position makes no contacts with fXa. It is interesting to note that all of the hydrogen bonds described above, with the exception of P1 Arg393, involve only main chain atoms of AT. These hydrogen bonds are formed due to the canonical β‐sheet‐like conformation of the RCL, typically observed in crystal structures of other serpin–protease Michaelis complexes. The only favorable side‐chain interaction observed here is the placement of the P4 Ile390 side chain into a shallow hydrophobic pocket; otherwise the RCL interactions are largely sequence independent. Stereo views of the interactions between AT (yellow) and fXa (magenta). (A) Interactions between the RCL (P4 I390–P2′ L395) of AT and active site residues of fXa are shown, with 2Fo−Fc electron density surrounding the RCL contoured at 1σ. The interactions are indicated by broken green lines and are generally sequence nonspecific, with the exception of the extensive P1 Arg393 side‐chain interactions. (B) The first exosite on fXa includes residues from the 36‐loop, from Asn35 to Phe41, and involves two important salt bridges. (C) The most important exosite on fXa is the autolysis loop, from Arg143 to Gln151. The side chain of Arg150 participates in a salt bridge with Glu237 and is neatly sandwiched between the side chains of Arg235 and Tyr253. For all serpins, including AT, the most important RCL residue for determining inhibitory specificity is the reactive center P1 (Chuang et al, 2001a, 2001b). The S1 site of fXa is acidic and thus favors a basic P1 residue, but it is shallow relative to the S1 pocket of thrombin. Thus, the side chain of Arg393 is in a more bent conformation relative to that observed for P1 Arg in structures of serpin–thrombin Michaelis complexes (Baglin et al, 2002; Dementiev et al, 2004; Li et al, 2004), with torsion angles χ1 and χ2 differing by 101.6° and 114.9°, respectively. Nevertheless, the P1 interactions are extensive. In all, P1 Arg393 participates in nine hydrogen bonds and two ionic interactions: two main‐chain oxygen hydrogen bonds to the normal oxyanion hole partners Gly193 and Ala195, and a third to Asp194; two main‐chain hydrogen bonds with the side chain of His57 and the main chain of Ser214; the side‐chain atoms make the remaining hydrogen bonds to the main‐chain oxygens of Trp215, Gly216, and Gly219; and NH1 and NH2 participate in a salt bridge interaction with atom Oδ2 of Asp189. An exhaustive list of the interactions is provided in Supplementary Table 2, and apart from the favorable hydrophobic contacts of P4 and the extensive hydrogen bonding of the P1 Arg there is little else which might stabilize the Michaelis complex, thus explaining the requirement of exosite interactions. The intimate nature of the interface between AT and fXa is illustrated in Figure 5. Of the 2337 Å2 of surface buried at the interface, 984 Å2 is due to active site contacts (involving AT RCL residues P4–P3′), and the remaining 1353 Å2 is accounted for by the exosites. Exosite interactions are defined here as any contact between AT and fXa outside RCL residues P4–P3′. Although it is possible to consider residues further C‐terminal to P3′ as part of the RCL, the three residues between P3′ and β‐sheet C, Pro397, Asn398, and Arg399, constitute an insertion loop relative to prototypical serpin α1‐antitrypsin. Close analysis of the α1‐antitrypsin structure shows that s1C begins at the P4′ position (Elliott et al, 2000), while in AT s1C commences at the P7′ position (Val400). Thus, the unique RCL insert of AT should be considered to be Pro397, Asn398, and Arg399, and is treated here as an exosite. The contiguous exosite of AT (Figure 5B) lies exclusively at the top left in the classic orientation (Figure 2A), and includes residues Asn233, Arg235, Glu237, Met251, Tyr253, Glu255, Arg262, Pro397, Asn398, Arg399, and Thr401. The secondary structural elements of AT which constitute the exosite are s1C (residue 401), s3C (residues 251–255), s4C (residues 233–237), s1B (residue 262), and the C‐terminal insertion loop (residues 397–399). These AT residues contact two separate exosites on fXa: the acidic 36‐loop, including Asn35, Glu37, Glu39, Gly40, and Phe41 (Figure 4B), accounting for 31% of the exosite surface of fXa; and the autolysis loop, including Arg143, Lys148, Arg150, and Gln151 (Figure 4C), accounting for 48% of the exosite surface of fXa. An exhaustive list of the interactions is given in Supplementary Tables 2 and 3, sorted according to either AT or fXa residues. Consistent with mutagenesis studies (Manithody et al, 2002), the most important exosite contact involves Arg150 on the autolysis loop of fXa. Arg150 is buried in a surface cavity formed by AT residues Arg235 and Tyr253. Arg150 also participates in hydrogen bonds with both the main‐chain and side‐chain atoms of Asn233 and a single salt bridge with Glu237 (Figure 4C). Arg150 alone accounts for 28% of the exosite surface of fXa. Stereo views of the contact surfaces on fXa and AT. fXa and AT surfaces within 4.5 Å of one another are colored green to illustrate the extent of the active site and exosite contacts, and contacting residues are depicted as rods. (A) The surface of fXa is shown in the standard orientation (active site facing with substrate running from left to right, from N‐ to C‐terminus). RCL residues P4–P2′ are represented as white rods (P3′ is not shown because it makes no contact), and exosite‐contacting AT residues are shown in yellow. The two exosites on fXa are indicated by the ovals; exosite 1 contains the 36‐loop, and exosite 2 is the autolysis loop. (B) The top surface of AT with the RCL removed is colored as above, with contacting residues from fXa colored magenta. The oval indicates the position of the 36‐loop contacts and the square indicates the position of the autolysis loop contacts. The AT residues under the oval derive from the RCL C‐terminal insertion loop, s1C, and s1B, and those under the square derive from s3C and s4C. The crystal structure of the Michaelis complex between pentasaccharide‐activated AT and fXa was long sought after, as it promised to explain the allosteric mode of action of the important anticoagulant heparin and a major effect of the natural heparan sulfate, which confers anticoagulant properties to the vascular endothelium. We were able to crystallize the complex only after mutating three residues on a remote surface of AT to engender the formation of crystal contacts, which, due to electrostatic repulsion, would not otherwise have been formed (Supplementary Figure 1). The identical nature of the two copies of the complex observed in the asymmetric unit supports a single interaction mode between pentasaccharide‐activated AT and S195A fXa, consistent with an exosite‐dependent recognition mechanism. Several of the residues seen to participate in exosite contacts have previously been identified by mutagenesis studies. Three residues on fXa were shown to contribute significantly to the rate of inhibition by AT in the presence of the pentasaccharide, Glu37, Glu39, and Arg150 (based on substitutions to alanine) (Quinsey et al, 2002; Manithody et al, 2002). By far the most important residue is Arg150, whose substitution to Ala reduces the rate of inhibition by nearly 10‐fold. In the structure of the complex, we see that Arg150 is making more contacts with AT than any other single residue, with six of the seven contacts involving the side chain. Similarly, mutagenesis of AT has also helped to identify the interaction interface with fXa. Based on a model of the AT–fXa complex built on the structure of the HCII–thrombin complex, a direct interaction between Lys403 and Glu39 was suggested (Huntington, 2003). Although the K403T AT variant did not inhibit the E39A fXa variant with a reduced rate, K403T AT inhibited wild‐type fXa ∼3‐times less efficiently than did wild‐type AT (Rezaie et al, 2004). It is thus likely that Lys403 is making an interaction with fXa in the pentasaccharide‐activated Michaelis complex, but that the contact does not involve Glu39 of fXa. In our structure, we are unable to model the side chain of Lys403 into electron density, but it is in position to make a salt bridge with Glu74 of fXa. Thus, although not included in the table of interactions between AT and fXa, the possible contact between Lys403 and Glu74 could explain the reduction in pentasaccharide‐activated rate for the K403T AT variant. The presence of this interaction is supported by the properties of fXa variant E74A which is inhibited by pentasaccharide‐activated AT with a two‐fold slower rate (Chen et al, 2004). Another mutagenesis study focused on identifying the AT exosite utilizing a chimera approach, where large regions on the top of AT were replaced by the sequence found in the prototypic serpin α1‐antitrypsin (Izaguirre et al, 2003). The conclusion from the study was that fXa docks further forward than predicted based on the HCII‐thrombin structure, with s3C identified as the site of contact with fXa. Indeed, we observe fXa translated 15.2 Å towards the front of AT relative to the position predicted from the HCII‐thrombin structure, and a 26.5° rotation of fXa extends the contact interface so that it includes s3C as well as residues from s1C, s4C and s1B. The extent of the exosite contact on AT was underestimated by the chimera study due to the sequence homology of residues now known to be of importance, with the least conservative changes from 246 to 258 belonging to s3C. Of particular relevance was the substitution of Tyr253 with Lys and Glu255 with Leu, which, together with the Gln254 to Arg mutation, would break important interactions with the autolysis loop of fXa and engender electrostatic repulsion. A mutagenesis study investigating the importance of the P′ insertion of AT is also consistent with the structure described here, with the deletion of Arg399 reducing the pentasaccharide‐activated rate of inhibition by over two‐fold (Rezaie, 2002). The current structure is also consistent with the ability of only long heparin chains to further accelerate fXa inhibition by AT through the addition of a bridging effect to the allosteric mechanism. A heparin length dependence has been demonstrated, with a minimal bridging size greater than 22 and less than 35 monosaccharide units (Rezaie, 1998). The heparin‐binding site of fXa has been identified by mutagenesis and is similar to the heparin‐binding site of thrombin (Rezaie, 2000). Although there is no structure of fXa bound to heparin, the analogy with thrombin, whose structure with heparin has been solved (Carter et al, 2004), allows for a reasonable placement of a heparin fragment in the heparin‐binding site of fXa. We thus constructed a model of the heparin‐bridged AT–fXa Michaelis complex, which preserved the exosite contacts seen in the current structure (Figure 2B). Although fXa docks towards the front of AT (relative to thrombin docked on HCII), the heparin‐binding site is oriented in such a way that a direct linear heparin bridge is not possible. As for the RCL of AT, which must approach the active site from an angle that requires the full extension of the hinge region (Figure 2B), the orientation of the heparin‐binding sites on AT and fXa are not optimally aligned, thus requiring a longer heparin chain than suggested by the absolute distance between heparin‐binding sites. Our model of the bridged complex predicts a minimal heparin chain length of ∼28 monosaccharide units, provided the AT‐specific pentasaccharide sequence is located at the very reducing end of the chain. This prediction is consistent with the inability of a 22mer to bridge, with some bridging observed for the 26mer (Rezaie and Olson, 2000), as heparin fractions of this size contain a Gaussian distribution of sizes centered on the reported average size. Full activation through bridging is thus only observed for heparin fractions with average molecular weights corresponding to heparin chains of ∼30 monosaccharide units in length. The pentasaccharide acceleration of fXa inhibition by AT and the ability of long heparin chains to further enhance the effect through the addition of a bridging mechanism are features shared by the related coagulation protease fIXa (Bedsted et al, 2003). In addition, the residues identified as participating in the interface between AT and fXa by mutagenesis studies affect the rate of fIXa inhibition in a similar fashion (Izaguirre et al, 2003; Yang et al, 2003). It is thus predicted that fIXa and fXa dock in the same way on the same surface of pentasaccharide‐activated AT. To test this prediction, we created a model of the AT–fIXa Michaelis complex on the structure of the AT–fXa complex presented here, and examined the interactions. No difference in RCL‐active site contacts was observed, and all of the interactions with the autolysis loop were preserved. The 36‐loop, however, is significantly different between the two proteases, with 35NEENE39 of fXa replaced with 35GKVD39 in fIXa (residue 37 is missing). This sequence difference may account for the 10‐fold slower pentasaccharide‐activated rate of inhibition of fIXa relative to fXa. Interestingly, the predicted Lys403–Glu74 interaction is preserved for fIXa. While it is accepted that new exosite interactions are responsible for the pentasaccharide activation of fIXa and fXa inhibition, there is some disagreement as to how the conformational change in AT allows the exosite to be engaged. Two hypotheses have been put forward: (1) that a cryptic exosite on AT is exposed upon pentasaccharide binding (Olson and Chuang, 2002); and (2) that the exosite is pre‐existing and pentasaccharide binding only provides sufficient slack to the RCL to allow simultaneous engagement of the reactive center and the exosite (Huntington, 2003; Langdown et al, 2004). Now that the structure of the ternary complex between AT, the pentasaccharide, and S195A fXa has been solved, it is possible to address this issue. We observe in the complex two principal interactions involving an arginine from one protein and a corresponding acidic pocket on the other (Figure 6). It has been demonstrated that very little of the specificity of AT for fXa is conferred by the RCL sequence, apart from the binding of the reactive center residue Arg393 into the S1 pocket of fXa (Chuang et al, 2001a, 2001b) (Figure 6A). A similar interaction between an Arg side chain and an acidic pocket is observed in the exosite region, involving Arg150 of fXa and AT residues Arg235, Tyr253, and Glu237 (Figure 6B). Engagement of both the active site and exosite arginine contacts is critical for the pentasaccharide‐accelerated inhibition of fXa by AT. The mechanism of allosteric activation can now focus on the accessibility of the two critical interaction sites in the native and pentasaccharide‐bound states of AT. While there is some indication that the P1 side chain is making an intramolecular contact which restricts its ability to bind to proteases (Figure 1) (Jin et al, 1997), AT inhibits trypsin, fXa, and thrombin at appreciable rates in the absence of the pentasaccharide, suggesting a partially accessible reactive center (Huntington, 2005). In addition, fluorescence studies on AT variants with a fluorophore at the P1 position have been interpreted as indicating mobility for the P1 side chain in native and activated AT (Futamura et al, 2001). So, although there may be some element of exposure of the P1 Arg upon pentasaccharide binding, it exists in a relatively accessible state in both the native and activated conformations. The same can be said for the Arg150‐binding pocket on AT, which is in an identical conformation in the structures of native and activated AT (Huntington, 2003), with only small changes in the position of some side chains. It is thus likely that the two principal sites of recognition on AT are individually available for interaction with fXa, and that pentasaccharide binding allows the simultaneous engagement of the two sites by liberating the hinge region from β‐sheet A (Figures 1 and 6C). Holes and knobs that form the principal interaction sites are approximated by pentasaccharide activation. The two principal interactions between arginine side chains and corresponding acidic pockets are illustrated by coloring surfaces according to electrostatics (red for negative and blue for positive). (A) The P1 Arg393 of AT is buried deep in the S1 pocket (233 Å2 buried) of fXa, and its interactions are indicated by dashed yellow lines. (B) The principal exosite contact involves a similar burying of Arg150 from fXa into an acidic pocket on the surface between strands 3 and 4 of β‐sheet C (194 Å2 buried). (C) A schematic representation is shown to illustrate the hypothesis of allosteric activation of AT towards fXa. Each molecule possesses a hole and a knob, which can interact individually but not simultaneously until native AT (nAT) binds to the specific heparin pentasaccharide (Penta). The resulting conformational change does not necessarily improve the accessibility of the hole and knob on AT, but rather repositions the knob (Arg393) to allow its engagement in the S1 pocket and the simultaneous engagement of the exosite knob of Arg150. The repositioning of Arg393 is only possible when the hinge region is freed from β‐sheet A (see Figure 1). The surface loop residues Glu347, Lys348, and Lys350 of AT were mutated to alanine on the recombinant β‐glycoform S137A to reduce glycosylation heterogeneity as described previously (Zettlmeissl et al, 1988; Mushunje et al, 2003; Johnson and Huntington, 2004). The surface loop variant of AT had a similar heparin Sepharose elution profile to S137A AT control and the late eluting fraction was used for crystallization (Garone et al, 1996). Purified material was buffer exchanged into 20 mM Tris, pH 7.4, and stored at −80°C prior to use. The concentration of AT was determined by absorbance at 280 nm. S195A fX, consisting of the EGF2 and protease domains, was expressed in E. coli and refolded with small modifications to the previously described method (Hopfner et al, 1997). Refolded S195A fX was activated by incubation with 1:100 (w/w) RVV‐X (Enzyme Research Laboratories, Swansea, UK) in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 for 3 days at room temperature. Purification of S195A fXa was by Q‐Sepharose chromatography, followed by concentration and buffer exchange into 20 mM Tris, 10% glycerol, pH 7.4. fXa and AT were mixed at a 1:1 molar ratio in the presence of a 1.2‐fold molar excess of fondaparinux (kindly provided by Maurice Petitou) to give a final protein concentration of 4.2 mg/ml. Crystals were grown in hanging drops consisting of 1 μl protein solution and 1 μl 20% PEG 3350, 200 mM calcium acetate, and grew for 6 days at 21°C. Data were collected at the Daresbury Synchrotron Radiation Source (Warrington, Cheshire, UK) station 14.1 from a single crystal that had been cryoprotected in 22% PEG 3350, 20% glycerol, and 120 mM calcium acetate before flash cooling to 100 K in a nitrogen vapor stream. Crystal annealing was carried out by blocking the vapor nitrogen stream three times for 3 s. Data were processed using Mosflm, Scala, and Truncate (Leslie, 1992), and the structure was solved by molecular replacement using the program Phaser (McCoy et al, 2005). Search models were pentasaccharide‐bound AT (1E03) with the RCL removed, and fXa from 1F0S, and two complexes were found in the asymmetric unit. After rigid body refinement, strict NCS was applied for several rounds of rebuilding and refinement using NCS‐averaged maps. Heavy NCS restraints were subsequently used for all regions which were not demonstrably different. Refinement was conducted using the program CNS (Brunger et al, 1998) (version 1.0), and the program XtalView (McRee, 1992) was employed for rebuilding. Data processing and refinement statistics are given in Table I. The quality of the final structure and corresponding electron density were excellent, even though the resolution was limited to 3.3 Å, as seen in the figures displaying electron density. Figures were made using Bobscript (Esnouf, 1997), Raster3D (Merritt and Murphy, 1994), Pymol (www.pymol.org), and Spock. Template numbering based on chymotrypsin is used for fXa, as in molecular replacement starting model 1F0S. Coordinates and structure factors are deposited in the Protein Data Bank under PDBID code 2GD4. The contact surface area between AT and fXa was calculated using the Protein–Protein Interaction Server (www.biochem.ucl.ac.uk/bsm/PP/server/). Individual hydrogen bonding and salt bridge interactions were determined by hand using the program XtalView to measure distances and bond angles. Hydrogen bonds and salt bridges were defined by the standard bond angle and distance parameters utilized by the Protein–Protein Interaction Server; hydrogen bonds were defined by a donor–acceptor distance of less than 3.9 Å and a donor–hydrogen–acceptor angle of greater than 90°, and oppositely charged atoms were considered to be participating in a salt bridge if the intervening distance was ⩽4 Å (Barlow and Thornton, 1983). These parameters were also used in analyzing the AT–pentasaccharide interface. A model of the heparin‐bridged complex between AT and fXa was created on the structure reported in the manuscript. The analogous nature of the heparin‐binding sites of thrombin and fXa allowed the placement of heparin on fXa as observed in the structure of the thrombin–heparin complex (Carter et al, 2004). The intervening heparin segment was placed by hand through the rotation of glycosidic bonds of the heparin dodecasaccharide from 1HPN (Mulloy et al, 1993). For full occupancy of the heparin‐binding site of fXa, a heparin length of 28 monosaccharide units is required, as well as significant deviation from the linear–helical conformation normally associated with unliganded heparin. JAH is an MRC Senior Non‐clinical Fellow, and project funding was provided by the British Heart Foundation (PG/04/115).

2019-04-26T17:07:43Z

http://emboj.embopress.org/content/25/9/2029?ijkey=bee5e52fc49ad47e44f0084b98768e4b41400c4b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

Bees can mean different things to different people. But there’s no denying that bees are a major part of our ecosystem. The decline of bees could very well mean the decline of the human race. And with the problems of the world like pollution, contamination, and global warming, bees are having a hard time trying to survive. Is it a lost cause? Are we going to drive them extinct? And ourselves in the process? The good news is we are aware of the problem. And with the right steps, we can get our bees back doing what they do best. And save ourselves and the planet. Starting your own bee garden is the step in the right direction. How do bees help us? How do bees work their magic? What are the benefits of bee gardening? What are some beneficial plants for bee gardening? What are some plants that are bad for bee gardening? Can you combine bee gardening with a vegetable garden? What are the requirements of a bee-friendly garden? Bees are those tiny, flower-feeding insects you may see hovering over flowers in your garden. You may be familiar with the typical yellow colored bee seen in movies or magazines. But there are 20000 species of bees that can have different shapes, sizes, and colors like black, brown, gray, yellow, green, or blue. Many but not all bees tend to live in a hive as a community. Others live in holes found in trees or the ground. And some but not all of the bees produce honey. The bees that live in a colony include a queen bee, worker bees, and drones. There is one queen bee in a colony and her job is to lay eggs. She can live for a span of three to five years doing this work. The worker bees are female bees that are infertile but do all the heavy work of gathering pollen and nectar for the hive. They also clean the hive and take care of the larvae. These bees can live for about six weeks. The drones are the male bees whose job is to mate with the queen to produce eggs. But they die soon after their job is done. The bees have five eyes and can use them to detect all types of colors except red. This helps them to find flowers that contain the necessary nectar and pollen for their needs. There are plenty of benefits of bees some you may be aware of and some that may surprise you. You already know bees provide us with products like honey, beeswax, and bee pollen. Honey is the sweet, sticky syrup that bees produce when they regurgitate nectar in their mouth and pass to each other. It’s the best natural sweet food you can find that is good for your health over something made by humans like high-fructose corn syrup. Honey is known to have beneficial anti-bacterial properties that are used to protect you from illnesses. It also has its use in beauty products such as anti-wrinkle and skin softening products. Besides humans, there are animals like bears, some birds, possums, and insects that survive eating honey and the bee larvae rich in protein and nutrients. Bees also provide beeswax that is used to make candles as well as used to protect food such as covering cheese for protection. The world needs bees and there’s no doubt about that. Bees pollinate about 80% of the edible plants that make it to your grocery store. This includes fruits like apples, blueberries, cantaloupe, watermelon and vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, pumpkin, and cucumber. Imagine the limited choice of edible plants you would get if the bees were not here. Imagine the chaos that would lead to in the world. Bees help to protect the economy of the world because they help produce one-third of the food in the world. There are many plants that rely on bees for their pollination. This means that without the bees there would be no such plants. And without such plants, there would be no animals and insects that feed on those plants. Flowers are what make the landscape of our planet beautiful. And most of these plants need bees to help with their pollination. The flowering plants are not just for their beauty. They help attract animals, birds, and insects that consume such plants and thrive. Without such plants, these organisms would cease to exist and have a drastic effect on the human population as well. Bees have wonderful tools that help them gather nectar and pollen. They can see colors like yellow and blue and are attracted to flowers that have them. They also have antennae that can smell the scent of nectar and point them in the right direction of the flowers. Once a bee spots a flower it goes there and starts collecting nectar. The pollen from the male part of the flower known as anthen sticks to the hair on the bodies and legs of the bee. As it moves to the other plants and flowers, some of this pollen falls off into the female part of the flower known as the stigma. That’s when the plant can start to produce fruit with seeds. The amazing part is that the bees remain loyal to the flower and the location. They invite other bees from their community by forming a sort of dance pattern that attracts them there. Bee gardening simply means providing bees what they want in your garden. This includes flowers that attract them for pollen and nectar. This also means providing them with shelter and water as they do their work. What’s going to make an attractive bee garden? It’s flowers that have the pollen and nectar they need. And it’s known scientifically that plants and flowers are pleasing to animals, insects, and humans. The color and variety of the plants will help soothe your mind and body as you move around in your bee-friendly garden. Watching the different types of bees move around in your garden will make you feel more close to nature. Bees are active from the moment it starts to get warm to the beginning of the cold season. That means your garden will need to be rich with flowers throughout the growing season, unlike the regular gardens that remain attractive just for a short period of time. This benefits your mental and physical health for a longer period of time than a regular garden would. Your garden needs to have the right plants to be able to attract bees. And such plants don’t just attract bees, they attract all sorts of predatory insects as well. And these predatory insects can get rid of the pest insects that destroy your plants. A bee-friendly garden with native plants can attract 80 percent predatory insects and 20 percent pest insects which maintains a good ecological balance. The problem with traditional gardens is the ratio turns opposite and they have 80 percent pest insects and 20 percent predatory insects. This problem occurs because we tend to use non-native plants that tend to attract more of the pest insects. Having a bee garden with native plants also attracts other pollinators such as butterflies, bats, birds, and animals. They play a great role in maintaining the ecological balance as well. The birds will also feast on the pest insects and keep your garden free from them. Since your garden will be free from most pest insects it will also get rid of the diseases that such insects carry along with them. And your bee-friendly garden won’t need to use insecticides and pesticides that wreak havoc with the entire ecological system when they seep into the water sources and damage aquatic and animal life. About 70 percent of the world’s food grows because it’s been pollinated by insects and animals. And 30 percent of this is done by the bees. So if you want to have a variety of food on the table you need to give bees the garden that they want. The foods that bees pollinate includes apples, blueberries, cucumber, broccoli, watermelon, almonds, citrus fruits, and a lot of others. A bee garden can be grown in a rural or urban area but it helps the bees regardless of where you grow them. The bees are much better pollinators than the other insects and animals like wasps, butterflies, bats because they are tailored to carry the pollen for their needs. And as part of it, they deposit the pollen in the plants and cause fruits to develop. The native bees are much more efficient than honeybees because they work for a long season from the time it gets warm to the time it starts to get cold. They are working when the weather is cold and raining outside while honey bees are safely huddled in their hive. There are different types of plants you can use for your bee-friendly garden. This could include annuals, perennials, biennials, shrubs, and trees based on preference. There are many such plants that are long-blooming so that your garden can contain flowers and attract bees for a very long time during the season. The type of plants you use also depends on the color that you want in your garden whether you prefer white, or pastel colors, or bright primary colors. Bees can see in the ultraviolet end of the spectrum and are attracted to colors like white, blue, yellow, and pink. Before you choose the plants for your bee garden make sure those plants can thrive in the soil and climate of your area. The plants in your bee-friendly garden will attract a variety of bees based on their size, shape, color, pattern, and how easy it is to access the pollen and nectar. Honeybees can prefer plants that originated in regions like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America. They may also be attracted to plants from the Mediterranean because honey bees originated there. But native bees will not find these plants as attractive and so you’re better off growing some native plants that they have a liking for. Annuals are plants that grow in a particular season such as summer or winter. The main work of such annual plants is to grow, produce as much flower and seed as possible during the season, and then die. This makes them very attractive to the bees because they provide a lot of flowers which means a lot of pollen and nectar. The annuals can be hardy which means they need winter to grow successfully. If your zone lies in the cool region, it’s possible to grow such hardy annuals in spring and fall as well. The other annuals cannot survive the frost and need warm weather to grow. This means you can grow them after the frost in spring and summer. To grow such annuals, you need to have good friable soil, good weather they need, and water. It’s good to use compost for growing annuals as it makes the conditions easy for their growth. You can mix up your annuals with perennials so you can create a bee-friendly garden that blooms throughout the year. Some hardy and half-hardy annuals include bachelor button, black-eyed Susan, blanket flower, borage, California poppy, Honeywort, Pincushion flower, and Viper’s bugloss. Some tender annuals include Basil, Cilantro, Cosmos, Mexican sunflower, Spider flower, and Sunflower. Perennials are plants that grow for a few years compared to annuals that only grow for a particular season. They can grow for one year and die the next or grow for several years before they need to be planted again. The life of the perennials also depends on the type of plants and whether they can survive the winter in your area. If they can’t then they behave like annuals and you need to plant them every year. Most perennials will die to the ground in winter then come back again in spring. There are perennials that have more than one blooming season. They will bloom in spring, take a break midsummer, and bloom again in the fall. Some examples of bee-friendly perennials for your garden include Anise hyssop, Aster, Bergamot, Black-eyed Susan, Blanket flower, Butterfly weed, Calamint, Catmint, Coreopsis, Dahlia, Sage, Culver’s root, and Lavender. Biennials are plants that grow for one season, overwinter, bloom, then set seed the next season, and die to complete their biological cycle. There are many biennials you can plant in your bee-friendly garden. This could include angelicas that are known to attract bees and beneficial insects. They tend to grow plenty of flowers that provide the bees with lots of pollen and nectar. This means bees stick around these plants a lot and give you a good opportunity to watch them. Clary Sage is a biennial that is attractive to carpenter bees who are strong enough to get to the pollen inside the flowers. Bumblebees love the foxgloves that grow in several places in North America. Cactus can make your garden bee-friendly and beautiful at the same time. They are not plants that just grow in hot, dry climate but you can find cacti that grow in freezing as well as humid climate. One such cactus is the prickly pear that you can find in a variety of color and shapes. They can be short or grow up to 10 feet tall. They bloom with beautiful flowers in abundance and colors like yellow, pink, red, or burgundy that is attractive to bees. These prickly pears are very easy to grow and propagate. To propagate, you can cut a pad at the base and bury it halfway into the soil. Shrubs can provide character and dimension to your garden in any season. That’s because foliage and bark can make your garden attractive even if it’s not blooming. And when they bloom, the shrubs provide a large number of flowers that make them attractive to the bees for their pollen and nectar. There are different types of shrubs you can get which could be deciduous and lose their leaves in winter or they could be evergreen. You can get shrubs that flower in spring, summer, fall, and winter. The shrubs can be small or they could grow as large as small trees. You should be careful to pick the right shrub for the space in your garden because they grow slowly and need more maintenance than other plants. For some shrubs, you may need to remove the flowers in summer so that they can rebloom again. The flowers of shrubs could be attractive to beneficial insects and their berries could also attract birds. Some examples of shrubs you can grow in your bee-friendly garden include Chaste tree, Chitalpa, Coffeeberry, Cotoneaster, Desert willow, Escallonia, Grevillia, Holly, Hydrangea, Redbud, Strawberry tree, Summersweet, and Wild lilac. Trees can act as a good attractive source for bees in the garden because of the area of flowers that they provide. You can get trees that range from a few feet tall to a 100 feet. The ones you choose should be based on how beneficial they are to your garden landscape and how well you can take care of them. Some trees grow very slow while others grow fast but their wood tends to be weak. The trees also provide nesting grounds and fruits to the birds and insects. Some bee-friendly trees you can plant include Acacia, Crabapple, Hawthorn, Japanese maple, Magnolia, Basswood, Black locust, Chinese tallow tree, Holly, Red maple, Willow, and Tupela. Not all plants produce flowers that are attractive to bees. There are some new breeds of flowers that don’t produce pollen or nectar that the bees are looking for. Some of them may produce pollen but the flowers have so many petals that the bees find it difficult to reach the pollen. People select plants that have been modified so that bees don’t visit them. They plant these near their pools where they don’t want the bees to visit. These plants may either not flower or they don’t produce nectar when they do. Some plants that are not attractive to bees include Canna, Daylily, Ferns, Fig, Gazania, Grasses, Hop bush, Japanese laurel, Maiden grass, and Sago palm. Then there are some plants that produce pollen and nectar that is toxic to the bees or their larvae. This includes plants like Death camas, California cornlily, and California buckeye. You need to be careful not to plant these in your bee-friendly garden. An edible garden can benefit a lot from inviting bees to it. That’s because there are a lot of edible plants that need pollination by bees so they can produce fruits. Some such plants include vegetables like cucumber, squash, fruit like melon, and nuts like almonds. The fruits and vegetables that are pollinated by bees tend to be larger and provide an abundant harvest. There are some plants that are self-fertile which means they can produce and accept their own pollen. All they need is for the pollen to move from the male anthers to the female stigma. This is possible when the wind carries the pollen or bumblebees vibrate the flowers and the pollen falls from high up in the flower. To pollinate food plants, native bees are the most efficient because they move about early in the morning and late in the evening when the weather is cool or rainy. Honeybees don’t like the weather when it’s cold and they tend to stay in their hive. The development of fruits depends on how well the pollen reaches the female stigma. Bees are the best carriers of such pollen because their hairy bodies carry the pollen to the flowers they visit. Vegetables like leafy and root ones don’t need pollination to be ready for harvest. But if you want to save seed for the next season they need to undergo pollination. Flowering plants are a great companion to vegetable plants that can help support pollination by bees. That’s because they need the same loose soil that vegetable plants need. Such annual plants will help keep your vegetable plants free from pests while adding beauty to your otherwise green garden. It’s better to plan annuals than perennials because pests like snails, slugs, and earwigs tend to get shelter in the perennials and mess up your vegetable plants. You could plant the annuals along with the vegetable plants or you could plant them at the end of every row of vegetables. Herbs also can play a good role to attract bees and help in the pollination of your vegetable garden. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, flowers, and fragrances. The herbs can be annual or perennial depending on your choice. But they need good soil and water just like your vegetable plants. You can plant the herbs together with your vegetables or dedicate a portion of your garden to them based on your liking. Some annual herbs include Anise, Basil, Borage, and Cilantro. And perennial herbs include rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender, and fennel. Bees of several varieties find berry plants attractive because of the nectar they produce. You can use berry plants like raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, loganberries, and strawberries to attract bees in your garden. The berries could be self-pollinating but when bees visit them, the berries tend to be larger, firmer, have fewer deformities, and a longer shelf life. Bumblebees tend to be good for pollinating blueberries because they vibrate flowers that help grow larger and more of the berries. A lot of fruit trees require pollination by bees so they can grow fruits like apples, cherry, apricot, pears, peach, and plum. There are trees that are self-pollinating but there are several others that require cross-pollination and that’s where the bees can help. That’s when having a bee-friendly garden helps you grow fruits in case you have such trees in your garden. The native bees are much more efficient than honey bees when it comes to collecting pollen and nectar and moving among flowers for pollination. Many fruit trees just bloom for just two or three weeks so you need to grow other bee-friendly plants in the garden for the entire growing season. You can consider growing such plants under fruit trees but you need to be careful they can tolerate foot traffic and other activities taking place. Creeping thymes and marjorams are a good plant you can use under your fruit trees because they are low, dense, can grow in shade, and withstand raking. Once you know the type of plants you want to grow for your bee-friendly garden, you need to determine the other factors involved. This could include ensuring plenty of flowers blooming throughout the growing season, sufficient patch sizes, sunny spaces, water, and nesting sites. There will be different types of bees visiting your bee-friendly garden. The honeybees enjoy warm weather so they will be out during the warm seasons of spring, summer but not that much during fall and winter. They prefer temperatures between 50 degrees to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in a region that has warm days in winter, the honeybees will be out collecting pollen and nectar so you do need to have plants that flower in winters such as cacti and shrubs. Native bees are much more resistant to cold and they will be doing work in the seasons of spring, summer, and fall. That’s because they have a larger size and fur that protects them from the cold. They start this work from early spring until late fall. The idea with a bee-friendly garden should be to have at least 10 types of plants blooming in one season. You can pick a plant that you prefer for its flowers and determine the season it blooms. Then pick a group of plants that bloom in the same season. Once you’re done, pick another group of plants that flowers in a season earlier or later than the previous group. Keep doing this until you have a group of flowering plants for each of the seasons in your region. It’s best to keep a mixture of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees in your bee-friendly garden because it makes the garden interesting for yourself and the bees. It’s important to grow a variety of flowering plants in the bee-friendly garden because it provides the bees with a variety of pollen and nectar and is good for their nutrition. However, when bees set out on a foraging trip they like to visit a single species of the flowers at a time. Studies have shown that a 3 x 3 feet patch of flowers works great to attract bees out for forage. That is why it is important that you plan your garden with patches of the same species of flowers otherwise the bees might not be interested. This is easy to do with trees and shrubs because they provide a large flowering area good enough for the bees. The same can be done with perennials and annuals by planting sufficient plants in a single patch. If you don’t like to design your garden in patches you could combine the plants with other plants as long as you keep a repeating pattern so that there are sufficient flowers of the same species to attract the bees. It’s good to have a variety of plants in the garden so that the bees can get a variety of pollen and nectar. This is helpful to provide the bees with a good nutrition profile. The more species of bee-friendly plants you can plant in your garden the better it is. You should have at least twenty different species of such plants in your garden. But even if you cannot manage that, it’s OK to grow as many as you can because it will still be beneficial to the bees. You have plenty of choices when it comes to picking colors of the flowers for your bee-friendly garden. It does not affect the bees as much as you to pick your favorite colors. Some people prefer bright colors like yellow, blue, and white while others don’t mind the darker shades. The shape and size of the flowers do affect how the bees can get access to the pollen. If the flowers have a lot of petals, it might make it difficult for the bees to reach the pollen. There are different sized bees that will visit your garden so it’s good to have flowers that vary in size so bees can access the pollen and nectar without any problems. Bees tend to enjoy the weather when it’s warm. And the same goes for the location of your plants as well. If you have your plants in areas of your garden that get plenty of sunlight, the bees will find the comfortable and attractive. It’s best not to plant the annuals and perennials under the shade of large trees because they won’t get the sun. And the trees will hog the nutrients and water from the plants. You should consider the position of the plants around your house as well. Typically, the north side of the house gets the most shade where you can have your shade-loving plants. The south and west side of the house gets plenty of sunlight to keep the plants and bees warm. The east side of the house gets the most sunlight in the morning as well as shade in the afternoon to create the perfect growing condition for a lot of sun-loving plants. There are many native bees that prefer to use nesting sites like ground-nesting or cavity nesting. These bees are not like honeybees when it comes to socializing. They tend to stay alone or with a small group of bees rather than an entire hive. About seventy percent of such bees prefer ground nesting while the remaining thirty percent prefer cavity nesting. You can provide such bees with areas where they could either create the nesting themselves or you create some yourself. These sites don’t need to be in your garden but it’s good to have them close enough so it’s convenient for the bees to travel. Bees prefer warmth so it’s good to have these nesting sites in areas in or around the garden where there is plenty of sunlight. Bees that prefer ground-nesting tend to dig holes in the soil. You might find a mound similar to an ant-nest that holds such bees. Or it could just be a simple hole in the ground. These bees can dig a hole that is two to three feet deep even though they are small in size. It’s good to have a portion in your garden where the soil is loamy, sandy, and well-draining. This will help ease the effort that the bees require to dig a hole. If you use mulch in the garden, that might make it difficult for the bees to get to the soil. So always leave a portion of the soil exposed where the bees can make a ground-nesting. Don’t try to use plastic to protect your garden from weeds because that will not allow such bees to dig a hole. It will also cause problems for earthworms and other insects to move around in the soil and assist in the decomposition process. Some of the native bees need cavity-nesting and they seek out hollow plants such as elderberry, old raspberry, or cup plant stalks. Some of these bees can drill small holes in soft wood such as unpainted arbors, fence posts, or dead trees and branches. You can leave such wood-like logs or hollow plant stems around the house or you can even drill holes in them which bees will be happy to use. Pesticides and herbicides are one of the biggest reasons for killing off bees at different stages of their lives. And using these chemicals is a never-ending cycle. You find pests in your garden so you spray chemicals. These kill all types of insects including pests, bees, and beneficial insects. The rate at which pests develop is higher than the beneficial insects. So you once again end up spraying more pesticides and herbicides. And the cycle continues. Instead, you should use organic and natural ways to get rid of pests in your garden. This includes allowing beneficial insects to thrive, growing locally adapted plants, and keeping the soil healthy. You should plant in your garden those plants that attract beneficial insects. These will get rid of the pests for you without damaging your garden. You can provide birds places of shelter in the garden. In exchange, they will feast on the pests that are damaging your plants. You should grow locally adapted plants because they tend to be more resistant to pests and diseases. They also don’t require as much maintenance as non-native plants. When you start your garden, make sure to have plenty of compost in the soil. This will help it grow strong and healthy keeping pests and diseases away. Mix the compost in the top six inches of the soil for best effect. Then every year when you plant make sure to add compost near the base of the plant so it maintains the fertility of the soil keeping it healthy. Bees need water like birds and animals and it’s best to provide them with one in the garden. Honeybees need the water to keep the hive cool with evaporation. They also use the water to dilute the honey. Native bees don’t use water for these purposes but some of them need water when creating their ground-nests with mud. Bees can access water in the garden from a pond, pool, birdbath, or bowl. But you can make sure to provide them with some safe sources so they don’t end up drowning. You can use corkboard or porous wood pieces in the water source so that the bees can find a safe landing place to access the water. You can keep a simple water bowl or bucket in the garden or you could go fancy and use a birdbath or pond in the garden. The important thing is to keep this source visible for the bees. And make sure to keep it clean and filled with water at all times. You can design a bee-friendly garden whether you have a small yard or a big one. You do need to consider the climate, maintenance, and your design needs before building one. There are no particular rules when it comes to designing your garden spaces. But it’s good that you have a combination of a functional and aesthetic design that will work for you, the plants, and the bees. The most common plan that people use is to first think about the outdoor spaces that occupy the garden. This includes the walkways in and out of the garden, the water sources like a pool, the sitting places such as benches, chairs, a patio. You should also consider your needs in the garden such as a garden shed. Once you have identified the outdoor spaces, you can think about the planted spaces and how to arrange them. There are some garden designs that are aesthetically pleasing but they don’t do much to attract bees to the garden. This includes planting of wind-pollinated trees like conifers that look majestic but don’t attract bees with nectar and pollen. Meadow gardens also fall in this category if they are made with non-native grasses that look good but are not functional. Such gardens will need to contain at least 50 percent flowering plants so bees can be attracted. You should also be careful with the balance of hard places and planting areas in the garden. Sometimes people focus too much on the hard places such as patios, walkways, sitting areas, and keep the plants as an afterthought. This imbalance will not work in attracting bees to the garden. The typical American garden also tends to be worst when it comes to attracting bees. It consists of a lawn and trimmed hedges that don’t do much to provide bees with pollen and nectar. There are certain garden designs that work great for attracting bees. This includes gardens with perimeter beds or island beds. You could also make a meadow bee-friendly by growing flowering plants in them. The same could be done with formal gardens as long as you plant plenty of bee-friendly plants in them. If you have a small or medium-sized garden, a perimeter bed works great to give you a bee-friendly garden while allowing you to keep a garden with a meadow, lawn, and patio. You plant the bee-friendly plants on the perimeter of the garden. This perimeter could help soften the fencing and make your garden appear larger as it merges with the neighboring trees and shrubs. You can determine the thickness of the perimeter based on your needs. The plants could include shrubs that allow flowering for the pollen and nectar. You could include a ground cover beneath the shrubs that will add more bee-friendly flowers to your garden. You can include plants like oregano, thyme, geraniums, asters, and mint in such a perimeter bed. If you don’t want to use perimeter beds, you can consider using island beds that isolate parts of your garden for bee-friendly purposes. This will also help you develop different styles and color combinations in each of those island beds. These island beds could be created as a series of rectangles and have paths connecting each of them creating a good visual effect. The island beds will help you experiment with what works in your garden when it comes to attracting bees and making it aesthetically pleasing. A formal garden can work as a great attraction for the bees as long as you plant plenty of flowering plants in them. A cottage garden tends to have a thick blanket of plants without leaving space that shows the soil. Such a garden can be made with a combination of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and grasses intermingled with each other. This makes the cottage garden very attractive to the bees with the variety of plants and a large number of flowers that bloom in them throughout the seasons. The design of your bee-friendly garden should be based on the areas such as the front and backyard. The front yard of your house is the most visible part that is quite often underutilized. It usually contains a lawn and some hedges that are not bee-friendly at all. This does not have to be the case as you can turn it into one of the most attractive features of your house. You can make a walkway from the front of the yard to the house that is straight or curved based on your needs. If you want people to move fast, make a straight one but if you want people to move slow make a curved path. You can make a wide path if you want it to appear welcoming or a narrow path if not. If you have a big garden you can add a birdbath, fountain or pool in the middle that will make one stop and enjoy the garden. You can also add some benches in the garden where people can sit and enjoy the garden along with the bees. If you want more privacy you can grow tall plants in the garden that covers up the area. You can plant shrubs on the perimeter of the garden but ensure to prune them only after the blooming season is done. The boulevard is the planting area between the sidewalk and the road. That’s a planting area quite often neglected because people trample it, dogs mess it up, and so does the heat and snow. But if done well this planting space can be made bee-friendly with plants that are robust and full of flowers in the seasons. Just make sure you don’t have plants that grow onto the road or sidewalk. The backyard should also be designed considering the hard places such as a patio, water features, lawns, and structures first. It might be important for the views you get when visiting your backyard and so have plants that make it attractive. A good amount of paths and patios will make your backyard functional and attractive to friends and family. You can place stepping stones that give access to such patios or a birdbath. The patios can be large enough to accommodate a bench and table or even a small party. When you’re designing the backyard space, you can use a hose, landscape flags, or lines made from sprinkled flour to get an idea of how it will look. Once you’re done with the hardscaping design, you can consider the planting spaces in the backyard. You can plant beds against the house and around the patio with bee-friendly plants. You can have large plants placed in front of your fences in the backyard. This will help hide the fencing and make your garden appear larger. Plants of each geographical region grow based on the climate of that region. That’s why they are known as native plants of that particular region. Many gardens tend to contain non-native plants that require extensive maintenance of the soil, watering, and pesticides to keep them growing. This makes them hazardous for the native bees. On the other hand, the native plants have a symbiotic relationship with the native bees. They take care of each other as nature intends it to be. This makes the plants strong and healthy to survive the climate and provide the bees with the required pollen and nectar. The plants will not require pesticides to protect them from pests and diseases because they are strong and healthy. And the bees can thrive without worrying about chemicals that can harm them. It would be good to have at least 50 percent of native plants in your garden. You can then observe the native bees that visit your garden for the pollen and nectar. You might already have a garden filled with plants so how can you add some bee-friendly plants? Do you need to uproot all your existing plants to do so? Thankfully you don’t need to. It’s easy to plant bee-friendly plants in your existing garden as soon as a slot gets open. This could happen in case a plant dies, becomes overmature, or cannot thrive. You do need to be careful in the choice of the plant though. Select the plant based on the group of plants that will surround it. If the neighboring plants need less or more water then your bee-friendly plant should need the same amount. If the neighboring plants need a certain type of soil whether loamy, clay or moist, the same should be the bee-friendly plant you grow in the open spot. You should also consider the color and type of flowers you would like, the type of leaves, and the bloom time of the flowers. If you have a bloom gap in your existing garden you can use the new plant to cover up that problem. For example, if you have a bloom gap in the months of July through October, you can fill this gap with the new bee-friendly plants you want to grow. You can make sure that the new plants you are growing are suitable for the space that just opened up. You don’t want the new plants to grow and suffocate the neighboring plants. Imagine waking up and watching the beautiful flowers in your garden. Imagine taking in the wonderful scent of the flowers as you walk into your garden. And imagine the bees reaching into those flowers happy to get their feed of pollen and nectar. You can make your garden bee-friendly. And without spending a lot of time and effort on it. It’s time to give back to the bees. It’s time to give back to Mother Nature. And it’s time to save the planet. Start bee gardening and become the hero the world needs.

2019-04-25T12:30:50Z

https://gardeningmentor.com/bee-gardening/?msID=5c6cbb38-19c7-4fb8-8253-48b3b4156ddb

Teleost fish are known to express two isoforms of P450 aromatase, a key enzyme for estrogen synthesis. One of the isoforms, brain aromatase (AroB), cyp19a1b, is highly expressed during early development of zebrafish, thereby suggesting its role in brain development. On the other hand, early development of serotonergic neuron, one of the major monoamine neurons, is considered to play an important role in neurogenesis. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the role of AroB in development of serotonergic neuron by testing the effects of (1) estradiol (E2) exposure and (2) morpholino (MO)-mediated AroB knockdown. When embryos were exposed to E2, the effects were biphasic. The low dose of E2 (0.005 µM) significantly increased serotonin (5-HT) positive area at 48 hour post-fertilization (hpf) detected by immunohistochemistry and relative mRNA levels of tryptophan hydroxylase isoforms (tph1a, tph1b, and tph2) at 96 hpf measured by semi-quantitative PCR. To test the effects on serotonin transmission, heart rate and thigmotaxis, an indicator of anxiety, were analyzed. The low dose also significantly increased heart rate at 48 hpf and decreased thigmotaxis. The high dose of E2 (1 µM) exhibited opposite effects in all parameters. The effects of both low and high doses were reversed by addition of estrogen receptor (ER) blocker, ICI 182,780, thereby suggesting that the effects were mediated through ER. When AroB MO was injected to fertilized eggs, 5-HT-positive area was significantly decreased, while the significant decrease in relative tph mRNA levels was found only with tph2 but not with two other isoforms. AroB MO also decreased heart rate and increased thigmotaxis. All the effects were rescued by co-injection with AroB mRNA and by exposure to E2. Taken together, this study demonstrates the role of brain aromatase in development of serotonergic neuron in zebrafish embryos and larvae, implying that brain-formed estrogen is an important factor to sustain early development of serotonergic neuron. The open field as a paradigm to measure the effects of drugs on anxiety-like behaviors: a review. The open field is a very popular animal model of anxiety-like behavior. An overview of the literature on the action elicited by effective or putative anxiolytics in animal subjected to this procedure indicates that classical treatments such as benzodiazepine receptor full agonists or 5-HT(1A) receptor full or partial agonists elicit an anxiolytic-like effect in this procedure in most cases (approximately 2/3). However, compounds (triazolobenzodiazepines such as adinazolam and alprazolam, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) that have a different spectrum of therapeutic efficacy in anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder were poorly effective as anxiolytics in the open field test, suggesting that this paradigm may not model features of anxiety disorders. The procedure is also relevant for the study of compounds endowed with anxiogenic effects, as such effects were detected after treatments with benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists or with corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor agonists. For decades, studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have challenged traditional concepts in toxicology, in particular the dogma of "the dose makes the poison," because EDCs can have effects at low doses that are not predicted by effects at higher doses. Here, we review two major concepts in EDC studies: low dose and nonmonotonicity. Low-dose effects were defined by the National Toxicology Program as those that occur in the range of human exposures or effects observed at doses below those used for traditional toxicological studies. We review the mechanistic data for low-dose effects and use a weight-of-evidence approach to analyze five examples from the EDC literature. Additionally, we explore nonmonotonic dose-response curves, defined as a nonlinear relationship between dose and effect where the slope of the curve changes sign somewhere within the range of doses examined. We provide a detailed discussion of the mechanisms responsible for generating these phenomena, plus hundreds of examples from the cell culture, animal, and epidemiology literature. We illustrate that nonmonotonic responses and low-dose effects are remarkably common in studies of natural hormones and EDCs. Whether low doses of EDCs influence certain human disorders is no longer conjecture, because epidemiological studies show that environmental exposures to EDCs are associated with human diseases and disabilities. We conclude that when nonmonotonic dose-response curves occur, the effects of low doses cannot be predicted by the effects observed at high doses. Thus, fundamental changes in chemical testing and safety determination are needed to protect human health. Introduction Morpholino phosphorodiamidate oligonucleotides (MOs) and short inhibitory RNAs (siRNAs) have been instrumental to induce sequence-specific gene knockdown in multiple systems. However, the use of both technologies is sometimes limited by induction of off-target effects [3–7]. About 15–20% of MOs used in zebrafish show off-targeting effects , represented by a signature neural death peaking at the end of segmentation (1 day post-fertilization [dpf]). The affected embryos grow with smaller heads and eyes, exhibit somite and notochord abnormalities, and eventually display craniofacial defects. These MO-induced developmental defects are target-independent because they are not displayed by characterized mutants in the respective genes . We show here that the off-target effects of MOs are mediated through p53-induced apoptosis. Concurrent knockdown of p53 with various MOs significantly alleviates off-target neural death. Importantly, however, p53 MO did not affect specific phenotypes induced by a variety of MOs. We propose the use of p53 knockdown as a tool to attenuate off-target effects and facilitate the study of specific loss of function phenotypes. Results MOs Exhibit Off-Target Neural Apoptotic Effects General morphological features of MO-induced off-target neural death have been previously described . We further investigated the nature of this cell death and the mechanism of MO mistargeting. For this report, we focused primarily on MOs designed against two gene targets for which mutants have been previously described, wnt5/pipetail (ppt) and smoothened/slow muscle omitted (smu) [9,10], to facilitate the discrimination between specific and nonspecific effects. A translational MO against smoothened (Smo MO) induces characteristic smu phenotype (spinal curvature, U-shaped somites) (Figure 1C). A splice-site wnt5 MO (Wnt5 MO1) induces tail and body-axis shortening and somite compression (Figure 1E), characteristic of the wnt5/ppt mutant (Figure 1K). What both Smo MO- and Wnt5 MO-injected embryos (morphants) have in common is an additional and very similar neural death (Figure 1, arrows). This neural death is target-independent, since it is not exhibited by the respective mutants (Figure 1K) [9,10]. Nonetheless, this neural death appears to be sequence-specific, since a completely different splice-site wnt5 MO (Wnt5 MO2) shows no neural death, but readily induces the characteristic wnt5/ppt phenotype (Figure 1G). We tested another type of knockdown molecule based on an alternating trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline/phosphate polyamide backbone called gripNA . Interestingly, a gripNA targeting wnt5 (similar in sequence to Wnt5 MO1) also induces neural death along with the characteristic wnt5/ppt phenotype (Figure 1I). A gripNA against smoothened also causes additional neural death (unpublished data), supporting the idea that the off-targeting effects are not limited to the MO chemistry, but represent a common feature to these knockdown technologies. The off-target neural death induced by MOs is highly reminiscent of the neural death induced by a published Mdm2 MO (Figure 1M). Mdm2 is a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53, the gene most frequently mutated in human cancers . Mdm2 knockout in mice is an embryonic lethal due to extensive p53 upregulation and p53-induced apoptosis. Mdm2-targeted MO in zebrafish was reported to induce apoptotic neural death . We examined the mechanism of MO-induced off-target neural death by testing for apoptosis in multiple MO-injected zebrafish embryos using a transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay (Figure 2) and by staining with acridine orange (unpublished data). Our results suggest that the neural death induced by off-targeting MOs is apoptotic in nature and was indistinguishable from the cell death observed in the Mmd2 knockdown . We tested the specificity of Mdm2 MO-induced cell death by overexpressing a Mdm2 RNA construct. However, we did not observe any significant rescue of the Mdm2 MO-induced cell death with the Mdm2 RNA construct (unpublished data). Therefore, it is possible that the cell death phenotype induced by the Mdm2 MO is also primarily an off-targeting effect. We performed an in-depth analysis of MO off-targeting to examine the concordance between the phenotypes observed by light microscopy and apoptosis patterns observed by TUNEL staining. We analyzed zebrafish embryos injected with Wnt5 MO1 at 14 hpf (the onset of cell death, ), 22 hpf, 26 hpf, and 30 hpf (Figures 3 and 4; Figure S1). Brightfield images show the signature appearance of opaque-looking discolored tissue around the eyes and in the nervous system in embryos injected with Wnt5 MO1 (Figures 3 and 4; Figure S1). The extent of the opaque tissue increased at later time points and with increasing MO dose. The cell death could be more easily visualized using darkfield microscopy (Figures 3A, 3C, 3F, 3I, 3L, 3O, 3R, 3U, 3X, 4C, 4F, 4I, 4L, 4O, 4R, 4U, and 4X). This analysis shows the characteristic pattern of white tissue corresponding to the opaque structures seen in brightfield that is diagnostic of MO mistargeting in zebrafish embryos. At 26 hpf, milder phenotypes displaying a characteristic anterior-ventral concavity and/or hindbrain depression could be observed, in the absence of the opaque/white tissue characteristic of the more severe cases of cell death (Figure 4D–4F). However, when analyzed by TUNEL staining, we observed that even the mild phenotypes (as seen by light microscopy) were associated with significant apoptosis (Figure 4P–4R). These mildly affected embryos usually recovered by 30 hpf, when they showed significantly less cell death, if any (unpublished data). The more severely affected embryos did not recover until day 2 or 3, at which time the characteristic apoptotic tissue was no longer apparent either through light microscopy or TUNEL analysis (unpublished data). However, these embryos lacked some neural tissue and developed with smaller heads and eyes (unpublished data). The punctuated pattern of neural apoptosis seen at all time points and with increasing intensity in the more severe cases was strikingly different from the normal apoptotic pattern seen in uninjected control embryos (Figures 3 and 4). Developmentally regulated apoptosis has been described in detail and was recapitulated by our analysis (Figures 3 and 4, uninjected embryos). However, at all studied time points the extent of developmentally regulated apoptosis was significantly less extensive than the apoptosis induced by MO off-targeting. In particular, at 30 hpf, little if any apoptosis was noted in control embryos. Therefore, we performed the TUNEL analysis at 30 hpf for all subsequent experiments to clearly differentiate between developmentally regulated apoptosis and apoptosis caused by MO off-targeting. p53 MO Attenuates Off-Target Neural Death Induced by MOs The neural apoptosis induced by a variety of MOs and the similarity to the phenotype induced by apparent p53 upregulation (Mdm2 MO) suggested the hypothesis that MO off-target effects can induce the p53 apoptosis pathway. Therefore, we tested whether p53 knockdown can rescue the off-target apoptosis phenotype induced by several MOs. Indeed, p53 MO attenuated the neural death induced by smoothened and Wnt5 MOs, as shown by morphology (Figure 1D and 1F), acridine orange (unpublished data), and the more specific TUNEL assay (Figure 2D and 2F). Similar results were observed for p53 knockdown rescue of Mdm2 MO-induced apoptosis (Figures 1N and 2M). Interestingly, p53 MO also alleviated the neural death induced by the Wnt5 gripNA, suggesting that this additional knockdown technology can upregulate the p53 pathway due to off-targeting (Figures 1J and 2I). However, as expected, p53 MO did not have any effect on wnt5/ppt mutant embryos (Figures 1K, 1L, 2J, and 2K). A second p53 MO of independent sequence also attenuated the off-target neural death, while a four-base mismatched MO did not show any effect (unpublished data). p53 MO as a Tool to Attenuate Neural Cell Death Because neural death caused by MO-induced off-target effects is so frequent [3,16], we tested the p53 MO as a tool to alleviate off-target neural death. A good tool for this purpose should be effective, innocuous, and specific. The p53 knockdown by itself does not induce any significant defects, as p53 is not required for normal development in mammals or fish [17,18] (Figures 1B and 2B). Also, p53 MO does not affect the efficacy of gene-specific MOs, as it does not interfere with the penetrance of gene-specific phenotypes. To further confirm this, we tested whether p53 MO can affect the efficiency of splicing inhibition by Wnt5 MO1. Semi-quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) analysis of Wnt5 RNA transcripts showed complete blockage of the splicing at exon 5–exon 6 boundary targeted by Wnt5 MO1, which was not affected by p53 MO (Figure 1H). We also investigated whether p53 knockdown can affect specific cell death (other than neural death) and whether it affects phenotypes not associated with apoptosis (Figure 5). As shown by morphology and TUNEL staining (Figure 5A–5D), the p53 MO had no effect on the specific tail-cell death induced by the loss of function of chordin using a chordin-specific MO. In addition, p53 knockdown showed no effect on the MO-induced phenotypes of nacre (a pigment defect) (Figure 5G and 5H), no tail (a developmental patterning gene) (Figure 5I and 5J), or UROD (loss of function is visualized by fluorescence of red blood cells) (Figure 5K and 5L). In conclusion, the p53 MO could be an efficient tool to attenuate off-target effects of MOs. We are currently coinjecting the p53 MO with all the MOs tested in a large-scale MO screen . This strategy has greatly attenuated the neural death phenotypes and has notably eased the interpretation of the observed phenotypes, especially in craniofacial development (Figure 6; see below). p53 knockdown or the use of p53 null zebrafish could potentially be of value for use in more traditional genetic approaches, such as chemical or insertional mutagenesis screens, to decrease the collateral tissue damage due to p53-induced cell death that potentially masks important phenotypes of particular interest to investigators. p53 MO as a Tool to Facilitate the Study of Craniofacial Development Early neural death and loss of neural tissue caused by MO off-targeting could potentially affect later craniofacial development. This may generate numerous false positives in MO screening for genes important in craniofacial development. For example, we tested whether p53 co-knockdown could facilitate the analysis of craniofacial phenotypes, especially in the cases of unknown genes or where corresponding mutants are not available. For example, MOs that target three genes in our collection of novel proteins , SP2035, SP2054, and SP2063, caused neural death visible at 1 dpf and craniofacial defects visualized by Alcian Blue staining of the cartilage at 4 dpf. The neural death caused by these MOs was attenuated by p53 co-knockdown (Figure 6A). The brightfield panels in Figure 6A show two types of milder neural defects that we have described in Figure 4; an anterior-ventral concavity for SP2054 and SP2063 (represented by a deficiency in the frontonasal tissue development, black arrows in Figure 6A) and a depressed hindbrain for SP2035 (represented by a lack/developmental delay of the hindbrain tissue, black arrowhead in Figure 6A). Interestingly, these milder defects were clearly associated with neural apoptosis, as shown by acridine orange staining (Figure 6A, fluorescence panels and quantified in corresponding graphs). At higher doses, the MOs against these targets showed a clear cell death pattern even in brightfield images (represented by opaque structures; unpublished data). Later in development (4 dpf), the MO-injected embryos mentioned above also exhibited craniofacial defects (Figure 6B). We investigated whether these late craniofacial defects were due to the early loss of neural tissue (off-targeting) or to a specific role of the targeted genes in craniofacial development. To achieve this, we analyzed the effect of p53 MO on the cartilage structure at 4 dpf. The craniofacial defects in the SP2035 and SP2054 MO-injected embryos were not affected by p53 co-knockdown, while the craniofacial defects in the SP2063 MO-injected embryo were significantly diminished by p53 co-knockdown (Figure 6C). These results suggest that SP2035 and SP2054 are involved in craniofacial development, while the craniofacial defects seen in SP2063 MO-injected embryo are p53-dependent and thus may be due solely to off-targeting effects of the MO. To further distinguish putative roles of SP2035, SP2054, and SP2063 in craniofacial development, we analyzed the expression patterns of these genes in zebrafish embryos (Figures 7 and S2). At 1 dpf, all three genes were expressed in the craniofacial region. But while the expression patterns of SP2035 and SP2054 were spatially restricted, SP2063 was more ubiquitously expressed. Interestingly, in subsequent days of development, SP2035 and SP2054 transcripts became specifically enriched in the pharyngeal arches primordia, while SP2063 became restricted to central nervous system structures (Figures 7 and S2). These expression patterns support a direct role of SP2035 and SP2054 in craniofacial development, while the role of SP2063 may be indirect, if any. The CNS expression of SP2063 may also explain the partial rescue of the SP2063 craniofacial phenotypes by p53 MO. If brain structures were affected by SP2063 MO injection, this may have influenced the mechanical structure of cartilage and contributed to the craniofacial phenotype, in conjunction with the loss of neural tissue caused by MO off-targeting. In conclusion, the likely involvement of the studied novel genes in craniofacial development is supported by their expression pattern and corroborated with the dependence of craniofacial phenotypes on p53. Therefore, p53 co-knockdown can be used to help clarify craniofacial phenotypes induced by MOs against novel genes for which there are no mutant data available for comparison. p53 Pathway Is Induced in Morphants with Neural Death To understand better the mistargeting effects of MOs, we investigated other components of the p53 pathway. A direct target of the p53 transcription factor is p21/WAF/CIP . We tested whether p21 transcription is induced in morphants with neural death. Using quantitative RT-PCR, we observed a significant increase in p21 RNA levels in morphants that show neural death (Smo MO and Wnt5 MO1) but no significant increase in morphants without off-target effects (Wnt5 MO2) (Figure 8). Very importantly, this increase in p21 expression was dependent on p53, since knockdown of p53 significantly decreased p21 RNA levels in respective morphants. Induction of p21 levels provides direct evidence for activation of the p53 protein. These results were similar to the induction of p21 in Mdm2 MO-injected embryos, which was dependent on p53, as expected (Figure 8) . These results suggest that p53 protein is activated by injection of a selection of MOs, associated with off-target neural apoptosis. Consistent with this conclusion, p53 protein is not activated in a selection of morphants that do not exhibit any neural death. Transcriptional Regulation of p53 Does Not Contribute Significantly to MO Off-Target Effects Translational and post-translational mechanisms of p53 activation have been extensively documented . A well-known mechanism for p53 induction is due to Mdm2 inactivation. Because Mdm2 is a ubiquitin-E3 ligase that targets p53 for proteasomal destruction, loss of function of Mdm2 leads to p53 protein accumulation and consequent apoptosis . We investigated whether p53 transcriptional regulation is part of the p53 induction due to MO off-targeting. The p53 gene is known to express multiple isoforms as result of alternative splicing and internal promoters (Figure 9A) . We designed primers to amplify a fragment specific to full-length p53 cDNA, which is the isoform we targeted by our p53 MO (Figure 9A) and was shown to be sufficient for neural death induction by co-knockdown experiments (Figures 1 and 2). We examined the levels of p53 transcription in embryos injected with various MOs by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Interestingly, there was no significant increase in full-length p53 RNA levels in various MO-injected embryos (Figure 9B, top panel), suggesting that transcriptional induction of full-length p53 does not play a role in p53 activation by MO off-targeting. These results, together with our observations that knockdown of full-length p53 alleviates MO off-target effects, support a direct role of full-length p53 protein, but not of p53 transcriptional regulation, in neural death caused by MO off-targeting. Diagnostic Transcriptional Induction of an N-Terminal Truncated p53 Isoform in Morphants with Off-Target Effects The p53 locus expresses multiple transcripts as result of alternative splicing and internal promoters . For example, zebrafish have been recently reported to use an internal promoter in intron 4, conserved from flies to humans , to express an N-terminal truncated form of p53, Δ113 p53 (Figure 9A) . The truncated p53 isoform is highly upregulated in zebrafish def mutants, specifically in the characteristic hypoplastic digestive organs . We tested whether this truncated p53 isoform was induced under cell-death conditions through MO off-targeting. To discriminate between the two p53 transcripts, we designed primers to amplify specifically either the full-length p53 cDNA or that encoding the truncated p53 isoform (Figure 9A) and used semi-quantitative RT-PCR to examine p53 transcripts (Figure 9B). While full-length p53 RNA levels were not significantly increased in any of the MO-injected embryos (Figure 9B, top), the Δ113 p53 isoform was highly upregulated in MO-injected embryos with neural death and virtually absent in the MO-injected embryos with no neural death or in the uninjected controls (Figure 9B, middle). We also performed microarray screens for the transcriptional consequences of various MOs. As shown in Figure 9C, when zebrafish embryos were treated with a MO or a gripNA against the D. rerio homolog of the fhit tumor suppressor gene , we obtained evidence for increased transcription at the p53 locus. In five fhit knockdown microarrays, p53 transcripts were increased 7.9-fold with respect to control-injected embryos (t-test p-value = 0.00007). Remarkably, p53 and two other mRNAs among the top eight transcripts induced in the fhit datasets were common to the top eight induced genes in def zebrafish embryos . Indeed, we have seen many of the same mRNAs coinduced by unrelated MOs (unpublished data). However, it is noteworthy that the probe used for microarrays binds to the 3′ UTR of p53, thus recognizing both full-length and the Δ113 p53 isoforms (Figure 9A). We also conducted in situ hybridization experiments with a p53 riboprobe in embryos injected with the two Wnt5 MOs, one that showed neural death (MO1) and one that did not (MO2) (Figure 9D). Wnt5 MO1 showed increased p53 mRNA expression in the anterior part of the body (arrow, Figure 9D), while Wnt5 MO2 showed low ubiquitous p53 mRNA expression similar to the uninjected control (Figure 9D). In this case also, the riboprobe could bind both full-length and the Δ113 p53 isoforms (Figure 9A). The RT-PCR experiments in Figure 9B showed that full-length p53 RNA levels were not increased in any MO-injected embryos, while the Δ113 p53 isoform was highly induced in embryos injected with off-targeting MOs. These results suggest that the increased p53 expression observed by microarray and in situ hybridization consists largely of Δ113 p53 RNA, and that transcriptional induction of full-length p53 does not contribute to p53 activation by MO off-targeting. Does Increased Transcription of the Shortened p53 Isoform Cause the MO Off-Targeting Cell Death? The p53 MO, which blocks neural cell death, was designed to knock down full-length p53 and would not be expected to affect the Δ113 p53 isoform (Figure 9A). To further test whether the highly induced Δ113 p53 mRNA is required for neural cell death, we designed a translational MO to specifically knock down this isoform (Figure 9A). We cannot design a splice-site blocker MO specific only for the N-terminal truncated isoform because all the splice junctions present in Δ113 p53 are also present in full-length p53 (Figure 9A). Coinjection of the Δ113 p53 MO with off-targeting MOs did not block cell death (unpublished data). This result is consistent with the fact that Δ113 p53 lacks the transactivation domain and part of the DNA binding domain, which are thought to be required for induction of apoptosis . Thus, the Δ113 p53 isoform is most likely not the cause of cell death induced by MOs and may represent a diagnostic signature of off-target effects. In contrast, the full-length p53 protein is sufficient to cause neural death due to MO off-target effects, even if transcript levels are unchanged. More experiments are necessary to evaluate the significance of the Δ113 p53 isoform transcriptional induction beyond its use as a diagnostic for p53 activation. Discussion Mechanism of Off-Target Effects We have shown that mistargeting MOs induce neural death via a pathway involving p53 activation. Curiously, ongoing synthesis of full-length p53 is required for cell death, while transcription of the Δ113 p53 isoform is a consistent and striking component of the mistargeting MO signature. We investigated various hypotheses for the mechanism underlying this off-target effect. The p53 pathway induction is independent of the intended gene target and appears to be sequence-specific, since two MOs of independent sequence, but targeted to the same gene, have strikingly different effects on p53 induction. This off-target effect is noted in both translational blockers and splice-site MOs, suggesting that the mechanism does not uniquely involve the transcription or the translation machinery. According to our analysis, MOs with off-target effects do not exhibit any overt primary sequence similarity to repeated elements such as rRNA genes or the zebrafish mitochondrial genome (unpublished data). Although the mechanism of MO-induced p53 activation is still unclear, this pathway is activated by other knockdown technologies including gripNAs (Figures 1I and 1J, 2H and 2I, and 9C). Furthermore, related observations indicate that siRNAs can also induce off-target p53 activation. A recent study reports divergent changes in levels of p53 and p21 in cells subjected to ten different siRNAs targeted to menin . The study shows that, while all the siRNAs knock down menin levels to various extents, some of the siRNAs cause a significant increase in p53 and p21 protein levels, independent of the levels of menin knockdown, while others have no effect on p53 or p21. One hypothesis is that the off-target effects caused by siRNAs are due to short sequence homology to other genes [5–7,24]. We have not observed any pattern of partial homology between off-targeting MOs and p53 or Mdm2 genes (unpublished data). Diagnostic Transcriptional Activation of a Shorter Isoform of p53 We have shown that certain MOs and gripNAs induce neural cell death in a manner that depends on synthesis of full-length p53 protein, but not on transcriptional activation of full-length p53. We also observed a diagnostic transcriptional induction of an N-terminal truncated isoform of p53. Interestingly, this truncated form is thought to act as a dominant negative molecule towards full-length p53, as it lacks the transactivation domain and part of the DNA binding domain . The human homolog of Δ113 p53 was shown to be defective in promoting apoptosis and even to inhibit p53-mediated apoptosis . Consistent with these results, a translational MO targeted specifically to the Δ113 p53 isoform did not alleviate the neural death induced by off-targeting MOs (unpublished data), although the full-length p53 knockdown did. Also, overexpression of Δ113 p53 RNA in zebrafish embryos did not cause neural death (unpublished data), suggesting that the Δ113 p53 isoform is insufficient to promote apoptosis. Potentially, the Δ113 isoform is transcriptionally induced secondary to p53-mediated apoptosis. Transcriptional induction of the Δ113 isoform of p53 may represent a diagnostic signature for a specific type of cellular stress. High levels of the Δ113 isoform p53 transcription were observed in def and fhit knockdown embryos and in morphants with off-targeting phenotypes, while lower levels of mRNA increase were observed in flathead embryos . It remains to be determined whether off-targeting oligos target DNA, an RNA other than mRNA, or another cellular component, and whether the fhit knockdown profile is due to off-targeting or to a specific involvement in the stress response pathway. A previous study also reported the presence of a shorter p53 transcript in zebrafish , with a size consistent with the predicted length of the Δ113 p53 isoform. Intriguingly, this shorter transcript was highly upregulated in zebrafish embryos under cell death–inducing conditions such as treatment with camptothecin or roscovitine or knockdown of the anti-apoptotic genes mdm2 and tsg1. Also noteworthy, the expression of the shorter p53 transcript seemed to be dependent on full-length p53 . Specific versus Off-Target Neural Death A very important issue for using p53 knockdown to mitigate neural death is specificity. In many cases, neural death can be a specific phenotype, and p53 MO rescue may suggest a specific interaction with the gene of interest. A key experiment to validate a MO phenotype is to observe rescue of the morphant phenotype with an RNA or DNA construct of the respective gene. If the neural death is rescued by the RNA/DNA construct, it is very likely that the gene of interest is specifically involved in cell death. If, however, the RNA/DNA rescue still yields a neural death phenotype, it is possible that the neural death is an off-target effect of the MO. For example, a recent study reported apoptosis and neuronal loss upon knockdown of presenilin enhancer Pen-2 in zebrafish embryos . This neural death was significantly reduced by p53 co-knockdown, as in the case of off-targeting MOs. However, the authors clearly showed a rescue of the neural apoptosis by a Pen-2 RNA construct of a sequence not overlapping with the Pen-2 MO . Together, these results support a true anti-apoptotic role of Pen-2 in promoting neuronal survival. We have also attempted to rescue the Mdm2 MO-induced cell death phenotype with a Mdm2 RNA construct. However, we did not observe any significant rescue (unpublished data). One potential explanation is that this particular Mdm2 MO also has off-targeting effects. Five additional Mdm2 MOs have been reported to cause cell death that could be rescued by p53 MO , but we did not test any of these. We also tested whether the Wnt5 MO1-induced cell death is wnt5/ppt specific or a result of off-targeting. There are no indications from previous studies to suggest a role of wnt5/ppt in cell death. We observed no effect of a wnt5/ppt RNA construct on the cell death specifically induced by Wnt5 MO1 (unpublished data), but not by Wnt5 MO2. However, we did not observe any rescue of the characteristic morphological defect associated with loss of wnt5/ppt either. This result is not so surprising, though, as there is no previous report on a successful RNA rescue of the body axis shortening phenotype caused by wnt5/ppt inactivation (either mutation- or MO-induced). It is possible that generalized overexpression of wnt5/ppt RNA may not be sufficient to compensate for decreased wnt5/ppt levels at the appropriate time and place. In conclusion, if a cell-death phenotype caused by knockdown can be rescued by the respective RNA/DNA construct, it is likely that the gene of interest is involved in cell survival. If the RNA/DNA construct rescues the gene-specific phenotype but does not rescue the cell death phenotype observed in MO-injected embryos, it is likely that cell death represents an off-targeting effect of the MO. It is also possible that certain MO-induced phenotypes cannot be rescued by corresponding RNA/DNA overexpression, due to improper localization and/or timing of expression during development. Ongoing work is geared to exploit p53 co-knockdown to alleviate off-target neural death of MOs and to discover the mechanism by which off-target MOs induce p53 activation as well as the signature Δ113 p53 transcript. Potentially, p53 knockdown by RNAi may also alleviate the off-target effects of siRNAs . Materials and Methods Fish maintenance. Wild-type zebrafish were purchased from Segrest farms (http://www.segrestfarms.com). Embryos were raised at 30 °C and spawning was carried out as described . wnt5 mutant fish carrying the ppt hi1789b allele were obtained from the Zebrafish International Resource Center (http://zebrafish.org/zirc). MO and gripNA sequences and injections. MO and gripNA sequences are shown in Table 1. MOs were obtained from Gene Tools (http://www.gene-tools.com) and were prepared and injected in 1–4 cell stage embryos as described . When two MOs were injected in the same embryo, we carried out both separate injections of the different MOs and single injections of MO mixtures, with very similar results. The only difference was a slightly increased mortality in the case of double-injected embryos as compared to single injections. In all cases, except where noted, p53 MO was injected 1.5-fold (w/w) to the other MO used. MO doses were: 3 ng of Smo MO, Wnt5 MO1, and Mdm2 MO; 4.5ng of p53 MO (except where noted otherwise); and 6ng of Wnt5 MO2. GripNAs were obtained from Active Motif (http://www.activemotif.com) and were prepared and injected similar to MOs. Wnt5 GripNA was injected at 2.25 ng, and coinjections with p53 MO were at 4 ng. Embryos were visualized at 24–29 hpf, except where noted. Microscopy was performed on a Zeiss Axioplan 2 microscope (http://www.zeiss.com) fitted with differential interference contrast microscopy optics. Images were captured with a Nikon Coolpix 995 (http://www.nikonusa.com) or a Canon PowerShot G6 digital camera (http://www.canon.com), with multiple images combined using Adobe Photoshop software (http://www.adobe.com). TUNEL assay. Embryos were dechorionated and fixed at 30 hpf or as indicated in 4% paraformaldehyde for 1 h at room temperature. They were then washed with PBS buffer twice and permeabilized with 0.1% sodium citrate and 0.1% TritonX for 2 min on ice. After washing twice in PBS buffer, embryos were incubated with the reaction mixture containing the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase and TMR-labeled nucleotides for 1 h in the dark at 37 °C. Reaction was stopped by washing with PBS three times. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase catalyzes incorporation of labeled nucleotides to 3′-OH DNA ends in a template-independent reaction. The fluorescent signal was visualized and imaged using a Zeiss Axioplan 2 microscope coupled to an ApoTome, using AxioVision 4.2 software. z-stacks were superimposed using Extended Focus feature of the software. Acridine orange assay. Live embryos were immersed in 5 μg/ml acridine orange (Sigma, http://www.sigmaaldrich.com) for 10 min, then visualized and imaged for less than 60 s (the signal is quenched after 60-s exposure to fluorescence), as described for the TUNEL assay. Quantitative RT-PCR. Total RNA was extracted from 32 hpf embryos using TRIZOL reagent (Invitrogen, http://www.invitrogen.com). Quantitative RT-PCR was carried out on 200ng of RNA using the LightCycler RNA Amplification kit SYBR Green (Roche, http://www.roche-diagnostics.us) in a LightCycler 2.0 Instrument, following manufacturer's protocols. The primers used are shown in Table 2. All expected PCR products span at least one intron (except the Δ113 p53 fragment), to ensure amplification solely from the cDNA and not from the genomic DNA. The primers for full-length p53 correspond to exon 4 (not present in the Δ113 p53 isoform) and exon 5. The primers for the Δ113 p53 isoform correspond to intron 4 (not present in the full length p53) and exon 5. The identity of the RT-PCR products was confirmed by sequencing. The samples were quantified by comparative cycle threshold (Ct) method for relative quantification of gene expression , normalized to β-actin. All experiments were performed with at least two different RNA preparations and at least three independent experiments for each RNA preparation. In situ hybridization. cDNA for p53 probe was amplified using total RNA from 24 hpf zebrafish embryos injected with pax2 MO (Table 1) with primers shown in Table 2. The p53 riboprobe used in the in situ hybridization experiments spans exons 6–11, a region common to both full-length and Δ113 p53 isoforms. The cDNAs for SP2035, SP2054, and SP2063 were amplified from total RNA from 30 hpf zebrafish embryos, using primers indicated in Table 2. The PCR fragments for p53, SP2035, SP2054, and SP2063 were cloned into the pCRII TOPO vector (Invitrogen). The plasmids were then linearized with NotI (p53, SP2054 and SP2063) or Spe I (SP2035). DIG-labeled antisense RNA was synthesized using the SP6 polymerase (p53, SP2054, and SP2063) or T7 polymerase (SP2035) in conjunction with the in vitro DIG labeling kit (Roche). Zebrafish in situ hybridization was performed on 26–28 hpf embryos or indicated time points as previously described . Microscopy was performed on a Zeiss Axioplan 2 microscope using DIC optics. Images were captured with a Canon PowerShot G6 digital camera. Alcian Blue cartilage staining. Cartilage was stained with Alcian Blue using a modification of previously published protocols [33,34]. Anesthetized 4.5 dpf larvae were fixed in 4% phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde overnight at 4 °C, then stained with 0.1% Alcian Blue (Sigma) in 70% ethanol and 0.37% hydrochloric acid for 4–6 hours at 4 °C. The embryos were cleared in 70% ethanol and 0.37% hydrochloric acid mixture, then rehydrated stepwise in PBS buffer. To enhance optical clarity, embryos were bleached with 3% H2O2 and 1% KOH for 20 min, then washed with PBS containing 0.2% Tween-20, then with PBS, and lastly with H2O. Embryos were stored in 50% glycerol with 0.25% KOH at 4 °C and were mounted in 2% methylcellulose for imaging. Microarrays. Transcriptional profiling was performed by the Thomas Jefferson University Microarray Facility at the Kimmel Cancer Center. The spotted array contains 16,399 oligonucleotides (Compugen; annotated at http://giscompute.gis.a-star.edu.sg/~govind/zebrafish/version2). More than 100 β-actin oligonucleotides that serve as positive controls were present on each chip. Zebrafish embryos were injected with phenol red control or 0.5 nl of 1 mM Fhit MO or 1 nl of 1 mM Fhit gripNA. Total RNA of 24 hpf phenol red control and MO-injected embryos were extracted by TRIZOL (Invitrogen). Gene expression was determined using biotin-labeled and in vitro–transcribed antisense RNA generated from the total RNA template. Each chip was scanned and quantified using a ScanArray Express laser scanner (PerkinElmer, http://www.perkinelmer.com). The signals on the oligo microarray were normalized by the median and regularized t-test was performed to determine significant differences between the controls and morphants. The p53 probe used in the microarrays corresponds to a short EST in the 5′ UTR of the gene (U60804) and consequently is common to both full-length and the Δ113 p53 isoform. Supporting Information Figure S1 Temporal and Spatial Characterization of Representative MO-Induced Neural Cell Death during Early Embryogenesis (A) Brightfield and darkfield images of Wnt5 MO1-injected embryos. 14 hpf (A–I), 22 hpf (J–R), and 30 hpf (S–AA). Uninjected embryos (A–C, J–L, and S–U), intermediate cell death phenotype (D–F, M–O, and V–X), and severe cell death phenotype (G–I, P–R, and Y–AA). Lateral views (A, D, G, J, M, P, S, V, and Y), all others dorsal head views. Intermediate cell death is observed at 14 hpf as highly localized opaque cells in the head (large arrow in D), which are arranged near the lateral (arrowhead in E and F) and midline (small arrow in E and F) areas of the developing brain. This pattern progresses through 22 and 30 hpf (M–O and V–X), including a concentration of opaque cells surrounding the emerging folds of the brain midline (small arrows N–O and W–X) and the eye (arrowheads N–O and W–X). Severe cell death is observed as highly dense areas of opaque cells throughout the developing head. (B) TUNEL assay. Zebrafish embryos were injected with Wnt5 MO1 and analyzed by TUNEL assay at 14 hpf (A–F), 22 hpf (G–O), and 30hpf (P–X) stages. Uninjected embryos: A–C, G–I, and P–R. At the later time points two classes of phenotypes were observed: an intermediate (J–L and S–U) and a severely affected class of embryos (M–O and V–X). These were characterized by intense fluorescent apoptotic foci in the head and body, with increasing intensity corresponding to increased severity (higher MO dose). This figure represents a higher resolution version of Figure 3. (5.4 MB TIF) Click here for additional data file. Figure S2 Expression Patterns of SP2035, SP2054, and SP2063 In situ hybridization for SP2054, SP2035, and SP2063 showed that all three transcripts were localized in anterior structures prior to chondrogenesis (1 dpf). Later in development, SP2054 and SP2035 transcripts became localized in pharyngeal arch structures during cartilage formation (2 dpf and 3 dpf), while SP2063 mRNA was expressed in brain structures. AB, anterior brain; CNS, central nervous system; MHB, midbrain/hindbrain boundary; OS, optic stalk; PA, pharyngeal arch; V = vasculature. (9.5 MB TIF) Click here for additional data file. Accession Numbers Accession numbers for the genes and gene products from the Ensembl D. rerio genome database (http://www.ensembl.org/Danio_rerio/index.html) are β-actin, NM 131031; chordin, NM 130973; Mdm2, NM 131364; nacre, NM 130923; no tail, NM 131162; p21, AL 912410; p53, NM 131327; pax2, NM 131184; smoothened, NM 131027; SP2035, NM 131401; SP2054, BX 901879; SP2063, NM 199847; UROD, NM 131347; and wnt5, NM 130937. Journal ID (publisher-id): Front. Endocrinol. Copyright statement: Copyright © 2018 Ulhaq and Kishida. Opposing effects of ketamine and acetyl L-carnitine on the serotonergic system of zebrafish. Effects of Dechlorane Plus exposure on axonal growth, musculature and motor behavior in embryo-larval zebrafish.

2019-04-18T20:18:21Z

https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=eb16d634-702d-4b03-90db-e21de7ec690f

New-home buyers responded to the tough times in 2009 by opting for smaller houses, driving down the average size of a house built in the United States for the first time in 27 years. Data recently released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found the average size of a new home that was completed in 2009 fell to 2,480 square feet from 2,520 square feet in 2008. The last time the average completed-home size fell by a statistically significant amount was 1982. “You’ve heard the mantra ‘downsize me’ and ’small is the new big?’ Well, last year was definitely a downer,” said Carol Lavender, president of Lavender Design Group, a residential design firm in San Antonio, Texas. Homeowners surveyed by Better Homes and Gardens magazine said downsizing was becoming a bigger priority: 36% said in November 2009 that they expected their next home to be “somewhat smaller” or “much smaller” than their current home versus 32% who said that in 2008. “Not surprisingly, we see a ‘cents and sensibility’ approach when it comes to buying or improving a home, with practicality and price being the top priorities,” said Eliot Nusbaum, the magazine’s executive editor of home design. While the small-house movement in the United States has been gaining steam for a number of years, the recession has accelerated it and home builders have responded. Although actual square footage of homes didn’t fall until 2009, the percent of homes with four or more bedrooms in them has been falling since 2007, NAHB data show. And in 2009, the number of homes with three or more bathrooms fell for the first time since 1992. First-time buyers, driven into the market in good part by the availability of an $8,000 tax credit, are more likely to compromise on home size in exchange for a lower price. And the 55-plus crowd tends to purchase single-story homes, which generally are smaller because of the land costs that favor the more-efficient two-story plans. “Barely over half of new homes today are built with two stories or more,” Quint said. Two-story homes peaked at about 55% of the market in 2006. For 2010, home builders say they will focus on lower-priced models and smaller homes. More than 95% of builders surveyed by NAHB in January said that was the way they saw their business evolving this year. -Walk-in closets in the master bedroom. -Separate shower and tub in master bathrooms. -Nine-foot ceilings on the first floor. -Eight foot ceilings on the first floor. -Multiple shower heads in the master bath. You may wonder whether it is worthwhile to wait to purchase your home until prices are at their lowest. Prices are not the only factor that should drive your decision. Currently, interest rates are near generational lows that greatly improve the affordability of homes. Further on the annual cost table, you can see that even if home prices decline, the possible tax savings of owning a home can lead to a lower cost for the buyer, not the renter. Also, the homebuyer’s tax credit is currently available but only through April 2010. Finally, and most importantly, when you have made the decision to commit to homeownership because you are ready, market conditions are a secondary concern. In fact, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that four in ten first-time buyers purchased a home because the buyer was ready to make the commitment to homeownership. The “numbers tell the story” examples should ease your mind about the financial aspects of becoming a homeowner. But there are other, non-financial benefits to homeownership that may partially explain the fact that buyers buy when they are ready. Several research studies indicate that homeownership adds to the value of communities, has positive effects on children, and even contributes to increased voter participation rates. More than two thirds of American households own their home. They know the benefits of homeownership, from the accumulation of home equity, other financial benefits, and the pride of owning a place of their own. They also had to take that first step of deciding “I’m ready to be a homeowner.” REALTORS® assisted many of today’s 75 million Homeowners in both their decision to buy and their first home purchase. REALTORS® are real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and who abide by the Association’s strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. They can help guide you to first-time homebuyer programs in your area, as well as assist you in searching for and buying your home. 1. Forty-seven percent of recent home buyers were first-time buyers. 2. The typical first-time home buyer was 30 years old, while the typical repeat buyer was 48 years old. 3. The 2008 median household income of buyers was $73,100. The median income was $61,600 among first-time buyers and $88,100 among repeat buyers. 4. Twenty-one percent of recent home buyers were single females, and 10 percent were single males. 5. For one-third of recent home buyers, the primary reason for the recent home purchase was a desire to own a home. 1. New home purchases were at the lowest level in eight years—down to 18 percent of all recent home purchases. 2. The typical home purchased was 1,800 square feet in size and was built in 1991. 3. Seventy-eight percent of home buyers purchased a detached singlefamily home. 4. The median price of home purchased was $210,000 in the Northeast, $158,000 in the Midwest, $175,000 in the South, and $240,000 in the West. 5. When considering the purchase of a home, commuting costs were considered very or somewhat important by 78 percent of buyers. 1. For more than one-third of home buyers, the first step in the home-buying process was looking online for properties. 2. Nine in ten home buyers and 94 used the Internet to search for homes. 3. Real estate agents were viewed as a very useful information source by 81 percent of buyers who used an agent while searching for a home. 5. Seventy-seven percent of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker. 6. Ten percent of buyers purchased a home in foreclosure, up from 3 percent in 2008. 7. Forty-four percent of buyers found their agent through a referral from a friend or family member. 1. Ninety-two percent of home buyers financed their recent home purchase. 2. The percentage of first-time buyers who financed 100 percent of the purchase price with a mortgage dropped to 15 percent from 23 percent last year. 3. Nearly half (47 percent) of home buyers reported they have made some sacrifices such as reducing spending on luxury items, entertainment or clothing. 4. One-fifth of first-time buyers reported their mortgage application and approval process was somewhat more difficult than they expected, and one-in-ten reported it was much more difficult than expected. KIAWAH ISLAND – The island&apos;s developers won a major court victory this week in their effort to build homes on a sand spit next to Charleston County&apos;s Beachwalker Park when a judge granted a permit to build a half-mile erosion prevention wall along the Kiawah River. The judge&apos;s ruling reversed an earlier decision by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Chief Administrative Law Judge Ralph Anderson&apos;s order granting Kiawah Development Partners permit to build a half-mile revetment on Capt. Sam&apos;s Spit. Kiawah Development Partners wants to build a 2,783-foot bulkhead and revetment to stop erosion next to Beachwalker Park. Administrative Law Judge Ralph Anderson ruled Monday in favor of the development company, reversing an earlier decision by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Last year, DHEC said that Kiawah Development Partners could build a 270-foot wall along the county&apos;s park, but determined that a proposed 2,783-foot bulkhead would prevent "shoreline movement in an area that historically has seen inlet formation," and that it would "facilitate development in a pristine dune area." Kiawah Development Partners appealed DHEC&apos;s decision to the South Carolina Administrative Law Court. On Monday, Chief Administrative Law Judge Ralph Anderson ruled in favor of the development company, writing in a 31-page order that "… the project will clearly reduce and likely stop erosion rather than precipitate any erosion. In fact, the benefit from protection of its upland through stabilization of the riverbank is considerable when compared with the benefit of leaving the riverbank in its unaltered state and allowing the erosion to continue unabated into the forested highland and dune areas along the river. This erosion has no positive benefit for anyone and clearly is a detriment to the landowner." In a statement, Buddy Darby, Kiawah Development Partners chairman and chief executive officer, said the judge&apos;s decision "is further validation that sensitive, low-density development can be done and will be done responsibly at Kiawah Island as well as on other sea island communities." Darby said that sand has been building up at the southern end of the island, known as Captain Sam&apos;s Spit, for more than 60 years, sometimes at a rate of 15-feet per year. He said the design of the revetment will allow marsh grass to grow between holes in the concrete. The developers have said they hope to build up to 50 homes on the spit, which covers about 150 acres. Conservation groups vowed to continue their fight. "The people will win this in the end," said Sidi Limehouse, a Johns Island farmer and head of Friends of Kiawah River. "I read the order, and it looks like Darby wrote it. I think the judge came to the wrong decision." Limehouse said he is buoyed by a decision earlier this month by the appointed board of DHEC, which nixed a separate plan by the developers to plant a wall in the sand spit to prevent erosion from affecting future utilities and road on the spit. The development battle began two years ago after Post and Courier Watchdog revealed U.S. Rep. Henry Brown&apos;s attempt to give the developers an insurance break on any future homes that were built on the spit. Brown eventually withdrew his bill. 1. About half of home sellers traded up to a larger size and higher priced home and slightly more than one-fifth traded down to a smaller and less expensive home. 2. Eighty-five percent of sellers were assisted by a real estate agent when selling their home. 3. Recent sellers typically sold their homes for 95 percent of the listing price, and 60 percent reported they reduced the asking price at least once. 4. Forty-two percent of sellers offered incentives to attract buyers, most often assistance with home warranty policies and closing costs. 1. Forty percent of sellers who used a real estate agent found their agents through a referral by friends or family, and 26 percent used the agent they worked with previously to buy or sell a home. 2. Ninety percent of sellers reported that their home was listed or advertised on the Internet. 3. Among recent sellers who used an agent, 81 percent reported they would definitely (59 percent) or probably (22 percent) use that real estate agent again or recommend to others. 1. The share of home sellers who sold their home without the assistance of a real estate agent was 11 percent. About half of them, 45 percent, knew the buyer prior to home purchase. 2. The primary reason that sellers choose to sell their home without the assistance of a real estate agent to a buyer they did not know was that they did not want to pay a fee or commission (49 percent). 3. Nearly one-third of FSBO sellers took no action to market their home, and 57 percent did not offer any incentives to attract buyers. 4. Eighteen percent of FSBO sellers reported preparing or fixing up the home for sale was their most difficult task, while 15 percent reported getting the price right and an additional 15 percent reported understanding and performing paperwork was the hardest part of selling their home. I posted a blog a few days ago addressing FHA lending changes. Here is some additional information. FHA just announced that there will likely be some changes to their requirements for insuring loans effective April 5, 2010. The main ones include an increase in the upfront mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) and a decrease in seller concessions from 6% to 3%. For those who don’t know what UFMIP is, it is the “down payment” that a buyer makes on the mortgage insurance when they use an FHA insured loan. This payment, which can be financed, helps keep down the monthly cost of mortgage insurance. For reference, conventional loans have mortgage insurance (MI) for any loan that is greater than 80% of the value of the property being used as collateral. The MI had become somewhat expensive for borrowers with sub-700 credit scores, causing some borrowers to take out 80-20 loans in the past to avoid it. Because of the losses to lenders over the past couple years, there are very few new loans written like this. FHA charges a premium up front of 1.75% of the loan amount which can be financed into the loan itself and then a monthly charge of 0.55% each month for 5 years or until the loan-to-value automatically reaches 78%, whichever comes last. This premium is set to increase to 2.25%. On a $150,000 loan, the amount borrowed will increase by approximately $750. As far as seller concessions, a decrease in the amount allowed could have an impact on the amount of cash required to be brought to closing by the borrower. For example, a Realtor may have submitted a purchase offer on a home for X amount and asked for the seller to pay for “closing costs, prepaid items and upfront mortgage insurance premium”. In the past on larger loan amounts, 3% would often cover these costs, and the borrower would only need to have the required minimum 3.5% down payment. Now, with the increased UFMIP, 3% will not cover the costs. Since it can be financed into the loan, this is generally not a deal breaker. This becomes more of an issue on lower cost homes because the insurance, the title company fees, lender fees, processing fees, appraisal fees, etc., are for the most part fairly fixed and do not vary much on the price of the home. In other words, the fees to close a $300,000 home may only be a few hundred dollars more than the fees to close a $60,000 home. Being that 3% of those numbers is $9,000 and $1,800 respectively, someone buying a lower priced home (who may be doing it due to financial constraints), may be required to bring cash to the closing, in addition to the down payment, to make up for the shortfall. There are a couple other proposed changes such as a required 10% down payment for borrowers with credit scores below 580, but this is currently a moot point, as I know of no lenders who will make an FHA loan on a score under 620. You can read the Wall Street Journal’s take on this here or see the HUD press release here for some of the other pending changes. For those who don’t know what UFMIP is, it is the “down payment” that a buyer makes on the mortgage insurance when they use an FHA insured loan. This payment, which can be financed, helps keep down the monthly cost of mortgage insurance. Directions: FROM CHARLESTON TAKE HIGHWAY 61 TO CANADYS. TURN LEFT ON HIGHWAY 15. PROPERTY IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 6,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON HIGHWAY 15, CONSISTING OF 23.782 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 5,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON HIGHWAY 15, CONSISTING OF 17.9111 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 4,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON HIGHWAY 15, CONSISTING OF 9.013 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 3,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON HIGHWAY 15, CONSISTING OF 2.314 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Directions: FROM CHARLESTON TAKE HIGHWAY 61 TO CANADYS. TURN LEFT ON HIGHWAY 15. TURN ON TO RED BANK ROAD. PROPERTY IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 2,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON RED BANK ROAD, CONSISTING OF 16.811 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Remarks: THIS IS TRACT 1,WITH ROAD FRONTAGE ON RED BANK ROAD, CONSISTING OF 18.84 ACRES SUBDIVIDED FROM A 88.49 ACRE TRACT OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE PERFECT FOR A PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE, HUNTING, OR SUBDIVISION. THIS TRACT OF RAW LAND HAS BEEN INTERNALLY SUBDIVIDED INTO SIX TRACTS. THE SUBDIVISION SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COLLETON COUNTY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERKS SITES ON THE TRACT. THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED 2-3 MILES FROM THE EDISTO RIVER BOAT LAND, 3-4 MILES FROM I-95, 2-4 MILES FROM COLLETON STATE PARK, AND 8-10 MILES FORM GIVHANS STATE PARK. THERE IS ROAD FRONTAGE ON BOTH HIGHWAY 15 AND RED BANK ROAD. THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN ST. GEORGE AND WALTERBORO. Borrowers with credit-rating scores below 580 will be required to put down at least 10 percent. Those with a credit score above 580 will be able to continue to put down only 3.5 percent. The changes are intended to shore up the agency&apos;s finances. Doing home-improvement jobs yourself can be a smart way to save money, but choose the right DIY projects or you&apos;ll end up paying dearly. Why pay someone big bucks to do something you can just as easily do yourself? That&apos;s the thinking that has gotten more Americans than ever swinging their own hammers. In a recent Time magazine poll, nearly a quarter of people said they were taking on more home-improvement projects themselves-understandably so, when you consider that it usually means a 50% to 75% discount, since all you pay for is materials. But sometimes doing it yourself costs more than it saves, like when you decide to replace the toilet, end up flooding the basement, and have to pay a pro to fix your mistakes. Or, worse, if you become one of the more than 100,000 people injured each year doing home-improvement jobs. Here are some guidelines for deciding when DIY can save you money and when it could cost you. Seasonal home maintenance (http://www.houselogic.com/categories/maintain-structures-systems/) is ideal work for the DIY weekend warrior, since you can plan tasks in advance and get to them when your schedule allows. Because these are repeat projects, your savings will add up to big bucks over the years. Just by mowing your own lawn, for example, you can save $55 to $65 a week for a half-acre lawn during the growing season. The bigger the lot, the bigger the savings: with two acres, you&apos;ll pocket around $150 per week. When It Pays: Look for maintenance jobs that are relatively easy and need to be done regularly, so you can hone your skills over time. In addition to mowing, other good ones are snow removal, pruning shrubs, washing windows, sealing the deck, painting fences, fertilizing the lawn, and replacing air conditioner filters. When It Doesn&apos;t: Unless you have skill and experience on your side, stay off of any ladder taller than six feet; according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov), more than 164,000 people end up in emergency rooms every year because of ladder injuries. The same goes for operating power saws or attempting any major electrical work-it&apos;s simply too risky if you don&apos;t have the experience. If you&apos;re more comfortable operating an iPhone than a circular saw, you may be able to act as your own general contractor on a home-improvement project and hire the carpenters, plumbers, and other tradesmen yourself. You&apos;ll save 10% to 20% of the job cost, which is the contractor&apos;s typical fee. When it Pays: If it&apos;s a small job that requires only two or three different tradesmen, and you have good existing relationships with top-quality professionals in those fields, consider DIY contracting. When It Doesn&apos;t: Unless you have an established network of contacts who will show up as promised, the time to spend on oversight, enough construction experience to spot potential problems, and the skill to negotiate disputes between the various subcontractors, trying to manage your own project can quickly send the schedule and budget off the rails. Contributing your own labor on a big job being handled by a professional crew can cut hundreds or even thousands of dollars off the contractor&apos;s bill. Tear the cabinets and appliances out of your old kitchen before the contractor gets started, say, and you might knock $800 off the cost of your remodel, says Dean Bennett, a design/build contractor in Castle Rock, Colorado. When it Pays: Grunt work-jobs that are labor intensive but require relatively little skill-makes the best homeowner contribution. Offer to do minor interior demolition like removing cabinets and pulling up old flooring, daily jobsite cleanup, product assembly, and simple landscaping like planting foundation shrubs and grass seed around your new addition. When It Doesn&apos;t: If you get in the crew&apos;s way, you may slow them down far more than you help. Make your contributions when the workers aren&apos;t around, such as in the morning before they arrive, or on nights and weekends after they&apos;ve left. Unlike the early phases of a construction job, which require skilled labor to frame walls, install plumbing pipes, and run wiring, many of the finishing touches on a project are comparatively simple and DIY-friendly. If you do the painting yourself for a new basement rec room, for instance, you can easily save $1,800, Bennett says. When it Pays: If you have the skill-or a patient temperament and an experienced friend to teach you-finish work like setting tile, laying flooring, painting walls, and installing trim are all good DIY jobs. When It Doesn&apos;t: The downside to attempting your own finish work is that the results are very visible. Hammer dents in woodwork, for example, or sander ruts in your hardwood floors may cause you aggravation every time you see them. So unless you have a sure eye and a steady hand, it may not pay to embark on these tasks. What do you do when your family outgrows your house, or when the quirks you once found charming about the place just aren&apos;t livable anymore? A few years ago, the answers were easy. With house values climbing an average of 50% from 2001 to 2005 and lenders handing out big checks to nearly anyone who asked, you could quickly unload a too-small house and use the profits to help pay for a larger one. Or you could borrow against that growing equity to fund a big home-improvement project, with the full expectation of making your investment back someday when you sold. Flash forward a few years, and the rules of real estate have changed. In this marketplace, with home equity shrinking and banks reluctant to lend, is it smarter to move or improve? Here&apos;s some advice to help you decide. With median housing prices down 25% since their peak in 2006, some 15 million homeowners-almost one in four-owe more on their mortgages than they could get from a buyer, according to Celia Chen, senior director of Moody&apos;s Economy.com (http://www.economy.com). And even folks who bought before the big run-up and can afford to sell at today&apos;s lower prices still face steep odds trying to unload their homes with the glut of inventory on the market (36% more lawns wear For Sale signs now than a few years ago). There was an uptick in units sold in early 2009, leading some economists to predict that the market has begun to rebound, but selling a house is likely going to remain difficult for a while. Still, there can be an advantage to trading up now: If your house has curb appeal and a good kitchen-and you price it right-offers will come. You may not turn a big profit, but once you sell, you become a buyer in this buyer&apos;s market. That means you&apos;ll find what you&apos;re looking for and pay less for it than a few years ago. To analyze your trade-up options, check local listings to ballpark the price you could realistically get for your home and what you&apos;d have to pay for the next place. Then contact a bank to see if, based on those figures and your financial situation, you&apos;re likely to qualify for the new mortgage. Or do your research online: Investigate home values at online real estate sites and how much of a mortgage you&apos;d qualify for at bankrate.com (http://www.bankrate.com). The economic slump has actually made renovating the home you already own a bit easier. The construction-industry slowdown has lowered the cost of some building materials: Plywood is down 46%, for example, framing lumber is down 42%, and drywall is down 25%, according to Bernard Markstein, senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders (http://www.nahb.org). Many contractors are also charging less for labor, to compete for the smaller pool of available jobs. What&apos;s more, you won&apos;t have to wait months for a contractor to show up-chances are he&apos;ll be able to start in a matter of days. Now more than ever, though, you need to make sure that you invest your money wisely. In other words, will your $75,000 kitchen remodel increase your home value by $75,000-or by anything close? For guidelines, check out the Cost vs. Value Report, which gives national average cost and payback figures for 30 popular remodeling projects. To assess what&apos;s right for your particular house, let your neighborhood be your guide. If there&apos;s any chance that you&apos;ll move within the next 10 years (and in this economy, who can be sure?) keep your improvements in line with those of other houses on your block, or you risk losing the money when you sell. Your house isn&apos;t just your largest investment, of course, it&apos;s also the place where your family lives. Financial considerations aside, the question of whether to move or improve should be decided by the things you cannot change about your current home: the school district, the amount of traffic on your street, the size and layout of your yard, your commute, the ease of access to markets and malls, and your neighborhood quality of life. If you love the spot, improving makes sense. But if a different location would be an improvement in its own right, then trading up could be the way to go. The Internal Revenue Service released the new form that eligible homebuyers need to claim the first-time homebuyer credit this tax season and announced processing of those tax returns will begin in mid-February. The IRS also announced new documentation requirements to deter fraud related to the first-time homebuyer credit. 1. A copy of the settlement statement showing all parties&apos; names and signatures, property address, sales price, and date of purchase. Normally, this is the properly executed Form HUD-1, Settlement Statement. 2. For mobile home purchasers who are unable to get a settlement statement, a copy of the executed retail sales contract showing all parties&apos; names and signatures, property address, purchase price and date of purchase. 3. For a newly constructed home where a settlement statement is not available, a copy of the certificate of occupancy showing the owner’s name, property address and date of the certificate. In addition, the new law allows a long-time resident of the same main home to claim the homebuyer credit if they purchase a new principal residence. To qualify, eligible taxpayers must show that they lived in their old homes for a five-consecutive-year period during the eight-year period ending on the purchase date of the new home. The IRS encourages taxpayers to use direct deposit to speed their refund. In addition, taxpayers can use Where&apos;s My Refund? on IRS.gov to track the status of their refund. To calculate how much remodel you can afford, follow these four steps: Ballpark the cost, establish a spending limit, make a wish list, and set your priorities. What&apos;s on your remodeling wish list? Maybe you&apos;re longing for a spa-like master bathroom, a new eat-in kitchen, or a garage with space enough to fit your cars and your outdoor gear. Well, when it comes to home improvements, knowing what you want is the easy part. The tougher question is figuring out how much you can afford. Follow this four-step plan to arrive at the answer. The first step is to get a handle on how much your remodeling dreams will cost. Remodeling magazine&apos;s 2009-10 Cost vs. Value Report (http://www.remodeling.hw.net/2008/costvsvalue/national.aspx) gives national averages for 30 common projects. Or you can use a per-square-foot estimate: In general, major upgrades, such as a bathroom remodel or a family-room addition, run $100 to $200 per square foot. Your local National Association of Home Builders (http://www.NAHB.ORG) affiliate can help with estimates. At this point, you&apos;re not trying to nail down exact prices, but to get a rough sense of what your project might cost. Once you have a ballpark cost estimate, the next question is whether you have the money. If you&apos;re paying cash, that&apos;s pretty easy to answer. But if you&apos;re borrowing, you need to assess how much a bank will lend you (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/a-guide-to-equity-loan-options/) and what that loan will add to your monthly expenses. For the vast majority of homeowners, the best way to borrow for a home improvement is a home equity line of credit (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/when-heloc-right-choice/). A HELOC (pronounced HEE-lock) is a loan that&apos;s secured by your home equity, which means that it qualifies for a lower rate than other loan types, and you can deduct the interest on your taxes. Because a HELOC is a line of credit rather than a lump-sum loan, it comes with a checkbook that you use to withdraw money as needed, up to the maximum amount of the loan. For help shopping for a HELOC, download our free worksheet. The catch is that the minimum payment on a HELOC is just that month&apos;s interest; you&apos;re not required to pay back any principal. Like only paying the minimum due on a credit card, that&apos;s a recipe for getting stuck in debt. Instead, establish your own repayment schedule. You can do this simply by paying 1/60th of the principal (for a five-year paydown) or 1/120th (for 10 years) in addition to the monthly interest. If you can&apos;t afford that much, then you should reconsider your project. Once you have ballpark estimates of what your job might cost and how much you can spend, you know whether it&apos;s feasible to move forward. Assuming the numbers are within shooting range of each other, it&apos;s time to get a nuts-and-bolts assessment of project costs. Don&apos;t ask contractors for bids yet, though. First, you need to determine exactly what you want, right down to the kitchen countertop material and the type of faucet. By specifying these details up front, you ensure that contractors are all pricing the same things, rather than the countertop and faucet they assume you want. If you&apos;re using an architect or designer, bring them in now to help with these choices. If not, consult magazines, go to showrooms, and visit friends&apos; houses for ideas. Next, get recommendations for at least three contractors from friends, neighbors, and other tradesmen that you trust. Give each one your project description and specific product lists and request an itemized bid. To make a final decision, assess some of their previous work, their attitudes, and their references, and then choose the contractor who impresses you most. Take the winning contractor&apos;s bid and add a 15% to 20% contingency for the unforeseen problems and changes that occur on every project. Is the total still within your ability to pay? If so, you&apos;re ready to get started. If not, it&apos;s time to scale back your plans. Because you have an itemized bid, you can get a good sense of what you&apos;ll save by eliminating various aspects of the project. Enlist the contractor&apos;s help: Explain that you&apos;ve decided to hire him (and you&apos;re not trying to nickel-and-dime him) but that the bid is over your budget, and ask him to recommend ways to cut costs. He may suggest phasing parts of the job-keeping your old appliances in your new kitchen, for example, because they&apos;re easy to upgrade later-or stealing some underutilized square footage for part of your family room to reduce the size of the addition. He may even suggest waiting until the slow winter season, or letting you do some of the work yourself (http://www.houselogic.com/articles/when-it-pays-to-do-it-yourself/). Once the bottom line on the bid matches the bottom line on your budget, you&apos;re ready to transform your home. As buyers ease back into the battered real-estate market, they&apos;re often hitting a stumbling block: fibbing by home sellers. Eager to unload their abodes, some sellers exaggerate the size of their lots or their houses. Others minimize their property-tax or utility bills, conveniently forget about pests, or play down flooding problems or noise. Real-estate experts say that while such misrepresentations aren&apos;t new, the tough market of the past few years has made buyers more wary, partly because they can&apos;t expect rising home prices to bail them out of costly mistakes. As a result, deals are taking longer, and more of them are falling apart as buyers find properties sometimes aren&apos;t all they&apos;re supposed to be. More than 30 states have disclosure laws requiring sellers to tell prospective buyers and agents about leaky roofs and other problems, according to the National Association of Realtors. But there&apos;s often a gray area involving the disclosure of problems the seller may not know about, such as a long-ago flood or hidden mold. States are also increasingly passing laws requiring homeowners to disclose environmental issues, such as the presence of radon gas, a contaminant linked to lung cancer, and underground fuel tanks. In California, the checklist of required disclosures is so long that a cottage industry has sprung up of firms that help sellers prepare the forms. Given the complexity of disclosure laws, it&apos;s not surprising that potential buyers don&apos;t hear about every problem in a house. Besides the issue of fibbing, sellers may genuinely not know about problems. And even if they do, the laws generally don&apos;t apply to bank-owned homes transferred in foreclosures, which now constitute a larger share of sales. Buyers need to do their own due diligence and not rely exclusively on what sellers and agents say. They should hire an independent home inspector or home-inspection engineer, one not referred by the seller—and be aware that real-estate agents typically represent the seller. 1. "This house is on two acres." Disputes about property dimensions—how many square feet in a house or condo, or its exact boundaries—are common. Sometimes buyers don&apos;t learn the exact dimensions until the lender&apos;s appraisal. Listing agents usually accept a seller&apos;s word on property dimensions, says Diane Saatchi, a senior vice president at Saunders & Associates, a real-estate firm in Bridgehampton, N.Y. "We tell everyone to verify," she says. Smaller dimensions also can cause an appraisal to come in lower than the agreed-upon purchase price. Low appraisals are a leading cause of ruined deals in today&apos;s market. A properly worded appraisal contingency in the purchase contract would allow you to scuttle the deal or find other financing if the appraisal comes in low, says New York real-estate attorney Michael Xylas. 2. "We don&apos;t have pests." A basic home inspection generally doesn&apos;t include a peek inside walls or underground for termites and mold, which are among the top complaints. Inspections for mold and radon gas also generally aren&apos;t included; usually buyers must order these inspections separately. Other inside-the-wall problems include faulty wiring and old plumbing, which also may require specialists. James Holtzman, a financial adviser at Legend Financial Advisors Inc. in Pittsburgh, says sellers of the 1901 house he bought in August 2006 said its electrical wiring was completely upgraded, yet an electrical inspection revealed only one of three floors had been totally upgraded. The seller then knocked $6,000 off the sales price before they went to contract so Mr. Holtzman, 35 years old, could pay for the necessary work. 3. "This place never floods." Even arid states such as Arizona and New Mexico have occasional flash floods, and water and drainage problems aren&apos;t always obvious. June Walbert, 52, a certified financial planner at USAA, a financial-services company, says her San Antonio house received a clean bill of health from a home inspector before she bought it six years ago. But 10 days after she moved in, the sewer backed up, flooding the house, and she had to fork over $2,800 for repairs. "It was a rude surprise," says Ms. Walbert, who adds she asked her home inspector and the seller for compensation, but didn&apos;t get it. Bill Richardson, outgoing president of the American Society of Home Inspectors, says a general home inspection wouldn&apos;t catch that unless the sewer line was visible from the basement or water backed up into sinks and tubs or toilets. 4. "Taxes and maintenance costs are low." Home buyers often gripe about tax and utilities bills that are higher than sellers said they were. Homeowner association and condo dues and assessments are also common complaints. Sometimes sellers simply underestimate the bills, or forget to include recent or expected increases, agents and brokers say. Taxes can also be deceptively low because of unrecorded improvements like decks and finished basements. Ask to see recent bills, and check with the tax assessor&apos;s office for up-to-date information. 5. "This is a quiet neighborhood." Sellers may play down distractions that could drive you crazy, such as barking dogs or idling buses. A charming park by day could be a teen hangout at night. Your best bet is to view a property at different times of the day. "I can&apos;t tell you how many times in my career buyers didn&apos;t go there in the night time, even though I told them to. You spend more time in the house at night than during the day," says Ms. Saatchi, the New York real-estate agent. Talk to neighbors and peruse the local newspapers and blogs to get a feel for a place, and check with police for crime. 6. "There&apos;s going to be a golf course, a pool and a party room." Builders of many developments that broke ground during the housing boom ran out of money before the project was completed. Many homeowner and condo associations also are strapped because of delinquencies and defaults. Some states require upfront disclosures about this, but you should also ask neighbors, not just sellers, about any promised facilities. Also, check titles to be sure that specific parking spaces, storage units or other facilities are included in a property sale. I read this article in the Wall Street Journal and thought it was worth passing on to you. I believe that all home buyers should utilize a National Association of Realtors Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) to guide them through the home buying experience to ensure the best possible outcome. Plenty of home buyers have found themselves at the closing table, ready to sign the myriad documents that will officially make them new homeowners–only to get nasty sticker shock. What was originally supposed to cost them, say, $2,500 in closing costs, has turned into $3,000. The Good Faith Estimate (GFE), a tally of the fees associated with a mortgage loan due at closing, is exactly that – an estimate. Often these costs, which are provided by mortgage brokers and lenders to borrowers within three days of getting a loan application, escalate by closing time. But on Jan. 1, new federal rules adopted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development took effect, mandating the use of a redesigned, simplified Good Faith Estimate form. The idea behind the revision: to avoid those closing-table surprises. The main change is how lenders communicate fee information to borrowers. Under the old system, there was no standardized format. "Fees were communicated in multiple ways, which adds to the confusion when comparing costs," says Keith Gumbinger, a vice president at HSH Associates, which tracks the mortgage market. Under the new rules, lenders will all be required to use the same form for their Good Faith Estimates – a three-page document issued by HUD. There are also new rules capping increases in costs that are disclosed on the Good Faith Estimate and guidelines so that fees listed on the initial GFE reflect the actual cost at settlement. "Those fees on the GFE at the beginning of the process will be the same on HUD-1 form [final settlement statement] at the end of the process," says Mr. Gumbinger. The new GFE guidelines are certainly better than the old ones and will reduce closing?costs modestly – but there are still some kinks in the process, namely opportunistic pricing, says Jack Guttentag, professor of finance emeritus at the Wharton School who also operates a web site that offers free mortgage information. That means that two different borrowers can go to the same lender but get two different estimates. The lender can size up the first one as a sophisticate, the other as a dupe, and charge the latter more than the former – just because he thinks he can get away with it. "There&apos;s no ready way a disclosure statement can prevent that," Mr. Guttentag says. Prospective buyers should also be aware that while overall costs associated with closing on a home may come down as a result of the new GFE, they might have to pay up down the line in other ways. It will cost lenders to comply with the new regulations: they have to buy new software, print new documents, train loan originators to fill out the new forms properly. "They will be built into fees, so eventually consumers will pay" for these overhead costs, says Mr. Gumbinger. So will the new good faith estimate make borrowers savvier about shopping around for a loan? Some are doubtful. "The forms are still pretty complicated," says Richard Vetstein, a real?estate attorney with Vetstein Law Group in Framingham, Mass. "Even for me – a real estate attorney – it took several hours to go through the forms and all the changes, and figure out what&apos;s going on." 1. Fees that cannot change from the original GFE to final settlement. These include the lender&apos;s origination and underwriting charges, and the credit or "points" based on the specific interest rate chosen. 2. Fees that can increase up to 10% at settlement. These include services required and recommended by the lender. If the borrower selects a third-party provider (for title services, title?insurance and recording charges) from the lender&apos;s approved list, the fees cannot increase by more than 10% from the upfront estimate to the final. 3. Fees that can change without limit. These include charges from service providers (for title insurance) chosen by the borrower, but not recommended by the lender. This category also includes things like daily interest charges, homeowner&apos;s insurance, as well as flood and pest insurance, if necessary. It encourages borrowers to do their own shopping. "It prevents the worst abuses of price escalation on third-party charges for service providers selected by the lender," says Mr. Guttentag.

2019-04-19T07:24:25Z

http://www.carolinajoe.com/blog/index.php/2010/01/

A method is described for stabilizing organic substrate materials having an absorption maximum in the range of from about 300 nm to 800 nm to light which comprises making at least one complex represented by the formula (I) coexist with the organic substrate materials in an amount effective to stabilize said organic substrate material: ##STR1## wherein M represents copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium or platinum, and R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-arylcarbamoyl group, or an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an N-arylsulfamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group. The present invention relates to stabilizing organic substrate materials and, more particularly, to stabilizing organic dyes and particularly photographic dye images to light. In general, it is widely known that organic substrate materials, for example, organic dyes tend to fade or discolor by the action of light and in the fields of inks, textile dyeing color photography, etc., means of improving the light fastness of organic dyes, preventing fading or discoloring of such organic dyes, etc., have been investigated. Many methods for reducing the occurence of fading or discoloring or increasing the light fastness of these organic substrate materials have been reported. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,300 discloses that the resistance or stabilization of organic compounds such as indophenol dyes, indoaniline dyes, azo dyes, and azomethine dyes to visible light and ultraviolet rays is improved by mixing them with a phenol type compound having fused heterocyclic ring. Generally, in the field of silver halide photographic materials, various methods are known for improving the stability of color images, that is, the images of dyes such as azomethine dyes or indoaniline dyes formed by the reaction of the oxidation product of an aromatic primary amine color developing agent and couplers as described in C. E. K. Mees and T. H. James; The Theory of the Photographic Process; Chapter 17, published in 1967 by Macmillan Co. For example, there are the hydroquinone derivatives described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,360,290; 2,418,613; 2,675,314; 2,701,197; 2,704,713; 2,728,659; 2,732,300; 2,735,765; 2,710,801; and 2,816,028; and U.K. Pat. No. 1,363,921, the gallic acid derivatives described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,457,079 and 3,069,262 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 13,496/'68, the p-alkoxyphenols described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,735,765 and 3,698,909, and the derivatives such as chroman and cumarin described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,432,300; 3,573,050; 3,574,627; 3,764,337; 3,574,626; 3,698,909 and 4,015,990. However, these compounds have an effect as a fading preventing agent or discoloring preventing agent for color images but the effect is insufficient. Also, a method for improving the stability of organic compounds to light by using an azomethine quenching compound of which the absorption maximum is at a longer wavelength than the absorption maximum of the substrate material is described in U.K. Pat. No. 1,451,000 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,938 to Smith Jr. et al. However, since the azomethine quenching compound itself has deep color, the use of such a compound is disadvantageous in the point that it influences greatly on the color hue of the substrate material. In more detail, the chelated metal quenching compound of Smith Jr. et al seriously reduces the sensitivity of a photographic system and this is a substantial defect in the use of such a component in a photographic system. Also, the use of metal complexes for the prevention of light deterioration of polymers is described by J. P. Guillory and R. S. Becker in Journal of Polymer Science, Polym. Chem. Ed., 12, 993(1974) and by R. P. R. Ranaweera and G. Scott in Journal of Polymer Science, Polym. Lett., Ed., 13, 71(1975) and further a method of stabilizing dyes by metal complexes is described in Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 87,649/'75 and "Research Disclosure", 15162(1976). However, since the fading prevention effect itself of these complexes is not so high and the solubility thereof inorganic solvents is not high, it is difficult to add the complexes in an amount sufficient for obtaining the desired fading prevention effect. Furthermore, these complexes themselves are greatly colored and hence they have such difficulty that if a large amount of the complex is used, it gives bad influences on the color hue and the purity of the organic materials, in particular, dyes. An object of this invention is to provide a method of improving the stability of organic substrate materials to light. Another object of this information is to provide a method of improving the stability of organic substrate materials and, in particular, dyes to light without degrading their hue and purity. Still another object of this invention is to provide a method of improving the stability of organic substrate materials to light using a particular stabilizer having relatively high solubility in organic solvents and high miscibility with the organic substrate materials. A further object of this invention is to provide a method of improving the stability of dyes forming color photographic images to light. Another object of this invention is to provide a method of improving the light fastness of dyes formed by the reaction of an oxidized aromatic primary amino color developing agent and color couplers. A further object of the present invention is to provide a diffusion transfer color photographic material incorporating a particular stabilizer in which the transferred dye images possess improved light fastness. Still a further object of the present invention is to improve the light fastness of colored polymers such as encountered in agricultural vinyl sheets, umbrellas, tents, etc." Other objects of this invention will also become clear from the following description of the invention. The above-described and other objects of this invention can be attained by the coexistence of at least one of the complexes shown by following formula I with the organic substrate materials having an absorption maximum in a wave length region of from about 300 n. m. to about 800 n. m. in an amount effective to stabilize the organic substrate material; ##STR2## wherein M represents a copper atom, a cobalt atom, a nickel atom, a palladium atom or a platinum atom, and R1 and R2 independently (that is, R1 and R2 need not be identical) represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-arylcarbamoyl group, an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an N-arylsulfamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group. The terms "in the presence of" or "coexistant with" as used in the specification refer not only to the coexistence of the substrate material and the compounds of formula (I) in the same solution, dispersion, emulsion layer, but also to the existence of the organic substrate material and the complex in, for example, adjacent layers of a multilayer photographic material. As long as the complex is associated with the organic substrate material in some way that it can improve the light fastness of the organic substrate material, it is used "in the presence of" or "coexists with" the substrate for purposes of the present invention. In particular, the terms include the embodiments of the invention discussed later in which an organic substrate material such as a photographic dye or a photographic dye image providing material is coated in one layer with the complexes used in the present invention or the substrate material and complex are coated in separate layers of a photographic material such that upon migration or diffusion the two materials interact to improve the light fastness of the substrate material. As described above, the invention provides a method of improving the light fastness or light resistance of organic substrate materials (organic materials). The term "organic substrate material" or "substrate material" used in the specification includes materials which appear colored or colorless the human eye under sun light and thus includes not only materials having a absorption maximum in the visible region but also fluorescent whitening agents or materials having an absorption maximum in the infrared region. Thus, in this invention, the organic substrate materials include organic materials having an absorption maximum in a region from about 300 nm in ultraviolet region to about 800 nm in infrared region. These organic substrate materials occur particularly in photographic materials, e.g., color films, prints, diffusion transfer units, etc., in colored polymers useful as agricultural vinyl cover sheets, umbrellas, tents, etc.; fluorescent whitening agents; and dyed textiles, etc.; and this invention is directed to improving the light fastness of these materials in each of these fields. The term "dye" or "coloring matter" used in this invention are organic substrate materials which appear colored to the human eye under sunlight. The term "light" used in this invention refers to electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths shorter than about 800 nm and includes ultraviolet rays of wavelength shorter than about 400 nm, visible radiation of from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and infrared rays of from about 700 nm to about 800 nm. Now, the general formula (I) showing the complexes used in this invention will be explained in detail. Preferred alkyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are alkyl groups having from about 1 to 20 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substitutent moieties in case of having substituents) which may be unsubstituted or substituted straight- or branched-chain alkyl groups. Examples of the alkyl groups represented by R1 and R2 include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, a butyl group, a hexyl group, an octyl group, a decyl group, a dodecyl group, a tetradecyl group, a hexadecyl group and an octadecyl group. Preferred aryl groups represented by R1 and R2 are aryl groups having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms, which may be substituted or unsubstituted. Examples of the aryl groups represented by R1 and R2 include a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a tolyl group and a xylyl group. Preferred acyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are acyl groups having the alkyl moiety of 1 to 20 carbon atoms or the aryl moiety of 6 to 14 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). Examples of such acyl groups include an acetyl group, a valeryl group, a stearoyl group, a benzoyl group and a toluoyl group. Preferred N-alkylcarbamoyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 2 to 21 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). Examples of such groups include an N-butylcarbamoyl group and an N-n-dodecylcarbamoyl group. Preferred N-arylcarbamoyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 7 to 15 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). An example thereof is an N-phenylcarbamoyl group. Preferred N-alkylsulfamoyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). An example thereof is an N-butylsulfamoyl group. Preferred N-arylsulfamoyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). An example thereof is an N-phenylsulfamoyl group. Preferred alkoxycarbonyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 2 to 21 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). Examples of such groups include an ethoxycarbonyl group, a butoxycarbonyl group and an n-hexadecyloxycarbonyl group. Preferred aryloxycarbonyl groups represented by R1 and R2 are groups having from 7 to 15 carbon atoms (exclusive of carbon atoms in the substituent moieties in case of having substituents). An example thereof is a phenoxycarbonyl group. The alkyl groups, aryl groups, acyl groups, N-alkylcarbamoyl groups, N-arylcarbamoyl groups, N-alkylsulfamoyl groups, N-arylsulfamoyl groups, alkoxycarbonyl groups and aryloxycarbonyl groups may be substituted by halogen atoms (for example, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine), a cyano group, straight chain or branched chain alkyl groups (for example, a methyl group, ethyl group, propyl group, butyl group, hexyl group, octyl group, decyl group, dodecyl group, tetradecyl group, hexadecyl group, heptadecyl group, octadecyl group or methoxyethoxyethyl group), aryl groups (for example, a phenyl group, tolyl group, naphthyl group, chlorophenyl group, methoxyphenyl group or acetylphenyl group), alkoxy groups (for example, a methoxy group, ethoxy group, butoxy group, propoxy group or methoxyethoxy group), aryloxy groups (for example, a phenoxy group, tolyloxy group, naphthoxy group or methoxyphenoxy group), alkoxycarbonyl groups (for example, a methoxycarbonyl group, butoxycarbonyl group or phenoxymethoxycarbonyl group), aryloxycarbonyl groups (for example, a phenoxycarbonyl group, tolyloxycarbonyl group or methoxyphenoxycarbonyl group), acyl groups (for example, a formyl group, acetyl group, valeryl group, stearoyl group, benzoyl group, toluoyl group, naphthoyl group or p-methoxybenzoyl group), acyloxy groups (for example, an acetoxy group or acyloxy group), acylamino groups (for example, an acetamido group, benzamido group or methoxyacetamido group), anilino groups (for example, a phenylamino group, N-methylanilino group, N-phenylanilino group or N-acetylanilino group), alkylamino groups (for example, an n-butylamino group, N,N-diethylamino group or 4-methoxy-n-butylamino group), carbamoyl groups (for example, an n-butylcarbamoyl group, N,N-diethylcarbamoyl group), sulfamoyl groups (for example, an n-butylsulfamoyl group, N,N-diethylsulfamoyl group, n-dodecylsulfamoyl group or N-(4-methoxy-n-butyl)sulfamoyl group), sulfonylamino groups (for example, a methylsulfonylamino group, phenylsulfonylamino group or methoxymethylsulfonylamino group) or sulfonyl groups (for example, a mesyl group, tosyl group or methoxymethanesulfonyl group). Unless otherwise indicated, the total carbon atom range of the alkyl or alkyl-containing group (i.e., acyl, N-alkylcarbamoyl, N-alkylsulfamoyl and alkoxycarbonyl) represented by R1 and R2, including substituents, if any, is preferably up to about 36; if the carbon atom range of the alkyl or alkyl-containing group exceeds the upper limit, complexes having such a group(s) would be dissolved only with extreme difficulty and such a poor solubility would adversely affect the system to be stabilized (this would be serious in case of photographic system in terms of fog formation due to poor solubility), though stabilization is effected even with such complexes. For the same reason, unless otherwise indicated, it is preferred that the total carbon atom number of the aryl or aryl-containing group represented by R1 and R2 , including substituents, if any, be up to about 40. In formula (IA), M1 represents a copper atom, a cobalt atom, a nickel atom, a palladium atom or a platinum atom, and R3 and R4 independently represent each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group or an N-arylcarbamoyl group. Examples of the alkyl groups, aryl groups, N-alkylcarbamoyl groups and N-arylcarbamoyl groups include the same groups as those described for R1 and R2 with respect to formula (I). Of the above-described complexes, complexes I-4, I-5 and I-6 are particularly preferred. Synthesis of Complex I-4: ##STR5## was dissolved in 50 ml of ethanol. To the resulting solution, an aqueous solution prepared by dissolving 1.2 g of nickel acetate tetrahydrate in 30 ml of water was added, with stirring, at a room temperature. Separated orange crystals were obtained, and were recrystallized using ethanol. Yield: 2.4 g. 1.19 g of nickel chloride hexahydrate was dissolved in 40 ml of methanol. 1.74 g of ##STR6## was dissolved in 40 ml of methanol. These solutions were mixed at a room temperature. To the resulting mixture, a solution prepared by dissolving 1.5 g of anhydrous potassium acetate in 50 ml of methanol was added dropwise with stirring at a room temperature. Fine crystals of the red complex were separated, and were recrystallized using hot methanol (or hot acetone). Yield: 2.1 g. As will be apparent from the extensive discussion and examples of the organic substrate material which follows, the present invention is effective with a wide variety of organic materials. The organic substrate materials in this invention include all dyes belonging to the following classes based on dyeing property, i.e., water-soluble dyes such as basic dyes, acid dyes, direct dyes, soluble vat dyes, mordant dyes, etc.; water-insoluble dyes such as sulfur dyes, vat dyes, oil colors, disperse dyes, azoic dyes, oxidation dyes, etc.; and reactive dyes. These organic substrate materials include not only the dyes which are seen as colored materials under sunlight but also colorless or light yellow fluorescent whitening dyes. Of these dyes, the dyes preferably used in conjunction with this invention are quinoneimine dyes (e.g., azine dyes, oxazine dyes, thiazine dyes, etc.), methine and polymethine dyes (e.g., cyanine dyes, azomethine dyes, etc.), azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, indoamine dyes, indophenol dyes, indigoid dyes, carbonium dyes, formazan dyes, etc., classified by chemical structure. The organic substrate materials in this invention also include image-forming dyes used in the field of photography, for example, the dyes formed from color couplers, DRR compounds (dye releasing redox compounds), DDR couplers (diffusible dye releasing couplers), amidrazone compounds, dye developers, etc., and dyes for the silver dye bleach process. Preferred organic substrate materials in this invention are photographically useful dyes such as anthraquinone dyes, quinoneimine dyes, azo dyes, methine dyes, polymethine dyes, indoamine dyes, indophenol dyes and formazan dyes, and fluorescent whitening agents which is useful for improving the background whiteness. Furthermore, examples of the most preferred dyes used at the practice of this invention are methine dyes, polymethine dyes, indoamine dyes and indophenol dyes, which include compounds having the following moiety: ##STR7## wherein the phenyl group may be substituted by one or more alkyl groups, alkoxy groups, halogen atoms, or amino groups. The dye-forming couplers suitably used in this invention include yellow dye-forming couplers, magenta dye-forming couplers and cyan dye-forming couplers. These couplers may be so-called 4-equivalent couplers or 2-equivalent couplers as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,277,155 and 3,458,315. The yellow dye-forming couplers generally contain at least one methylene group activated by a carbonyl group (for example, open chain type ketomethylene groups) and include β-diketones and β-ketoacylamides such as, for example, benzylacetanilide and α-pivalylacetanilide. Examples of the suitable yellow couplers used in this invention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,875,057, 3,265,506, 3,408,194, 3,551,155, 3,582,322, 3,725,072 and 3,891,445, German Pat. No. 1,547,868, German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,213,461, 2,219,917, 2,261,361, 2,263,875 and 2,414,006, British Pat. Nos. 1,421,123, 1,421,126 and 1,425,020, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10783/76 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 102636/76, 6341/75, 123342/75, 130442/75, 21827/76 and 87650/75. As the magenta dye-forming couplers used in this invention, there are, for example, 5-pyrazolone type couplers. The couplers of this type are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,600,788, 2,983,608, 3,062,653, 3,127,269, 3,311,476, 3,419,391, 3,519,429, 3,558,319, 3,582,322, 3,615,506, 3,834,908 and 3,891,445, German Pat. No. 1,810,464, German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,408,665, 2,417,945, 2,418,959 and 2,424,467, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 6031/65 and 45990/76 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 159336/75, 42121/77, 74028/74, 60233/75 and 26541/76. Other magenta dye-forming couplers used in this invention are the indazolones of the type as described in Vittum and Weissberger, Journal of Photographic Science, Vol. 6, page 158 et seq. (1958), pyrazolinobezimidazole as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,432, pyrazolo-s-triazole as described in Belgian Pat. No. 724,427, and 2-cyanoacetylcumarone as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,115,394. The cyan dye-forming couplers which can be used in this invention include phenol compounds and α-naphthol compounds. The compounds of this type are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,369,929, 2,434,272, 2,474,293, 2,521,908, 2,895,826, 3,034,892, 3,311,476, 3,458,315, 3,476,563, 3,583,971, 3,591,383, 3,767,411 and 4,004,929, German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,414,830 and 2,454,329 and Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 59838/73, 26034/76, 5055/73 and 146828/76. In addition, it is possible to use colored couplers, as are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,476,560, 2,521,908 and 3,034,892, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2016/69, 22335/63, 11304/67 and 32461/69, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 26034/76 and 42121/77 and German Patent Application (OLS) No. 2,418,959, etc., and DIR couplers as are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,227,554, 3,617,291, 3,701,783, 3,790,384 and 3,632,345, German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,414,006, 2,454,301 and 2,454,329, British Pat. No. 953,454, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 69624/77, 122335/74 and 69624/77 and Japanese Patent Publication 16141/76. In general, the couplers described above are further described in, for example, Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 5, pp. 822 to 825 and Glafkides, Photographic Chemistry, Vol. 2, pp. 596-614. As described above, when such couplers are used in the practice of this invention, dyes are formed by the reaction of these couplers and an oxidized aromatic primary amino silver halide developing agent. The developing agent described above includes an aminophenol and a phenylenediamine and they may include a mixture of them. Representative examples of the developing agents capable of forming the substrate materials by coupling into various kinds of couplers according to an embodiment of the present invention are p-phenylenediamines and the derivatives thereof as described in T. H. James, The Theory of the Photographic Process, the fourth edition, pp. 315-320, Macmillan, New York (1977). Preferred p-phenylenediamines or the derivatives thereof are p-phenylenediamines in which at least one amino group is substituted by lower alkyl group(s) having 1 to 3 carbon atoms and the derivative thereof, for example, 4-amino-N,N-dimethylaniline, 4-amino-N,N-diethylaniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N,N-diethylaniline, 4-amino-3-ethyl-N-ethyl-N-(β-methanesulfonamidoethyl)aniline, 4-amino-N-ethyl-N-(β-hydroxyethyl)aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(β-hydroxyethyl)aniline and so on. Cyan, magenta and yellow couplers which are preferably employed are represented by the formulae (II), (III) or (IV) below, respectively: ##STR9## wherein R5, R6, R7 and R8 each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom (e.g., fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine), an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., methyl, ethyl, octyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, octadecyl, etc.); an alkyl- or aryl-substituted carbamoyl wherein the aryl moiety has 6 to 10 carbon atoms (e.g., methylcarbamoyl, ethylcarbamoyl), dodecylcarbamoyl, tetradecylcarbamoyl, octadecylcarbamoyl, N-phenylcarbamoyl, N-tolylcarbamoyl, etc.); an alkyl- or aryl-substituted sulfamoyl group (e.g., methylsulfamoyl, ethylsulfamoyl, dodecylsulfamoyl, tetradecylsulfamoyl, octadecylsulfamoyl, N-phenylsulfamoyl, N-tolylsulfamoyl, etc.); an alkyl- or aryl-substituted amido group (e.g., acetamido, propionamido, benzamido, phenacetamido, etc.); a sulfonamido group (e.g., benzenesulfonamido), a phosphoric acid amido group, a ureido group, etc. R5 and R6 may combine with each other to form a 6-membered carbocyclic ring (e.g., a benzene ring which may further be substituted with a C1 -C20 alkyl or C6 -C14 aryl group). Y1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom (e.g., fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine); or a group which is releasable upon the reaction with the oxidation product of a developing agent (e.g., an alkoxy group wherein the alkyl moiety has 1 to 20 carbon atoms; an aryloxy group wherein the aryl moiety has 6 to 10 carbon atoms; a sulfonamido group, a sulfonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an imido group, an aminosulfonyloxy group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, and arylcarbonyloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, a heterocyclic ring thio group, etc.; the details of which are well known in the art. The alkyl, carbamoyl, sulfamoyl and amido groups expressed by R5, R6, R7 and R8, or the 6-membered ring formed by combining R5 and R6 with each other can also be substituted with other substituents, for example, a C1 -C20 alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, octyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, octadecyl, etc.); a C6 -C14 aryl group (e.g., phenyl, tolyl, naphthyl, etc.); a C6 -C14 aryloxy group (e.g., phenoxy, 2,5-di(t)-amylphenoxy, etc.); a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); and the like. ##STR10## wherein R9 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); a C1 -C20 alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, etc.); or a C1 -C20 alkoxy group (e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, etc.); R10 represents a C1 -C20 alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, octyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, octadecyl, etc.); an amido group (e.g., butanamido, decanamido, tetradecanamido, nonadecanamido, etc.); an imido group (e.g., tetradecylsuccinimido, octadecenylsuccinimido, etc.); an N-alkylcarbamoyl group the alkyl moiety of which contains 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., decylcarbamoyl, tetradecylcarbamoyl, octadecylcarbamoyl, etc.); an N-alkylsulfamoyl group the alkyl moiety of which contains 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., decysulfamoyl, tetradecylsulfamoyl, octadecylsulfamoyl, etc.); an N-alkoxycarbonyl group the alkyl moiety of which contains 1 to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., decyloxycarbonyl, tetradecyloxycarbonyl, octadecyloxycarbonyl, etc.); an acyloxy group (e.g., valeryloxy, palmitoyloxy, stearoyloxy, oleyloxy, benzoyloxy, toluoyloxy, etc.); a sulfonamido group, a urethane group, etc.; and R11 represents a C6 -C14 aryl group (e.g., phenyl, naphthyl, etc.). Y2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine, bromine, etc.); or a group which is releasable upon reaction with the oxidation product of a developing agent (e.g., an arylazo group, an aryloxy group, an acyloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, etc.). Such groups are well known. The alkyl or alkoxy group represented by R9, the alkyl, amido, N-alkylcarbamoyl, N-alkylsulfamoyl, alkoxycarbonyl or acyloxy group represented by R10, or the aryl group represented by R11 can also be substituted with other substituents, for example, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amido group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an acyloxy group, a carboxy group, asulfo group, a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.), etc., said alkyl and aryl moieties having 1 to 20 and 6 to 14 carbom atoms, respectively. ##STR11## wherein R12 represents a C1 -C20 alkyl group (e.g., methyl, ethyl, (t)-butyl, (t)-octyl, etc.) or a C6 -C14 aryl group (e.g., phenyl) and R13 represents a C6 -C14 aryl group (e.g., phenyl). Y3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine, bromine, etc.), or a group which is releasable upon reaction with the oxidation product of a developing agent, for example, a heterocyclic nuclei (e.g., naphthoimido, succinimido, 5,5-dimethylhydantoinyl, 2,4-oxazolidinedione residue, imido, pyridone residue, pyridazone residue, etc.), an acyloxy group, a sulfonyloxy group, an aryloxy group, a ureido group, which are well known in the art. The alkyl or aryl group represented by R12 and the aryl group represented by R13 can also be substituted with other substituents, for example, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an amido group, an N-alkyl-carbamoyl group, an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an acyloxy group, a carboxy group, a sulfo group, a sulfonamido group, a halogen atom, etc., the alkyl and aryl moieties of which contain 1 to 20 and 6 to 14 carbon atoms, respectively. Other types of dyes preferably used in this invention are dyes formed by the oxidation of DRR compounds such as described in U.S. Published Application 351,673, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,932,381, 3,928,312, 3,931,144, 3,954,476, 3,929,760, 3,942,987, 3,932,380, 4,013,635, and 4,013,633, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) Nos. 113,624/76, 109,928/76, 104,343/76 and 4,819/77, Japanese Patent application No. 64,533/77 and Research Disclosure, 68-74 (1976, Nov.) and Research Disclosure, No. 13,024 (1975). Dyes released by the reaction of an oxidized color developing agent and the DDR couplers also used in this invention are described in British Pat. Nos. 840,781, 904,364, 932,272, 1,014,725, 1,038,331, 1,066,352 and 1,097,064, Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 133,021/76, U.S. (U.S. Defensive publication) T900,029, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,550. Still other types of dyes suitably used in this invention are dye developing agents such as described in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 182/60, 18,332/60, 32,130/73, 43,950/71 and 2,618/74. Dyes formed in a silver dye bleach process are also suitable for use in the present invention. As yellow dyes used for the purpose, there are azo dyes such as Direct Fast Yellow GC (C.I. 29,000) Chrysophenine (C.I. 24,895), etc.; benzoquinone dyes such as Indigo Golden Yellow IGK (C.I. 59,101), Indigosol Yellow 2GB (C.I. 61,726), Algosol Yellow GCA-CF (C.I. 67,301), Indanthrene Yellow GF (C.I. 68,420), Mikethrene Yellow GC (C.I. 67,300), Indanthrene Yellow 4GK (C.I. 68,405), etc.; anthraquinone series soluble vat dyes; polycyclic soluble vat dyes; and other vat dyes. As magenta dyes used for the above-mentioned purpose, there are illustrated azo dyes such as Sumilight Supra Rubinol B (C.I. 29,225), Benzo Brilliant Geranine B (C.I. 15,080), etc.; indigoid dyes such as Indigosol Brilliant Pink IR (C.I. 73,361), Indigosol Violet 15R (C.I. 59,321), Indigosol Red Violet IRRL (C.I. 59,316), Indanthrene Red Violet RRK (C.I. 67,895), Mikethrene Brilliant Violet BBK (C.I. 6335), etc.; benzoquinone series soluble vat dyes; anthraquinone series soluble vat dyes; heterocyclic soluble vat dyes; and other vat dyes. As cyan dyes used for the above purpose, there are illustrated azo dyes such as Direct Sky Blue 6B (C.I. 24,410), Direct Brilliant Blue 2B (C.I. 22,610), Sumilight Supra Blue G (C.I. 34,200), etc.; phthalocyanine dyes such as Sumilight Supra Turkish Blue G (C.I. 74,180), Mikethrene Brilliant Blue 4G (C.I. 74,140), etc.; Indanthrene Turkish Blue 5G (C.I. 69,845), Indanthrene Blue GCD (C.I. 73,066), Indigosol 04G (C.I. 73,046), Anthrasol Green (C.I. 59,826), etc. While the mechanism whereby the complex of the present invention improves light fastness is not entirely clear, it is believed that upon exposure to light the organic substrate (dye image) is excited to a triplet state whereupon the complex interacts with the excited dye to absorb the high energy and thus restore the dye to its original state. Alternatively, oxygen may be excited upon exposure to a singlet state in which case the complex absorbs the high energy of the excited oxygen and restores the oxygen to its original state. In any case the complex of the present invention effectively improves the light fastness of the organic substrate. As described above, the metal complexes are used in this invention for stabilizing the organic substrate materials. These compounds may be incorporated in one or more silver halide emulsion layers of a color photographic material. Also, these compounds may be incorporated in a layer included in the non-sensitive portion of color photographic transfer materials. The complexes can be supplied for stabilizing photographic images by incorporation into the hydrophilic colloids constituting the photographic layers of a photographic element. The complexes are incorporated as a solution thereof in an organic solvent having low boiling point or an organic solvent miscible with water which does not adversely influence the photographic properties of the photographic layers, such as, for example, an alcohol (e.g., methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, etc.) an ether (e.g., dimethyl ether, ethyl methyl ether, diethyl ether, 1-ethoxypropane, etc.), a glycol (e.g., 1,2-ethanediol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, etc.), a ketone (e.g., acetone, ethyl methyl ketone, 3-pentanone, etc.), an ester (e.g., ethyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, etc.), an amide (e.g., formamide, acetamide, succinamide, etc.), and the like. It is desirable that the complex be incorporated before coating, such as when producing silver halide photographic emulsions, when forming an emulsified dispersion of couplers, or when preparing photographic coating compositions. In other to introduce these complexes into hydrophilic colloids constituting photographic layers, methods usually employed for dispersing couplers in the color photographic fields may be employed. In this regard, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,304,939 and 2,322,027 disclose the use of high boiling organic solvents for dissolving these materials. Other applicable methods are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,801,170, 2,801,171 and 2,949,360, wherein low boiling or water-soluble organic solvents are used together with high boiling organic solvents. Examples of the high boiling organic solvents which are effective for dispersing the substrate material and metal complexes in this invention are di-n-butyl phthalate, benzyl phthalate, triphenyl phosphate, tri-o-cresyl phosphate, di-phenylmono-p-tert-butylphenyl phosphate, monophenyl-di-p-tert-butylphenyl phosphate, diphenyl-mono-o-chlorophenyl phosphate, monophenyl-di-o-chlorophenyl phosphate, 2,4-di-n-amylphenol, 2,4-di-t-amylphenol, N,N-diethyllaurylamide as well as trioctyl phosphate and trihexyl phosphate described in U.S. Pat. 3,676,137. The low boiling or water-soluble organic solvents which can be advantageously used together with these high boiling organic solvents are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pats. 2,801,171, 2,801,170 and 2,949,360. (2) water-miscible organic solvents such as, for example, methyl isobutyl ketone, β-ethoxyethyl acetate, β-butoxytetrahydrofurfuryl adipate, diethylene glycol monoacetate,, methoxytriglycol acetate, acetonylacetone, diacetone alcohol, ethylene glycol, acetone, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, dioxane, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, acetone, etc. In general, the complex of the formula (I) is dissolved or suspended in an appropriate solvent which is choosen depending upon the physical properties of the complex used from water, water-miscible and water-immiscible organic and inorganic solvents (the details of which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,468) and the organic substrate material is dissolved or suspended therein. Alternatively, again depending upon the physical properties of the compounds, solutions and/or dispersions may be prepared separately and subsequently mixed. For example, a fluorescent whitening agent may be dissolved or suspended in an organic or inorganic solvent such as water or dimethyl formamide, etc., together with the complex of the present invention or separately; and the mixture may be coated onto or incorporated into a suitable base substance. An adjacent double layer coating is possible and in some cases may be preferred if some diffusion between the contiguous layers occurs and light fastness improvement is effected. The present invention can also be used to improve the light fastness of a colored polymer. A colored polymer is a polymer containing a coloring material in a state of molecular dispersion or melt. The polymer is represented by natural resins other than gelatin, e.g., cellulose and derivatives thereof, vinyl resins, polycondensates, silicone resins, alkyd resins, polyamides, paraffin and mineral waxes as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,468. Where it is desired to improve the light fastness in a colored polymer for use of agricultural vinyl sheets, the colored polymer and complex of the formula (I) are likewise mixed in the form of a solution, dispersion, etc., followed by extrusion molding, etc., in a conventional manner. In the case of a photographic material, the substrate material (the dye image) and the complex each may be present in one or more of the hydrophilic colloid layer making up a photographic element (e.g., a film, paper, diffusion transfer unit, etc.). It is preferred that the metal chelate and the organic substrate material be present (i.e., coexist) in the same emulsion layer, of course, the effect of the present invention can also be attained when the complex and substrate are present in contiguous layers and diffusion occurs between the layers. Where undesirable diffusion occurs, conventional mordanting techniques could be applied to the present invention. In the case of incorporating the complex into a silver halide emulsion layer, the complex can be incorporated into each emulsion layer making up the photographic element. In this case, the total amount of complex present is in the range set forth below. The complex and substrate may be present in non-light-sensitive elements or layers such as the dye image-receiving layer used in diffusion transfer film units. In the case of image transfer units, the metal chelate complex is preferably located in the layer in which the dye images are finally found. i.e., in an image-receiving layer. Usually, the dye images formed in the image-receiving layer do not diffuse further into any other layer(s) so that the complex is easily maintained in the vicinity of the dye. When the organic substrate material and the complex are incorporated in such a non-photosensitive image-recording or image-receiving element, they are mordanted. The complex contains a ligand capable of retaining it in the mordant layer of the image-receiving element so that it does not diffuse away from the dye stabilized thereby. A number of types of image transfer film units are particularly appropriate for the practice of the present invention; One is the imbibition transfer film unit set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,156. The present invention can be further used in conjunction with the color image transfer film unit described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,087,817, 3,185,567, 2,983,606, 3,253,915, 3,227,550, 3,227,551, 3,227,552, 3,415,644, 3,415,645, 3,415,646, 3,594,164 and 3,594,165 and Belgian Pat. Nos. 757,959 and 757,960. The organic substrate materials and the complexes used in the practice of this invention can be used together with the materials as described in Product Licensing Index, Vol. 92, No. 9232, 107-110 (1971, December) according to the manner as described therein. Any amount of the complex will bring about some improvement in the light fastness of the organic substrate and theoretically there is no upper limit for the amount of the complex. Preferably, the complex is present in an amount of at least 0.1 mol % based on 1 mol of the organic substrate material, more preferably in an amount of 0.1 to 1,000 mol %, and most preferably in an amount of 1 to 300 mol %. In the case of a photographic material, the amount is often expressed in terms of a weight unit per square meter of photographic material which can be calculated from the parameters set out above. In the case of a photographic material, the complex is preferably present in an amount of at least 1 micromole per square meter of the photographic material, and more preferably in an amount of from about 10 to 1×104 micromoles per square meter of the material. The concentration of the substrate material corresponds in general to that for the image forming material usually adopted in color photographic technology, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the substrate material is preferably present in the range of from about 10 to 104 micromoles per square meter of the photographic material. A more preferable range is from about 100 to about 3×103 micromoles per square meter of the photographic product. The organic substrate material used in this invention has a maximum absorption peak in the wavelength region less than about 800 nm. However, the organic substrate material having the maximum absorption peak in the region of from about 300 nm to about 800 nm is preferred and the organic substrate material having the maximum absorption peak in the range of from about 400 nm of about 800 nm is most preferred. In photographic materials based on this invention, any material ordinarily used as the supports for photographic materials may be used as the support therefor in this invention. Examples thereof are cellulose nitrate films, cellulose acetate films, cellulose acetate butyrate films, cellulose acetate proprionate films, polystyrene films, polyethylene terephthalate films, polycarbonate films, laminated sheets of these films, and papers. Also, baryta-coated papers, papers coated with α-olefin polymer, in particular, a polymer of an α-olefin having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, etc., and plastic films the surface of which have been roughened to improve their adhesion to other polymers as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 19,068/72 are preferably used as the supports for photographic materials. In photographic materials used in the method of this invention, various hydrophilic colloids are used. Examples of the hydrophilic colloids used as the binders for photographic silver halide emulsions and/or other coating compositions for photographic layers are gelatin; colloidal albumin; casein; cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, etc.; sugar derivatives such as agar, sodium alginate, starch derivatives, etc.; synthetic hydrophilic colloids such as polyvinyl alcohol, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid copolymers, maleic anhydride copolymers, polyacrylamide, and the derivatives or partially hydrolyzed products thereof. If necessary, a mixture of two or more of these colloids which are compatible with each other may be used. Among the aforesaid materials, gelatin is most generally used but gelatin may be replaced partially or wholly with a synthetic polymer. Furthermore, so-called gelatin derivatives, that is, gelatin modified by treatment with an amino group, an imino group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, etc., contained in the gelatin molecule as a functional group with a reagent having a functional group which can react with these groups or graft gelatin having bonded thereto the molecular chain of another polymer may be used in place of gelatin. The silver halide photographic emulsion layers or other photographic layers of photographic materials used in this invention may further contain synthetic polymers such as, for example, water-dispersed vinyl polymers in the form of a latex, in particular, a compound or compounds capable of increasing the dimensional stability of the photographic materials solely or together with a hydrophilic water-permeable colloid. The silver halide photographic emulsion used in the method of this invention is usually prepared by mixing an aqueous solution of a water-soluble silver salt (e.g., silver nitrate) and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble halogen salt (e.g., potassium bromide) in the presence of a water soluble polymer solution such as an aqueous solution of gelatin. As such a silver halide, there is silver chloride, silver bromide as well as mixed silver halides such as silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodide, silver chloroiodobromide, etc. These silver halide grains may be prepared according to a known or conventional process. As a matter of course, they may be advantageously prepared using the so-called single jet method or double jet method or the controlled double jet method. Also, two or more different silver halide emulsions prepared separately may be used in mixture. The above-mentioned silver halide photographic emulsions may further contain various compounds for preventing a reduction in sensitivity and the formation of fog during production, preservation or processing of the photographic material. As examples of such compounds, there are 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a,7-tetrazaindene, 3-methylbenzothiazole, 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole as well as many heterocyclic compounds, mercury-containing compounds, mercapto compounds, metal salts, etc. The silver halide emulsions used in this invention may also be chemically sensitized in a conventional manner. As examples of chemical sensitizers used for the purpose, there are gold compounds such as an aurichlorate, gold trichloride, etc.; salts of noble metals such as platinum, palladium, iridium, and rhodium; sulfur compounds capable of forming silver sulfide by causing reaction with a silver salt, such as sodium thiosulfate, etc.; stannous salts, amines; and other reducing materials. The silver halide photographic emulsions used in this invention may, if necessary, be subjected to a spectral sensitization or super dye sensitization using cyanine dyes such as cyanine, merocyanine, carbocyanine, etc., solely or as a combination thereof or using a combination of the cyanine dye or dyes and styryl dyes. These dyes are properly selected according to the objects and use of the photographic materials, such as the wavelength region and sensitivity to be stabilized. The hydrophilic colloid layers of photographic materials used in the method of this invention can be, if necessary, hardened by various cross-linking agents, for example, aldehyde series compounds, active halogen compounds, vinylsulfone compounds, carbodiimide compounds, N-methylol compounds, epoxy compounds, etc. In applying the method of this invention to color photographic materials, after image exposure, the color photographic material may be processed in a conventional manner to form color images. The main processing steps in such case are color development, bleach, and fix and, if necessary, other steps such as washing and stabilization. In these steps, two or more steps may be performed in one step as blix step. The color development is usually performed in an alkaline solution containing an aromatic primary amine developing agent. Preferred examples of the aromatic primary amine developing agent are the compounds shown by formulae (A) to (L) described above. In applying the method of this invention to color photographic materials, wherein the color photographic material is a color photographic diffusion transfer film unit, the processing of the photographic material is carried out automatically in the photographic material. In this case, a color developer containing a color developing agent is contained in a rupturable container. As the developing agent, N-methylaminophenol, 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone, 1-phenyl-4,4-dimethyl-3-pyrazolidone, 1-phenyl-4-methylhydroxymethyl-3-pyrazolidone, 3-methoxy-N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine, etc., in addition to the compounds shown by formulae (A) to (L) above are suitable. For forming color images in photographic materials based on this invention, various known methods can be used, such as the coupling reaction of the above-described dye-forming color couplers and the oxidation product of a p-phenylenediamine series color developing agent; development with a dye developer; the oxidation cleavage reaction of DRR compounds; the dye-releasing reaction upon coupling of DDR couplers; the dye-forming reaction upon coupling reaction of DDR couplers and a silver dye bleaching process. Accordingly, this invention can be applied to various kinds of color photographic materials such as color positive films, color papers, color negative films, color reversal films, color diffusion transfer film units, silver dye bleaching photographic materials, etc. The stabilizing process of the invention is particularly useful for a photographic system in that color reproduction and color hue are not affected by the use of the complex in a stabilizing amount. Furthermore, in the invention, UV is cut out in all examples described below using a UV cut filter to evaluate stabilization effects. The invention is thus seen to be directed to the stabilization of, in particular, photographically useful dyes and fluorescent whitening agents which deteriorate by the action of radiation other than UV radiation. The following examples are provided for further understanding of the method of this invention. They are not to be construed as limiting. 0.1 g of 1-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-3-(2-chloro-5-tetradecaneamido)anilino-4-[4-(N-ethyl-N-β-methanesulfonamidoethyl)aminophenylimino]-5-oxo-2-pyrazoline was dissolved in a mixture of 3 ml of tricresyl phosphate and 5 ml of ethyl acetate. The resulting solution was emulsified in 10 g of 10% gelatin containing 1 ml of a 1% aqueous solution of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. The thus emulsified dispersion was then mixed with 10 g of 10% gelatin, and the resulting mixture was applied to a paper base in which both faces were laminated with polyethylene, and dried. (Sample A). 12.7 mg of the compound I-4 of the present invention was added in case of producing the above-described emulsified dispersion and the resulting emulsified dispersion was applied by the same manner as in Sample A to produce Sample B. Further, 11 mg and 110 mg of 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone were added respectively as an agent for preventing fading of dyes and the resulting emulsions were applied by the same manner as in Sample A to produce Samples C and D. In these samples, the application was carried out so as to be 60 mg/m2. These samples A to D were subjected to a fading test for 48 hours by a xenon tester (illuminance: 200,000 luxes) equipped with an ultraviolet ray cut filter C-40 produced by Fuji Photo Film Co. The results are shown in Table I. 0.1 g of the dye having the above-described structure was dissolved in a mixture of 3 ml of dibutyl phthalate and 5 ml of ethyl acetate. The resulting solution was emulsified in 10 g of 10% gelatin containing 1 ml of 1% sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. The thus emulsified dispersion was then mixed with 10 g of 10% gelatin, and the resulting mixture was applied to a paper base in which both faces were laminated with polyethylene, and dried (Sample E). 33.5 mg of the compound I-5 of the present invention was added in case of producing the above-described emulsified dispersion and the resulting emulsified dispersion was applied by the same manner as in Sample E to produce Sample F. Futher, Sample G was produced by adding 20 mg of α-tocopherol known as an agent for preventing fading of dyes and applying the resulting emulsion by the same manner as in Sample E. The application was carried out so as to be 50 mg/m2 of the dye. These Samples E to G were subjected to a fading test for 48 hours by a xenon tester having 200,000 luxes of the illuminance equipped with an ultraviolet ray cut filter C-40 produced by Fuji Photo Film Co. The results are shown in Table II. The measurement was carried out by a Macbeth densitometer RD514 (Red filter of Status AA filter). It has been understood from these results that the compound I-5 of the present invention shows an excellent effect for preventing light fading. Further, the compound of the present invention is very effective to cyan dyes, though effective compounds having an effect for preventing light fading for cyan dyes have not been known. 10 g of the magenta coupler: 1-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-3-[(2-chloro-5-tetradecanamido)anilino]-2-pyrazoline-5-one was dissolved in a mixture of 30 ml of tricresyl phosphate, 5 ml of dimethylformamide and 15 ml of ethyl acetate, and the resulting solution was emulsified in 80 g of 10% gelatin containing 8 ml of a 1% aqueous solution of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. The thus emulsified dispersion was then mixed with 145 g (7 g as Ag) of a green-sensitive silver bromochloride emulsion (Br: 50% by mol), and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate was added as an application assistant thereto. The emulsion was applied to a paper base in which both faces were laminated with polyethylene. (Sample H). The amount of the coupler was 400 mg/m2. 2.6 g of the compound I-6 of the present invention was added in case of producing the above-described emulsified dispersion and the resulting dispersion was applied by the same manner as in Sample H to produce Sample I. Further, Sample J was produced by adding 2.2 g of 2,5-di-tert-octylhydroquinone known as the agent for preventing light fading of dyes and applying by the same manner as in Sample H. These samples were exposed to light at 1,000 luxes for 1 second and then processed with the following treating solutions. Each of the resulting samples on which dye images were formed was exposed to sunlight for 2 weeks through an ultraviolet ray absorption filter C-40 produced by Fuji Photo Film Co. which cut below 400 nm. The results are shown in Table III. The measurement was carried out by a Macbeth densitometer type RD-514 (Status AA filter) and density variation of the part having 2.0 of the initial density was measured. TABLE III______________________________________ Density of Part Dye Having 2.0 of Residual Initial Density Ratio after Testing (%)______________________________________Sample H 0.89 44.5Sample I 1.49 74.5Sample J 1.08 54______________________________________ Dye residual ratio = (Density after fading/2.0) × 100. It has been understood from these results that the compound I-6 of the present invention is an effective agent for preventing fading. The fading test was carried out by exposing these two samples to sunlight for 1 month. The results are shown in the following table. It is apparent that Sample L according to the invention has excellent fastness to light. 1. A method for stabilizing photographically useful dye substrates having an absorption maximum in the range of from about 300 nm to 800 nm to light which comprises making at least one complex represented by the formula (I) coexist with the organic substrate materials in an amount effective to stabilize said organic substrate material; ##STR16## wherein M represents copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium or platinum, and R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-arylcarbamoyl group, or an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an N-arylsulfamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said organic substrate material is at least one dye selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone dyes, quinonimine dyes, azo dyes, methine dyes, polymethine dyes, indoamine dyes, indophenol dyes, formazan dyes and whitening agents which improve background whiteness. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said dyes are produced from dye-forming couplers, DDR couplers, DRR compounds, dye developing agents or silver dye bleach dyes. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said dye-forming coupler is a yellow dye-forming coupler selected from benzoylacetanilides and α-pivalylacetanilides, a magenta dye-forming coupler selected from 5-pyrazolones, indazolones, pyrazolinobenzimidazoles, pyrazolo-s-triazoles and cyanoacetylcumarones, or a cyan dye-forming coupler selected from phenols and naphthols. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said complex is represented by the formula (IA): ##STR17## wherein M1 represents copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium or platinum, and R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group and an N-arylcarbamoyl group. 6. An element comprising an organic substrate material which is stabilized against the action of light and comprises the combination of at least one of a complex with at least one organic substrate material in an amount effective to stabilize the element to light, where said complex is represented by the formula (I): ##STR18## wherein M represents copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium or platinum, and R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-arylcarbamoyl group, or an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an N-arylsulfamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group, said organic substrate material is a photographically useful dye having an absorption maximum in the range of from about 300 nm to 800 nm, and said complex not adversely affecting color hue or color purity of the photographically useful dye. 7. A color photographic material comprising at least one exposed and developed silver halide emulsion which contains a photographic dye image, wherein at least one layer containing a photographic dye image or an adjacent layer contains a complex of the formula (I) in an amount effective to stabilize the photographic dye image: ##STR19## wherein M represents copper, cobalt, nickel, palladium or platinum, and R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an N-alkylcarbamoyl group, an N-arylcarbamoyl group, or an N-alkylsulfamoyl group, an N-arylsulfamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said light is electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength less than about 800 nm and includes ultraviolet rays of a wavelength shorter than about 400 nm, visible radiation of from about 400 nm to about 700 nm and infrared rays of from about 700 nm to about 800 nm.

2019-04-25T09:08:32Z

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4301223A/en

THERESA MAY, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: But when the history books are written, people will look at the decision of this House and ask, did we deliver on the country's vote to leave the European Union? Did we safeguard our economy, our security and our Union? Or, did we let the British people down? JEREMY CORBYN, BRITISH LABOUR PARTY LEADER: The government is in disarray. It's time for a general election. It's time for a new government. MAX FOSTER, ANCHOR, CNN: Thanks for joining us. I'm Max Foster live from outside the U.K. Houses of Parliament in London. This is a special edition of CNN Newsroom. Now in just a matter of hours from now in the House of Commons just behind me here, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal faces its final test. The delayed vote in Parliament. A decisive defeat of the deal is all but certain. The key question is by how much. Some estimates predict she could lose by more than a hundred votes, even 200 in the face of what could be a historic loss, Theresa May made the last-minute plea for the deal that pleases no one. MAY: That's why is say to members on all sides of this House, whatever you may have previously concluded over these next 24 hours, give this deal a second look. Note it's not perfect and yes it is a compromise. CORBYN: During the past two years of shambolic negotiations, the Prime Minister has failed to listen. She hasn't once tried to work with Parliament to construct the Brexit deal that this House and the country can support. And now she's left facing a humiliating defeat and is blaming everybody, but herself. remain in the EU's single market until December the 21st, that would be in 2020, but would lose all EU voting rights. During this transition period, the U.K. would still be subject to EU laws and regulations, avoiding the need for a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Now, EU citizens arriving in the U.K. during the transition would have the option to stay there and vice versa the U.K. would pay its outstanding EU budget commitments in a divorce bill that could total around $60 billion. If the transition periods extended into 2021, a backstop solution would kick in, the U.K. would remain in the customs territory with the EU, but controversially it could only leave with permission from Brussels. Let's speak to Hadas Gold. She's over at Downing Street trying to make sense of all of this for us. It truly is a historic moment particularly if it goes above 200 votes against this deal, but if that's the case if she loses what does happen next? HADAS GOLD, REPORTER, CNN: Well, Max, the margin of defeat matters here because if it's a slimmer margin than those numbers that you were calling out earlier, perhaps Theresa May could decide to just try again. According to a recent amendment passed in Parliament, she has to return within three days with a new statement or some sort of new deal or update. She might go to Brussels and try to get some extra concessions on issues such as the backstop or the Irish border as you were reading out earlier. But if the margin is as large as some reports are placing, anywhere from a hundred to 200 votes, that could spell a different direction for Theresa May. She might have to abandoned the current deal, try a different sort of Brexit deal, maybe a Norway style. There will also likely be a no-confidence vote tabled by the Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn. That could trigger a general election. A lot of those options on the table could result in a delay of the actual Brexit date. A request to Brussels to extend that date from March 29th to a later date to allow time to work all of this out. But no matter what happens as a Cabinet Secretary said this morning on the BBC that if MPs vote down this deal, then in the words of Jon Snow, winter is coming. FOSTER: Absolutely. The huge amount of concern about the impact this would have on ordinary people, on businesses as well, business is very clear that they would rather have this deal go through. But there's so much politics here, how much sense is the nation making of all of this, because certainly internationally looking at our poll they're pretty engaged in this, but are Brits? GOLD: Well, for a lot of people it's just confusing. For a lot of people honestly who are normally very tuned into politics, this whole process is confusing because it's just not clear which way you're going to go. We are in uncharted territory. businesses just want to know what's happening. They might not like this. When you talk to certain business leaders and they say, "Sure, A lot of this deal, I don't like, but all I want is clarity. I just need to know how to prepare." Because right now a lot of them are preparing for a no-deal scenario and if they don't need to be preparing for no-deal, if there is some sort of deal coming forward, they want to know what that is so they can better prepare and better plan for the future, because right now they feel like they're stuck and in a holding pattern until they get some sort of clarity. FOSTER: Okay. Hadas, thank you very much indeed. As you can see from our unscientific poll, a second referendum where 8 out of 10 of you suggesting that's the way forward for the U.K. Let's bring in Christine Jardine, a Liberal Democrats MP. You're up for a second referendum presumably. CHRISTINE JARDINE, BRITISH LIBERAL DEMOCRAT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Yes, have been for about two years. I always thought it was going to be the only way to settle this and now we're in the point where you've asked the people. You can't deliver what you said you could deliver, so the only way out of it is to go back and say, "Look, we've got this wrong. Do you really want to do this? Is this deal what you actually want?" Because the deal is the important thing, not the principle about do you want to lead the European Union, but the deal to actually -- this is what it's going to mean and what it's going to mean, it's not going to be good for any of us. FOSTER: But she's got this place into a corner effectively, hasn't she, saying it's either her deal or no-deal. Are you going to go for her deal? JARDINE: I don't think she's got the Parliament into a corner. I think she's got herself into a corner. She might well be saying it's her deal or no-deal. But Parliaments now made that very, very difficult. And last night, the theme from the Conservative benches was, "If you all vote for the deal, you may not get Brexit." Now, that can only mean to me that they are worried that if it goes back to the people, if there is a second referendum, the people will say, "No, actually you can't do this in a way that would be good for the country. So we don't want it." FOSTER: But when it comes to the second referendum, it comes down to what question you're going to ask and inevitably don't you end up going back with the original question in which case why would you hold another referendum? JARDINE: Well, it's not the original question. It can't be the original question, because there is a deal on the table now. Theresa May has spent two years trying to get a deal and this is the best decision yet. something (inaudible) the commission, are you satisfied to leave the European Union on this deal or would you rather stay? I think people will know, see, now that we've actually seen what it will mean and we'll say, "No." FOSTER: But what about the option if no-deal which a lot of people are wanting there as well. If you have three questions as well it would split the leaver vote, wouldn't it? JARDINE: Well, I think realistically people are not going to vote for no-deal. I think realistically no-deal is not going to be on the ballot paper because it's been ruled out as good for the country. Why an F would you do something, would you ask people to do something that every economist, most of the House of Commons are saying it would be bad for the country and it could be catastrophic. FOSTER: The point I'm really making is you're not going to agree of the questions for second referendum even if you get people moving towards the idea of a second referendum. JARDIN: I think people are moving towards the idea of a second referendum and the actual wording will be up to the Electoral Commission. But what is important is what happens in that House today, we will be making it absolutely clear to the Prime Minister that no-deal is not an option. We've already done that and we will just be reinforcing that today. So she cannot possibly want three questions on the paper and she's not going to get three questions on the paper because Parliament is going to defeat her deal and then she's going to have to be realistic and stop. As a parent, you tell your child that anybody can make a mistake, but the real mistake is not admitting when you got something wrong and changing it. Theresa May needs to think about that today. The Conservative government needs to think, "You know what? We got this wrong. It can't deliver what we said we can deliver and we have to be upfront with people about it." That's what the people will never forgive, a government that's not upfront with it. FOSTER: What sort of scale of defeat do you think we're looking at tonight? How many? JARDINE: I don't know. It's very difficult. Certainly even last night, I was speaking last night in the chamber, in the debates, and I was surprised at the number of Conservatives saying they're not going to support the deal. FOSTER: One hundred? Two hundred? JARDINE: I don't think of this because I think the people who are suggesting the numbers are bigger are getting into expectation management. The Conservatives are trying to now tell us that a defeat isn't good without bad, because it could massive. A defeat will mean that we have to go back to the country and say, "Look, do you want to go through this, because the deal isn't any good, and it's the best deal we could get. FOSTER: Perhaps that will be Brussels first stop though presumably, going to try to negotiate something to bring back to you guys to vote on here. Are you hopeful that she got to bring something back that you would vote on? JARDINE: Which she's failed so far and I really don't think -- I mean, the European Union made it clear that this is the deal. FOSTER: But she's got a plan B, she's just not talking about it presumably. JARDINE: You would hope that she had a plan B, but I'm not so confident. Here we are. It's after 10 o'clock in the morning. We're voting this evening and there's suggestion of the plan B. FOSTER: Well, the reason she hasn't come out with the plan B is because then it would undermine her vote in the vote tonight. FOSTER: But she can't have a plan B when she's (starting to) vote on plan A. JARDINE: Yes, but she already should know by now if she had a plan B we could be voting on plan B, because this is still plan A. And plan A we already know it's going to fail. So there is no option now but to say, "We've got this wrong, we need to go back to the people and say, 'This is the best deal we could get. Do you still want to leave the European Union? This is how bad it's going to be. We've seen what the economic impacts is going to be. Do you really still want to do this?'" We've seeing that for two years and gradually the other parties have come around to that. There are lots of voices last night from the Labour benches saying that. There are lots of voices from the SNP and we've been seeing it for two years and actually we're now getting people on the Conservative benches, there are saying as well, "I think it's time actually that Theresa May stop trying to talk at us and tell us why her deal was the only option." And listen to people saying, "No, there is another option and there is a way out." FOSTER: She worry about the disconnect between Parliament and the country, because reality is Parliament is overwhelmingly pro remain. The public voted to leave. Isn't that the problem that we've got here? JARDINE: Well, for me I came to Parliament after the referendum. I came from a constituency that voted overwhelmingly to remain and is still overwhelmingly remain. FOSTER: So it's easy for you, but what about the a remain MP and a leave constituency? JARDINE: We've got a responsibility to the public to do what is best for the country, not what is best for us but what is best for the country. And I think if we do, do that's one of a huge disconnect between us and Parliament. FOSTER: You can't go against the country. JARDINE: No. But the people are looking at Parliament at the moment and they're looking for leadership. We had a referendum. FOSTER: You're saying the leadership to go against the referendum. JARDINE: No. What I'm saying is we had a referendum which was we keep forgetting incredibly close. And in principle it says, people want you to leave the European Union. There are a lot of reasons for that, a lot of that was about exactly the sort of dissatisfaction you're talking about. People felt the children weren't going to be as well off as they are for the first time ever that was going to happen. And what we've got now is a situation where a lot of people are saying, "You know actually when I voted leave, what I expected is not what I'm getting. What I was promised is not what I'm getting." And that's not because people are wrong, it's because that they weren't given the full picture, know they've got the Parliament now has the full picture and that's why we have to go back to the people. We're not saying to the people, "We'll do something different from what you said." We're saying to the people, "Are you sure this is what you want, because these are the actual consequences, not what was on the big red bus." FOSTER: Okay. Christine Jardine, thank you very much indeed. FOSTER: And good luck with the vote tonight, it's a long day. FOSTER: Take a nap this afternoon. Coming up with CNN Talk, we want to know what you think, should lawmakers back Prime Minister Theresa May's deal as she's warned that a no-deal could lead to a breakup of the U.K. or should opponents hold fast and risk crashing out as they call it of the EU without an agreement. Logon to Facebook.com/CNN International to have your say. CNN Talk starting at 12:00 p.m. here in London, 8:00 p.m. in Hong Kong. You're watching CNN Newsroom. EU leaders are also trying to save Teresa May's Brexit deal. We'll look at the assurances they've given and cross to Brussels for their latest reaction there. leaders meanwhile reiterating assurances about the most contentious aspect of the British Prime Minister's Brexit deal, the so called Irish backstop saying they don't want it to come into effect and if it did it would only be temporary. Erin McLaughlin looks at the tense and lengthy negotiations that have brought us to this historic moment. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we are at an impasse. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brussels has got us exactly where they want us. JEREMY HUNT, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: We do now face the real risk of no-deal by accident. ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: As the intensity of Brexit negotiations ratcheted up, so too did the complaints from British lawmakers. HUNT: At the moment, you, European friends seem to think the way to keep the club together is to punish a member who leaves. DONALD TURK, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: The EU 27 does not and will not pursue a punitive approach. Brexit in itself is already punitive enough. MCLAUGHLIN: From the outside the EU set clear red lines on what it was prepared to negotiate, what it wasn't. MICHAEL BARNIER, UE CHIEF BREXIT NEGOTIATOR: The single market and its four freedoms are indivisible. MCLAUGHLIN: Part of a strategy which landed the EU with a favorable draft deal. The 27 united around a common position and a rigid structure for the negotiation. OLIVER PATEL, EUROPEAN INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON: The U.K. has constantly tried to go around the Commission to try and get sort of special deals with different countries to try and play them off against each other, divide and rule, but it hasn't been able to do that. MCLAUGHLIN: And a relative commitment to transparency. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to show what we've done. early on in Teresa May's premiership, the EU had already published all of these documents. So it showed the U.K.'s domestic audience how unprepared it was and it also forced the U.K. to respond with its own position. MCLAUGHLIN: From the outset can be argued that the process was rigged in the EU's favor, with Article 50 of the EU treaty allowing only two years for negotiation. The U.K.'s primary trump card when to trigger the process, rushed to satisfying Brexiteers, forcing the U.K. into time-pressured negotiations. PATEL: Yes, they've used clever strategies but they also just have the no-deal. It's just so much worse for the U.K. than the EU which kind of puts pressure on the U.K. to just agree with whatever the EU suggest. MCLAUGHLIN: But it could all be for naught if the deal fails to get through Westminster and all of this ends in a messy and costly no-deal scenario. So was the EU too successful? Did it overplay its hands? Well, that remains to be seen. Erin McLaughlin, CNN London. FOSTER: Well, one of the most divisive issues is that Brexit backstop which deals with a difficult question, what to do about the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. That's the only land border between the EU and the U.K. Right now the EU's single market makes it easy for people, goods, services to flow across. But when Britain leaves the EU, all of that could change. That's where the Brexit backstop comes in. It's a fallback plan to ensure that trade doesn't grind to a halt in physical checks or infrastructure along the divide. In the draft withdrawal agreement, the U.K. would follow current EU customs rules to keep that border open. The backstop faces a lot of criticism. The biggest complaint being that some MPs are wary of being subject to such levels of EU regulations after Brexit. For more on how the process is playing out at EU headquarters, I'm joined by CNN's Melissa Bell in Brussels. They sent some letters over to Parliament yesterday. Some question here about whether or not they were legally binding. Just take us through what they said and whether or not they would stand up in court. MELISSA BELL, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: It was all about the backstop that you mentioned because, of course, this is the key wary of those MPs who are planning to vote against Theresa May's deal. And what Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker outlined in that letter, Max, was that this backstop really was just a safety net and that the European Union would endeavor as it has set out, not only in the EU's withdrawal agreement but also in the political declaration that goes alongside that the EU and its institutions are going to do everything they can to use that transition period that would go from the 29th of March through to the 30th of December 2020 to try and hammer out the future deal that will bind the EU to the U.K. The trade deals. How the relationship will work that they will use that time to try and avoid the backstop being implemented at all that safety net that prevents as you explained the return of the hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. Also, laying out in that letter, Max, that if the backstop did prove necessary at one point because of that transition period had not given sufficient time to fashion the future of relationship between EU and the U.K., well then in that case the EU will do all that it can to ensure that it was time limited. But that was really as far as they could go. As to the legality of what was in the letter, Donald Tusk in particular, Max, laid out that the EU council's conclusions were legally binding within the EU. They have weight. They have a sense. It is they that define the positions and the future negotiating positions of the European Union. But, of course, the trouble with that is that the European leaders are trying to sell this agreement to, the people they're trying to convince of this are the very people who distrust the European Union and its leaders and its institutions the most. FOSTER: In terms of what happens tomorrow, I just want to ask you, Theresa May is expected to go there if she lose this vote tonight try to renegotiate, but they've ruled out, haven't they, any further discussion. This is the only deal. BELL: That's right and once again there were some speculation in the British press that perhaps this conversation between Angela Merkel and Theresa May that had taken place over the weekend had led to assurances being given to Theresa May. We've been hearing from a German government spokesman saying that that is absolutely misrepresented in the business press, the conversation was misrepresented and that the German Chancellor had given no more assurances than those outlined in the letter we just spoke about, Max, and that were outlined back in December. You really get a sense that the EU is unified on this question, has been throughout. Its position has been consistent. It hasn't changed. It's been as far as it can go and as we just heard, of course, it is far worse for the United Kingdom to leave without a deal than it is for the European which also, remember Max, is looking ahead to crucial elections that will define its future and that Euro files those that work within Europe and that believe and it hope we'll see the Euroskeptics lose out, Max. FOSTER: Well, to make more sense of this. Let's bring it up, let's call a contributor, Robin Oakley. There are some amendments that might address this backstop issue coming in before the vote tonight. negotiators that if they can go just one step more, putting into firmer legally upstanding language, the concessions they've tried to make to Theresa May to get the deal through, then she might be able to work on her rebels and with a bit of time to play to get more backing and bring her deal back to Parliament once again having been rejected. FOSTER: Tell us more about this vote of confidence, because Jeremy Corbyn says he'll call it tonight when the votes loss, it could happen tomorrow, but we talked to Hilary Benn earlier. What do you make on that conversation because he says even though they don't expect to win it, they have to call it, there's also a duty there. OAKLEY: Yes, its parliamentary show and Jeremy Corbyn is going to look ridiculous if he doesn't call the vote of confidence. He's been threatening to do it for so long in so many stages of this process. And if he doesn't do it on the day after the British Prime Minister has suffered one of the biggest ever parliamentary defeats, he is going to look pretty absurd. Okay, it's going through the motions because the DUP, the Northern Ireland MPs who will have voted against May's deal, so long as May's deal has been defeated, they will support her in a vote of confidence in the House of Commons. It sounds ridiculous, but that's the way the system works. So it's unlikely that the vote of confidence would go against Theresa May. She's just about going to be able to scrape the votes together to survive in that. If she doesn't, well, of course this 14 days for transfer, a new government to be formed. If not, there would then be a general election. So there is that threat in the background and some people are even suggesting that Theresa May might try herself to call an immediate election saying that Labour's policy on Europe is totally confused. They've just been constructively ambiguous, the whole way along just leaving all the difficulties to the government and that she has actually got a direct plan to put to the people. The problem is a general election isn't really going to solve anything, because the two parties going to remain with all their divisions. Both parties at the last election promise to uphold Brexit and both were against the single market and the full customs union at the last election. So it could be a complete another mishmash, if we do have an election and the thing to think about is referendum. FOSTER: What about the plan B, presumably she's got one but she can't reveal it before the vote tonight but what do you think is? OAKLEY: Actually, part of Theresa May's problem all along is that she doesn't take many people into her confidence and people are left wondering and they will put the worst construction on what does come. I think her only plan B at this stage is likely to be going back to Europe and having one more go. And the longer she keeps the whole time process going, the closer we get to leaving the EU on March the 29th, if there is no deal, if no package on her lines has been agreed or an alternative produced by other people has been agreed, we go out on March the 29th with no deal, and pretty well the whole British industry and most financial institutions are highly alarmed by that. So as that risk increases and it's hang there in the balance, if she can get little bit more wiggle room out of Europe, she's going to hope that she can pull more of the rebels over to her and some of the people who are just scared all together of going out with no-deal. We'll very, very reluctantly come around to backing her deal. FOSTER: Okay. Robin, thank you. Lots of monitor, let's say. Throughout the day we're asking you, our viewers, what's the best Brexit outcome for Britain. Here are the results so far. You can see them at the bottom of the screen. So one in 10 is saying Theresa May's deal is the best option, leaving with no deal just under one in 10, the second referendum option though, eight out of 10 of you think that's the best option. Interesting, many of you are outside the U.K., most of you are outside the U.K., of course, but that seems like the outsiders preferred route out of this. We'll get back to our top story across in a moment, but we're going to take you to the British Parliament behind me and the upcoming Brexit vote and how it's affecting the financial markets down the road in the city. We'll have a live report on that view. Plus, a former Canadian ambassador to China is warning the relations between the two countries is at a crisis point. We'll have more on the death sentence given to a Canadian man this damaging relations even more. Welcome back. I'm Max Foster live outside the Houses of Parliament here in London. This is a special edition of CNN Newsroom. Trade across European equity market is well underway. The main markets are modestly higher as you can see. London's FTSE up ahead of that crucial Brexit votes. They're not up hugely. It follows an upbeat day though in Asia. Shares in Hong Kong and Shanghai left higher as investors there shrugged off concerns there with Brexit for today, at least. CNN's Anna Stewart joins us live from London. Do you think they're taking much notice of this note or do you think they're just waiting to see what comes out of it? ANNA STEWART, REPORTER, CNN: I think everyone is waiting and watching to see what bets they should make at this stage. I mean sterling in particular has been really sensitive to every movement we've had on Brexit, essentially we're seeing traders trade on politics as opposed to economics. They have been for two and a half years. When the vote came through in 2016, the referendum vote, we saw sterling plunge to $1.33. It was the lowest in 31 years. Look at it now, it's at $1.28 and it has been now for many months. It's been around this handle for some time. The odds spiked like yesterday, there was a report that some of Theresa May's more Brexiteers, staunch Brexiteer MPs might come on and vote with her. That report collapsed so did that that little spike in sterling as well. So we're back to $1.28. The question is, yes, what will happen later on with this vote? Now, I'll give you worse expectations, best expectations and then what I think will happen. So worse expectations, Max, we crash out of EU. Analysts estimate that we could see pounds slump by the end of March to near parity with the dollar. Best-case scenario, this vote passes maybe not today but in the coming days we could see the pound rise 3% to 5% or the more likely option which is Theresa May's vote is defeated, perhaps by between a hundred and 200 votes. And then we do see the pound fall but only to maybe $1.24 or $1.25 and then we see what happens with the Prime Minister, does she go back to Brussels, does she try and memo concessions. The deal might not be dead at the end of today. FOSTER: What about the more practical concerns of businesses heading into this potential no-deal scenario. Are they prepared? STEWART: Many businesses are. I'd say particularly the larger businesses which can afford to spend money on contingency planning and let me tell you it's incredibly expensive, smaller businesses are struggling, and they are having to just wait and see what happens. Some businesses I've spoken to are genuinely worried about the future and whether they'll be able to operate in the EU, whether their margins will take a huge hit, whether they'll exist after March this year. Big businesses, lots of movement, I will mention one fascinating report from EY last week saying that in terms of banks and financial institutions they've shifted a trillion dollars worth of assets from the U.K. to the EU already. We know that Citibank, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs have all moved certain assets and jobs over, but we didn't have that figure. It's a huge amount and that's just now. A lot will depend on what the outcome is and perhaps we don't know that for some time. Perhaps, of course, Article 50 is extended, but the uncertainty is already hitting businesses. FOSTER: Okay. Anna, thank you. Let's bring in Quentin Peel. He's an associate fellow with a Europe Programme at Chatham House. You've been covering these types of votes for many, many years but I guess this is something we've never seen in our lifetime either. QUENTIN PEEL, EUROPE PROGRAMME, CHATHAM HOUSE: Yes, I think it is quite extraordinary and the defeat that Theresa May is likely to suffer tonight could be the biggest defeat that government suffered for almost a hundred years or more. And then the remarkable thing is we don't expect her to resign, which is it's just an extraordinary situation where you have a totally divided ruling party, you have a divided opposition, you have a bitter issue which has divided the country, and Parliament is effectively deadlocked. That's extraordinary thing. FOSTER: And it feels detached as well, doesn't it, because if so many MPs are pro Europe, pro remaining in Europe, and the public voted to leave, there's that disconnect that seems to be underlying many of the issues here. PEEL: Yes, I'm not sure it's quite that stark, because in a way Parliament is reflecting exactly the split and the deadlock in the country. After all it's not as if the country is very overwhelmingly for leave or remain. The opinion polls suggest that it swung slightly back now to more of a remain position. But what you are seeing, I think, is the confrontation between direct democracy, a referendum, and parliamentary democracy, the House of Commons. And the two are not on the same page. And so the entire exercise has been trying to reconcile one decision with the other and it hasn't proved doable. FOSTER: And looking at our poll, most people suggest that the U.K. should go back to a second referendum which may address the issue you just highlighted, but it's going to cause huge amounts of frustration for all of those people who haven't changed their mind and will be voting in the same way for a second time and wonder why on earth they're being asked. PEEL: Yes, I think that's true and I think it actually shows why direct democracy is a very bad system of democracy. It reduces everything. To black and white, it's incredibly divisive and it doesn't produce any solutions. It's like a national opinion poll really and not a decision, so that's really the problem we got ourselves into by having the referendum. And as you say, not a huge amount of people have changed their minds. So the one side is certainly saying, "Why should we vote again?" But the other side is saying, "Yes, we want to vote again, because people have changed their minds and now we know what Brexit looks like." FOSTER: To explain the drum and the bell. FOSTER: These demonstrators -- Big Ben isn't operating at the moment. They've got a similar ringing to it there, hasn't it? PEEL: I'm very struck that the busses that come around act for pro Brexit look almost exactly like the tourist busses going round London and I think they're both of a rip-off mission. FOSTER: I think the best moment yesterday was when you had a remain bus and a leave bus both saying, "Beep for remain, beep for leave." As they're beeping, everyone was cheering. Is that one moment of unity we've added in this whole process. She's got until Monday, hasn't she, to come back with a plan B. What you think is in the plan B? PEEL: Well, my heart sinks if it's just, "I'm going to go back to Brussels and try and get a few more concessions." FOSTER: But she would have done that before Monday, would she? PEEL: She might well have done and because I fear that the defeat of this deal is such that actually it's simply no longer a runner. Now, what is also possible is that she says, "Let's look at all the other options. Okay, I'm prepared to stand back. Look at the Norway options, stay in the single market, but still have freedom of movement." Very unpopular with the leavers, but could manage to get a majority in the House of Commons. So that's one possibility, but would she possibly go for a second referendum or would she insist that no-deal is the only opt-out we'll crash out, in which case I think Parliament will stop her. FOSTER: Will this process continue until that leave date which is when -- that's the scenario that's playing out at the moment, isn't it? We're heading towards a no-deal. FOSTER: So this debate will continue until we reach that day at the end of March. PEEL: Well, it can't go right to the line, because clearly to try and get out of it which is what a majority in parliament want requires a bit of time. So we'd know, I think, by the beginning of March what we were going to do, crash out would become clear. But for businesses and anybody who's actually affected by this process, they have to start planning now on the assumption there will be no-deal. FOSTER: And as Anna was saying, they are planning already but they're still very worried about that option. Quentin, thank you very much indeed. As lawmakers in Parliament prepare to vote, we want to know what do you think. Get your tablets out, get your phones out, computers whatever you got. The question we're asking, what's the best Brexit option for Britain? The deal Theresa May negotiate with the EU leaders, leaving the EU with no-deal or that second referendum. You can cast your at vote at cnn.com/join. You can see the results at the bottom of the screen. Second referendum way out in front. Meanwhile, U.S. Democratic lawmakers are considering subpoenaing president Trump's Russian interpreters following the reports he tried to keep some of his conversations with the Russian President a secret. The extraordinary denial the President is now giving just ahead. KRISTIE LU STOUT, ANCHOR, CNN: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong and we will return to Max Foster in London with more on the crucial Brexit vote ahead today. But first here are some of the other stories that we are following. In the U.S., Democratic lawmakers are discussing whether to subpoena the President's interpreters. There are reports that Mr. Trump has made extraordinary efforts to keep the content of his one-on-one talks with the Russian President a secret. One occasion in 2017 taking his interpreter's notes and telling her she couldn't discuss the meeting with anyone. Donald Trump is calling the reports fake news and says he has one-on-one meetings with many leaders all of the time. He spoke to reporters on Monday and not only unleashed on Democrats and the FBI, but also flat-out denied working for Russia. Listen. DONAL TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I never worked for Russia and you know that answer better than anybody. I never worked for Russia. Not only did I never worked for Russia, I think it's disgrace that you even asked that question, because it's a whole big fat hoax. STOUT: Oh, it's quite incredible to hear that from a U.S. President. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow with much more on story. Now, Fred, it has come to this, a U.S. President feeling compelled to say he is not a Russian agent. What does Moscow make of this? FREDERIK PLEITGEN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, on the south lawn of the White House it looked like to me he even said that certainly really a remarkable moment in U.S. politics and it was quite strange because over the past couple of days we really hadn't heard very much from the Kremlin or from any Russian politician for that matter, Kristie. Well, all of that change today in an interview with a Russian newspaper. The spokesman for the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov. He came out and he also flat-out denied that President Trump ever worked for Russia. He was actually asked whether there was some sort of conspiracy between Vladimir Putin and President Trump and he said quote, "This is a conspiracy that has no relation to reality." He says this is an internal American problem and he also says that he believes that all the problems that President Trump have are due to divisions inside America that make it very difficult for President Trump to pursue his policies. know more about that. But again the Russians for their part are saying, "No, President Trump never worked for us." And they're also saying that they believe all of this is an internal matter inside the United States, Kristie. STOUT: Got it. Fred Pleitgen, reporting live for us in Moscow. Thank you. Now, Mr. Trump also reached out to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un this time with a letter. A source has told CNN that the letter was flown to Pyongyang and delivered by hand over the weekend. The source also said that one of North Korea's top negotiators could visit Washington this week to finalize details for a second U.S. North Korea summit. A former Canadian Ambassador to China is warning that relations between Canada and China are at a crisis that is Beijing is calling on the Canadian Prime Minister to stop making "irresponsible remarks" about the death sentence given to a Canadian drug smuggler. Robert Schellenberg was convicted on November for being an accessory to drug smuggling and given 15 years in prison. But after a retrial he was convicted of a primary role in the smuggling and sentenced to death. Let's go straight to CNN's Steven Jiang live for us in Beijing. And Steven got this war of words between Justin Trudeau and Chinese officials, what does all of this say about the state of relations between Canada and China? STEVEN JIANG, SENIOR PRODUCER, CNN: Well, the status, the state of relations between the two countries really at a historic low ever since the Canadian authorities on December 1st arrested Meng Wanzhou who is a Senior Executive from a giant Chinese tech firm, Huawei. Now, they did that at the request of the U.S. authorities who accused Ms. Meng violating U.S. sanctions against Iran. Now, that Canadian move has really infuriated Beijing and relations have really plummeted ever since. Now, why is that related to the Schellenberg case? Because Schellenberg was actually arrested back in December of 2014. As you mentioned, it took the authorities almost four years to hand down his first verdict and sentencing. Then, he appealed, but what happened shortly after his appeal was that arrest of Ms. Meng. Then, all of a sudden his case seems to have become fast-tracked. He soon got an appeal hearing during which the court sided with the prosecution who claimed to have uncovered new evidence against him and two weeks later, on Monday, yesterday, he stood a new trial and then was quickly convicted and sentenced to death. Now, one thing to remember here, of course, is the ruling Communist Party and its leadership have absolute control over the judiciary here and officials and state media had been saying all along that Canada would face severe consequences if it did not free Ms. Meng. So that's why this latest conviction, Kristie, is really making more people convinced more than ever that Schellenberg has become a pawn in this increasingly nasty diplomatic fight, Kristie. STOUT: Yes, and all of this coming to ahead with relations reaching a crisis point that according to a former Canadian Ambassador telling to CNN. Stevens Jiang reporting live for us from Beijing. Steven, thank you so much. Now, in Japan bail has been denied for former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn. The Tokyo District Court took the action a short time ago. Ghosn was indicted on two more allegations of financial misconduct on Friday. He's been in jail since his re-arrest in December. Poland is giving more details on the suspect in the shocking killing of the Mayor of Gdansk. Pavel Adamovich, was stabbed in front of thousands of people at a charity event on Sunday. A 27-year-old suspect is now in custody. Authorities say he has a criminal record, including bank robbery, and that he blame the mayor, and his party for being sent to prison. The mayor was a progressive who championed immigrants, minorities and gay rights, and people have been honoring him with vigils. They're also condemning the hostile rhetoric in Polish politics. The European Council President Donald Tusk was born in Gdansk and here's what he told the city on Monday. DONALD TURK, EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT: And today I want to promise to dear God in all names, the people of Gdansk, Poles, and Europeans that for you and for everyone we will protect our Gdansk, our Poland, and our youth. That hatred will not prevail. We will stand up against it. STOUT: You are watching CNN Newsroom and still to come, your views on the best Brexit outcome and we'll have more analysis on what the options mean for Britain. FOSTER: Welcome back to Westminster with the bells and the drums tolling. It's not Big Ben. These are demonstrators. They're out in force on both sides. Returning to our key vote on the British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, British Members of Parliament begin voting on amendments to the deal at 7:00 p.m. local time with final votes on the meaningful vote between 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. we think this is the final day of debate. Parliament looks all certain to deliver a decisive defeat on the deal. Throughout the day, we're asking you, our viewers, what the best Brexit outcome is for Britain. You can see the results there at the bottom of the screen, one in 10 just over say Theresa May's deal are far more object for a second referendum just over eight out of 10, leaving with a no-deal is seen as a very bad idea according to the three options we have up on our screen. For more I'm joined by Labour MP, Kate Hoey. A leaver within the Labour Party. KATE HOEY, BRITISH LABOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT: Yes. FOSTER: So you're a minority within your party, at least? HOEY: I may be a minority in Parliament, but I'm not a minority amongst Labour supporters and, of course, millions of the 17.4 million people who voted to leave were Labour supporters in Labour constituencies with Labour MPs. FOSTER: And rumor has it that your leader is also on your side of things, even though voters remain in the referendum. HOEY: Well, I've been 30 years Member of Parliament this year and every lobby that was against the EU which I was in, Jeremy was also in. But he is leader of the party and he's trying to keep the party together and obviously very keen to support what the party members say. FOSTER: Which is a very difficult balancing act, isn't it, because when most of your party wants to remain within the European Union and there's an opportunity potentially for going for a general election, which he might win, how does he take this forward? He's talked about this vote of confidence. What do you think his strategy is? HOEY: Well, of course, since the referendum we've had a general election where our manifesto was very clear that we would honor the result of the referendum, and that we would leave the single market, and that we would want some kind of customs union but not the customs union. So our manifesto is clear, so the MPs even if they were remainers have committed themselves to honouring the referendum result. Now, obviously any leader of any opposition would like to have a general election and he will judge whether it is the right time to have a vote of no-confidence when the Prime Minister is defeated tonight. I think that may also depend on the margin of how much she is defeated by, whether he decides to go for a vote of no-confidence is obviously not a lot of point is going for it just for the sake of it if you're not going to win. FOSTER: But Hilary Benn suggests that there's no option really but to call this vote of confidence. Also, our own Robin Oakley saying he's been talking so much about a vote of confidence. He needs to go for it now. Isn't that an odd situation when he doesn't think he's going to win it as long as the DUP are on the side of the Conservatives? HOEY: Well, I think he has to judge the push there is within the party members to do something and show that we think the government has handled it badly. FOSTER: So it's a symbolic vote of confidence, probably? HOEY: I think it could well be but, of course, sometimes people in the country may think that it's not very sensible to go for a vote of no-confidence at a time when the country is in great turmoil in the sense of what's happening at the moment. FOSTER: So it's not a definite? HOEY: I don't think any of us know. I would be very surprised if he's made up his own mind finally now. But the chances are we will get a vote of no-confidence sometime in the next few days. FOSTER: It's an odd situation MPs like yourself find yourself in, because traditionally you'd always work with Labour MPs but you're increasingly working with Conservative MPs, aren't you, who shared the same view of Brexit. What's it been like over the last few months? HOEY: Well, I think sometimes people think that everyone is falling out and shouting at each other, because that's what the public see in Prime Minister's questions. Actually, there's a lot of cross party where it goes on in Parliament on many issues, issues to do with international affairs and issues to do with local issues, so it's fine. They're not enemies, they're all people. FOSTER: Oh, good. It was coming together in a sort of strange context right now. HOEY: Yes, it is actually. FOSTER: Thank you very much indeed, a long day ahead of you. Thank you. Coming up for CNN Talk, we want to know what you think, should lawmakers back Prime Minister May's deal. She's warned that a no-deal could lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom or should opponents hold fast and risk crashing out, as they say, for the EU without an agreement. Log on to facebook.com/CNN International to have your say. CNN Talk starting at 12:00 p.m. here in London, that's 8:00 p.m. in Hong Kong. Do stay with CNN's special Brexit coverage all day leading up to the votes and well after as well we'll have live reports from London, Brussels and all around the world on the impact of Parliament's decision today. I'm Max Foster here in London. Thanks for joining us. New Day With John Berman and Alisyn Camerota is coming up next for you. DAVE BRIGGS, ANCHOR, CNN: ... and you don't even know this post existed. CHRISTINE ROMANS, ANCHOR, CNN: I think we're 20 years too late, don't you think. BRIGGS: Oh, man. I don't get Instagram. Now, I realize why I'm so bad at it. BRIGGS: I'm Dave Briggs. New Day starts right now. TRUMP: I never worked for Russia. It's a whole big fat hoax. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Russia could not have asked for a friendlier United States President. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Over my dead body. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am beginning to feel as to why I'm on the seventh Manchurian candidate. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Make no mistake, the shutdown is caused by President Trump. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So here we are because the Speaker of House has decided that enforcing our own laws is now immoral. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's no longer a political issue now. It's a human issue.

2019-04-20T14:38:41Z

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1901/15/cnr.21.html

A truck with the faces of Soviet Communist leaders Lenin and Stalin at the labor day parade held in Tel Aviv on May 1, 1949. Pinn Hans/Israeli Government Press Office. November 29 marks the 70th anniversary of UN General Assembly resolution 181, recommending the partition of Mandate Palestine into two separate Jewish and Arab states. On that day in 1947, millions of listeners sat glued to their radio sets to follow the voting. The outcome set off spontaneous celebrations among Zionists everywhere, for it constituted the first formal international endorsement of a Jewish state. To celebrate the anniversary, Israel’s embassy to the United Nations is restoring the hall in Flushing Meadows, New York—today the main gallery of the Queens Museum, then the meeting place of the General Assembly—to its appearance in 1947. The announced plan is to reenact the vote, with the current ambassadors of member states that voted “yes” recasting their ballots. From the moment President Truman became the first world leader to recognize the new Jewish state, Israel has had no better friend than the United States of America, and the U.S. has had no more steadfast ally than the state of Israel. In keeping with this, the keynote speaker in New York will be U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence. Again and again, we are likely to hear how Harry Truman stood up to his State Department (and, perhaps less heroically, catered to Jewish voters) by saying “yes” in November 1947 and then by immediately recognizing Israel when David Ben-Gurion declared the state on May 14, 1948. And once again, we will be reminded of Eddie Jacobson, Truman’s Jewish business partner in a Kansas City haberdashery before the Depression, who famously traded on his old friendship to secure a critical meeting between Truman and the Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann in March 1948. The problem here is simple: everything said about the contribution of Truman could be said about that of Joseph Stalin. I. Stalin, a Founding Father of Israel? In a 1998 essay marking Israel’s 50th anniversary, the historian Paul Johnson addressed a “paradoxical aspect of the Zionist miracle, which we certainly did not grasp at the time and which is insufficiently understood even now.” That paradox, wrote Johnson, is that “among the founding fathers of Israel was Joseph Stalin.” Twenty years later, even fewer people grasp it. The Soviet Union is long gone, remembered by Israel and its supporters as the patron of Nasser abroad, the jailer and tormentor of Jews at home, the purveyor of vicious anti-Semitism everywhere. Nor did any Soviet leader himself ever claim the mantle of Cyrus. To the contrary: from the 1950s onward, the Soviet Union did its utmost to erase the fact of Soviet support for the creation of Israel from official history and from Arab memory. Meanwhile, both in the United States and in Israel, an equal and opposite process has erased from memory the inconstancy of American support for Israel’s creation. Yes, the U.S. voted for partition in November 1947, but by the following March it had declared partition impossible to implement and proposed a “temporary” UN trusteeship in its stead. On the very eve of Britain’s official withdrawal from Israel the following May, America’s top diplomat was still warning Israel’s leaders against declaring independence. Yes again, Truman did immediately recognize Israel (de facto but not de jure). But he had already enforced an arms embargo on the Middle East, forcing Israel to scavenge for its survival. Still, one might wonder: even if all this is true, is any contemporary purpose served by recounting it? That purpose certainly cannot be to “rehabilitate” Stalin’s Soviet Union. Although there is such a tendency in Russia today, few outside that country harbor any illusions about Stalin’s horrific legacy. Nor can the purpose be to belittle the significance of American support for Israel since 1967. In what follows, my objective is otherwise: to show how, in the years just before, during, and after the establishment of the state of Israel, its leaders thought creatively about the postwar geopolitical order. Knowing that they had no steady friends, they presciently identified the Soviet Union as an emerging great power, and set about wooing Moscow. Soviet support then allowed them to parlay budding cold-war rivalries into even more American support. It was a masterstroke of Zionist diplomacy. Stalin’s decision is still shrouded in mystery, and it is by no means certain that Zionist overtures played the decisive role in the Soviet Union’s surprising and highly consequential support for a Jewish state. But they might have done. Today, as Israel makes its way in a changing world, marked by the rise of new powers, there may be a lesson to be learned from this history. It all began with a forgotten speech. Shortly before midday on May 14, 1947, Andrei Gromyko, the permanent representative of the Soviet Union to the United Nations, mounted the dais of the UN General Assembly Hall in Flushing Meadows, Queens. At that moment, the mood of Zionists everywhere was one of gloom. They were still reeling from the magnitude of the Holocaust, the images from the Nazi extermination camps, and the plight of hundreds of thousands of survivors who had emerged dazed from the camps and the forests. The vast majority of these Jews wanted only to leave Europe, and many were embarking on long treks to Mediterranean ports in hopes of gaining passage to Palestine. A quarter-million Jews filled displaced-persons camps in Germany and Austria, desperate for a positive response to their pleas and safe passage to the Jewish homeland. In Palestine, thanks to a British policy designed to appease the Arabs, the doors remained as firmly shut to Jewish immigration as they had been all through the war. The Royal Navy, intercepting ships headed for Palestine with their human cargo of Jewish survivors, shipped the “illegals” to grim detention camps in Cyprus. Some Palestinian Jews reacted to these draconian measures by taking up arms in an insurgency against the British, setting off a cycle of killings and retributions. Others appealed to the world’s conscience, with limited results. Although the yishuv, the organized Jewish population in Palestine, had prepared itself for independence, no great power had declared itself in favor of a Jewish state. Although the Jews in Palestine had prepared themselves for independence, no great power had come out in favor of a Jewish state. On May 14, 1947, with a speech by the Soviet representative to the UN, that suddenly changed. This was the immediate background to the May 14 speech by Andrei Gromyko defining the brief of UNSCOP from the Soviet perspective. No Zionist had reason to expect much of it. The Soviet Union had always derided Zionism as a reactionary if not a fascist movement, and a catspaw of Western and especially British imperialism. Since the war’s end, the Soviets had maintained that the “Jewish problem” could be resolved not by moving Jews to Palestine but only by “the complete eradication of the roots of fascism” in Europe itself. Communist parties across the Middle East, including in Palestine, dismissed the notion of partition as an imperialist plot. The party line instead urged “a single, democratic, independent Palestine”—in which Arabs would outnumber Jews two to one. In opening his speech, Gromyko performed as expected. The British Mandate over Palestine, he explained at length, had failed in its mission; with the spread of violence, the country had deteriorated “into a semi-military or police state.” The Mandate had to be terminated. No surprise there: the fiercely anti-British Soviets certainly weren’t going to insist that Britain linger in any outpost of its empire. has been able to assure the defense of the elemental rights of the Jewish people. This is an unpleasant fact, but unfortunately, like all other facts, it must be admitted, [and it also] explains the aspirations of the Jews to establish their own state. It would be unjust not to take this into consideration and to deny the right of the Jewish people to realize this aspiration. It would be unjustifiable to deny this right to the Jewish people, particularly in view of all it has undergone during the war. Nothing had prepared us for this windfall. . . . Moscow was reversing its traditional posture by proposing the option of a Jewish state. I had come to the United Nations with pessimistic assumptions about the balance of forces; I now revised my predictions. . . . For the first time, our political sky was lit up with a gleam of hope. It was no longer necessary to be a romantic optimist in order to foresee a Zionist success. Gromyko had become a Zionist hero. The yishuv is still dazed. with the taste of manna. . . . who’s suddenly tossed a lifesaver from the shore. As it turned out, Ben-Gurion’s caution was misplaced. For the next two years, the Soviet Union proved to be the steadiest great-power supporter of the Jewish state-in-formation and then of Israel. There were at least five major milestones in the evolution of Soviet support. After all, the Jewish people has been closely linked with Palestine for a considerable period in history. Apart from that . . . we must not overlook the position in which the Jewish people found themselves as a result of the recent world war. . . . The solution of the Palestine problem into two separate states will be of profound historical significance, because this decision will meet the legitimate demands of the Jewish people, hundreds of thousands of whom, as you know, are still without a country, without homes, having found temporary shelter only in special camps in some Western European countries. (2) In March 1948, with the United States retreating from the idea of partition, the Soviet Union stood firmly in favor of it and attacked the alternative American proposal of a UN trusteeship. On April 20, as the clock wound down on the British Mandate, Gromyko denounced trusteeship as an idea that would place Palestine “in a state of virtual colonial slavery.” Only partition into independent states would “satisfy the legitimate aspirations of the Jewish people, which had suffered so much under the Hitler regime.” If trusteeship were put to a vote, he warned, the Soviet Union would cast a “no” ballot. (3) Also at the start of 1948, the Soviet Union, while sending no equipment on its own, gave a nod to crucial arms deals between Czechoslovakia and Israel, assuring the latter an advantage in the battle with the Palestinian Arabs that was already under way. The Czech motive was mundane: a need for foreign currency. But the deal depended on Soviet acquiescence (and, according to some accounts, on Stalin’s personal authorization). The arms deliveries made it possible to provide every Israeli recruit with his or her own weapon and ample ammunition. And the guns arrived in the nick of time, allowing the Haganah to go on the offensive in the lead-up to independence (“Plan Dalet”). At the start of 1948, the Soviet Union gave a nod to crucial arms deals between Czechoslovakia and Israel, assuring the latter an advantage in its war of independence. “They saved the country, I have no doubt of that,” Ben-Gurion said. Then and afterward, the Soviet Union were either for you or against you. If they were for you, they were 100-percent; if they were against you, they were 100-percent. The United States always had a plurality in their objectives and tried to combine their objectives in a single policy. So they were never 100-percent for you, and they were never 100-percent against you. Nobody could completely trust them and nobody could completely despair of them. Why did Stalin do it? The question has perplexed historians for 70 years. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, scholars have studied and published hundreds of Soviet documents on early Soviet-Israel relations. These documents include policy recommendations made to Stalin and instructions from the Soviet foreign ministry to its diplomats, but no document has revealed Stalin’s own thinking. some doubt whether the decision to support the establishment of a Jewish state was taken at top level; in view of subsequent developments it is at least possible that this course of action was recommended by some foreign-ministry advisers and approved by Stalin in a fit of absentmindedness. Possible, yes—but, to judge from the Soviet documents, unlikely. In July 1947, the first secretary of the Soviet embassy in Washington insisted that “it was only after a careful and comprehensive analysis of the situation that Gromyko had been authorized to make his statement.” Throughout that period of high-level analysis, nearly all of Stalin’s foreign-policy advisers opposed partition (as did Truman’s). Their consensus was that support for a Jewish state would provoke “an unfavorable reaction” across the Arab world. How exactly such discord would serve Soviet interests remained unclear, however. Right up to Gromyko’s May 1947 speech (and in some cases, even later), every relevant agency of the U.S. government assumed that the Soviets would oppose partition in order to win Arab favor, while America would pay a heavy price in Arab opinion for supporting it. Not surprisingly, then, the Americans remained befuddled by the Soviet move, which seemed to them utterly counterintuitive. Astute observers of Soviet policy have attributed a plausible motive to Stalin: the Jewish state would be a useful lever for dislodging Britain from the heart of the region. Most astute observers of Soviet policy, then and now, have attributed a more precise and plausible motive to Stalin. By 1947, the cold war had already seeped into the Mediterranean and the Middle East via Greece, Turkey, and Iran. Stalin may have concluded that the cause of a Jewish state would be a useful lever for dislodging Britain from the heart of the region. The British might still hold sway over their Arab clients in Transjordan and Iraq, and keep Egypt in their grip. But a Jewish state would drive the British out of Palestine, lock, stock, and barrel. True, supporting it would come at a cost: the (small) Arab Communist parties would be devastated. But it was a negligible price to pay in return for securing Britain’s ignominious retreat from one of its biggest bases in the Middle East. Not only is there no reason to expect Russian policy to be hostile to us, there are grounds for thinking it will be friendly. Not out of sympathy to us or out of hatred toward the Arabs, but in order to settle political accounts with England. It’s one thing to be anti-Zionist and anti-bourgeois and quite another to be against the Jewish people. . . . The Jews had long struggled for their own state under a Zionist flag. We, of course, were against Zionism. But to refuse a people the right to statehood would mean oppressing them. An additional and crucial element—the one I signaled early on—will help fill out the picture. Soviet support for partition and for Israel has usually been described as a “windfall” (Eban’s word) that took the Zionists by surprise. But, years before Gromyko’s speech, Zionist leaders themselves had begun to pursue Soviet support. Although they were surprised in 1947, many would come to believe that their own earlier efforts had produced the turnabout. The central figures in this saga include Weizmann and Ben-Gurion. But at the very center there may stand a man largely forgotten to Israel’s history: Ivan Mikhailovich Maisky. From 1932 to 1943, Maisky served as Stalin’s ambassador to the Court of St. James. Of Polish-Jewish ancestry, he had been a revolutionary as a young man and spent World War I in British exile. Returning to Russia after the 1917 revolution, he joined the Bolshevik party and put his charm to work as a diplomat. Posted back to London, Maisky befriended a who’s-who of the British political and intellectual elite, from Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill to George Bernard Shaw and Beatrice Webb. Today, historians of the Soviet Union celebrate Maisky for his copious diary, in which he tells how, through treacherous waters, he adroitly steered Soviet-British relations through most of the war. Chaim Weizmann, who conducted Zionist diplomacy from London, had taken notice. During the earlier world war, Weizmann had anticipated the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, placed his bet on Britain, and been instrumental in securing the Balfour Declaration. By 1941, as Zionism’s elder statesman and president of the World Zionist Organization, he was anguished by Britain’s betrayal of its pledge to facilitate a Jewish national home in Palestine. Now the new world war seemed likely to undo the British Empire, throwing open the Middle East once again. Who would fill the vacuum? Whom should the Zionists cultivate? Weizmann had no illusions about Stalin. In addition to the familiar catalogue of the Soviet dictator’s treachery, Weizmann had personal experience of his cruelty. Although most of the Weizmann siblings had left Russia before 1917, his younger brother Shmuel had gone back to build the “revolution” and disappeared in the “Great Purge” of the late 1930s. Weizmann had no illusions about Stalin, whose forces had killed his brother. Yet, despite this, Weizmann thought that under certain circumstances, Stalin might prove willing to aid the Zionist cause. In their conversation, the man credited with winning the Balfour Declaration anticipated the final demise of the British-Zionist entente. The English, he offered, “don’t like the Jews,” and “prefer the Arabs to the Jews.” They were “hardly likely to agree” to mass immigration into Palestine of Jews who might survive the war. “And if they don’t agree, what will happen?” Weizmann sharpened the question: “What has a British victory to offer the Jews?” The implied message: once the war ended, the Zionists would finalize their divorce from Britain and be open to new relationships. So began the wooing of Maisky, a joint effort by Weizmann and Ben-Gurion. It consisted of overtures and memos in which the Zionist leaders hammered away at set themes: the Jews were resolved to fight for their freedom, a Jewish state would be neutral, and the Arabs were either British agents or collaborators of Nazi Germany. In particular, the two leaders worked to persuade Maisky that Palestine was a one-stop solution for Europe’s desperate Jewish masses. All through the Mandate period, critics of Zionism claimed that the country couldn’t absorb enough Jews to solve Europe’s Jewish “problem.” The Zionists worked especially hard to persuade Maisky otherwise. Thus, when, at their first meeting, Maisky “expressed some surprise about how Weizmann hoped to settle five million Jews on territory occupied by one million Arabs,” Weizmann replied that the Arab was “the father of the desert. . . . Give me the land occupied by a million Arabs, and I will easily settle five times that number of Jews on it.” In their second meeting, in September 1943, Maisky repeated his worry about the “smallness” of Palestine, to which Weizmann responded by invoking a report by the renowned American irrigation engineer Walter Clay Lowdermilk, who estimated that the country could absorb another four million European Jewish refugees. The following month, Maisky raised the same issue with Ben-Gurion: “We want to know the truth, what is the capacity of Palestine?” Ben-Gurion spoke more modestly of two million Jews, and in due course provided Maisky with a supporting memorandum. Three of the most fundamental aspects of Soviet social philosophy are embodied in the national system being built in Palestine by the Zionist movement: collective welfare and not individual gain is the guiding principle and goal of the economic structure; equality of standing is established in the community between manual and intellectual workers; and consequently the fullest scope is provided for intellectual life and the development of labor. There are no fundamental psychological barriers to mutual understanding, and the Zionist movement has never felt antagonistic to Soviet social philosophy. As the war progressed and the Soviets began to push the Germans back in Europe, Zionist leaders gained the sense that their efforts were beginning to pay off. In September 1943, as Maisky prepared to leave London for Moscow to help plan the postwar settlement, Weizmann met him one last time. The Zionists, Weizmann said, “had been friendly toward Russia and hoped that the Soviet government would understand their aims.” Maisky replied that “he could not commit his government, but he believed that the Soviets would support them. . . . He thought that Russia would certainly stand by them”—an early hint (or hunch), offered three-and-a-half years before Gromyko’s dramatic bombshell at the United Nations. Maisky’s route back to Moscow took him through the Middle East, and in October he visited Palestine. Now he was the one to seize the initiative, reaching out to Ben-Gurion, who took him and his wife on an afternoon visit to two kibbutzim near Jerusalem. As if on an official fact-finding trip, Maisky expressed keen interest in all aspects of kibbutz communal life and even posed for a photograph with Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir. Did the memo have a similar effect in Moscow? The historian Gabriel Gorodetsky, the translator and editor of Maisky’s diaries, has dismissed the notion that Zionist cultivation of Maisky made a decisive difference. Maisky “misled” Ben-Gurion by suggesting that he exerted a vast influence over Soviet foreign policy; although he did prepare a “glowing report” for Stalin, he had already been shunted aside. On his return to Moscow in 1943, Gorodetsky writes, “he found the doors to the Kremlin bolted.” While he continued to advise Stalin at the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, he was out of the ministry by the end of 1945. Zionist leaders only imagined that their wooing of Maisky had anything to do with Stalin’s decision. In one obvious sense, this is true: Stalin made his decision more than three years after Maisky’s report, and in the context of the cold war. But the Zionist outreach to Maisky was itself only the most high-profile facet of a more extensive campaign that mobilized another layer of Zionist diplomats (including Sharett, Epstein, and Nahum Goldmann), involved overtures to Soviet missions from Washington to Ankara, and continued right up to Gromyko’s speech. Would the transformation in the Soviet view have occurred without years of activist Zionist diplomacy? Zionist leaders had no doubt: somehow, they had tipped the scales. Would this transformation in the Soviet view have occurred without years of activist Zionist diplomacy? And would it have occurred in time? Historians might differ. But Zionist leaders had no doubt: somehow, they had tipped the scales. Summarizing the support given the Zionists by the Soviet Union, Walter Laqueur wrote that “without it they would not have stood a chance.” Yet that support never became the foundation of a lasting alliance. Indeed, already by 1949, the Soviet Union and Israel were headed for a collision. What went wrong? But the Soviets didn’t just withdraw support; they were becoming openly hostile. Driving the pendulum back were a number of factors, including Stalin’s increasingly severe paranoia on all fronts. And then there was a domestic problem where Soviet Jews were concerned. During the war, Zionist leaders had assured Soviet authorities that the country’s Jews were out of bounds for Zionist proselytization. “I’m not worried about [Soviet Jews],” Weizmann had told Maisky at their first meeting. They are not under any threat. In 20 or 30 years’ time, if the present regime in your county lasts, they will be assimilated. . . . Soviet Jews will gradually merge with the general current of Russian life, as an inalienable part of it. I may not like it, but I’m ready to accept it: at least Soviet Jews are on firm ground, and their fate does not make me shudder. In the wake of USSR support for Israel, a wave of euphoria swept Soviet Jewry. In response, by the end of 1948, Stalin launched a “secret pogrom” against leading Jews accused of Zionist conspiracy. The sequel bore out these apprehensions. Gromyko had specified in his speech that “no Western European state” had assured elemental Jewish rights (emphasis added). The implication was that the rights of Soviet Jews hadn’t been compromised; for them now to be asserting the contrary by hailing Israel as their redemption caught the authorities off-guard. With each passing month they grew more alarmed at the percolation of Zionist sympathies at home. Stalin thus had ample reason to be alarmed by the impact his own policy was having on the two-and-a-half million Soviet Jews who after the Holocaust formed the largest mass of Jews in Europe. Decades of repression had been suddenly lifted, releasing a surge of ethnic and nationalist fervor that would in turn necessitate even more brutal measures of repression. Already by the end of 1948, he had launched what one historian has called a “secret pogrom” against leading Jews accused of Zionist conspiracy. The subsequent persecutions of the early 1950s, from the show trial and execution in Prague of Rudolf Slansky and other high-placed Jewish members of the Czech Communist party to the Moscow “Doctors’ Plot,” warrant their own grim telling. Suffice it to say that in the Soviet Union and its satellites, domestic anti-Semitism and opposition to Israel became inseparable twins. Nor was it simply that Stalin deplored Zionism and hated the Jews. For its part, the mainstream Zionist leadership had no great regard for Stalin or the Soviet Union. Their preference lay with the West. True, this did not apply to the far-left Zionist factions that in 1948 coalesced in Israel’s Mapam party. Until the Prague trials in 1952, most of its members, many of whom had also played leading roles in the yishuv’s military defense, looked favorably upon the Soviet Union. Portraits of Stalin brooded over the dining halls of some of their kibbutzim, and the KGB successfully recruited leading Mapam members as agents. But the pro-Soviet left, even at its height, did not appeal to more than 15 percent of the public—its share in Israel’s first elections in 1949—and it declined steadily thereafter. True, too, at the height of Soviet support, a wave of gratitude had swept the yishuv as a whole. One especially astute witness was the Jewish-Hungarian author Arthur Koestler, who spent much of 1948 in Israel. Koestler, a former Communist and Comintern agent during the Spanish Civil War, owed his fame to his 1940 novel Darkness at Noon. Set in 1938 in the midst of the “Great Purge,” the book accused Stalin of criminal betrayal. And yet, had he suffered what people here have suffered in the past six months, while one leading Western democracy [Britain] waged an almost undisguised war on them and a second [the United States] looked on, the psychological pressure of circumstances might have turned even him into a fellow traveler [of Communist Russia]. . . . The almost weekly oscillations of American policy, and the paradox that America recognized Israel but by maintaining the arms embargo deprived it of its means of defense, increased the general feeling of bitterness and disgust with the West. realize[d] that Russia’s gesture was exclusively designed to serve her own political aims. They remembered well that for 30 years Russia had persecuted Zionism as a fascist movement. The sudden and total reversal of Soviet policy . . . was too obvious a maneuver to take them in. For Koestler, there was no question that mainstream Zionists preferred the West; the shallow sympathy for the Soviets arose only from the West’s own reluctant reception of Israel. Nothing is further from the truth. Our immigrants from Eastern Europe are precisely those who are leaving the Communist scene with which they do not wish to be integrated. Otherwise, they would not leave at all. Had there been a serious attempt by the Soviets to introduce Communist influences through our immigration, they could easily have done so in previous decades. Every election and all observation in Palestine testifies to the trivial hold which Communism has achieved in our community. American wariness that Israel would tip in Moscow’s direction may have figured in the very decision now celebrated as the birth of U.S.-Israel relations. In retrospect, such a scenario seems incredible. But wariness of it, and the desirability of pre-empting it, may actually have figured in the very decision now celebrated as the birth of U.S.-Israel relations. In the crucial meeting at which Truman decided in favor of immediate recognition of Israel, White House counsel Clark Clifford made the compelling argument that, by recognizing Israel first, the U.S. could “steal a march on the USSR.” One observer of the decision noted the prevalence of the “fairly well-founded suspicion that the U.S. speedy recognition was prompted primarily by fears that the Soviet Union might do it first.” Among the mix of Truman’s motives, one-upping the Soviets could not have been too far from the surface. The journey from “fair treatment” of Israel to the post-1967 strategic alliance with the United States would prove to be a long one, with many ups and downs. But it originated in the desire to keep Israel out of the Soviet orbit—an American reaction to a highly improbable scenario that was itself made plausible only by Stalin’s surprising but consistent support for the Jewish state at the moment of its birth. That being the case, perhaps there is another reason for Israel to thank Stalin: he inadvertently helped Israel build its first bridges to United States. Thankfully, a few diligent historians have done much over the past two decades to unearth the record and tell the story in detail. In mustering evidence for this essay, I’ve relied largely on their efforts. They include, most notably, Yaakov Ro’i, Arnold Krammer, and Uri Bialer, whose detailed book-length accounts appeared before the fall of the Soviet Union; and Gabriel Gorodetsky, Benjamin Pinkus, and Laurent Rucker, who in the aftermath of the regime’s collapse plumbed accessible archives to add many new dimensions. What with important scholarly articles by others also filling gaps, the story is there for all who seek it. Unfortunately, this historical misrepresentation exacts a cost. First, it tends to obscure the real significance of the international legitimacy conferred on Israel by the partition vote. Yes, it took heroic efforts by partition’s supporters, including the United States, to round up the required two-thirds “yes” votes in the General Assembly. But the successful outcome was due to the fundamental fact that both of the victorious great powers, the United States and the Soviet Union, supported partition and the creation of a Jewish state. This convergence created the updraft that drew in the others. Abba Eban regarded partition as “the first American-Soviet agreement in the postwar era.” That it was an agreement over the creation of the Jewish state suggests just how deep lie the foundations of Israel’s international legitimacy. Many Arab apologists still seek to demonstrate that this or that ballot in the General Assembly was obtained through threat or barter, and it is true that in November 1947, advocates of partition pulled out all the stops. But with both superpowers aligned, it required a special animus against Zionism to prompt a “no” ballot. With few exceptions, this existed only in countries with Muslim majorities. The United States, [Sharett] continued, had not helped to establish the state; [it] had assisted only by taking part in the vote at the United Nations, and this would not be forgotten. But we, the Jewish people, he said, were carrying on the fight in Palestine ourselves without any aid whatever. We had asked for arms, but they had not been given; we had asked for military guidance, but it had been withheld; finally, we had asked for armor plating for buses, but even this had been refused. Whatever we had secured was with our own capacities alone. Sharett was too diplomatic to remind Marshall of just what, by contrast, the Soviets had done for Israel. The state of Israel was not established as a consequence of the UN resolution. Neither America nor any other country saw the resolution through, nor did they stop the Arab countries (and the British mandatory government) from declaring total war on us in violation of UN resolutions. America did not raise a finger to save us and, moreover, imposed an arms embargo, and had we been destroyed they would not have resurrected us. The founders of Israel would thus have scoffed at the idea that the United States government stood squarely by the new state at its creation. Israel’s existence, they believed, was owed entirely to their own courage and grit—and to crates of guns sent by order of Stalin, purchased with millions of dollars sent by American Jews. Telling the partition story as “America-to-the-rescue” robs it of its most important lessons. Zionism’s early leaders never said never, and never took “no” for an answer. Third, telling the partition story as “America-to-the-rescue” robs it of its most important lessons. The genius of Zionist diplomacy, in 1947 as in 1917, resided in accurately detecting the rise and decline of powers, and in exploiting their competitive rivalries. The Zionists had too much experience to rely on the friendship of any one power. Indeed, it might be said that Zionism insisted that the Jews had no steadfast “best friends” at all. World wars, revolutions, collapsing empires—Zionism’s leaders saw no constants in international affairs, and they relentlessly probed world capitals for the first signs of shifts in policy and power. In practicing a diversified diplomacy, the Zionists never said never, and never took “no” for an answer. No Zionist today would think to celebrate the partition vote by praising the wise foresight of Comrade Stalin. But it would be a missed opportunity (and bad history) to celebrate it only by hailing Truman, the would-be Cyrus. On that day, the world welcomed the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. It happened because shrewd and persistent Zionist statesmen and diplomats persuaded the leaders of both increasingly antagonistic great powers that a Jewish state would serve the interests of each. “In terms both of Soviet and of American policy,” wrote Paul Johnson in the 1998 essay I quoted at the outset, “Israel slipped into existence through a window that briefly opened, and just as suddenly closed.” It was Zionist statesmanship—critically coordinated with Zionist arms—that opened the window just wide enough, and kept it open long enough, for Israel to enter. Surely this achievement is the one that deserves to be remembered and celebrated in Flushing Meadows 70 years to the day. The saga of the partition vote, far from being a singularly American story, is a reminder that Israel must remain ever-nimble in maneuvering among the powers, and not rely exclusively on a single one. This was crucial at Israel’s birth, and might prove crucial again. Finally, there is yet another cause for reflection as Israel approaches its 70th anniversary. In the early years of the 20th century, the Zionist and the Russian revolutions occurred in tandem. They arose from related discontents, in much of the same geographic space. Not surprisingly, they both competed for the allegiance and energies of Jews. The Soviet Union lasted almost 69 years to the day, from 1922 to 1991. As of this year, the state of Israel has lasted longer, and it continues to flourish. Israel won the war for the Jews, as surely as the United States won the cold war. The Soviet legacy is damnable with regard to Israel, too. The Soviet Union later armed and incited the Arabs to wage wars on Israel that drew blood and inflicted suffering. But let Israel record two credits to the ledger of that calamitous 20th-century regime. First, as Israel’s founders attested and as this essay has shown, the Soviet Union gave vital support to Israel at its birth. Second, it saved millions of Jews from otherwise certain destruction by the Nazis—Jews who, with their descendants, would crucially augment the population of Israel upon the eventual Soviet collapse. This does not mitigate the crimes perpetrated by Stalin, whose barbarity sometimes rivaled Hitler’s. It is a reminder that while Israel should always prefer the good company of the righteous, the others must not be neglected.

2019-04-20T16:27:06Z

https://dev.mosaicmagazine.com/essay/israel-zionism/2017/11/who-saved-israel-in-1947/

Before launching into a lengthy history, let me offer in brief form ("a synopsis") the story of what I have found, both in confirmation of the research of others and filling in what they have missed. But first, some caveats and opinions. In the next chapter I'll describe the research of David Talbott and the contribution by Wal Thornhill which have led to the theory of the polar location of Saturn. Before you become flush with indignation at the preposterous claims I will be making in the following paragraphs, consider that I cannot offer the evidence at the same time as the capsule descriptions. Your indulgence is therefore requested. The evidence follows immediately in a terse presentation of some 700,000 words (readable as one chapter a night for a month). Only two jumps are made in the sequence of logical connectivity: an overall base chronology is developed in Appendix A, and most of the detailed plans of celestial interactions are found in Appendix B. That leaves, as the main course, a narrative of the historical events, often separated by many hundreds of years, but more or less in historical order. I hope this will sooth your temper. If I still have your attention at this point, let me rouse your ire once more by proposing that, for example, the Chicxulub crater in the Yucatan is not the mark of the largest bolide ever intercepted by Earth, as is commonly thought. Rather, it is the result of a lightning bolt 110 miles (177 km) in diameter, and not the crater of an object falling from the sky. Yes, lightning bolts can travel millions of miles between planets. Yes, we lost the dinosaurs over the next 10 million years, but the large-scale extinction does not at all conform to the consequences of a fallen rock, as is certainly recognized by the establishment. More on this in a later chapter. The chapters of this site will propose that the biology of our planet, our culture, our psychology, and our very existence, are the result of a series of incidents arising from the interaction between Earth and other planets within the Solar System, most notably Saturn. As hominids, we survived the last externally induced extinction event which gave rise to eight competing sub-species over the course of the last three million years. Our only contribution to our distinction from other animals was the invention 10,000 years ago of language and its subsequent cultural transmission. That set the stage for further development of our "humanity," much later on and much closer to our time: subjective consciousness. It all started very long ago. At one time, and from its genesis, Earth was a planet in orbit around Saturn, a brown dwarf star. Toward the end of the Precambrian (600 million years ago), the Saturnian System intersected with the Solar System. Saturn swept around the Sun, and back into deep space, to return at regular 26- to 27-million-year intervals. Over the course of time, some of the satellites (planets) of Saturn were wrenched from their orbits around Saturn to end up revolving around the Sun instead. The Earth likely became a Solar System planet at the end of the Permian, 250 million years ago. From 600 million years ago Saturn kept entering the Solar System regularly to disturb its lost satellites now circling the Sun. At about 3 million years ago Saturn likely had a run-in with Jupiter, a Solar System planet at that time orbiting the Sun at a distance probably somewhat less than the Earth's orbit today. The orbital period of Saturn was significantly reduced as a result. During this last 3-million-year period Saturn started scavenging its lost satellites, and perhaps Solar System planets, all in orbits close to the Sun. The possibility of a "captured" planet again orbiting Saturn at its equator is virtually nil. Instead, the scavenged planets ended up in suprapolar and subpolar locations, the only locations which seemed to be dynamically stable. Because Saturn had come in from outside of the Solar System, and most likely was a star originally, it would have been at a very high positive charge level -- distinct from the Solar System planets. Solar System planets would have been attracted to Saturn when Saturn entered the Solar System -- rather than be repelled as would be the case of two planets with nearly equal values of charge. Saturn, with its stack of captured planets, was seen by hominids (Homo erectus) and recorded in the shapes of artifacts in the Paleolithic of about two million years ago, and by humans (Homo Sapiens) as carved images in the Upper Paleolithic, from 30,000 BC, and by the hundreds of millions during the early Neolithic, 10,000 to 3000 BC, when the stack of planets was much more frequently seen. At about 10,900 BC, the Earth (at that time a planet of the Sun) made an electric field contact with Saturn, causing 1500 years of "darkness" (shadow) on Earth. The period of darkness is recognized by many of the world's creation myths, and was recorded in the illustrated graphic books of Mesoamerica, references to which are made in Colonial-period documents. Climatologically the period is identified today as the Younger Dryas, when for some 1500 years Earth got as cold as it had ever been. Over the next 7000 years the orbit of Earth, apparently equal to the orbit of Saturn at that time, but below Saturn, progressively moved laterally to have the Earth's orbital path eventually travel below the center of Saturn. Thus, between 10,900 BC and 3147 BC, Earth was part of a strange configuration of stacked planets, a condition which provided long summers and a mild climate in the northern hemisphere. Planets, dominated by the giant form of Saturn, stood above the north horizon and close to Earth (but measured in millions of miles) and were taken by humans to be the Gods who supported them and for whose benefit they labored at agriculture and conducted trade. Initially, during a 1500-year period after 10,900 BC, when the cold of the Younger Dryas set in, and long before Saturn was clearly seen, three fiercely lighted ball plasmoids were seen far south of Earth, below the South Pole. Between about 10,900 BC and 8347 BC, these connected to Saturn in the north via strands of brilliant arcs of electrons. Forms of various shapes ran south over these electron lines, traveling toward the three plasmoids. The moving shapes were taken to be dead animals and dead humans. The objects in the south sky became the basis for all of the original religions (and a good deal of mythology) throughout the world, for they persisted in showing nightly and seasonally over the course of 2500 years (to 8347 BC), although only for three periods of hundreds of years. For the people of Mesoamerica the year 8347 BC, when the last of the plasmoids extinguished after 2500 years, was the end of their first tally of years which accounted for the "first creation." We know only a little about these ball plasmoids from obscure mythological references. And we would still not know very much, if it had not been for an investigation undertaken by a team led by Anthony Peratt (of Los Alamos National Labs) of some 4,000,000 petroglyphs worldwide, carved high up on mountain sides, facing in all directions but always with a clear view toward the south. That study, published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science in 2003, was an absolutely astounding revelation. More on that in a later chapter. In 4077 BC Saturn dropped its coma. This had been the "chaos before creation" which had lasted some 7000 years. It had obscured Saturn and its companion satellites. Saturn went nova, it switched to arc mode. In a mass expulsion Saturn produced its rings and a new satellite, Venus (and perhaps another), and Saturn lit up more brilliantly than the Sun. To the humans of Earth, who had not clearly seen the real Sun for thousands of years because of the shadow of the Younger Dryas followed by the obscurity of the enclosing plasmasphere of Saturn, this was the start of creation, the start of time, and the first showing of "the land" and its resident Gods, the satellites of Saturn. Saturn was universally called "the sun" throughout the world. "Like a man was the sun when it showed itself. It showed itself when it was born and remained fixed in the sky like a mirror. Certainly it was not the same sun which we see, it is said in their old tales." In arc mode Saturn would have lost its glow mode coma, but it apparently retained a plasma stream connection to Earth. The Sun (the real Sun) lighted part of the edge of Saturn in a crescent which revolved around Saturn on a daily basis, visually caused by the daily rotation of Earth below Saturn. This stack of planets consisted, from top to bottom, of Uranus (on its side as today) and Neptune, both hidden by Saturn below them (known in Mesoamerica from earlier times). I suspect that these three planets had been seen together for perhaps 2,000,000 years -- initially by Homo erectus. Below Saturn the following were located from top to bottom: Mercury (joined the group in about 14,000 BC), Mars (resident probably since at least 30,000 BC or earlier), and Earth (joined the group after 10,900 BC). In 3147 BC this configuration of standing planets broke apart, with the three large planets moving far away from the Sun, and Earth and Venus released to overlapping "inner" orbits. The breakup produced a stupendous flood of the waters which had been held at the south polar region due to the gravitational attraction of Saturn for some 7000 years. The water held at the South Pole was due to the lifting up of the Earth's crust in the Arctic, and the sinking toward the Earth's interior in Antarctica. Flood stories are ubiquitous, found in over 500 independent "myths" -- all with the same coherent details. The survivors included people far inland, those living already on mountain slopes, and apparently the people of the Nile delta and Northern Mesopotamia. The only recourse to a livelihood for many of the survivors was agriculture, which soon sprang up (simultaneously) in six unconnected regions of Earth. The breakup was caused by Jupiter, which had circled the Sun as an inner planet up to that time. Jupiter was subsequently seen receding in the skies, surrounded by a coma visually three times larger than the diameter of the Moon today. Below the south pole of Jupiter extended a gigantic plasma outpouring, making it look like Jupiter was resting on a mountain (it was green initially). Above the planet were much smaller horn-like extensions. The whole of this looked like a person in a mantle, but was also identified as "the Bull of Heaven." Jupiter was taken as the new God, called "the younger." Jupiter retained its massive lower outpouring until it entered the asteroid belt in about 2860 BC, after which the coma reduced in size and changed its shape. After 3070 BC Mars and Mercury, which had remained in their positions below Saturn, were released when Saturn entered the asteroid belt. The two planets crossed Earth's orbit for about 300 years, overriding the Earth's orbit close to Earth on 30-year (or 15-year) average intervals. At those times Mars was at times brought into plasma contact with Earth, looking like a squat mountain which circled the Earth -- the visual effect of the rotation of the Earth. With Saturn and Jupiter both disappearing into the ecliptic, Mars was held to be the God in charge of Earth, Horus of the Egyptians. This lasted to about 2750 BC or 2700 BC, after which the regular visits of Mars ended, its elliptical orbit perhaps rotating away from Earth (an apsidal precession). In the next century people throughout the world start building pyramids in imitation of the disappeared mountain of Mars, all within a hundred years of each other -- in Egypt, Mesopotamia, England, China, in the Andes of South America, and in many other locations, such as Greece and the Balkans (as has been discovered in recent years, although not validated). We have recorded histories of these celestial events, especially in Mesoamerica. There are accurate descriptions of the rings and the number of satellites of Saturn, the cloud bands and satellites of Jupiter, and the scarred surface and satellites of Mars, all dating from antiquity and spanning cultures worldwide. The Egyptians produced schematic images of the original configuration of Saturn and the satellite planets below, and have a record of early close passes by Mars. Mesopotamians also produced images of planets, graphically showing, for example, all the satellites of Jupiter. The Maya (from Olmec sources) have an undated record of the planetary movements from long before 3147 BC, and a dated record of later events which matches what can be gleaned from Eastern Mediterranean sources. The Aztecs produced graphic images of these planets, although anthropomorphized to gods and produced very late. South Sea islanders have similar records of the rings of Saturn. India has similar recollections of these events extending over millions of lines of poetry. The Quiche Maya Popol Vuh and pages of the Maya Books of the Chilam Balam makes casual references to the period of 13,000 years ago (probably 10,900 BC). One page of the Chilam Balam records seven appearances of the Saturnian planets as far back as perhaps 40,000 years (which can be collated with atmospheric Carbon-14 records dating from 50,000 bp). Over the next 2500 years (3147 BC to 685 BC) the inner planets interfered with Earth at intervals, although very infrequently. There were four major additional incidents. The damage often was localized in latitude, although, for example, a continuous lightning strike might have encircled the globe in circa 1492 BC and certainly repeatedly in the 8th and 7th century BC. The electric contact with Venus turned the equatorial rings blood red and caused the destruction of the rings. Lightning bolts arced up to the rings from the Earth's ionosphere layers and the lower equatorial plasma toroid (the Van Allen belt). The sky bled for three days, and only a single ring remained. Dust continued to rain down for the next 4000 years (until AD 1600). The cleared southern skies, previously obscured by the Earth's rings, revealed a multitude of stars for the first time, most notably the Pleiades, located directly south at midnight two nights after the equinox. The equatorial plasma toroid would have also arced to the surface of Earth, producing months of torrential rains. To humanity, the "sea" of the Earth's equatorial rings in the south sky (the Absu) had collapsed to Earth, and the event was almost everywhere understood as a second flood of stupendous proportion. The Bible recalls this event as the flood of Noah. But to most peoples the blood seen in the sky suggested the wholesale slaughter of humanity, and any number of raging goddesses or dragons were assigned to this event in mythology worldwide -- Kali, Tiamat, Anath, Sekhmet, Hathor, and much later, Beowulf's Grendel. After two and a half days, Jupiter appeared again with its previous giant coma and lower mantle (again understood as a mountain), as if risen from the dead. In fact, the rise of the equatorial (in the sky) made it look as if Jupiter rose up out of the cave previously seen as the shadow of Earth on the rings. The cave-shaped shadow opened up as the Earth regained its normal inclination, and Jupiter rose out of this to a location above it. Jupiter had stopped the dragon from killing additional humans. The event itself remains commemorated as the "Day of the Dead," and is almost universally associated with the culmination of the Pleiades in autumn. Echoes of the fall of the rings and the surrounding circumstances continue to resound in mythology and, to this day, in the theologies and practices of many religions -- especially the resurrection of Jupiter on the third day. Many nations also date the start of all sensible history (and their calendars) from this event. Strangely, this event is simply not noted by any of the catastrophists. Even Velikovsky remained unaware of it. Eight hundred years later, in 1492 BC, Venus again made an electric contact with Earth, causing a crushing repulsive blow in the east Central Pacific. The Pacific islands were wiped clean of any trace of humans, except for the petroglyphs carved on every island thousands of years earlier. Coastal South America and Central America were inundated with water, leaving sea-water traces in lakes high up in the Andes, and possibly causing a sudden rise in the coastal range of the Andes by thousands of feet. The blow was followed by an electric arc traveling through the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and part of India -- following a path of increasingly higher latitude into the Mediterranean as the Earth's axis angled back toward the Sun. Moses made his escape from Egypt during the turmoil. The event is recalled in mythology as the attack of the monster Typhon who is struck down by Zeus. The major result of the contact was a 30 percent increase in the orbit of the Earth -- the year went from 273 days to 360 days. Venus probably came no closer than 10,000,000 miles (16,000,000 km) in this instance. Another 700 years later (806 BC to 687 BC) Mars closed in on Earth with repeated electric arc contacts at 15-year intervals, a major Earth shock in 747 BC, and a minor shock in 686 BC (this last caused by Mercury). Earlier, Mars had also interfered with Earth in similar fashion at the close of the Early Bronze Age, 1935 BC to circa 1700 BC, which includes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Mars came close, perhaps to within 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of Earth. The interactions, as a result, were completely different from the long distance shocks due to Venus. The destructions of the 8th and 7th century BC were spread over long stretches from Central Asia to the Western Mediterranean, and through to Mexico and Southern United States. From the Persian plateau to Greece, in swaths measuring more than 600 miles (966 km) wide, hilltop citadels were destroyed by quake-like convulsions much more extensive than any earthquake, and by massive lightning strikes. Cities and citadels were buried under yards of carbonized material mixed with soil. The soil and burned forests were dropped whenever the traveling lightning bolt paused at a hilltop. These simultaneous destructions have been noted in the archaeological record, and include the events of the 8th and 7th century as well as after 1935 BC. De Grazia estimates that only 2.5 percent of the original population of 200 million of the Mediterranean region survived. Bolsena (Volsinii), a city in Italy, was obliterated by a lightning bolt measuring more than 5 miles (8 km) in diameter -- if we are to believe Pliny, who presents this from older Etruscan sources. The circular lake at Bolsena is larger than any volcanic caldera. Mars became the next sky God and set a tone for human conduct -- lasting to this day. The destructions of the 8th and 7th century BC obliterated the coastal areas of Greece and coastal Anatolia. The remnant population turned to raiding and became the pirates celebrated in the Iliad and as the Egyptian "People of the Sea." The Iliad reveals that these were no sailors. Warfare and the extraction of tribute also became a way of life for the Assyrians, who plundered from Elam to Egypt. The change in humanity, however, which suddenly brought people up to our current expectations, was an event which happened early in the seventh century BC. In 685 BC Venus and Mercury blazed as bright as the Sun and were seen in the daytime skies with the Sun for forty days starting on June 15. The event was probably an extraordinary plasma outpouring by the Sun, brought on by the sudden relocation of Mercury to within the orbit of Venus in the previous year. In July of 685 BC (actually the astronomical year -685, corrected from 680 BC Julian in Eastern Mediterranean chronology), Jupiter also erupted with a coma in response to the Sun's increased output of plasma, and on July 14 sent a return lightning stroke, a plasmoid bolt, headed for the Sun. It arrived at the Sun on July 25th. The plasmoid, which passed by Earth at a distance of 30,000,000 miles (48,000,000 km), was seen in foreshortened form by Asia and Europe, and is depicted in sculptures and illustrations and even on coins. The Mediterranean nations thought that Venus (or Mercury) was struck -- the bolt from Zeus which toppled Phaethon from the Sun's chariot. As experienced by Earth, the after-effect of the 40 days of extreme solar activity was the relocation of the polar axis from Ursa Major to near Ursa Minor, and the delay of spring by some 15 days (in effect changing the inclination of the polar axis which is equivalent to rotating the dome of the stars). A new equinox was suddenly established. The aphelion of the Earth's orbit (the location furthest from the Sun) changed, and 120 years of interference by Mars and Mercury came to a sudden halt. It appeared to many that Jupiter, the historical supreme God of antiquity, had again saved mankind from destruction. The change in aphelion had resulted in a cessation of further interactions with Mars. In 670 BC the Earth's orbit became nearly circular (for unknown reasons), and the Earth was in fact completely removed from any future interference by any of the inner planets. Within 100 years of this event, we see the simultaneous rise of philosophical studies, much as we understand them today, in China, India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, North Africa, and Rome -- well before there was any cultural transmission between the more distant regions in this list. It had appeared to many as if a far greater power, beyond the dome of the stars, had moved the stars and planets and restarted the Universe. For many of the philosophers, the causes for natural phenomena were now sought elsewhere than in the whims of the old planetary gods. With the realization of the existence of a power beyond the planets and stars, we also see the sudden rise of all the modern religions within the span of 100 years -- Taoism and Confucianism in China, Jainism, and Buddhism in India (with its subsequent influence on Hinduism), and Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism) in Persia with its influence on Judaism, Mithraism, Christianity, and eventually on Islam. Similar changes seem to be attested to in Mesoamerica, probably dating from after 600 BC. Could all this really have happened? Religions have attempted to explain all of it, initially as narrations of the observed events, eventually as metaphors of spiritual states. Science, on the other hand, has spent the last two hundred years denying that anything at all ever happened. But a look at the histories (what we call myths) of people from regions as diverse as China, Mesopotamia, and Mesoamerica will reveal that they are in complete agreement with each other. Add to these the various myths of the people of India, South America, Africa, Greece, and thousands of others, and a consistent picture of the past emerges, which is not what science tells us. Or fly over the regions of, for example, the Western United States, and you will soon be convinced that the waves of hills, the conical dumps of windborne soil, the distorted folded mountains, and the widely varied landscape cannot possibly be the result of eons of slow movement and metamorphosis of the Earth's crust. The surface of Earth appears to have been battered and wracked convulsively, and recently. the blazing of Venus and Mercury and the thunderbolt of Jupiter which toppled Phaethon in 685 BC. The last few chapters present an excursion into the site plans and iconography of Mesoamerica from about 2000 BC. In these last chapters you will find that the more closely detailed findings from Mesoamerica will match and often exceed the information available from the Eastern Mediterranean. I checked and verified many theories which had been proposed by others about the past. Below I have listed new findings which came out of the attempt to establish a chronology and develop a rational set of mechanics for planetary interactions. Many of these findings have remained unknown (or obscured) to other investigators. Other items listed below are well established, but tend to be avoided or negated by researchers of the catastrophic past. I am offering this list for those readers who are familiar with the major elements of the catastrophic literature of Immanuel Velikovsky and David Talbott. If this is all new to you, skip the rest of this page and proceed to the next chapter. The Earth never turned over -- at least not completely and certainly not permanently. This had been suggested by Velikovsky and others, but is a nearly impossible notion. I dispute this and discuss the origins of these ideas in the Appendix "Polar Relocations Disputed." The age of the Earth, Mars, and the Moon are exactly what they seem to be from the most abundant earliest rocks. The ages do not need to be expanded to fit a theory of the single creation of the whole Solar System, as popular science has done. Details in Appendix A. Saturn probably first entered the Solar System 600 million years ago, before the Cambrian Explosion. The sudden development of new phyla and species could be attributed to a nova event (and a mass expulsion) of Saturn at that time. All the mass extinctions, and the speciation events which follow these, can be attributed to plasma discharges of Saturn as its orbit repeatedly, and at regular intervals, brought Saturn to an intersection with the Solar System. The excursion through the Solar System would extend over about 15,000 years. This is discussed in the chapter "Nevada Conference." The Permian extinction, 250 million years ago, is the second to last nova event of Saturn, and occurred at a time when Earth was still on an equatorial orbit about Saturn. It did little to advance life on Earth, taking it backward by a hundred million years. But Earth became a Solar System planet after the end of the Permian. The plant forms of Earth testify to the two distinct environments. The glaciation dated 30 million years ago and the intermittent glaciation since 3 million years ago (which can be blamed on electric plasma contacts by Saturn) follow the 27-million year repeating pattern. The rise of hominids in the last three million years is discussed in the chapter "Ice Ages and Humans." The last intermittent glaciations might testify to a series of recent interactions between Earth and Saturn. The mention in many creation myths of a period of darkness preceding creation can be dated to the early Neolithic or late Upper Paleolithic and is likely the result of nanometer dust particles in the stratosphere after a massive compressive force and lightning strikes by Saturn in North America in 10,900 BC. This caused the worldwide period of extreme cold, drought, and darkness, recognized today as the Younger Dryas period. For more on this see the chapters "Tunguska and Chicxulub" and "The Younger Dryas," with additional Mesoamerican retellings in the chapters "The Chilam Balam" and "The Popol Vuh." The cataclysm is addressed in papers by Richard Firestone, et alii, in 2001 (Mammoth Trumpet Magazine), and in 2007 (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). The clouded swirling skies which are found at the start of most creation myths are the result of Earth falling into a subpolar orbit with Saturn and entering the lower part of the coma of Saturn. See the chapter "The Event of the Younger Dryas" for a narrative and a consideration of the dynamics. This also coincided with the start of the Hypsithermal period in 9500 BC (for which see the chapter "A Timeline and Gimbutas"). While traveling through the lower plasma formation of Saturn's coma, the Earth three times experienced the formation of three ball plasmoids 150,000 to 400,000 miles (240,000 to 644,000 km) below the South Pole, with lines of electrons connecting these and running past Earth to an object in the north skies. This started in 10,900 BC, and ended in 8347 BC. The petroglyphs of this condition were investigated by the team led by Anthony Peratt, and published in 2003 and 2007 in the IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. The dates above are from my findings. The ubiquitous female figurines found in the millions on millions worldwide, dating from the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic, are representations of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, Mercury, and Mars as seen together in the skies on the ecliptic, enclosed in a coma. Discussed in the chapter "A Timeline and Gimbutas." The flood of 3147 BC is correctly identified in the mythology of Sumerian and Bible sources, although shifted to a narrative of 2349 BC. It can be assumed that Jupiter (at that time closer to the Sun) passed Saturn and its planets on the inside of Saturn's orbit. The current orbital inclinations of the outer planets matches the expected vertical separations of the planets in 3147 BC. Discussed in Appendix B. The flood of 3147 BC, which was the world flood, came from the south, as a result of the relaxation of the Earth's crust when Saturn left its location above the Earth. This resulted, among other things, in the debris of the Siwalik hills in northern India, as well as the tropical- and temperate-climate plant and animal remains found in the muck of the North Polar sea. The Palette of Narmer depicts Venus, Mars, and Uranus, where the pharaoh figure is Horus/Mars (and dressed as Saturn) -- not some battle of unification for prehistoric Egypt, and with Mercury as the sandal bearer of the pharaoh. See the Appendix "The Palette of Narmer." The bee and the sedge, as in "He of the Bee and the Sedge," is the pharaoh as Saturn, with Venus as the bee and Uranus as the sedge. See the chapters "The Creation," and "The Start of Time." The raven and dove let out by Noah to test the waters can be identified as the planets Uranus and Venus as seen from Earth directly after 3147 BC. The Mesopotamian flood myths identify the same planets and adds a Swallow -- which is likely the Moon but might be the later Mercury. The report in the Bible and in Mesopotamian legends (and hundreds of additional flood legends) of a ship landing on a mountain after the flood is the backlighted crescent of Jupiter on top of a massive outpouring of plasma from the south pole of Jupiter. In Egypt, as in some Mesopotamian retellings of this event, this is also understood as an approaching celestial bull, which destroyed the city of the Gods. The orbits of the inner planets have changed only minimally since 3147 BC. Most changes involve an apsidal rotation of the second nodal point. Planets have to line up exactly with the Sun to result in an electric field interaction of their plasmaspheres. The biannual sightings of Mars passing close to Earth between 3070 BC and 2750 BC are recorded as events in the dynastic records of the Palermo Stone of Egypt. The few interactions with Venus (which have been presented as "collisions" by others) occurred at distances of 10 to 12 million miles (16 to 19 million km) and 17 to 20 million miles (27 to 32 million km). Electric interactions with Mars occurred at much closer distances as Mars slipped by Earth, but probably no closer than 40,000 miles (64,000 km). Details in various chapters and Appendix B. The orbit of Earth enlarged four times since 3147 BC: in 2349 BC, 2193 BC, 1492 BC, and 747 BC. See Appendix B, "Celestial Mechanics." Each time the Earth reached a different location from the Sun, it needed to adjust its charge level, and plumes of plasma extended up from the magnetic poles, perhaps lasting for years. Both the north and the south plumes, extending up some 10 or 20 Earth diameters, were seen throughout the world. The ends moved with the rotation of the magnetosphere, making them look like they were waving in a wind. The people of Mesoamerica called them trees, with birds sitting on top. Egypt called them braziers releasing plumes of smoke and Mesopotamia called the east and west plumes flags or banners and recorded them in seals and sculptures. Mesoamerica in two instances provides a count of how many times this happened. The plumes were detected by NASA in dark mode plasma in 2009, a year after I had added them to my text. When Jupiter entered the asteroid belt, the mountain form of the lower plasma disappeared. Instead, the plasma from Jupiter's south pole extended directly left and right to the asteroids and curved up further away (Jupiter has a reversed magnetic field). These are the ram horns of Amun-Ra. The form is called the "shen" in Egypt -- a circle on a flat line -- and is depicted as a boat almost everywhere in antiquity. See the chapter "The Career of Jupiter" in chapter 20. Jupiter's coma tripled in size in about 2527 BC as it left the asteroid belt, but lost its coma again by 2438 BC. The coma returned in 2349 BC (the "flood of Noah"), but eventually reduced to the visual size of the Moon. In 2150 BC Jupiter caught on fire and burned up a substantial amount of its atmosphere. When this extinguished, Jupiter reduced in size to that of a star. The Earth had equatorial rings until 2349 BC (like all other planets with a magnetic field), called the "Absu" in Sumer and the "Duat" in Egypt (and the "House of Nine Bushes" in Mesoamerica). The Egyptian "doorway to the other world" is the shadow of Earth cast on the equatorial rings, the Duat. This is discussed in a number of places, first in the chapter "The Absu and Speculation" and in more detail in later chapters. The "flood of Noah" consisted of the sudden removal of the equatorial rings, and was accompanied by severe storms and rains. The Earth was moved to near the Moon in 2349 BC, when the Earth's orbit increased, but the Moon did not fall into a regular orbit shared with Earth until perhaps about 2280 BC. The legendary emperors (gods) of China, Yao and Shun, are Jupiter and the Moon. Likewise for Abraham and Isaac. These two were depicted in Mesopotamia also, on the victory stele of Naram-Sin, the great grandson of Sargon, showing Jupiter with his mountain. The Bible identifies the blazing of Jupiter as the first "Tower of Babel" event. The date is most likely 2150 BC. There was a similar event involving Mercury, much later and thus better remembered, in 686 BC. This last bursting into flame was remembered worldwide, and was also identified with the "Tower of Babel" event -- remembered in the Americas too. The Olmec Long Count calendar was instituted on February 28, 747 BC (astronomical year -747). This is also the first full day of the Babylonian "Era of Nabonassar," and the day before the start of the new Roman calendar. The Olmecs added 2400 Tuns (years of 360 days) to account for the past history in solar years, resulting in a Long Count notation starting at 6.0.0.0.0. This is discussed in the chapter "The Maya Calendar." As a result of instituting the Long Count in 747 BC, the Maya/Olmec creation date of 3147 BC is accurate as the date for the terminal event of the polar alignment of Saturn -- in solar years. Our use of the date of 3114 BC is based on a year of 365.24 days. Later retrocalculations by the Maya used a year of 365.24 days. The Venus Tablets of Ammizaduga are correctly dated to the period of 689 BC to 667 BC (in Eastern Mediterranean chronology). See the chapters "The Tablets of Ammizaduga" and "The Hour of Phaethon." Venus and Mercury blazed like suns in 685 BC (the year corrected from Eastern Mediterranean chronology) for 40 days, as the result of an unprecedented plasma output by the Sun (the Solar Wind), which was brought on by the sudden reduction in the orbit of Mercury in the year previous. This electric event changed the inclination of the Earth's axis, resulting also in moving the equinox by 15 days. A thunderbolt from Jupiter which landed at the Sun on July 25, 685 BC brought the blazing of Venus and Mercury to an end. This is what is recounted in the legend of Phaethon. The calendar dates and intervals are recorded by the Chilam Balam and are celebrated in Mesoamerica with site alignments to the corresponding sunsets, and as New Year's day. In 685 BC the Earth's axis relocated from the center of the pan of Ursa Major to a location nearer Kochab (called "pole star" in ancient sources) in Ursa Minor in a period of 40 days. Discussed in the chapter "The Hour of Phaethon." Before 685 BC, the intersection of the equatorial and the ecliptic was directly below the Pleiades. Thus the Pleiades were seen directly above the rising Sun at the spring equinox. This is attested to worldwide, and matches retrocalculations for the previous location of the Earth's rotational axis. There was no precession of the equinoxes before 747 BC. In 685 BC the equinoxes moved 15 days into the future. This did not change the length of the year, but it changed religious feast days worldwide. The inclination of the Earth's axis assumed the current value of 23.5 degrees. It was 30 degrees before that time. The last part of Book Five of the Sibylline Oracle Books (of AD 115) accurately recounts the changes in the sky in 685 BC. Details can be found in the chapter "Sibylline Star Wars." The alignments of ceremonial centers with distant volcanoes in the Olmec region and the Valley of Mexico accurately recall the calendar dates (the horizon locations of the setting Sun) of the catastrophic events of 3147 BC, 2349 BC, 1492 BC, 747 BC, and the axial change of 685 BC. See the chapter "Olmec Site Alignments." I write mostly from memory and do not always get things right. If you find errors, let me know. Questions and differing interpretations are also welcomed. Especially questions. If something is not clear, I need to know, so it can be corrected. I type in a hurry and my word editor is way behind. My e-mail address can be found at the bottom of this page. Tell me which chapter (and revision number) you are reading. But even the mention of a single word will help. I can find the instances (or misspellings) of a word among all 700,000 words of these 41 text files in under a half second. The "Table of Contents" (a link at the top of this webpage) outlines the narrative and lists the subjects covered by each chapter. There are thirty-four chapters, and 17 appendixes. Many chapters are quite short. Everything can be read in 40 or 50 hours. The narrative text can be searched for key words. See the Table of Contents page for a search link. There is also a list of books and links pertaining to the Saturnian Theories. This site currently includes a collection of 7000 mirrored files lifted from the web, sorted into 180 topics. The collection can be searched with another search script located also at the Table of Contents page. Since May 2015, complete book editions of this text are available on line as PDF, EPUB, and MOBI (Kindle) files. I'm indebted to Kees Cook for the conversion scripts. Since 2016 the text is also available as a printed on-demand book in three volumes from the [ebooks page] or from Amazon.com. As a last note: You may want to skip the first introductory chapters, like Chapter 3, which covers how the polar alignment developed, Chapter 4, which presents a further set of postulates, Chapter 5, which offers the Earth's equatorial rings and discusses dogma and speculation, and Chapter 6, which outlines alternative cosmologies, pictures the scale of the present Solar System, and suggests the foundations for life on Earth. Skip this boring stuff and start directly with Chapter 7 (ice ages, Homo erectus and his Acheulean Hand Axe) or Chapter 8 (Tunguska, Chicxulub, and the Great Lakes atomic detonation). The following sites retain a semblance of sanity, express a deep need to investigate, and exhibit considerable creative thinking. [plasmacosmology.net] A narrative description, including some catastrophism and mythology. A very extensive site, written in a summary, easy to read style. The mythology follows Dave Talbott's mostly. [plasmaresources.com] A site equal in scope and general interest, run by David Smith. The inclination is mostly toward space science. No mythology. [sites.google.com/site/cosmologyquest/default] A very readable overview of cosmology and plasma theory which generally cuts across the handed-down science. Includes a mythology section. By Michael Suede. [knowledge.co.uk/sis] Society for Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS) site -- the classic site for continued attempts at straightening out the chronology of the Middle East which was first questioned by Velikovsky in the 50s and 60s. Also largely concerned with catastrophism, but almost entirely based on fugitive comets. Some mythology. [plasma-universe.com] An extensive collection on plasma theory, developed and maintained as a Wiki site by Ian Tresman of the SIS. No mythology. [holoscience.com] Holoscience, Wal Thornhill's site -- plasma theories at planetary and galactic levels and experimental work applied to the Saturnian Theory. Working in concert with Talbott (see "Thunderbolts" below). A very reductive mythology. [velikovsky.info] The "Velikovsky Encyclopedia" is a recent endeavor (2009) to provide resources related to the writings and ideas of Immanuel Velikovsky -- under the unique premise that both sides of the "controversy" could be presented (which in effect will go to prove Velikovsky's case). The authors and archivists write under a thin veneer of anonymity. An interesting tangle of pros and cons. [aeonjournal.com] Aeon (magazine) site -- a promotion of the Saturn Theory; started by David Talbott. Editors: Ev Cochrane and Dwardu Cardona. Cardona is an imaginative and convincing writer. Cochrane is a tireless researcher. This site periodically disappears off the map. Standing still since 2005. [othergroup.net/thoth] Thoth Newsletter from the Kronia.com site -- which was a standard in promoting the Saturnian Polar Configuration. Kronia.com was discontinued in 2010. But the complete set of the Internet publication Thoth can be retrieved from here (and two other locations). [kronos-press.com] Kronos Press -- Books; and a number of articles by Ralph Juergens originally published in Kronos Magazine (and Pensee). [thunderbolts.info] The parent site to the current endeavors of Dave Talbott and friends. A "picture of the day" feature which always amazes, plus an archive. Collected essays by other people. Promos for recent books and book series. Videos are also available on line (plus DVDs for sale). Connection to a wide-ranging forum on matters of "plasma and electricity in space." No mythology. [mikamar.biz] A clearinghouse for books on the Polar Configuration and Velikovskian matters, or, as they say "Products supporting Prehistoric Reconstruction and Plasma Cosmology," and including used books. A valuable resource. Books, but no placed texts on mythology. [science-frontiers.com] "Strange Science, Bizarre Biophysics, Anomalous Astronomy" -- from the pages of the world's scientific journals -- always interesting reading. No mythology. [maverickscience.com] Ev Cochrane's website (editor at Aeon). Includes some of his outstanding articles. Mythology! [catastrophism.com] Actually a CDROM offering of past literature on the subject. And since 2008 offers some some articles and books. [varchive.org] The Velikovsky archive of unpublished documents by Jan Sammer. Mythology. [mythopedia.info] Marinas van der Sluijs's Mythopedia -- originally based entirely on the image and story evidence of the Polar Configuration, but now given over to mythology explained as auroras. Very professional, very verbose, very physically inaccurate, and offered as a book (or books) in progress. [bearfabrique.org] Ted Holden's site which discusses the improbability of dinosaurs being able to move and live with the gravity we experience today. Nice article on the flight capabilities of prehistoric birds. Large collection of other source material in mythology. A few political items. [grazian-archive.com] Alfred de Grazia's writings. Everything is in PDF as complete books or in HTML. Absolutely outstanding! Chaos and Creation more or less (more less than more) parallels these pages. Of great interest, and totally engaging, is God's Fire. This is the story of Moses and the Exodus (1500 BC). Among other things, he reviews works by every biographer of Moses since antiquity, the operation of the Ark, the organization of the camps, the details of the whole migration, the electrical tricks of Moses, his interaction with Yahweh, and the character and psychology of Moses. See also his The Burning of Troy and The Disastrous Love Affair of Moon and Mars. [gks.uk.com] It stands for "God-King Scenario" and promotes the book An Ancient World in Chaos (2008) by Gary Gilligan with offers for two additional books. An analysis of Egyptian iconography, refreshingly direct and unpretentious, which assigns the Gods of Egypt to the known planets and Hathor to an equatorial ring system. Mythology. [saturnian.org] Saturnian Org. Standing still for a decade -- broken links and a few papers posted. [creationism.org/patten/PattenMarsEarthWars] Donald W. Patten and Samuel R. Windsor The Mars-Earth Wars (1996). An excellent interpretation of the destructive record of Mars in the 8th and 7th century BC. It is mythology, geography, and celestial mechanics. [firmament-chaos.com] John Ackerman (as "Angiras") Firmament: Recent Catastrophic History of the Earth (1996), Chaos: A New Solar System Paradigm (2000), and Pelah (2006) establishes the repeated meetings of Earth and Mars (and Venus) primarily from Vedic sources. Ackerman is a physicist. [everythingselectric.com] "In the theme of an Electric Universe. If the information you seek doesn't exist within these pages, then it probably doesn't exist" says Gary Gilligan. A mythology thread started 2010. [www.electricuniverse.info] "Highlights the importance of electricity throughout the Universe. It is based on the recognition of existing natural electric phenomena (e.g., lightning, Saint Elmo's Fire), and the known properties of plasmas (ionized "gases") which make up 99% of the visible universe, and react strongly to electro-magnetic fields." A Wiki site; an attempt at universal information. No mythology. [sites.google.com/site/dragonstormproject] "Recent impact evidence in the Americas. Extensive, map-based graphics." By Dennis Cox. I may not agree with the physics of many of the cosmologically and catastrophically oriented sites, but their varied interpretation of past events ought to be taken into consideration. The sites (or books) of Patten and Windsor (Mars-Earth wars), John Ackerman (Firmament), Gary Gilligan (An Ancient World in Chaos), and Alfred de Grazia (many well-written on-line books) are independent attempts at postulating cosmologies. They are independent from the current fad of presenting electricity and plasma on a cosmic scale, which offers nice images but no clear path for a history of Earth. Besides these there are two dozen books (not listed here) which blame any and all catastrophes on cometary impacts despite the fact that we have no evidence that meteors have ever done much of anything to the surface or climate of Earth. The September 15, 2007, impact in Carancas, Peru, resulting in a 45 foot diameter crater, was caused by a chondrite (stony) meteorite 10 feet in diameter. In theory, it should have delivered as much energy as an atomic bomb with an explosive energy of 15-kiloton equivalent of TNT -- enough to destroy New York City -- but there was only smoke and steaming groundwater. People walked over from nearby to have a look. The principles of panspermia would claim that life is universal throughout the galaxy, and likely throughout the Universe. This is based on the enormous complexity of cells and their DNA, and also on the fact that so-called 'junk DNA' occurs in almost all plants and animals, and represents a large percentage (80 to 90 percent) of the DNA of complex animals (and plants). The date, 2349 BC, as with other dates in the text, was established by medieval and 16th-century chronographers, and seems to be well supported from other data not available to them (such as Mesoamerican written records), as is true for other dates I have used. See Appendix A, "Notes on Chronology." Date estimates in the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic were developed from the iconography of figurines in Europe and Anatolia, supported by sequencing of these forms by others, and from corresponding climate data. See the chapter "Saturn and Archaeology." Some people never achieve subjective consciousness, yet they appear fully functional. Pre-subjectively-conscious people are almost completely indistinguishable from subjectively conscious people. Pre-subjectively-conscious people can learn anything, including mathematics, and certainly they can joke, have emotions, and carry on convoluted dialogues with others. However, they rely heavily on the learned admonitions of parents and authority figures ("oughts" and "shoulds") and have difficulty with novel situations. Pre-subjectively-conscious humans also do not have the ability to imagine the reflective thinking of others, that is, how others might imagine them as thinking. "Julian Jaynes saw bicamerality as primarily a metaphor. He used governmental bicameralism to describe a mental state in which the experiences and memories of the right hemisphere of the brain are transmitted to the left hemisphere via auditory hallucinations. The metaphor is based on the idea of lateralization of brain function although each half of a normal human brain is constantly communicating with the other through the corpus callosum. The metaphor is not meant to imply that the two halves of the bicameral brain were "cut off" from each other but that the bicameral mind was experienced as a different, non-conscious mental schema wherein volition in the face of novel stimuli was mediated through a linguistic control mechanism and experienced as auditory verbal hallucinations." The concepts are more fully developed ad passim in later chapters. It's not a metaphor, by the way. The left brain is unaware of the activity of the right brain. Day of the month dates for the events of 685 BC are accurately recorded in the 16th-century AD Maya Chilam Balam as intervals. Knowing the terminal date from other sources, the starting date can be found as well as dates of intermediate events. In addition, the Chilam Balam provides "proof" intervals to make its claims, and even lists the European Julian year for the event (as a Tun year). See the chapters "The Maya Calendar," "The Chilam Balam books," and "The Olmec Record." The hour can be pinpointed from an Australian native legend, as well as from the Northern European epic Beowulf. Special thanks to M Signatur for suggesting the expanded synopsis. Special thanks to K Cook for the HTML to PDF conversion script. Size of this page: 10251 words.

2019-04-23T04:16:14Z

http://saturniancosmology.org/syn.php

Jerome revealed the depths of his errors when he wrote biographies of celebrated hermits, Paul of Thebes (AD 375), Hilarion, the founder of Palestinian monasticism, and the imprisoned Malchus (AD 390). These were written in both an elegant and entertaining style, but with many fabled and superstitious elements and distinct, overweening veneration of the monastic life he so admired, making it clear that he intended these writings as promotional devices for a lifestyle he wanted people to consider as if it was Scriptural. These writings were read widely and several necrological letters in honour of his deceased friends, such as Nepotian, Lucinius, Lea, Blasilla, Paulina, Paula, and Marcella are considered masterpieces of rhetorical ascetic hagiography, acquainting readers with legendary literature from Jerome's time and proof of his indiscriminate blending of history and fable - and ability to sacrifice historical truth to popular edification. Other works, such as his book, Against Bishop John of Jerusalem (AD 399), and his Apology to his former friend Rufinus, in three books (AD 402-403), are directed against Origenism. Jerome wrote, in three books, the Dialogue against the Pelagians, an amplification of his letter to Ctesiphon, in which Atticus (the Augustinian) and Critobulus (the Pelagian) maintain the argument (AD 415). Other polemic works, Against Helvidius (written in 383), Against Jovinian (AD 393), and Against Vigilantius (dictated rapidly in one night in AD 406), are partly doctrinal, partly ethical in their nature, and mainly devoted to the advocacy of the false doctrines of 'the immaculate virginity of Mary', celibacy, vigils, relic-worship, and, again, the monastic life. Jerome's writings reveal much about the author, particularly his boundless ferocity, fanatical zealotism, and unscrupulous use of tools which go much further than you ever find in the writings of the apostles. Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, urges his readers to 'walk in the Spirit' but still concludes of those who were trying to lead them astray (5:12, NASB): 'I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves'. Jerome utilised mockery, sarcasm, and ad hominem defamatory attacks to try and decimate opponents, even pursuing them after their death. Jerome is not renowned as an original, consistent, or systematic thinker, and this was apparent when he became involved in the Arian controversy yet failed to address the important distinction between οὐσία and υʽπόστασις [the precise distinction between nature and person was eventually defined: nature or substance (essence, οὐσία) denotes the totality of powers and qualities which constitute a being; while person (ὑπόστασις, πρόσωπον) is the Ego, the self-conscious, self-asserting and acting subject and Jesus, the Logos, did not assume a human person (else we would have two persons, a divine and a human), but human nature which is common to us all and hence He redeemed, not a particular man, but all men as partakers of the same nature]. Jerome left this important question to the decision of the Roman bishop Damasus. In the Origenistic controversy he became involved in, Jerome violent condemned all Origenists thus contradicting his own former view and veneration of Origen as the greatest teacher after the Apostles! In the Pelagian controversy he was so influenced by personal considerations that he was drawn half way to siding with Augustine, being convinced of the universality of sin but, in reference to the freedom of the will and predestination, he espoused synergistic or Semi-Pelagian views to such an extent that he was held in high opinion among the Semi-Pelagians - even to the days of Erasmus whose work, 'Freedom of the Will' (AD 1524), maintained a mild form of the doctrine (perhaps to ensure he was not charged with heresy!). Jerome revealed dubious morals, as his dealings with women reveal, and he held asceticism in high esteem while his doctrinal leanings were towards casuistry so that contempt for the natural ordinances of God, especially of marriage, led him to preach that even ascetic filth was an external mark of inward purity! His un-Scriptural views caused him to consider marriage a necessary evil merely for the increase of virgins and he so misunderstood Paul's inspired words (1 Corinthians 7:1): 'It is good not to touch a woman,' that he drew the foolish Gnostic conclusion: 'It is therefore bad to touch one; for the only opposite of good is bad'. He also interpreted the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:19; NASB): 'the woe of the Lord upon those that are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days' 24:19), as a condemnation of pregnancy in general, of the crying of little children, and of all the trouble and fruit of the married life. The very fact of the marriage of Peter was such a thorn to him that he endeavoured to nullify the fact by presuming, without a trace of evidence, that the apostle must have deserted his wife when he left his net and, besides that, 'he must have washed away the stain of his married life by the blood of his martyrdom'! 'Let your lodgings be rarely or never visited by women. You must either ignore alike, or love alike, all the daughters and virgins of Christ. Nay, dwell not under the same roof with them, nor trust their former chastity; you cannot be holier than David, nor wiser than Solomon. Never forget that a woman drove the inhabitants of Paradise out of their possession. In sickness any brother, or your sister, or your mother, can minister to in the lack of such relatives, the church herself maintains many aged women, whom you can at the same time remunerate for their nursing with welcome alms. I know some who are well in the body indeed, but sick in mind. It is a dangerous service in any case, that is done to you by one whose face you often see. If in your official duty as a clergyman you must visit a widow or a maiden, never enter her house alone. Take with you only those whose company does you no shame; only some reader, or acolyth, or psalm-singer, whose ornament consists not in clothes, but in good morals, who does not crimp his hair with crisping pins, but shows chastity in his whole bearing. But privately or without witnesses, never put yourself in the presence of a woman. If she has anything confidential to disclose, she is sure to have some nurse or housekeeper, some virgin, some widow, some married woman. She cannot be so friendless as to have none save you to whom she can venture to confide her secret. Beware of all that gives occasion for suspicion; and, to avoid scandal, shun every act that may give colour to it. Frequent gifts of handkerchiefs and garters, of face-cloths and dishes first tasted by the giver - to say nothing of notes full of fond expressions - of such things as these a holy love knows nothing. Such endearing and alluring expressions as 'my honey' and 'my darling,' 'you who are all my charm and my delight' the ridiculous courtesies of lovers and their foolish doings, we blush for on the stage and abhor in men of the world. How much more do we loathe them in monks and clergymen who adorn the priesthood by their vows while their vows are adorned by the priesthood. I speak thus not because I dread such evils for you or for men of saintly life, but because in all ranks and callings and among both men and women there are found both good and bad and in condemning the bad I commend the good'. Jerome addressed many areas of philosophy and religion and his writings amply reflect the virtues and faults of his circumstances and those of many of the characters he shared life and theology with in an age which was not responsible for the careful protection of the Word of God that the Papal Roman Catholic Church would like us to believe in. We will return to this point in the conclusion. When reading his view that makes it clear that he considered second marriage incompatible with genuine holiness, and even depreciated first marriage except so far as it was a nursery of 'brides of Christ', it becomes impossible to believe that this man should ever have been trusted with interpretation of the Word of the Living God. By what mangling of this Holy Word did he believe he could call the 'mother of a bride of Christ', like Paula, a 'mother-in-law of God'? The intimate relationship with the chosen women he surrounded himself with existed alongside his unmerciful attacks upon the immoralities of the Roman clergy and of the higher classes and resulted in colossal censure and defamation which did not reveal a man full of the Holy Spirit of God but, rather, someone who set the trend for other Papal leaders as his literary ripostes, full of indignant scorn and attempts at crushing satire, reveal. One of Jerome's contemporaries, Palladius, claimed that his jealousy could tolerate no saint beside himself and resulted in the departure of many pious monks from Bethlehem who were, according to Jerome, attracted to the town by his fame! While Papal Rome long ago assigned him one of the first places among her teachers and canonical saints, some impartial Catholic historians dare to admit and disapprove of his glaring inconsistencies and violent outbursts against those he saw as opponents - even when they had formerly been close friends. Reading his enthusiasm and admiration for monasticism leads to his zeal for exposing 'false' monks and nuns and his recognition of the dangers of this false system which resulted in depression, hypochondria, and the hypocrisy of spiritual pride. A man has to be more than a little naive to believe the main reason Pope Damasus commissioned Jerome (in 383 AD) to produce a new Latin Bible, was his concern over the differing Old Latin texts. ... Of course, the Popes' chief concern was that there be a new translation which in format (inclusion of the Apocrypha), and text was more suitable to the rising power of the Roman Church. Nor should too much weight be given the idea that Jerome was an independent scholar unfettered by the structure of the Church. In fact, during the year immediately before the translation work began, he was the Pope's secretary at Rome! And Jerome certainly leaves no doubt in his preface as to what his first motivation for the work was: The command laid upon him by Damasus, the Supreme Pontiff. (Bruce Metzger, The Text of the New Testament, p334-35; Jack Moorman, A Closer Look: Early Manuscripts and the Authorized Version, 1990, p31). Notwithstanding the high reputation of Jerome it was but slowly adopted by the Western Churches, which still persevered in retaining the primitive version (K. Nolan, Inquiry into the Integrity of the Greek Vulgate, p152). Jerome was reviled throughout the West for his labours, and it was not until after Gregory the Great had given it his formal approval (about 600 AD) that his recension came into general use in the Roman Church (Henry Vedder, Our New Testament, 1908, p297). The evidence shows that the Christians who hid from Papal persecution kept the old Latin versions. German Christians still quoted from these versions in the ninth century; the English and Spaniards in the tenth; and in the French province of Languedoc the Old Latin Psalter was still in use in the twelfth century. Indeed, Jerome's Latin Bible was not given the familiar label 'Vulgate' (implying common use) until the thirteenth century (Harry T. Frank, The Bible through the Ages, p138). The Old Latin Versions were used longest by the Western Christians who would not bow to the authority of Rome, e.g., the Donatists; the Irish in Ireland, Britain, and the continent; and the Albigenses, etc. (Melancthon Jacobus, Roman Catholic and Protestant Bibles Compared, 1908, p200, note 15). Commentators such as Aelfric and Dunstan in the tenth century employed [the Old Latin translations] as the basis of their commentaries (H. Wheeler Robinson, The Ancient and English Versions of the Bible, 1940, p116). There are copies of Old Latin manuscripts and fragments in existence that date to the 13th century, thus proving that the Old Latin was still copied long after it had gone out of general use. (ibid., p104). The evidence also shows that these 'separated' Christians were not dependent completely on Latin, for by this time they often had their own translations in the vernacular languages. First, the term 'Latin Vulgate' is used to refer to the Jerome Latin translation itself. Beyond generalizations, it is difficult to know the precise form of that version. The oldest copy of a Latin Vulgate fragment (the Gospels) alleged to be of the Jerome type dates to 500 AD. The oldest complete New Testament of the Jerome type known dates to 546 AD (the Codex Fuldensis (F), written by Victor of Capua (ibid., p120). 'The languages of the early Bibles, Hebrew and Greek, were no longer of interest. So marked did this lack of interest become that when, after the Renaissance, Cardinal Ximenes published his Polyglot edition with the Latin Vulgate between the Greek and Hebrew versions of the Old Testament, he stated in his preface that it was 'like Jesus between two thieves' (Albert Field Gilmore, The Bible: Beacon Light of History, 1935, p170). Only a few centuries after the apostles, Latin became a dead language in regard to the common man, and only the educated few could understand it. Even so, Rome continued to use only Latin for its theological training and liturgy for centuries and, as we have clearly proven, it did everything possible to prevent the Bible being translated into the language of the people. Papal Rome did not authorize any vernacular translations in the major languages of Europe until the 17th century (and these were not widely distributed), as it also did not allow 'the Mass' to be performed in the common languages until the latter half of the 20th! While at Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave the wonderful message of God in the manifold tongues of the people, Papal Rome did its utmost to hide the truth of the Word of God in a dead language while surrounding it with false doctrines to further smother its true message. Within a year or so Jerome was able to present Damasus with the first-fruits of his work - a revision of the text of the four Gospels, where the variations had been extreme. In a covering letter he explains the principles which he followed: he used a relatively good Latin text as the basis for his revision, and compared it with some old Greek manuscripts. He emphasizes that he treated the current Latin text as conservatively as possible, and changed it only where the meaning was distorted. Though we do not have the Latin manuscripts which Jerome chose as the basis of his work, it appears that they belonged to the European form of the Old Latin ... . The Greek manuscripts apparently belonged to the Alexandrian type of text. When and how thoroughly Jerome revised the rest of the New Testament has been much debated. Several scholars (De Bruyne, Cavallera, B. Fischer) have argued that Jerome had nothing to do with the making of the Vulgate text of the rest of the New Testament, but that, by a curious twist of literary history, the work of some other translator came to be circulated as Jerome's work. The commonly accepted view, however, rests upon the natural interpretation of what Jerome says about his work of revision. In either case, it is apparent that the rest of the New Testament was revised in a much more cursory manner than were the Gospels. ... It was inevitable that, in the course of the transmission of the text of Jerome's revision, scribes would corrupt his original work, sometimes by careless transcription and sometimes by deliberate conflation with copies of the Old Latin version. In order to purify Jerome's text a number of recensions or editions were produced during the Middle Ages; notable among these were the successive efforts of Alcuin, Theodulf, Lanfranc, and Stephen Harding. Unfortunately, however, each of these attempts to restore Jerome's original version resulted eventually in still further textual corruption through mixture of the several types of Vulgate text which had come to be associated with various European centres of scholarship. As a result, the more than 8,000 Vulgate manuscripts which are extant today exhibit the greatest amount of cross-contamination of textual types. (Professor. Bruce M. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 2nd Edition, p76). While some infer that the Jerome Vulgate was originally pure and gradually became impure through this kind of interference and admixing with Old Latin translations and other sources, it is clear from the evidence that the Jerome edition was impure from the beginning because it was based upon impure texts similar to the corrupt Vaticanus and the Sinaiticus manuscripts. The Vulgate was partly Jerome's translation of the Hebrew and partly the Old Latin Version, revised or unrevised and the Hebrew from which Jerome translated was substantially the same as that known as the 'Received Text.' Jerome had, however, only the 'unpointed' text that is, consonants without the signs that later stood for vowels, and the prejudice installed in him by Augustine to favour the Septuagint led him to vary somewhat from the Hebrew. The Old Latin Version which he used in the Psalms was itself a faulty translation of the Septuagint, which represents quite another type of Hebrew text while, in the New Testament the Vulgate was a literal translation of the Western Greek text, marked by numerous interpolations and some serious omissions. Jerome's equal subservience in reproducing the forms of Greek words and phrases without translating them also had a corrupting influence on other language versions based on it, such as the early English. Some of his renderings were so free as to be inaccurate and he frequently mistook the meaning of a passage while sometimes giving translations that clearly suffered from doctrinal bias. Jerome's work very gradually supplanted the Old Latin and the Greek Septuagint in use in Western churches. Circulating until the ninth century side by side with the Old Latin, the two were often mixed in the making of new copies so that increasing corruption occurred in written copies of the Bible and its history is therefore one of constant deterioration and attempted revision. When printing was invented Latin manuscripts were chosen for printing without regard to their accuracy, and some sixty early editions served to spread their variations and corruptions. During the sixteenth century repeated attempts to revise the printed Vulgate were made but, in spite of the Council of Trent proclaiming the Vulgate the sole authentic edition of the Bible, it was not until more than forty years later that a settled edition of the Latin Vulgate appeared. It is notable that a papal commission worked for more than 40 years after Trent, but failed to produce an authentic edition. Then one of the commissioned scholars became pope and, as Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590), took matters into his own hands and produced his own infamously gross 'revision', which appeared in May 1590 and followed the earlier revision (which was itself based on the faulty edition of Robertus Stephanus - issued in 1538-40) in arbitrary fashion. As we have already proven, this edition of the Latin Vulgate was prefaced by a papal Bull that identified the 'Sixtus edition' as 'true, legitimate, authentic, and undoubted in all public and private debates, readings, preachings, and explanations; and that anyone who ventured to change it without papal authority would incur the wrath of God Almighty of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul'. (Jacobus, p12). When Sixtus died that same year (three months after revealing the bombshell that was his attempt at 'improving' the Vulgate) the revisers whose work he had personally corrected or ignored, including the famous Jesuit cardinal, Bellarmine, whom he had offended by the suppression of one of his books, had to try and clear up the mess (some two thousand serious errors introduced by an 'infallible' pope!). The successor Pope (Urban VII - 1590) died within ten days and his successor (Gregory XIV - 1590-91 - ten month 'reign') was induced to disown this supposedly inspired, legitimate, and authorized version - which he really couldn't do since popes are infallible and should be followed 'even when preaching and teaching heresy'! Gregory also died soon after and Bellarmine was appointed to buy up this official edition of Sixtus V and try to issue another before too much damage was done. In September, 1590, the College of Cardinals stopped all sales and bought up and destroyed as many copies as possible, but to little avail for the cat was truly out of the bag. Innocent IX (1591) came and went (two months 'reign') and Clement VIII (1592-1605) appointed Cardinal Allen, of Oxford and Douay, together with an Italian prelate, to revise the text of his predecessor. Allen had studied the principles of textual criticism, as is revealed in the preface to the Rheims Testament so that, instead of relying primarily on early works, he referred to the original languages. This resulted in more than three thousand alterations from the text of Sixtus V, whole passages being omitted or introduced, and revision of the verses being undertaken. Bellarmine tried to save face for Papal Rome by writing in the preface that Sixtus had intended for this to be undertaken, as if he was aware of printing errors (from which it was remarkably free) and 'other errors'. How he thought this could overcome the obvious approval Sixtus had heaped on the flawed work is quite beyond comprehension! To confirm this farce, the 'second edition' had a new Bull by Clement which specified, among other things that, as before, no word of the text might be altered, that no various readings might be registered in the margin, and that all copies were to be conformed to this one with no other additions. At the same time the public was informed that some readings, although wrong, had been allowed to stand in the new revised edition, in order to avoid popular offense. Should we be surprised that this 'second edition' was 'under papal authority' - but then proved to have more than two hundred misprints of its own! Even more ironic is the discovery that, while the edition of 1590 had rigidly excluded all books but those decreed by the Council of Trent, the edition of 1592 added in smaller type the Prayer of Manasses and two books of Esdras, explaining in the preface the reason why this was done. The third edition, in 1593, went further, and gave the prologues of Jerome, an index of quotations in the New Testament from the Old, a table of interpretation of names, and a general index to the contents of the Bible. While it corrected some of the 'printer's errors' it also left a large number uncorrected while managing to add some new errors! For any Papal Roman Catholic to imagine that these points are insignificant we would remind them of a point we regularly make to Mormons: since the inception of the 'Latter-Day Saints' cult the claim made by their false prophet, Joseph Smith, was that he was inspired by God to 'translate' the Book of Mormon in a manner that ensured it was 100% accurate - and therefore the 'most correct book, of any, on earth'. When the details of this claim are carefully examined the evidence reveals the lie to this supposedly 'angelically protected' book (protected even during printing!) and proves it to be nothing but a sad delusion which is easily debunked. In the same manner the claims of Papal Rome to have protected the canon of the Bible and then protected the 'most correct Bible on earth' (i.e. Jerome's Vulgate) are easily debunked - along with 'papal infallibility! In 1598 a fourth edition of the post-Sixtus 'Vulgate' appeared - it had all the previous features, except the extra books were now printed in the same size type as the canonical and it also contained three tables of corrections to the editions of 1592, 1593, and 1598. However, these corrections proved to be utterly inadequate. This turned out to be the last official edition printed before the task was allowed by other printers. Another noticeable deception is that all four editions were attributed to Sixtus and not to Gregory, Innocent, or Clement. Could this be in order to pin any accusations against such a flawed translation on only one pope instead of three? Why bother, we ask, when the list of 'antipopes' exists and proves that the whole charade of 'Apostolic Succession' and chosen successors following a chain from Peter is a fraud! After this last failed attempt to produce an authentic version of a 'fixed canon' in a chosen language, Papal Rome took no further official steps to correct the situation. Two critical editions of Jerome's own translation were freed as far as possible from later corruptions and then published by Papal Roman Catholics but did not profess to be an Authentic Version adopted by the church. The obvious questions to ask are: how can anyone pretend that Papal Rome is the great protector of the Biblical canon when it has allowed this situation, and why would this translation methodology via scholars ever be necessary for, if Rome really did possess a wonderfully infallible pope, he could easily produce a perfect canon - as indeed Peter or his successor should have done from the very beginning of the New Testament church! The fact that this trio of popes from Sixtus V failed at the task proves the falseness of Papal claims. The truth is rather different and Papal Rome is simply not equipped for such a task - anymore than the Mormons successive 'prophets' could correct the howlers perpetrated by Joseph Smith and his successor, Brigham Young! Under cover of the works of Jerome a corrected text of the 'Vulgate' was published by Vallarsi, in 1734 (it was really the completion and revision of the edition of Martianay of 1706) and little more was done in the way of critical editions till the latter half of the 19th century. In 1861 Vercellone, at Koine, reprinted the Clementine Vulgate (the names of Sixtus and Clement both appeared on the title-page) and, in 1906, an edition (Biblia Sacra Vulgatae) was published at Oeniponte by Capuchin Friar Michael Hetzenauer which restored the original 'Clementine text' while taking into account variations in 'Clement's' three printings as well as corrections officially issued by the Vatican. The majority of other editions after this were confined to the New Testament, or part of it; this is exclusive of the printed editions of several important manuscripts (Codex Amiatinus and Codex Fuldensis). In 1907 Pope Pius X commissioned the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Jerome in Rome to prepare a critical revised edition of Jerome's Vulgate as a basis for a revision of the Clementine, but only the Old Testament was completed and considered by some to complement the New Testament edition of 'The Oxford Vulgate' prepared by Bishop J. Wordsworth and H.J. White (issued 1889). The Stuttgart Vulgate was first published in 1969 (5th edition, 2007) by the German Bible Society (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft), based in Stuttgart, using earlier critical editions of the Vulgate including the Benedictine edition and the Latin New Testament produced by Wordsworth and White, which provided variant readings from the diverse manuscripts and printed editions of the Vulgate and comparison of different wordings in their footnotes. The Stuttgart Vulgate attempted to compare important, early historical, manuscripts of the Vulgate to recreate a text free of the scribal errors that had accumulated over the millennium. This edition included all of Jerome's prologues to the Bible, the Testaments, and the major books and sections (Pentateuch, Gospels, Minor Prophets, etc.) of the Bible so that it adhered to the style of medieval editions of the Vulgate, which were never without Jerome's prologues. The Stuttgart also retained a more medieval Latin orthography than the Clementine, sometimes using oe rather than ae, and having more proper nouns beginning with H (i.e., Helimelech instead of Elimelech), but the spelling was inconsistent throughout, as in the manuscripts. It also followed medieval manuscripts in using line breaks rather than the modern system of punctuation marks to indicate the structure of each verse and probably lost readers, more accustomed to the Clementine text, as a result. It contained two Psalters, both the traditional Gallicanum and the juxta Hebraicum, printed on facing pages to allow easy comparison and contrast between the two versions and also had an expanded Apocrypha, containing Psalm 151 and the Epistle to the Laodiceans in addition to 3 and 4 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasses. Modern prefaces were considered a source of valuable information regarding the history of the Vulgate. Ironically, the Stuttgart edition disseminated on the Internet is often bereft of all formatting, notes, prefaces, etc., and often lacking the Gallican Psalter, Apocrypha, Deuterocanonical books and sections, and the protocanonical part of Daniel (following chapter 3) is also commonly missing. It is clear that, to this very day, Papal Rome is incapable of protecting the 'canon' it claims to have upheld for at least 1600 years?! The Second Vatican Council in Sacrosanctum Concilium (December 4, 1963) mandated a revision of the Latin Psalter in accord with modern textual and linguistic studies, while preserving or refining its Christian Latin style and, in 1965, Pope Paul VI appointed a commission to revise the rest of the Vulgate following the same principles. The Commission published its work in eight annotated sections, inviting criticism from Catholic scholars as the sections were published: The Latin Psalter (published 1969); the New Testament (completed 1971); and the entire Nova Vulgata published as a single volume edition for the first time in 1979, being published and promulgated as the Catholic Church's current official Latin version in the Apostolic constitution Scripturarum Thesaurus, and remaining the translation used in the latest editions of the Roman Lectionary, Liturgy of the Hours, and Roman Ritual. The basic text of most of the Nova Vulgata's Old Testament remains the critical edition carried out by the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Jerome under Pope St. Pius X (1907 forward) while the foundational text of the books of Tobit and Judith are from manuscripts of the Vetus Latina rather than the Vulgate. The New Testament was based on the 1969 edition of the Stuttgart Vulgate, revised in accordance with modern critical editions in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. A number of changes came about where the Vatican's modern scholars recognised that Jerome's interpretation of the meaning from the original languages was inaccurate, or had been interpreted obscurely. The Nova Vulgata also does not contain some books found in the earlier editions, but omitted by the Canon promulgated by the Council of Trent, namely the Prayer of Manasses, the 3rd & 4th Book of Esdras and the Epistle to the Laodiceans. A second edition was published in 1986 with an appendix containing three historical documents from the Council of Trent and the Clementine Vulgate, and footnotes to the Latin text found in the eight annotated sections published before 1979; it also replaced the few occurrences of the form Iahveh, when translating the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), with Dominus, in keeping with Papal tradition. Dominus is the Latin word for master or owner and was a title of sovereignty used for the Roman Emperors under Diocletian and then, by association from the derivation of the popes titles from the emperors; but it also became an ecclesiastical and academical title in the Papal Roman Catholic Church, particularly using the shortened form dom - especially for members of the Benedictine and other religious orders. How can Papal Rome believe the feeble choice dom, or Dominus, can possibly equate to the Unknowable, Almighty God of the Bible? 'I Am' (Greek ego eimi) was utilised by the Septuagint in Exodus 3:14 instead of the Hebrew tetragrammaton, YHWH, and Augustine - and all who adhere to his faulty guidance - claim this should hold sway over the Hebrew. So the new choice in the Nova Vulgate clearly demonstrates, again, the inconsistency of the Papacy and the foolishness of the translators, whether Benedictine or others, and the increasing rise of the emphasis on 'Mariolatry' rather than correct honouring the Lord Jesus Christ, the Name above all Names (Ephesians 1:19-23; Phil. 2:9-11). The Nova Vulgata has failed to be widely embraced by the rare discerning, conservative Catholic because of the considerable variation and unfamiliarity of some verses of the Old Testament which appear to be so radically different in translation from Jerome's flawed work and the Clementine re-works. Despite this the Vatican released the instruction Liturgiam Authenticam (in 2001), establishing the Nova Vulgata as a reference point for all translations of the liturgy of the Roman rite into the vernacular from the original languages, claiming that this was 'in order to maintain the tradition of interpretation that is proper to the Latin Liturgy'. Perhaps someone should point out that 'the tradition of interpretation' in Papal Rome is to dither, prevaricate, and contradict endlessly! To add more confusion to the Vulgate variations, Kurt and Barbara Aland (in 1984 and 1992) updated and entirely revised Nestle's edition of 1906 and republished it under the same name, Novum Testamentum Latine. This version is a reprint of the New Testament of the Nova Vulgata but variant readings of the earlier editions are also detailed in the work, namely the Stuttgart edition, the Gutenberg Bible (1452), the Latin text of the Complutensian Polyglot (1514), the edition from Wittenberg, which was favoured by Luther (1529), the editions of Desiderius Erasmus (1527), Robertus Stephanus (1540), Hentenius of Louvain (1547), Christophorus Plantinus (1583), Pope Sixtus V (1590), Pope Clement VIII (1592), and Wordsworth and White (1954). Finally, Biblioteca de Autores Cristianos issued a printing (in 1982) of the Clementine Vulgate, but omitted the Clementine Apocrypha and added excerpts from various magisterial documents and the Piana version of the psalms in addition to the Vulgate version. Three electronic editions of the 'Vulgate' (Clementine, Stuttgart, and Nova) can also be found on the Internet. Despite the rules approved by Pius IV after the Council of Trent, every bishop has the right to authorize a version for use in his own diocese and there is no one version in English so authorized that it excludes others, so Papal Roman Catholic bookshops sell a variety of authorized editions that differ and, as a result, the variations available will seriously affect any Papal Roman Catholic who does read their 'Bible'. The jibes about 'Protestants' making up their own 'theology', 'gospels', and 'denominations' will always remain utterly hollow to those aware of the colossal contradictions found in Papal Rome. Note that, while the Hebrew Bible excluded all the seven 'common' Apocryphal books, and clearly holds greater authority in this matter than that of the Septuagint, different copies of the Septuagint contain variations of these seven, showing a doubt regarding them while there was no doubt amongst the majority of witnesses concerning the twenty-four Hebrew books which are equivalent to the 'Protestant' thirty-nine. The Septuagint also contained other books besides the canonical books and these seven and, as has become clear from this study of the variations in the Vulgate, these others were also regarded by the Catholic Church as 'apocryphal', but really canonical when it suited. It could even be argued from reasonably strong evidence that it is the Hebrew Bible, not the Septuagint, that Papal Roman Catholics often read in the Old Testament Latin Vulgate, possibly excepting the Psalms (and, of course, the Apocrypha where they ignore Jerome's 'expert' opinion!). As we have shown amply, the testimony of the 'Church Fathers' to the Apocrypha is neither concordant nor definitive and their quotations from other apocryphal writings, outside of the works recognised by Papal Rome, as if they were also Scripture, show that any argument built on the Fathers' reference to some of these seven as Scripture again proves nothing, or too much for the purpose. Papal Roman Catholics try to justify decisions made by Catholic Councils as an affirmation of church unanimity in their favour by clutching at 'Papal infallibility' and 'Apostolic Succession' as the basis for decisions but, having shown both to be figments of Papal imagination (which even rules out the 'expert' judgment of Jerome when it does not suit), such hopes are shown to be built on sand. The Council of Trent itself, while styling these books 'sacred and canonical,' has been shown to bow to overall Catholic opinion against them through all the centuries since and allowed repeated, variable content and transmissions of the supposedly rigidly verified 'Vulgate' of Jerome, which leaves the question of the real canon of the sacred books open to a Papal Roman Catholic questionable to this very day. Since Jerome suggested these Apocryphal books be read for moral instruction and edification only - and his suggestion was adopted by Pope Gregory the Great - how can a Papal Roman Catholic accept the opinion of one 'Infallible Pope' when it can be contradicted by another 'Infallible Pope'? Since this view was also repeated in Article VI of the (inadequately 'Reformed'!) Church of England, and advanced by the equally inadequate and ignorant 'Protestant' practice of publishing them, either in a group by themselves between the Old and New Testaments, or separately, merely reveals that many who were connected with Papal Rome did not fully accept the 'Separated Brethren' position they were forced into by (relative) fanatics like Martin Luther! As the state of the contemporary Anglican and Lutheran churches reveal, as well as others who also failed to learn from the 'Facts of History', the return to Rome is well under way and it is only a small remnant of true Bible believers who will never 'bend the knee to Baal' (1 Kings 19:18; Romans 11:4). By repeatedly breaking her own 'rules', e.g. by printing the three books, III and IV Esdras and The Prayer of Manasses, at the end of the Vulgate as apocryphal but worthy of Christian perusal, Papal Rome confirms that it was never a matter of correctly identifying the true Biblical canon anyway. It is painfully easy to show that deceivers have tried to pervert the written truth in this proven manner, so how much easier has it been for Papal Rome to pervert what was a supposed oral tradition as memories failed and new generations came along who had never heard the original teaching? While the forging of documents became a major part of Papal Rome it remains a remarkable fact that, for a thousand years, no attempt was made to form a genuine collection of canons and, while more than twenty Synods were held in Rome since 313 AD, there were no records of them to be found (J.H. Ignaz von Döllinger, The Pope and the Council, London, 1869, p99-106). The 'Decretals' were used to build up fictions regarding the claims of the popes and traditions became law and on a par with Scripture. Whereas the Bible is relatively concise and easily shown to be coherent and consistent, Papal tradition is contained in many volumes of the alleged writings of the 'Church Fathers' and the decrees of the Councils. How could it ever be possible for the average Papal Roman Catholic to be familiar with at least 35 volumes of writings in Greek and Latin by 'Church Fathers', usually ending with Gregory I in A.D. 604; another 35 volumes of Church council decrees; about 25 volumes of the popes' sayings and decrees; and about 55 volumes of the alleged sayings and deeds of the saints, i.e. about 150 volumes in total? Even if all of these works were available and translated into the necessary languages, no ordinary person could never master ~150 volumes in such a way as to be as familiar with them as they might be with the Bible. So, to declare that 'the Bible plus sacred tradition forms a single deposit of Scripture' is obviously absurd. Thus the Decretals were created to build up fictitious sayings of the popes and bring them into canon law so that false tradition was put on a par with Scripture in Papal Rome. By its sheer volume, Papal Roman Catholic 'sacred tradition' far outweighs the Bible and it is absurd to think that the average Catholic could ever access, never mind be familiar with all the material that Rome calls 'the Word of God.' Unlike the Bible, which remains constant for the orthodox Christian, Papal tradition and official dogma has frequently changed and expressed obviously contradictory ideas on important topics, such as abortion. While most Catholics remain unaware that the 'infallible Church and popes' have changed their minds several times on this topic, it is a fact that, from the fifth century onward, Aristotle's view that the embryo goes through stages from vegetable to animal to spiritual was accepted so that only in the final stage of its development was it human. As a result Gregory VI (1045-6) declared: 'He is not a murderer who brings about abortion before the soul is in the body'. But later successor Gregory XIII (1572-85) said it was not homicide to kill an embryo of less than 40 days since it wasn't yet human while his immediate successor, Sixtus V, who rewrote the Bible in such disastrous fashion, disagreed and his Bull of 1588 made all abortions for any reason homicide and cause for excommunication. His almost immediate successor, Gregory XIV, reversed that decree - and then, in 1621, the Vatican issued another pastoral directive permitting abortion up to 40 days. Then again, as recent as the eighteenth century Alphonsus de Liguori, bishop, spiritual writer, scholastic philosopher and theologian, and founder of the influential Redemptorists (he was canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1871 by Pope Pius IX and patron of confessors and moralists by Pope Pius XII on April 26, 1950) still denied that the soul was infused at conception and allowed for flexibility, especially when the mother's life was in danger. But finally (maybe!), in 1869, Pius IX declared that any destruction of any embryo was an abortion and merited excommunication (yet still he 'doctored' de Liguori in 1871!) which is a view that is claimed to remain to this day. The truth is clear - Papal Rome's Latin Vulgate, that has been repeatedly lorded as being the only true authentic edition of the Scriptures, was in a constant state of flux throughout the centuries and the versions that exist to this day are little better and cannot compare with the careful work of non-Papal, orthodox Christian theologians and translators. These writings are not found in the Hebrew Old Testament, but they are contained in some manuscripts of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, which was completed around 250 B.C. in Alexandria, Egypt. Those who attribute divine authority to these books and advocate them as Scripture argue that the writers of the New Testament quote mostly from the Septuagint, which contains the apocrypha. They also cite the fact that some of the 'Church Fathers', notably Iranaeus, Tertullian, and Clement of Alexandria, used the apocrypha in public worship and accepted them as Scripture, as did the Syriac Church in the fourth century. It is claimed that Augustine, who presided over the councils at Hippo and Carthage, concurred with their decision that the books of the apocrypha were inspired. The very unorthodox Greek Church added its weight to the list of believers in the inspiration of the apocrypha. The advocates point also to the Dead Sea Scrolls to add further weight to their belief in the apocrypha. Among the fragments at Qumran are copies of some of the apocryphal books written in Hebrew. These have been discovered alongside other Old Testament works. The case for including the apocrypha as Holy Scripture completely breaks down when examined. The New Testament writers may allude to the apocrypha, but they never quote from it as Scripture or give the slightest hint that any of the books are inspired - the supposed quotes are no more than extremely speculative. If the Septuagint in the first century contained these books, which is by no means a proven fact, it is impossible to prove that the 4th century AD version was identical to the one that originated in Alexandria, Egypt, and may have been used by the inspired writers. Appealing to certain 'Church Fathers' as proof of the inspiration of the books is a weak argument, since just as many in the early church, notably Origen, Jerome, and others, denied their alleged inspiration. The Syriac Church waited until the fourth century AD to accept these books as canonical. It is notable that the Peshitta, the Syriac Bible of the second century AD, did not contain them. The early Augustine did acknowledge the apocrypha, at least in part, but his later writings clearly reflected a rejection of these books as outside the canon and inferior to the Hebrew scriptures. The Jewish community also rejected these writings. At the Jewish Council of Jamnia (ca. AD 90), nine of the books of our Old Testament canon were debated for differing reasons and they ruled that only the Hebrew Old Testament books of our present canon were canonical. Citing the presence of the apocrypha among the Old Testament fragments found in ancient communities proves little regarding inspiration, as numerous fragments of other, non-Scriptural documents have also been found. It cannot be overemphasized that Papal Rome did not officially declare these books Holy Scripture until 1545-1563 at the Council of Trent. The acceptance of certain books in the apocrypha as canonical by Papal Rome was to a great extent a reaction to the Protestant Reformation and, by canonizing these books, they legitimized their reference to them in doctrinal matters. The arguments that advocate the scriptural authority of the apocrypha have been shown to be extremely feeble and unsustainable. There are some other telling reasons why the apocrypha is rejected by all genuine Bible believers, but the main argument deals with the un-Biblical teachings found in these questionable books, such as 'praying for the dead'. Praying for the deceased, advocated in II Maccabees 12:45-46, is in direct opposition to Luke 16:25, 26 and Hebrews 9:27, among others. The apocrypha also contains the episode which has God assisting Judith in a lie (Judith 9:10, 13). The apocrypha contains demonstrable errors as well. Tobit was supposedly alive when Jeroboam staged his revolt in 931 B.C. and was still living at the time of the Assyrian captivity (722 B.C.), yet the Book of Tobit says he lived only 158 years (Tobit 1:3-5; 14:11). Finally, there is no claim in any of these apocryphal books as to divine inspiration and one need only read these works alongside the Bible to see the vast difference. Logically, if Papal Roman Catholics insist that the Apocryphal books found in the Septuagint (LXX) are canonical books, they will also have to accept other books found in some versions of the Septuagint (LXX) that the 'Council of Trent' chose to omit without giving any Scriptural reasons for their decision. As we have shown (below), Papal Roman Catholics who were amongst the most qualified to decide on the canon at the 'Council of Trent' were ignored because of the very obvious agenda that was at work. 'Church Fathers', who are easily shown to have been responsible for many fallible decisions (q.v.), are the precursors and foundation of Papal Rome's mythical 'Tradition' that is the real, final appeal of the Papal Roman Catholic - without exception! At the end of the day it is utterly pointless for you to try and 'strain gnats' over the canon and the sources of doctrines when Papal Rome has proven that her unprovable 'Tradition' and the whims of her popes will always trump all other factors as far as Papal Roman Catholics are concerned!

2019-04-20T01:41:33Z

http://thechristianexpositor.org/page344.html

10.02.110 Freight curb loading zone. 10.02.200 Passenger curb loading zone. 10.02.230 Private road or driveway. 10.02.010 Generally. For the purposes of this title, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this chapter. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.020 Authorized emergency vehicle. "Authorized emergency vehicle" means vehicles of the fire department, police vehicles and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the chief of police. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.030 Bicycle. "Bicycle" means every device pro­pelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels either of which is more than fourteen inches in diameter. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.040 Business district. "Business district" means the territory contiguous to and including a highway when within any six hundred feet along such highway there are buildings in use for business or industrial purposes, including but not limited to hotels, banks or office build­ings, railroad stations and public buildings which occupy at least three hundred feet of frontage on one side or three hundred feet collectively on both sides of the highway. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.050 Commercial vehicle. "Commercial vehicle" means every vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of passengers and property. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.060 Controlled‑access highway. "Controlled-­access highway" means every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street or roadway. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). A. That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs from the edge of the traversable roadway. B. Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or else­where distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.080 Curb loading zone. "Curb loading zone" means a space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.090 Driver. "Driver" means every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.100 Four‑lane highway. "Four‑lane highway" means a highway divided into four lanes for traffic, two lanes for travel in each direction. The inside lanes shall be those lanes closest to the center of the highway and are to be used for through traffic and traffic intending left turns. The outside lanes shall be those lanes closest to the curbline of the highway and are to be used for traffic intending to turn right to enter or leave a parking space. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.110 Freight curb loading zone. “Freight curb loading zone" means a space adjacent to a curb for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of freight or passengers. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.120 Highway. "Highway" means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). A. The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. B. Where a highway includes two roadways thirty feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event the intersecting highway also includes two roadways thirty feet or more apart, then every crossing of two roadways of the highways shall be regarded as a separate intersection. (Prior code §20‑1 (part)). designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, but excluding a tractor. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.160 Motor vehicle. "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self‑propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails. (Prior code §20‑1 (part)). 10.02.170 Official time standard. "Official time standard" means whenever certain hours are named herein they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time as may be in current use in this city. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.180 Official traffic‑control device. "Official traffic‑control device" means all signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this chapter placed or erected by authority of the city council or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.190 Park or parking. "Park or parking" mean the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, other­wise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.210 Pedestrian. "Pedestrian," means any person afoot. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.220 Police officer. "Police officer" means every officer of the police department or any officer autho­rized to direct to regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations. (Prior code §20‑1 (part)). 10.02.230 Private road or driveway. "Private road" or "driveway" means every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having ex­press or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.250 Railroad train. “Railroad train” means a steam engine, electric or other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails. 10.02.260 Residence district. “Residence district” means the territory contiguous to and including a highway not comprising a business district when the property on the highway for a distance of three hundred feet or more is in the main improved with residences or residences and buildings in use for business. (Prior code §20-1 (part)). 10.02.280 Roadway. "Roadway" means that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways the term "roadway" as used in this title shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.290 Safety zone. "Safety zone" means the area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.300 Sidewalk. "Sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use of pedestrians. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.310 Stand or standing. "Stand" or "standing" mean the halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.320 Stop. "Stop" when required means complete cessation from movement. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.330 Stop or stopping. "Stop" or "stopping" when prohibited means any halting even momentarily of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic‑control sign or signal. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.340 Street or highway. "Street" or "highway" means the entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.350 Through highway. "Through highway" means every highway or portion thereof on which vehicular traffic is given preferential right of way, and at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is required by law to yield right of way to vehicles on such through highways in obedience to either a stop sign or a yield sign, when the signs are erected as provided in this chapter. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.360 Traffic. "Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances either signly or together while using any highway for purposes of travel. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.370 Traffic‑control signal. "Traffic‑control signal" means any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately. directed to stop and to proceed. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.02.380 Traffic division. "Traffic division" means the traffic division of the police department of this city, or in the event a traffic division is not established, then such term wherever used in this title shall be deemed to refer to the police department of this city. (Prior code. §20‑1(part)). 10.02.390 Vehicle. "Vehicle" means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be trans­ported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. (Prior code §20‑1(part)). 10.04.010 City traffic engineer‑‑Office established--Duties. 10.04.020 City traffic engineer--Testing of traffic-control devices. 10.04.030 City traffic engineer‑‑Regulation promulga­tion authority. 10.04.040 Obedience to policemen and firemen required. 10.04.010 City traffic engineer‑‑Office established‑-­duties. city traffic engineer in addition to his other duties. 10.04.020 City traffic engineer‑‑Testing of traffic-control devices. The city traffic engineer may test traffic control devices under actual conditions of traffic. (Prior code §20‑24). 10.40.030 City traffic engineer‑‑Regulation promulgation authority. conditions. No such temporary or experimental regulation shall remain in effect for more than ninety days. B. These regulations shall be enforced by the chief of police and any violation shall be unlawful. (Prior code §20‑25). lawful order or direction of a police officer or fire depart­ment official. (Prior code §20‑3). 10.04.050 Violation‑‑Penalty. It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or to fail to perform any act required by this title. Unless another penalty is expressly provided in this title, every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this title shall be punished by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 2074, 1979: prior code §20‑2). 10.06.030 Records of traffic violations. 10.06.070 Records maintained on drivers. 10.06.090 Designation of method of identification of funerals. of an officer appointed by and directly responsible to the chief of police. (Prior code §20‑26). and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out those duties specially imposed upon the division by this title and other traffic ordinances of the city. (Prior code §20‑27). A. The police department or the traffic division thereof shall keep a record of all violations of the traffic ordinances of disposition of all such alleged offenses. The record shall be so maintained as to show all types of this city or of the state vehicle laws of which any person has been charged, together with a record of the final violations and the total of each. The record shall accumulate during at least a five‑year period and from that time on the record shall be maintained complete for at least the most recent five‑year period. B. All forms for records of violations and notices of violations shall be serially numbered. For each month and year a written record shall be kept available to the public showing the disposal of all such forms. C. All such records and reports shall be public records. (Prior code §20‑28). 10.06.040 Accident‑‑Investigation duty. It shall be the duty of the traffic division, assisted by other police officers of the department, to investigate traffic accidents, to arrest and to assist in the prosecution of those persons charged with violations of law causing or contributing to such accidents. (Prior code §20‑29). 10.06.050 Accident‑‑Studies. Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the traffic division shall cooperate with the city traffic engineer in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures. (Prior code §20‑30). available for the use and information of the city traffic engineer. (Prior code §20‑31). A. The police department or the traffic division thereof shall maintain a suitable record of all traffic accidents, warnings, arrests, convictions and complaints reported for each driver, which shall be filed alphabetically under the name of the driver concerned. B. The traffic division shall study the cases of all the drivers charged with frequent or serious violations of the traffic laws or involved in frequent traffic accidents or any serious accident, and shall attempt to discover the reasons therefore, and shall take whatever steps are lawful and reasonable to prevent the same or to have the licenses of such persons suspended or revoked. maintained complete for at least the most recent five-year period. (Prior code §20-32). A. The number of traffic accidents, the number of per­sons killed, the number of persons injured, and other perti­nent traffic accident data. B. The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the police. C. The plans and recommendations of the divisions for future traffic safety activities. (Prior code §20‑33). 10.06.090 Designation of method of identification of funerals. The traffic division shall designate a type of pennant or other identifying insignia to be displayed upon or other method to be employed to identify, the vehicles in funeral processions. (Prior code §20‑34). 10.08.010 Enforcement of city and state traffic laws. 10.08.020 Direction of traffic. Officers of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the chief of police are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws, provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws. (Prior code §20‑36) . 10.08.030 Assistance at fires. Officers of the fire department, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity. (Prior code §20‑37). 10.10.070 Fine payment acknowledgement of conviction‑-receipt. thereto by the municipal court judge and shall be open at such hours as the municipal court judge may designate. (Ord. 2098 §3, 1980; prior code §20‑38). D. Deposit fine receipts with city treasurer. (Ord. 2094 §4, 1980; prior‑code §20‑39). 10.10.030 Recordkeepinq‑‑Availability to public. The traffic violations bureau shall keep records and submit summarized monthly reports to the municipal court judge and to the mayor of all notices issued and arrests made for violations of the traffic laws of this city or the state and all the fines collected by the traffic violations bureau or the court. Such records shall be so maintained as to show all types of violations and the totals of each. These records shall be public records. (Ord. 2098 §5, 1980; prior code §20‑40). 10.10.040 Procedure. The traffic violations bureau shall follow such procedure as may be prescribed by the traffic ordinances of this city or as may be required by any laws of this state. (Prior code §20‑41). 10.10.050 Designation of offenses. The municipal court judge shall designate the specified offenses under the traffic ordinances of this city and the state traffic laws in respect to which payments of fines may be accepted by the traffic violations bureau in satisfaction thereof, and shall specify by suitable schedules the amount of the fines for first, second and subsequent offenses; provided, such fines are within the limits declared by law or ordinance. (Ord. 2098 §6, 1980; prior code §20‑42). 10.10.060 Right of trial. Any person charged with an offense for which payment of a fine may be made to the traffic violations bureau shall have the option of paying the fine within the time specified in the notice to appear and complain at the traffic violations bureau upon entering a plea of guilty and upon waiving appearance in court; or may have the option of depositing required lawful bail and upon a plea of not guilty shall be entitled to a trial as authorized by law. (Ord. 2098 §7, 1980; prior code §20-43) . 10.10.070 Fine payment acknowledgement of conviction‑‑Receipt. The payment of a fine to the bureau shall be deemed an acknowledgement of conviction of the alleged offense, and the bureau, upon accepting the prescribed fine, shall issue a receipt to the violator acknowledging payment thereof. (Prior code §20‑44). 10.14.010 Applicability of title to animal‑drawn vehicle. 10.14.020 Skiing or sledding on streets. 10.14.030 Toy vehicle or roller skate restrictions. 10.14.060 Prohibition of traffic over damaged streets. by their nature can have no application. Persons riding or leading animals on or along any street shall ride or lead such animals on the left side of the street facing approaching traffic. (Prior code §20‑4). 10.14.020 Skiing or sledding on streets. No person shall use the streets for traveling on skis, toboggans, coasting sleds or similar devices. No person shall use any roadway of this municipality as a sled or ski course for the purpose of coasting on sleds, skis or other similar devices except on portions of such streets set aside by proper authority for such use and adequately roped off or otherwise marked for the purpose. (Prior code §20‑5). 10.14.030 Toy vehicle or roller skate restrictions. No person upon roller skates, or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk and when so crossing the person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. This section shall not apply upon any street while set aside as a play street as authorized by the provisions of this code or other ordinance of this city. ('Prior code §20‑6) . 10.14.050 Unattended motor vehicles. No person driv­ing or in charge of any motor vehicle except a licensed delivery truck or other delivery vehicle, shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition and removing the key. No vehicle shall be permitted to stand unattended upon any perceptible grade, without stopping the engine and effectively setting the brake thereon, and turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the street. (Prior code §20‑11). 10.14.060 Prohibition of traffic over damaged streets. The mayor, with the approval of the city council, is authorized, when by reason of deterioration, rain, snow or other climatic conditions the streets and highways within the limits of the city will be seriously damaged or destroyed, to prohibit the operation of vehicles upon any street or highways within the limits of the city for a period of not to exceed ninety days in one calendar year. (Prior code §20‑19). 10.16.020 Manual and specifications for devices. 10.16.080 No‑turn signs‑‑Erection and obedience. 10.16.090 Interference with official devices or railroad signs or signals. 10.16.100 Obstructing traffic at intersection or crosswalk. 10.16.120 Lane markings on street pavements. 10.16.130 Vehicles to yield to urban transportation system buses utilizing a flashing yield sign on back of bus. 10.16.010 Installation authority. The city engineer shall place and maintain traffic‑control signs, signals and devices when and as required under this title and other traffic ordinances of this city to make effective the pro­visions of such laws, and may place and maintain such addi­tional traffic‑control devices as he may deem necessary to regulate traffic under this title and other traffic ordi­nances of this city or under state law or to guide or warn traffic. (Prior code §20‑50). 10.16.020 Manual and specifications for devices. All traffic‑control signs, signals and devices shall conform to the manual and specifications approved by the state highway commission. All signs and signals required under this chapter for a particular purpose shall so far as practica­ble be uniform as to type and location throughout the city. All traffic‑control devices so erected and not inconsistent with the provisions of state law or this chapter shall be official traffic‑control devices. (Prior code §20‑51). 10.16.070 No‑turn signs‑‑Establishment authority. The city engineer is authorized to determine those inter­sections at which drivers of vehicles shall not make a right, left or U‑turn, and shall place proper signs at such intersections. The making of such turns may he prohibited between certain hours of any day and permitted at other hours, in which event the same shall be plainly indicated on the signs, or they may be removed when such turns are permitted. (Prior code §20‑57). 10.16.080 No‑turn signs‑‑Erection and obedience. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right, left or U‑turn is permitted, no driver of a vehicle shall disobey the directions of any such sign. (Prior code §20‑58) . 10.16.090 Interference with official devices or railroad signs or signals. No person shall, without lawful authority, attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof. (Ord. 890, 1959; Prior Code §20-59). 10.16.100 Obstructing traffic at intersection or crosswalk. No operator of a vehicle shall enter an inter­section or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space beyond such intersection or crosswalk in the direc­tion on which the vehicle is proceeding to accommodate the vehicle without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic‑control signal indication to proceed. (Prior code §20‑60). A. The traffic engineer is authorized to mark traffic lanes upon the roadway of any street or highway where a regular alignment of traffic is necessary. B. Where traffic lanes have been marked, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to fail or refuse to keep the vehicle within the boundaries of any lane except when lawfully passing another vehicle or preparatory to making a lawful turning movement. (Prior code §20‑62). A. It shall be unlawful for any person operating a vehicle on any street or alley located within the city limits to fail to yield the right of way to any urban transportation system bus that is attempting to reenter the on street flow of vehicle traffic when the bus is utilizing a flashing yield sign located on the back of the bus. 10.18.070 Specification of rate of speed in violation complaint. 1. Whenever the city engineer or city council determines upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that any prima facie speed set forth in this section is greater or less than is reasonable or safe under the conditions found to exist at any intersection or other place or upon any part of a street or highway, the city council may determine and declare a reasonable and safe prima facie speed limit thereat which shall be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are erected at such intersections or other place or part of the street or highway. 2. When a speed study has been requested by the City Council pursuant to 10.18.020(B), the City Council may set a temporary speed limit for the same part of a street or highway for which the speed study has been requested. When the requested speed study is complete, City Council shall review the temporary speed limit and declare a speed limit pursuant to 10.18.020(B). (Ord. 3506, 2013; Ord. 3390 §1, 2008; Ord. 2867 §7, 1993; prior code §20‑64). 10.18.030 Alleys. The maximum speed limit for all alleys within the city shall be five miles per hour. (Ord. 2084 §1, 1979). 10.18.070 Specification of rate of speed in violation complaint. In every charge of violation of any speed regu­lation in this chapter, the complaint, also the summons, or notice to appear, shall specify the speed at which the defendant is alleged to have driven, also the speed appli­cable within the district or at the location. (Prior code §20‑68) . 10.20.270 Vehicles not to be driven on sidewalk. 10.20.290 Vehicles prohibited on Van Buren Street bridges. 10.20.300 General Prohibition on operating a pickup truck with passengers under 18 years of age riding in cargo areas of pickup truck and prohibition on being a passenger under 18 years of age in cargo area of a pickup truck on public ways within the city. 10.20.310 Prohibition of mobile telephone and other electronic communication device use while operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle on a public highway. 10.20.170 No passing zones. The city engineer is authorized to determine those portions of any street where overtaking and passing or driving to the left of the street would be especially hazardous and may by appropriate signs and markings on the street indicate the beginning and end of such zones and when such signs or markings are in place and clearing visible to an ordinarily observant person every driver of a vehicle shall obey the directions there­of. (Prior code §20‑81). A. No person shall start a vehicle which is stopped, standing or parked unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety. B. Any person starting a vehicle from a parked posi­tion at the curb or edge of a roadway, before making such movement, shall yield the right‑of‑way to all vehicles which are approaching so closely as to constitute an imme­diate hazard, but the driver, having so yielded and having given a signal as required by this article for a left‑turn movement, may proceed. (Prior code §20‑87). 10.20.270 Vehicles not to be driven on sidewalk. The driver of a vehicle shall not drive within any sidewalk area except at a permanent or temporary driveway. (Prior code §20‑93). 10.20.280 Limitations on backing. The driver of a vehicle shall not back the same except upon entering or leaving a parking space or driveway or when necessary to avoid an obstacle in the highway, or upon the direction of a police officer or fireman. (Prior code §20‑94). 10.20.290 Vehicles prohibited on Van Buren Street bridges. The driver of a vehicle shall not drive upon the Van Buren Street bridges across the Clark Fork River or across the irrigation ditch except for emergency or autho­rized maintenance vehicles. All others shall obtain writ­ten permission from the Missoula County surveyor's office prior to driving upon either structure. (Ord. 2289 §1, 1982) . 10.20.300. General Prohibition on operating a pickup truck with passengers under 18 years of age riding in cargo areas of pickup truck and prohibition on being a passenger under 18 years of age in cargo area of a pickup truck on public ways within the city. A. It shall be unlawful either for the operator of a pickup truck to operate a pick up truck with passengers under 18 years of age riding in the cargo area of a pickup truck or for a person to be a passenger under 18 years of age in the cargo area of a pickup truck while the pickup truck is operating upon public ways within the city, except in the exceptional situations authorized herein. For purposes of this section a pickup truck shall be defined as a motor vehicle designed with a cargo area that is often open and is designed to be outside of the enclosed passenger area of the motor vehicle. Public ways or ways of the city open to the public shall be defined as defined in Montana state motor vehicle traffic regulations to mean any highway, road, alley, lane, parking area, or other public or private place adopted and fitted for public travel that is in common use by the public. B. It is the purpose of this section to further public safety, health and general welfare by addressing the hazards of riding in the cargo areas of pickup truck areas in the following exceptional, permitted circumstances: (1) if the pickup truck is traveling five (5) miles per hour or less and the passengers are seated within a pickup truck cargo area that has its tailgate secured and closed while operating during a parade, (2) the passengers are within a military pickup truck type vehicle or authorized law enforcement or fire emergency vehicle, (3) if the pickup truck is traveling five (5) miles per hour or less and the passenger as part of his employment duties is riding within the pickup truck body in a cargo space intended for materials and is performing employment related duties or responsibilities, such as for the purpose of picking up or distributing traffic cones, or (4) if the cargo area is equipped with and each passenger is utilizing a federally approved restraint system for passengers in pickup truck cargo areas. A. Vehicle- a motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle or any other device defined as a vehicle in Montana Code Annotated Title 61, Chapter 1, Part 1, the State of Montana’s motor vehicle laws. B. Hands-free mode – means that use of a wireless communication device with a speaker phone, headset, or earpiece. C. As used in this chapter, “hands-free wireless telephone” means a mobile telephone that has an internal feature or function, or that is equipped with an attachment or addition, whether or not permanently part of such mobile telephone, by which a user engages in a conversation without the use of either hand; provided, however, this definition shall not preclude the use of either hand to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the telephone. D. “Use” of a wireless telephone or electronic communication device shall include, but not be limited to, talking or listening to another person on the telephone, text messaging, or sending an electronic message via the wireless telephone or electronic communication device. 10.20.310 Prohibition of mobile telephone and other electronic communication device use while operating a vehicle on a public highway. A. No person operating a vehicle on a public highway within the city limits of Missoula shall use a mobile telephone or other electronic communication device to write, send, or read text messages, e-mail or other activities where a person is inputting or reading information on the device. B. The use of a wireless telephone or electronic communication device by an operator of a moving motor vehicle on a public road or highway shall be unlawful except when the telephone is a hands-free wireless telephone or the electronic communication device is used hands-free, provided that its placement does not interfere with the operation of federally required safety equipment and the operator exercises a high degree of caution in the operation of the motor vehicle. For the purposes of this section, an “electronic communication device” shall not include an amateur radio. b. The operator is using the telephone to report to appropriate authorities a fire, a traffic accident, a serious road hazard or medical or hazardous materials emergency, or to report the operator of another motor vehicle who is driving in a reckless, careless or otherwise unsafe manner or who appears to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A hand-held wireless telephone user’s telephone records or the testimony or written statements from appropriate authorities receiving such calls shall be deemed sufficient evidence of the existence of all lawful calls made under this paragraph. c. Prevent injury to a person or property. 5. Where the driver is using a two way radio in the performance and scope of work-related duties. E. Subsections (A) and (B) do not restrict the operation of an amateur radio station by a person who holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission. D. Defendants convicted after a trial on a violation of Section 10.20.310 shall pay as court costs, the cost of prosecution of the case. 10.22.010 Vehicles required to stop at all railway grade crossings. 10.22.020 Stopping for school busses loading or unloading. 10.22.030 Leaving unattended vehicles obstructing traffic. 10.22.050 Parking in a roadway‑‑Direction. 10.22.060 Parking for over one hundred twenty hours. 10.22.070 Parking prohibited in specified places. 10.22.080 Standing or parking on one‑way streets and roadways. 10.22.120 Parking for purposes of sale, repair or storage. 10.22.140 Parking on narrow streets. 10.22.150 Parking adjacent to schools. 10.22.160 Parking trucks in residential district. 10.22.170 Parking near hazardous or congested places. 10.22.180 Parking trucks containing explosives or offensive cargo. 10.22.190 Parking for camping purposes. 10.22.200 Parking prohibited on portion of South Higgins Avenue. 10.22.210 Removal of illegally parked vehicles‑‑Costs to be paid by owner. 10.22.220 Prima facie evidence of parking violation. 10.22.230 Parking commission‑‑Rulemaking power‑­Enforcement authority. 10.22.250 Procedure for the establishment of a residential on‑street parking permit regulation program. 10.22.260 Limitations on parking in a residential parking permit only area. 10.22.270 Residential parking permit application procedure. 10.22.280 Residential parking permit form and issuance. 10.22.290 Display of residential parking permits required. 10.22.300 University of Montana residential on‑street parking permit regulation program. 10.22.310 Private parking services authorized to issue parking citations. A. The driver of any motor vehicle car­rying passengers for hire, or of any school bus carrying any school child, or of any vehicle carrying explosive sub­stances or flammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, shall stop the vehicle within fifty feet but not nearer than ten feet from the nearest rail of such railroads and while so stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals indi­cating the approach of a train, except as provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. B. No stop need be made at any crossing where a police officer or a traffic‑control signal directs traffic to pro­ceed. C. When stopping as required at such railroad crossing the driver shall keep as far to the right of the roadway as possible and shall not form two lanes of traffic unless the street or roadway is marked for four or more lanes of traf­fic. (Prior code §20‑116). 10.22.020 Stopping for school busses loading or un­loading. The driver of any vehicle when approaching the front or rear of a school bus, which is marked and identi­fied as a school bus as provided by MCA Sections 61‑8‑351(2) and 61‑9‑402, which has come to a stop on a street, avenue or highway within the city, and is receiving or discharging school children, shall stop the vehicle not less than ten feet from the school bus and keep the vehicle stationary until the children have entered the bus or have alighted and reached the nearest adjacent side of the street, avenue or highway; provided, however, that it shall not be neces­sary to observe this requirement when a school bus is dis­charging or receiving school children at the school build­ings. (Prior code §20‑117). in either direction upon the street. (Ord. 2075 §2, 1979; prior code §20‑102). 10.22.040 Marking no‑parking zones. Whenever curbs or curbing are painted yellow in color by the city engineer pursuant to the Uniform Traffic Manual, federal or state laws or regulations or an ordinance of the city council or regulations of the parking commission no person shall at any time stop, stand or park; or wherever signs are erected by the city engineer pursuant to an ordinance or resolution of the city council or to regulations of the parking commission which prohibit parking, establish limited time parking zones or in any way limit or restrict parking, no person shall stop, stand or park in violation of the provisions indicated on such signs. (Ord. 2124, 1980; Ord. 2075 §4, 1979; prior code §20‑115). 10.22.050 Parking in a roadway‑‑Direction. No person shall stand or park a vehicle in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway heading in the direction of lawful traffic movement and with the right‑hand wheels of the vehicle parallel to and within eighteen inches of the right‑hand curb or edge of the roadway except that on a one-way street the left‑hand wheels may be parked adjacent to and within eighteen inches of the left‑hand curb or edge of the roadway headed in the direction of the lawful traffic movement and except as otherwise provided by this chapter. (Ord. 2693 §1, 1989; prior code §20‑96). 10.22.060 Parking for over one hundred twenty hours. No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle shall park such vehicle upon any street or alley for more than a consecutive period of one hundred twenty hours. (Prior code §20‑99). 15. In a dedicated transit stop. B. No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under his control into any such prohibited area or away from a curb such distance as is unlawful. (Ord. 3601, 2017; Prior code §20‑101). A. When appropriate signs are erected giving notice thereof, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left‑hand side of any one‑way street in violation of any such sign. B In the event a street includes two or more separate roadways and traffic is restricted to one direction upon any such roadway, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon the left‑hand side of such one‑way roadway unless signs are erected to permit such standing or parking. (Prior code §20‑114). 2. On odd numbered days of the month on the side of the street bearing odd numbers. B. Any person who shall violate any provision of sub­section A of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than five dol­lars nor more than fifty dollars. (Ord. 2075 §1, 1979; prior code §§101.1, 101.2). 10.22.100 All‑night parking. No person, except physi­cians or other persons on emergency calls, shall park a ve­hicle on any street marked to prohibit all‑night‑parking and giving notice thereof, for a period of time longer than thir­ty minutes between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. of any day. (Prior code §20‑113). A. The city engineer shall determine upon what streets angle parking shall be permitted and shall mark or sign such streets, but such angle parking shall not be indicated upon any federal aid or state highway within the city unless the state highway commission has de­termined by resolution or has ordered entered into its min­utes that the roadway is of sufficient width to permit angle parking without interfering with the free movement of traffic. B. Angle parking shall not be indicated or permitted at any place where passing traffic would be caused or required to drive‑upon the left side of the street. C. Upon those streets which have been signed or marked by the city engineer for angle parking, no person shall park or stand a vehicle other than at an angle to the curb or edge of the roadway indicated by such signs or markings, and with the front of the vehicle to the curb unless signed or marked to permit back-in parking. (Ord. 3406, 2009; Prior code §20-97) . B. Provided, however, that, upon application made to the city council by any group, organization or person, the city council may, in its discretion, waive, for a temporary stated period of time, the enforcement of this section as it applies to the applicant; provided further, that if meter space is used the city council may require a fee of not to exceed five dollars per meter space per day; and further provided, that no more than two meter spaces per day are so utilized. (Prior code §20‑98). A. No person shall stop, stand or park any vehicle within an alley for a period of time longer than is necessary for the reasonable expeditious loading or unloading of the vehicle. B. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within an alley or under such conditions as to leave available less than ten feet of the width of the roadway for the free movement of vehicular traffic. C. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle within an alley in such a position as to block the driveway or entrance to any abutting property. (Prior code §20‑103). A. The city engineer is authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon any street when the width of the roadway does not exceed twenty feet, or upon one side of a street as indicated by such signs when the width of the roadway does not exceed thirty feet. B. When official signs prohibiting parking are erected upon narrow streets as authorized in this section, no person shall park a vehicle upon any such street in violation of any such sign. (Prior code §20‑106). A. The city engineer is authorized to erect signs indicating no parking upon that side of any street adjacent to any school property when such parking would, in his opinion, interfere with traffic or create a hazardous situation. property, no person shall park a vehicle in any such desig­nated place. (Prior code §20‑105). 10.22.160 Parking trucks in residential district. No person shall stand or park any truck, truck‑tractor, trailer, semi-trailer or bus in any street in a residential district for any purpose or period of time other than for the expedi­tious loading or unloading of such vehicles, except that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the driver of a truck, truck‑tractor, trailer or semi-trailer while such vehicle is being used in connection with the construction or repair of buildings, service calls or the moving of house­hold goods and shall not be applicable to the driver of a bus while the vehicle is parked in a designated bus stop. (Prior code §20‑104). A. The city engineer is authorized to determine and desig­nate by proper signs places not exceeding one hundred feet in length in which the stopping, standing or parking of vehicles would create an especially hazardous condition or would cause unusual delay to traffic. B. When official signs are erected at hazardous or congested places as authorized in this section, no person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any such designated place. (Prior code §20‑107). A. It is unlawful, at any time, to park a truck giving off an offensive or disagreeable odor or con­taining disagreeable and containing offensive and offensive matter, or any truck engaged in hauling gasoline oil, or other explosive matter, whether the truck is loaded or empty, within the central business district or within three hundred feet of a residen­tial structure or residential zone except that a gasoline or oil truck may park within the above described areas when actually engaged in making a delivery of gasoline or oil. B. Vehicles transporting explosives shall comply with all provisions of the Uniform Fire Code as well as federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the transporta­tion of explosives. Vehicles transporting explosives shall be routed to avoid congested traffic and densely populated areas. reaching its destination except at stopping and parking places designated and approved by the city fire and police chiefs. (Ord. 2075 §3, 1979; prior code §20‑109). 1. A property owner or tenant may allow a guest's recreational vehicle to be parked on the public right of way adjacent to their residence for sleeping purposes for a maximum of five (5) consecutive days without violating this provision, provided that the recreational vehicle is not occupied for more than five (5) days in any consecutive thirty (30) day period while on the block adjacent to the property owner or tenant’s residence. 3. As allowed by the provisions of 12.40.010B MMC. B. It is unlawful for any person to dump or deposit any sink water or sewage from a motor vehicle or vehicle designed for camping anywhere except in a disposal site approved by the city-county health department. C. The penalty for a violation of subsection 10.22.190(A) shall be a fine only of up to $100.00 with no penalty of imprisonment. The penalty for a violation of subsection 10.22.190(B) shall be a fine only of up to $500.00 with no penalty of imprisonment. This penalty is an alternative to the penalty applied by Montana State law. Montana State law's penalty may be applied if the person is cited pursuant to Montana State law. (Ord 3603, 2018; Ord. 3356, 2007; Ord. 2476 §1, 1986; prior code §20‑112). 10.22.200 Parking prohibited on portion of South Higgins Avenue. Parking on either side of the street is prohibited on South Higgins Avenue in the city between the following points: the alley between Agnes Avenue and Sen­tinel Avenue on the north and the Pattee Canyon Road in­tersection with South Higgins Avenue on the south. (Prior code §20‑108). A. In the event a vehicle is parked in violation of any ordinance of the city or any regulation of the parking commission, such vehicle may be removed from the place so parked at the order of either the police de­partment, the street department or the parking commission. B. Whenever evidence shows that the vehicle had been reported as stolen at the time in question, or was not parked illegally, or that he/she was not the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of the alleged violation, that person is absolved of responsibility for the particu­lar offense. (Ord. 2693 §2, 1989; Ord. 2315 §1, 1983; Ord. 2075 §5, 1979; prior code §20‑118). A. Whenever any vehicle shall have been parked in viola­tion of any of the provisions of any ordinance of the city or regulation of the parking commission regulating, pro­hibiting or restricting vehicle parking, the person in whose name the vehicle is registered shall be absolutely liable for the violation and shall be subject to the fine only penalty therefore, except as otherwise herein provided. B. Whenever city officers or a court is satisfied evidence shows that the vehicle had been reported as stolen at the time in question of the vehicle parking offense, or was not parked illegally, or that he/she was not the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of the alleged violation, that person is absolved of responsibility for the particular offense. (Ord. 2693 §3, 1989; Ord. 2315 §1, 1983; Ord. 2075 §5, 1979; prior code §20‑118). 10.22.230 Parking commission‑‑Rulemaking power-‑Enforcement authority. B. The Commission is further empowered to make temporary regulations to cover emergencies or special conditions. C. All such regulations shall be enforced by the Missoula Parking Commission. A. Any fines assessed for the violations of ordinances established by the City Council shall be managed administratively – as a civil infraction by the Parking Commission and deposited as revenue for the Parking Commission. Within 30 days of the issuance of the citation, any owner of a motor vehicle that has received a parking violation citation may request that the citation be forwarded to the Municipal Court for filing. The Parking Commission shall forward the citation to the Municipal Court within 10 days of the request. The Parking Commission shall notify the owner that the citation has been filed with the Municipal Court upon transmittal. The owner shall appear before the Municipal Court within 10 days. Fines collected by the Municipal Court shall be deposited as revenue for the Parking Commission. (Ord. 3565. 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2693 §4, 1989; Ord. 2075 §6, 1979; prior code §20‑118.1). 10.22.240 Parking commission‑‑Jurisdictional area The Missoula parking commission, created pursuant to Resolution Nos. 2997 and 2998, shall have jurisdiction to impose and enforce its regulations and exercise its powers as delegated by Title 7, Chapter 14, MCA, and this code within the boundaries outlined in Exhibit A. (Ord. 3523, 2014; Ord. 3513, 2013; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 3222, 2003; Ord. 3212, 2002; Ord. 2884 §1, 1994; Ord. 2862 §1, 1993; Ord. 2512 §1, 1986; Ord. 2314 §1, 1983). 3. An area in which a significant number of residential dwelling units structures in the area lack sufficient off street parking spaces to adequately serve the motor vehicle parking needs of the residents of many of the residential dwelling units structures in the residential area who without the motor vehicle parking regulation may have unreasonable burdens in gaining access to their residences. 4. An area where limiting the parking of vehicles along the public streets in the residential area to vehicles registered or controlled and exclusively used by persons residing in the residential area is necessary in order to preserve the safety of children and other pedestrians, improve traffic safety, reduce hazardous traffic conditions and better provide adequate motor vehicle parking for residents of the area as well as improve the peace, good order, comfort, convenience and welfare of the inhabitants and preserve the character of their residential district through control and reduction of litter, noise and air pollution. 8. Visitor permit or special gathering provisions for the residential area. C. Upon adoption of any ordinance by the city council designating an area for residential parking permit only, the city public works department shall cause appropriate signs to be erected along the streets identified in the ordinance prior to any enforcement of the residential park­ing permit regulation. The street signs erected shall give notice of the nature of the parking limitation and shall indicate the hours and days when such parking limitations shall be in effect. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2865 §1, 1993; Ord. 2849 §1, 1993; Ord. 2480 §1, 1986). 3. A clearly marked business vehicle which is under the control of a person providing a service to per­sons or property located in the designated residential permit only parking area, including but not limited to a delivery vehicle. B. Anyone violating this section shall be subject to a twenty dollar fine. A ticket for a violation may be written every four hours. Imprisonment may not be a part of any penalty imposed for a violation of this section. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2480 §2, 1986). 10.22.270 Residential parking permit application procedure. Applications for residential parking permits shall be submitted to the city parking commission director on a form prescribed by the parking commission director and shall be accompanied by proof in a form satisfactory to the parking commission director of the applicant's place of residence within the residential parking permit only area, as well as proof of registration or use and control of each vehicle for which a residential parking permit is sought. No part of the parking permit fees shall be refundable. The amount of the fees shall be established at a level that covers the cost of administration and enforcement of the residential parking permit only regulations in the resi­dential area. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2480 §3, 1986). A. Upon approval by the parking commission director of the application of any person residing in a residential parking permit only area, a residential parking permit shall be issued for each vehicle receiving approval. Upon approval by the parking commission director of the application of any person residing in a residential parking permit only area for a temporary visitor's permit, a tempo­rary visitor's permit shall be issued by the parking com­mission director. No more than three temporary visitor's parking permits shall be issued for the same time period for a single residential dwelling unit. B. Each residential parking permit issued by the parking commission director for a vehicle shall set forth at least the date of issuance and the license number of the vehicle for which it is issued. Annual permits shall be required. A permit shall be valid for no longer than the permit year of issuance. The issuance of a residential parking permit does not serve as a guarantee that there will always be a parking space available for the permit holder on the public streets within the designated residen­tial parking permit area. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2480 §4, 1986). 10.22.290 Display of residential parking permits required. Residential parking permits shall be displayed on vehicle in the place and in the manner prescribed by the parking commission director. It is unlawful to either fail to display or improperly display a residential parking permit, or to attempt to use a residential parking permit from another area in a designated residential area. Anyone violating this section shall be subject to a twenty dollar fine. A ticket for a violation may be written every four hours. Imprisonment may not be a part of any penalty imposed for a violation of this section. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2693 §5, 1989: Ord. 2480 §5, 1986). A. The areas designat­ed pursuant to this chapter as the University of Montana residential on‑street parking permit regulation program are outlined in Exhibit B. 1. No vehicle other than emergency vehicles or vehicles providing services to the area or vehicles having a permit may park on any street in the area between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m., Monday through Friday, except for legal holidays. 2. These regulations will primarily be enforced by the Missoula parking commission. 3. The public works department will post an adequate number of signs per block face that indicate these restrictions. 4. The fee for each residential permit shall be determined by the Parking Commission. Permits shall be issued for a year beginning July 1st. 5. The fee for each guest permit shall be determined by the Parking Commission. Guest permits shall be issued for a year beginning July 1st. No more than two guest permits shall be issued to each qualified resident for use by visitor vehicles. Permit owners allowing for the abuse of a guest permit shall be subject to the revocation of that guest permit. Such abuse shall be determined at the discretion of the parking commission director. 6. The fee for replacement of mutilated or lost permits shall be determined by the Parking Commission. b. Proof of residency and vehicle ownership shall be demonstrated in a manner to be determined by the director of the Missoula parking commission. 8. Nonresidential uses will be provided with posted time limited parking. The time limits shall be decided upon by the parking commission director and the nonresidential use owner. 9. Employees and employers who work within the district are eligible to purchase permits, upon authorization of their employer. 10. The parking commission director may issue special guest permits and temporary special gathering permits at their discretion. 11. Residential permits are not transferable and shall become void if the vehicle ownership changes from the regular permit holder. 12. The ordinance codified in this section shall be reviewed by the Missoula parking commission and city council whenever either entity decides that such a review would be appropriate. Review of the ordinance codified in this section should consider the effectiveness of the ordinance, the financial status of the program, and any revisions to the ordinance. (Ord. 3523, 2014; Ord. 3513, 2013; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2865 §2, 1993; Ord. 2849 §2, 1993; Ord. 2806 §1, 1992; Ord. 2693 §6, 1989; Ord. 2505 §1, 1986) . 10.22.310 Private parking services authorized to is­sue parking citations. 2. On public property under contract or agreement with the city municipality. B. A private parking service may enter into an agree­ment with the city municipal government to authorize em­ployees of the private parking service to issue citations for parking violations as defined by state or municipal laws, which occur within the boundaries of the private parking service's parking areas. All such citations must be considered with the jurisdiction of the city municipal government and must be handled in the same manner as cita­tions issued by peace officers and parking commission and street department employees of the city municipal govern­ment. 1. The private parking service vendor shall pos­sess a current city business license issued by the city municipal government; unless the private parking service vendor is exempt from city business license requirements as a result of being a nonprofit entity or earning annual gross receipts as defined as a business in Missoula City Business Licensing ordinance 5.04.040. 2. The parking spaces on the real property on which the private parking service vendor operates its busi­ness shall be in compliance with city zoning regulations and engineering standards with respect to landscaping and the size and location of off‑street parking spaces. 3. The private parking service employees who actually issue parking citations must have completed a city parking commission training procedure and course of instruction pertaining to the issuance of parking tickets prior to issuing any parking citations. 4. The private parking service vendor must agree to provide the city parking commission with a copy of any parking citation issued within twenty-four hours of its issuance or on the next city government business day whichever occurs first. 5. The private parking service vendor must agree that any employee issuing a parking citation must be will­ing to be available to appear in court at no financial cost to the city municipal government in the event any court proceeding about a parking citation requires the presence of the private parking service vendor. 6. The private parking service vendor's authority to issue parking citations shall be limited to the issuance of parking citations for off-street parking on the real property that is within the jurisdictional control of the private parking service vendor. 7. The private parking service vendor must agree in writing to hold harmless the city municipal government and city parking commission for any and all aspects of the private parking vendor's operations and actions and further must agree in writing to indemnify the city and city park­ing commission for any claims, damages or judgments paid by them that are attributable to the private parking service vendor. D. As authorized by MCA 61‑12‑102, a private parking service vendor is allowed to impound a motor vehicle if such impoundment does not occur by attaching a device to a motor vehicle that makes the motor vehicle immobile and as long as the private parking service vendor holds harmless and indemnifies the city municipal government and city parking commission from any claims, damages or judgments successfully asserted as a result of impoundment of a motor vehicle by a private parking service vendor. The city municipal government shall at all times have the right to at any time terminate any agreement en­tered into or authority granted pursuant to this section. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2635 §1, 1989). 10.24.020 Marking of spaces‑‑Manner of parking. 10.24.050 Depositing slugs‑‑Tampering with multi-space parking meter kiosk. 10.24.060 Disposition of multi-space meter revenue. A. “Multi-space parking meter kiosk” means an electronic device placed next to on-street parking spaces or off-street parking lots and used to purchase time for parking. B. "Parking lot" means any area that is owned, leased by or controlled by a government entity in which the public citizens are allowed to park motor vehicles. C. "Parking meter zones" means portions of streets or parking lots established by the Parking Commission as zones within which the parking of vehicles shall be controlled, regulated and inspected with the aid of timing devices known as multi-space parking meter kiosks. D. "Parking time" means that amount of time indicated on each multi-space parking meter kiosk beyond which a vehicle cannot be legally parked. E. "Roadway" means portions of a street between regularly established curb lines. F. "Sidewalk" means portions of a street between the curb lines and the adjacent property lines intended for use by pedestrians. G. "Street" means every way set apart for public travel except alleyways, bridle paths and foot paths. H. "Vehicle" means a conveyance propelled by motor power. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §4, 1989; prior code §20‑136). 10.24.020 Marking of spaces‑‑Manner of parking – The Public Works Department in coordination with the city traffic engineer shall place lines or marks on the curb or on the street to designate the parking space for which the multi-space parking meter kiosk is to be used, and each vehicle parked shall park within the lines or markings so established. No person shall park any vehicle in such a way that the same shall not be within the area so designated by such lines or markings. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §4, 1989; prior code §20‑136). 10.24.030 Unlawful parking. Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., on all days except Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, it shall be unlawful for a vehicle to be parked in any space within a row of spaces served by a multi-space parking meter kiosk, unless time for parking has been purchased at a multi-space parking meter kiosk or permission to park the vehicle has otherwise been given by the Missoula Parking Commission.. A. If the vehicle remains parked in the parking space beyond the legal parking period which is designated by the multi-space parking meter kiosk at the time of purchase of parking time, the vehicle shall be considered as parked overtime and the parking of a vehicle overtime or the failure to purchase time for parking, shall be a violation of this chapter and punishable as set forth in Chapter 10.54. B. Each time period a vehicle remains parked beyond the purchased parking time shall constitute a separate offense. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §4, 1989; prior code §20‑136). C. Any other facts, a knowledge of which is necessary to a thorough understanding of the circumstances attending such violation; further, it shall be the duty of the Parking Commission to cause to be attached to any vehicle parked in violation of this chapter a notice that it has been parked in violation of this chapter and instruct the owner or operator to report to the Parking Commission in regard to such violation within thirty days. The citation shall contain sufficient information to inform the owner of their rights under 10.22.230. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §2, 1989; Ord. 2075 §9, 1979: prior code §20‑133). A. No person shall deposit or cause to be deposited in any multi-space parking meter kiosk any slug, device or other substitute for the five cent, ten cent, twenty-five cent, or one dollar coin and legal tender of the United States unless the Parking Commission has approved a token to be used in the multi-space parking meter kiosk. B. No person shall open, deface, injure, tamper with or willfully break, destroy or impair the usefulness of any multi-space parking meter kiosk; or tie, hitch, chain or otherwise affix any animals thereto or chain or otherwise affix any bicycle thereto. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §4, 1989; prior code §20‑136). 10.24.060 Disposition of multi-space parking meter revenue. A. The coins or electronic payments either through debit or credit card or pay-by-phone application or other means required to be deposited in multi-space parking meter kiosks as provided in this chapter are levied and assessed as fees to provide for the proper regulation and control of traffic upon the public streets and to cover the cost of the supervision, inspection, installation, operation, maintenance, control and use of the parking space and multi-space parking meter kiosks described in this chapter, and also the cost of supervision and regulating the parking of vehicles in the multi-space parking meter zones created by the ordinance codified in this chapter and to be hereafter created. B. The Parking Commission Director, or their duly authorized agent, shall collect from time to time, all coins and electronic payments from all multi-space parking meter kiosks installed pursuant to this chapter, and place the same in the appropriate account of the Missoula Parking Commission for as long as the Parking Commission exists; otherwise, the city shall collect the coins and electronic payments and deposit it as revenue for the Missoula Parking Commission. (Ord. 3565, 2016; Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2694 §4, 1989; prior code §20‑136). 10.26.030 Termination of parking restrictions. 10.26.040 Division to take precedence over conflicting provisions of law‑‑Exceptions. 10.26.050 Removal, impounding and return of illegally parked motor vehicles. 10.26.060 Citation of violators‑‑Prima facie evidence of violation. A. Whenever the mayor determines that parking motor vehicles on city streets should be prohibited or restricted for street cleaning, snow plowing, snow removal or other emergency purposes, the mayor shall put into effect a parking prohibition on designated streets as necessary by declaring it in a manner prescribed by this chapter. The prohibition or restriction shall remain in effect until terminated by announcement by the mayor, in accordance with this chapter, or as may be set forth in any notice given under this chapter, except, that any street area which has been cleared of snow, ice or other debris for the length of an entire block shall be automatic­ally excluded therefrom. B. While the prohibition or restriction is in effect, no person shall park any motor vehicle or allow any motor vehicle to remain parked, on any street to which the pro­hibition or restriction applies. (Prior code §20‑138.1). A. The mayor shall cause each declaration made by him pursuant to this chapter to be publicly announced by a means of radio broadcasts or telecasts from stations with a normal operating range cover­ing the city and he may cause such declaration to be further announced in newspapers of general circulation in the city when feasible. Each announcement shall describe the action taken by the mayor, including the time it became or will become effective, and shall specify the streets or areas affected. A parking prohibition shall not go into effect until at least eight hours after notice thereof has been first announced or the first publication thereof has been made in a newspaper of general circulation in the city. B. The mayor shall make or cause to be made a record of each time and date when any such declaration or notice is announced or given to the public in accordance with this action. (Prior code §20‑138.2). 10.26.030 Termination of parking restrictions. When­ever the mayor shall find that some or all of the conditions which give rise to a parking prohibition in effect pursuant to this chapter no longer exists, he may declare the prohibi­tion terminated, in whole or in part, effective immediately upon announcement in the same manner prescribed for giving notice of the parking prohibition. (Prior code §20‑138.3). 10.26.040 Division to take precedence over conflicting provisions of law‑‑Exceptions. Any provision of this chapter which becomes effective by declaration of the mayor shall, while temporarily in effect, take the precedence over other conflicting provisions of law normally in effect; except, that it shall not take precedence over provisions of law relating to traffic accidents, emergency travel or authorized emergency vehicles or emergency traffic directions by a police officer. (Prior code §20‑138.4). 10.26.050 Removal, impounding and return of illegally parked motor vehicles. Motor vehicles parked in violation of this division may be impounded, removed or returned under and pursuant to the provisions of Section 10.22.210. (Prior code §20‑138.5). A. Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked or left in violation of any provision of this chapter, and is not removed and impounded as provided in Section 10.26.050, the police officer finding the motor vehicle shall take its registration or license number and any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its users or owner, and shall conspicuously affix to such motor vehicle a traffic citation, on a form provided by the police department, for the driver to answer to the charge against him within the time and at the place provided for in the citation. B. In any prosecution with regard to a vehicle parked or left in a place or in a condition in violation of any provision of this chapter, the registered owner of the motor vehicle shall be absolutely liable for the violation and shall be subject to the penalty therefor. (Ord. 2315 §2, 1983; prior code §20‑138.6). 10.26.070 Violation‑‑Penalty. Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than fifty dollars, by imprisonment in the city jail for not more than thirty days or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Prior code §20‑138.7). 10.28.020 Governmental agency, unit, or other entity defined. 10.28.030 Application for city enforcement‑‑Generally. 10.28.040 Application for city enforcement‑­Requirements for administrative approval. 10.28.050 Application for city enforcement‑­ Presentation to city council. 10.28.060 Application for city enforcement—City council approval. by the appropriate governmental unit. (Prior code §20‑14A‑2) . 10.28.020 Governmental agency, unit, or other entity defined. "Government agency, unit, or other entity" means any agency, unit, or entity which is provided monetary fund­ing entirely from public taxation sources at the local, state, or federal level. (Prior code §20‑14A‑1). 10.28.030 Application for city enforcement‑‑Generally. Any governmental agency, unit or other entity which owns, leases, or otherwise controls off‑street parking facilities located within the city may make application to the city council requesting the city to enforce parking regulations in such off‑street parking facilities. The application shall be approved by the city council upon compliance by the applicant with the remaining sections of this chapter. Such enforcement may be suspended or terminated for any period of time that the mayor or a majority of the city council shall declare that the applicant is not in compliance with the provisions of this chapter or the applicant agency requests termination of enforcement of this chapter on its property. (Prior code §14A‑3). 10.28.040 Application for city enforcement‑‑Require­ments for administrative approval. exclusive of access drives or yard area. Such spaces shall have a minimum vertical clearance of at least eight feet. shall be permitted between the curb and the property line except for access drives. if he determines that surrounding drainage is adequate. 4. No lighting used to illuminate a parking area or its sign shall face or have its source directly visible from any residential district and shall not be a nuisance or hazard to passing traffic. 5. All traffic‑control devices, such as parking stripes designating vehicle stalls, directional arrows or signs, pin‑down curbs, curbing and other developments shall be installed and completed as shown on the approved plan. 6. Where exclusive pedestrian walks are used in the parking lots, they shall be protected by a physical barrier such as raised or pin-down curbs. 7. All traffic signs shall conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic‑Control Devices. window. Reserve parking stickers and signing sys­tems for reserved parking shall be approved by the police chief. 9. Parking spaces with timed parking restrictions shall have approved parking meters. 2. That the city police department or requesting agency has adequate personnel and equipment to enforce such regulations, as are proposed. (Ord. 2695 §1, 1989; prior code §14A‑4). 10.28.050 Application for city enforcement‑‑Presenta­tion to city council. Upon approval of the application by the public works director and the chief of police and the parking commission director, the application may be pre­sented to the city council for approval. If the public works director or the chief of police or the parking com­mission director shall disapprove the application, the applicant may appeal such disapproval to the city council, whose decision shall be binding and final. (Ord. 2695 §2, 1989; prior code §14A‑5). 10.28.060 Application for city enforcement‑‑City council approval. Upon approval of the application of the city council, by resolution, such resolution shall be pub­lished in a newspaper of general circulation in the city once a week for four weeks. Five days after the completion of the publication, it shall be unlawful for any person to park a motor vehicle in violation of any posted regulation in an approved governmental off‑street parking facility. (Prior code §14A‑6). 10.28.070 Enforcement of chapter. Enforcement of this chapter shall be accomplished by the issuance of uniform city parking tickets and all city ordinances of general ap­plication to parking offenses shall be applicable, including the provisions for fines and penalties. (Prior code §14A-­7) . 10.30.020 Loading zones‑‑Passenger loading zones‑­ Designated. 10.30.030 Signs to indicate loading zones. 10.30.040 Restrictions and time limits. 10.30.060 Stopping or standing in alleys. 10.30.010 Repealed. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑119). A. At any place in the business district, for the purpose of loading and unloading. B. Elsewhere in front of the entrance to any place of business or in front of any hall or place used for the purpose of public assembly. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 1831, 1977; prior code §20‑120). 10.30.030 Signs to indicate loading zones. Loading zones and passenger loading zones shall be indicated with a sign nearby stating the nature of the zone. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑121). A. Permission granted under the provisions of this chapter, to stop or stand a vehicle for purposes of loading or unloading of materials and shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefore, and in no event for more than twenty minutes. B. Within the total time limits specified, the provisions of this section shall be enforced so as to accommodate necessary and reasonable loading or unloading, but without permitting abuse of the privileges granted by this chapter. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑122). 10.30.050 Stopping or standing in loading zones. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle in any loading zone for any purpose other than loading or unloading passen­gers or material for such time as is permitted by the pre­ceding section. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑123). 10.30.060 Stopping or standing in alleys. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle for any purpose other than the loading or unloading of persons or materials in any alley. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑124). 1. Generally. No curb loading zone shall be designated or signed by the director of the parking commission upon request of any person unless such person makes application for a permit for such zone of signs and pavement markings to indicate same which is approved by the parking commission. 2. Taxicab Companies. Companies owning and operating taxicabs within the city shall be allowed not more than five stalls or parking meter spaces within the metered zone. The application shall state the location of the desired zone. Fee shall be established by the parking commission. 3. Loading Zones. The application shall set forth the location desired, number of passenger parking spaces and business hours during which the zone shall be so used. Fee shall be established by the parking commission. a. Permission granted under the provisions of this chapter to stop or park for purposes of service, loading or unloading passengers and/or goods, wares or merchandise, shall not extend beyond the time necessary therefore and in no event longer than two hours in any one spot, or the limit of the meter where parked. b. It remains the right of the parking commission to revoke any commercial business permits if they are abused. c. Fines will be the same as for normal meter violations. 5. Disabled Persons. The application shall state the nature of the applicant's disability with attached verification from an attending physician, and upon approval of the director of the parking commission, and the fee shall be established by the Missoula parking commission. B. All driveways within the metered district determined by the city engineer to have no use for ingress and egress purposes shall, upon approval of the city council, be replaced by a curb or sidewalk. C. Fees shall be payable annually in advance and no permit shall be issued for less than six months. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2696 §1, 1989; Ord. 1832, 1977; Ord. 1838, 1977; prior code §20‑125). A. The city engineer is authorized and required to establish bus stops and taxicab stands for other passenger common‑carrier motor vehicles on such public streets in such places and in such manner as they shall determine to be of the greatest benefit and convenience to the public, and every bus stop, taxicab or other stand shall be designated by appropriate signs. B. The driver of a bus or taxicab shall not park upon any street in the central business district at any place other than at a bus stop or taxicab stand, respectively; except, that this provision shall not prevent the driver of any such vehicle from temporarily stopping in accordance with other stopping or parking regulations at any place for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers. C. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle other than a bus in a bus stop or other than a taxicab in a taxi­cab stand when any such stop or stand has been officially designated and appropriately signed; except, that the driver of a passenger vehicle may temporarily stop therein for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers when such stopping does not interfere with any bus or taxicab waiting to enter or about to enter the zone. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑126). A. “Deviating truck” means a truck which leaves and departs from a truck route while traveling inside the city. whose combined body and load weight exceed eight thousand pounds. going out of and traveling within the city must operate. (Ord. 2076, 1979; prior code §20‑148). 10.32.020 Application of chapter. All trucks within the city shall be operated only over and along the truck routes established by this article. (Prior code §20‑149). A. The operation of trucks upon any street where nec­essary to the conduct of business at a destination point; provided, that streets upon which such traffic is permitted are used until reaching the intersection nearest the des­tination point. B. The operation of emergency vehicles upon any street in the city. engaged in the repair, maintenance or construction of streets, street improvements or street utilities within the city. lawfully operated upon the street for which such detour is estab­lished. operator’s premises for storage; provided, that streets upon which such traffic is permitted are used until reaching the intersection nearest the destination point. (Prior code §20‑150). Worden Avenue: between North 5th Street on the south and Turner Street on the north (Ord. 3013, 1997; Ord. 2608, 1988; Ord. 2351 §l, 1983; prior code §20‑151). 10.32.050 Maps indicating routes. The city clerk shall keep and maintain accurate maps setting out truck routes and streets upon which truck traffic is permitted; the maps shall be kept on file in the office of the city clerk and shall be available to the public. (Prior code §20‑152). 10.32.060 Weighing‑in. The police department shall have the authority to require any person driving, or in con­trol of any truck, not proceeding over a truck route or street on which truck traffic is permitted to proceed to any public or private scale available for the purpose of weigh­ing and determining whether this chapter has been complied with. (Prior code §20‑153). 10.33.030 When prior notification is required. 10.33.040 Notification procedure after removal. 10.33.050 State registrar of motor vehicles notified when. 10.33.070 Removal not deemed bar to filing complaint. 10.33.010 Vehicle immobilization. Parking commission employees are authorized to use a vehicle immobilizer (“boot”) to immobilize any vehicle that is parked in violation of any parking ordinance or parking tickets, and has five (5) or more unpaid parking tickets, and the parking commission has either (a) mailed or placed on the vehicle at least one notice or summons to the registered owner informing the registered owner that one or more of the parking tickets are unpaid or (b) has filed a complaint in court charging the registered owner with unpaid parking tickets on the vehicle and no individual has appeared for arraignment on the complaint. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 3096, 1999; Ord. 2167 §1, 1980). C. Parked in violation of any parking ordinance or regulation and the vehicle has at least five (5) unpaid parking tickets and the parking commission has either (1) mailed or placed on the vehicle at least one notice or summons to the registered owner inform­ing the registered owner that one or more of the parking tickets are unpaid or (2) has filed a complaint in court charging the registered owner with unpaid parking tickets on that ve­hicle and no individual has appeared for arraignment on the complaint. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §2, 1980). B. Whenever the vehicle is parked in violation of any barricade, traffic cone, sign, or other traffic control device, other than in those instances specified in Section 10.33.020. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §3, 1980). 10.33.040 Notification procedure after removal. Whenever a city employee or parking commission employee orders the towing of any motor vehicle under any of the circumstances specified in this chapter, the employee or the employee's designee shall immediately attempt to identify and contact the registered owner by telephone or otherwise as soon as possible after the removal or towing has occurred. Further, the party towing the vehicle shall immediately notify the radio dispatcher at the police department and inform the dis­patcher that a vehicle has been towed from a specific loca­tion and further give the dispatcher a detailed description of the vehicle. If the registered owner cannot be contacted orally or in person the day the vehicle is towed, the city employee or parking commission employee shall immediately give notice in writing to such owner of the fact of such re­moval or towing, the reasons therefore, and the place to which the vehicle has been removed. The notice shall be duly placed in the mail and if the registered owner's address is within the city limits a copy of the notice shall also be delivered to and placed at the registered owner's address on the day the towing occurs. Whenever the vehicle is stored at a commercial garage, a copy of such notice shall also be given to the proprietor of such garage. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §4, 1980). 10.33.050 State registrar of motor vehicles notified when. Whenever a vehicle is towed or removed pursuant to this chapter and the city employee or parking commission employee does not know and is not able to ascertain the name of the owner, or for any other reason is unable to give notice to the owner as provided in this chapter, and in the event the vehicle is not returned to the owner thereof within a period of three business days, then and in that event the employee shall immediately send, or cause to be sent, a written report of such removal, by mail, to the state registrar of motor vehicles, and shall file a copy of such no­tice with the proprietor of any public garage in which the vehicle may be stored. Such notice shall include a complete description of the vehicle, the date, time and place from which it was removed, the reasons for such removal, and the name of the garage, or place where the vehicle is stored. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §5, 1980). 10.33.060 Cost liability. The cost of removal and storage of any vehicle moved or towed pursuant to this chapter shall be paid by the owner or operator of the ve­hicle unless the Missoula Municipal Court orders otherwise because the court has determined that the vehicle was not improperly parked. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §6, 1980). 10.33.070 Removal not deemed bar to filing complaint. The removal, towing, or taking possession of any vehicle for the violation of any parking ordinance or regulation or for the violation of any barricade, traffic cone, signs or other traffic control device shall not prohibit the filing of a complaint in connection with such violation. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §7, 1980). 10.33.080 Hearing‑‑City liability when. Any owner or operator of a motor vehicle at their request is entitled to have a speedy hearing to determine if the vehicle in question was properly parked and thus improperly towed. The court shall attempt to have a hearing on such matter as soon as all parties can be present, preferably on the day the towing occurred; but in no instance shall the hearing be any later than three business days after the towing has occurred. If it is the court's determination that the vehicle was properly parked and that the towing was improper, then the court may order the parking commission or city to bear the costs of removal and storage. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2167 §8, 1980). 10.36.010 Noise suppression devices required. 10.36.010 Noise suppression devices required. All motorcycles operated on the streets, alleys and public ways of this city shall be equipped at all times with noise sup­pression devices, including an exhaust muffler, in good working order, and in constant operation. (Prior code §20-­14.1). 10.36.020 Protective headgear required. The operator and passenger under eighteen years of age of any motorcycle operated upon the streets, alleys, and public ways of this city shall wear protective headgear upon the head. Such headgear shall meet standards established by the Montana Department of Justice. (Ord. 2098 §1, 1980; prior code §20‑14.2). 10.36.030 Riding requirements. A person operating a motorcycle or motor driven cycle shall not ride other than upon the permanent and regular seat attached thereon, nor shall any other person ride upon such motorcycle other than upon a firmly attached seat to the rear or side of operator. (Prior code §20‑95). 10.38.010 Standards adopted. The city adopts by reference, in its entirety, all of the provisions contained in the Standard for Recreational Vehicles, NFPA No. 501C, 1974 edition. (Prior code §20‑194). A. "Operator" means every person who operates or is in actual physical control of the operation of a snowmobile. B. "Owner" means every person, other than a lien holder or other person having a security interest only, holding record title to a snowmobile and entitled to the use or possession thereof. C. "Person" means any individual, partnership, association, corporation and any other body or group of persons, whether incorporated or not, and regardless of the degree of formal organization. D. "Snowmobile" means any self‑propelled, track‑driven vehicle designed primarily for travel on snow or ice or natural terrain, which may be steered by wheels, skis or runners and which is not otherwise registered or licensed under the laws of the state. (Prior code §20‑191). within the city; except, that a snowmobile may make a direct crossing of a street where such crossing is necessary to get to another area of operation. Such crossing shall be made at an angle of approximately ninety degrees to the direction of the street, at a place where no obstruction prevents a quick and safe crossing. The snowmobile shall make a complete stop before entering upon any part of the road, and the operator shall yield the right of way to all oncoming traffic. (Prior code §20‑192). 10.40.030 Violation‑‑Penalty. Violation of this chapter shall be considered a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or imprisonment of not more than thirty days, or both. (Prior code §20‑193). 10.42.020 Applicability of traffic laws to bicycles. 10.42.030 Obedience to traffic‑control devices—Method of giving turn signals. 10.42.060 Lamps, reflectors, and bicycle leg lights. 10.42.080 Riding on roadways and bicycle paths. 10.42.110 Emerging from alley or driveway. A. It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this chapter. B. The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this chapter. C. These regulations applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon any street or upon any public path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, subject to those exceptions stated in this chapter. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20-154). 10.42.020 Applicability of traffic laws to bicycles. Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by the laws of this state declaring rules of the road applicable to vehicles or by the traffic ordinances of the city applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except as to special regulations in this chapter and except as to those provisions of laws and any ordinances which by their nature can have no application. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20-155). 10.42.030 Obedience to traffic‑control devices‑‑Method of giving turn signals. A. Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic-control signals, signs and other control devices applicable to vehicles, unless otherwise directed by a police officer. B. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating that no right or left or U-turn is permitted, no person operating a bicycle shall disobey the direction of any such sign, except where such person dismounts from the bicycle to make any such turn, in which event such person shall then obey the regulations applicable to pedestrians. C. A signal to turn right or left when required, shall be given continuously during no less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the bicycle before turning, and shall be given while the bicycle is stopped waiting to turn, except that a signal by hand and arm need not be given continuously if the hand is needed in control or operation of the bicycle. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Ord. 1902, 1978; prior code §20-156). 10.42.040 Registration - Repealed. (Ord. 3536. 2015; Ord. 1909, 1978; prior code §20‑168). 10.42.050 Brake requirement. Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement. (Prior code §20‑166). A. Every bicycle when in use at nighttime, shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type which shall be visible from all distances from fifty to three hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. B. A lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of five hundred feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector. C. The requirements of this section can be satisfied by the use of lights attached to the leg of the bicycle rider. Such lights shall be visible from both front and rear and have the same lighting capacity as the above‑described lamps and reflectors. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Ord. 2040, 1979; prior code §20‑165). A. A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto. B. No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped, except that a child may be carried in a pack worn by the bicycle operator. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Ord. 1903, 1978; prior code §20‑157). 1. When moving the same speed as traffic. 3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or narrow width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right hand curb or edge. 4. When approaching a location where there is reasonable probability that a motor vehicle may turn right, crossing the bicycle's path. B. Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway or highway which carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked lanes, may ride as near the left hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Ord. 1904, 1978; prior code §20‑158). A. No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district if traffic control devices state that bicycles shall not be ridden on the sidewalk at this location. B. No person fifteen or more years of age shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in any district if traffic control devices state that bicycles shall not be ridden on the sidewalk at this location. C. Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20‑164). 10.42.100 Speed. No person shall operate a bicycle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20‑159). 10.42.110 Emerging from alley or driveway. The operator of a bicycle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall, upon approaching a sidewalk or the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway, yield the right of way to all pedestrians approaching on the sidewalk or sidewalk area, and upon entering the roadway shall yield the right of way to all vehicles approaching on the roadway. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20‑160). 10.42.120 Carrying articles. No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle or article which prevents the rider from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20‑162). 10.42.130 Clinging to vehicles. No person riding upon any bicycle shall attach the bicycle or himself to any vehicle upon a roadway. (Ord. 3536, 2015; prior code §20‑161). A. No person shall park a bicycle upon a street, other than upon the roadway against the curb, or upon the sidewalk in a rack to support the bicycle, or against a building or at the curb, in such a manner as to afford the least obstruction to pedestrian traffic. B. No person shall park, lock, abandon, or store a bicycle on City property or within City right-of-way for a period of longer than 120 hours/five (5) days. Bicycles left after 120 hours/five (5) days will be presumed abandoned. C. Missoula Police, Development Services and Parks & Recreation staff (authorized agents) may tag bicycles that are in violation of 10.42.140.B with notice that the bicycle will be removed after 120 hours/five (5) days of the notice. If the bicycle remains, authorized agents shall remove any bicycle remaining in violation of this Section. Both the Missoula Police Department and the Bicycle Pedestrian Office shall be notified when a bicycle is removed pursuant to this section. Authorized agents shall check the Missoula Police Department stolen bicycle reports on all bicycles recovered in accordance with this Section. If the bicycle is registered with the City of Missoula, authorized agents shall notify the registered owner that the bicycle has been removed in accordance with this section. Any unregistered bicycle recovered by the City in accordance with this ordinance shall be registered before it is released to its owner, if the owner operates the bicycle within City limits. Authorized agents shall hold the bicycle for at least 60 days. Bicycles remaining unclaimed after a period of 60 days shall be sold at public auction. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Prior code §20-163). 10.42.150 Rental agencies. A rental agency shall not rent or offer any bicycle for rent unless the bicycle is equipped with the lamps and other equipment required in this chapter. (Ord. 3536, 2015; Prior code §20‑172). 10.44.010 Designation and maintenance of crosswalks and safety zones. 10.44.020 Obedience to traffic‑control signals. 10.44.050 Crossing roadway other than in crosswalk. 10.44.070 Pedestrians to use right half of crosswalk. 10.44.080 Method of walking along roadways. 10.44.090 Drivers to exercise due care towards pedestrians. B. To establish safety zones of such kind and character and at such places as he may deem necessary for the protection of pedestrians. (Prior code §20‑139). 10.44.020 Obedience to traffic‑control signals. Pedestrians shall be subject to traffic‑control signals as heretofore declared in this title but at all other places pedestrians shall be granted those rights and be subject to the restrictions stated in this chapter. (Prior code §20‑140). A. Pedestrians facing a "Don't Walk" or "Wait" indication, steadily illuminated, shall not enter the roadway in the direction of the indication. B. Pedestrians facing a "Don't Walk" or "Wait" indication, while flashing shall not start to cross the roadway in the direction of the indication, but any pedestrian who has partly completed his crossing during a "Walk" indication shall proceed to a sidewalk or safety zone. C. A pedestrian facing a "Walk" indication may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the indication and shall be given the right‑of‑way by drivers of all vehicles. D. Where pedestrian control signals are functioning at the same location as traffic‑control signals, pedestrians shall obey the pedestrian control signal indications. (Prior code §20‑141). A. When traffic control signals by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed are not in place or not in operation and a pedestrian has entered the roadway within any marked crosswalk, or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway by stopping. Once the pedestrian has entered the roadway, the privilege of the right-of‑way belongs to the pedestrian. C. Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass such vehicle. (Prior code §20‑142). A. Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right‑of‑way to all vehicles upon the roadway. pedestrians are prohibited from crossing at certain designated places. (Prior code §20‑143). A. Between adjacent intersections at which traffic‑control signals are in operation, pedestrians shall not cross at any place except in a crosswalk. B. No pedestrian shall cross a roadway other than in a crosswalk in the central business district. (Prior code §20‑144). 10.44.070 Pedestrians to use right half of crosswalk. Pedestrians shall move, whenever practicable, upon the right half of the crosswalk. (Prior code §20‑145). A. Where sidewalks are provided it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway. C. No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of any vehicle. D. No person shall walk upon or along the highway while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. (Prior code §20‑146). 10.44.090 Drivers to exercise due care towards pedes­trians. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this chapter, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway. (Prior code §20‑147). 10.46.010 Designation of residential streets. 10.46.030 Central business district‑‑Vehicle operation regulations. 10.46.060 Vehicles entering through or stop intersec­tions. 10.46.010 Designation of residential streets. The mayor, with the approval of the city council, is authorized to designate streets within the limits of the city as resi­dential streets, which designation shall be accomplished by erecting and maintaining signs limiting the gross vehicle weight of vehicles operated upon such streets. The signs required by this section shall be erected at each end of that portion of any street designated as residential. (Prior code §20‑18). Beginning at a point of intersection of the north bank of the Clark Fork River with the centerline of the Orange Street Bridge; thence northeasterly along the approach to the Orange Street Bridge to a point of intersection with the centerline of Orange Street; thence northeasterly along the centerline of Orange Street to a point of intersection with the southerly right‑of‑way line of the Burlington Northern Railroad; thence southeasterly along the southerly right‑of‑way to a point of intersection with the centerline of Washington Street; thence southwesterly along the center­line of Washington Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of E. Main Street; thence southeasterly along the centerline of E. Main Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of Washington Street between E. Front and E. Main Streets; thence southwesterly along said center­line of Washington Street to a point of intersection with the centerline of E. Front Street; thence southeasterly along the centerline of E. Front Street to a point of intersection with the northerly projected west property line of Kiwanis Park; thence S 10° 0' W along said projected west property line to the northwest corner of Kiwanis Park and Front Street; thence S 10° 0' W a distance of 110.0 feet to a point; thence N 80° 0' W a distance of 30.0 feet to a point; thence S 10° 0' W a distance of 80.0 feet to a point; thence N 80° 0' W a distance of 48.0 feet to a point; thence S 11° 06' W a distance of 60 feet to a point; thence N 79° 43' W a distance of 215.2 feet to a point; thence S 10° 27' W a distance of 227.1 feet to a point; thence S 84° 31' E a distance of 90.0 feet to a point; thence S 12° 0' W a dis­tance of 223.2 feet to a point; thence south to a point of intersection with the north bank of the Clark Fork River; thence northwesterly along the north bank of the Clark Fork River to the point of beginning at the intersection of the west right‑of‑way line of Pattee Street; thence north along the west right‑of‑way line of Pattee Street to the southeast corner of Block 10, Original Townsite and the north boundary line of the Island Park parking lot; thence in a northwesterly direction along the north boundary line of the Island Park parking lot to a point 25 feet south of the southeast corner of Lot 9, Block 56, McCormick Addition; thence south along the southerly projected east property line of Lot 9 to a point of intersection with the north bank of the Clark Fork River; thence southeasterly along the north bank of the Clark Fork River to the point of beginning. (Prior code §20‑20). A. Subject to change as provided in this chapter, within the central business district as defined in Section 10.46.020, all vehicles entering the north and south alleys shall enter from the north and emerge from the south; all vehicles entering east and west alleys located east of Higgins Avenue shall enter from the west and emerge from the east; all vehicles entering east and west alleys located west of Higgins Avenue shall enter from the east and emerge from the west. B. If all the owners of real property abutting an alley within the central business district shall file a petition at the office of the city engineer requesting that the direc­tion of vehicular traffic in the alley be changed, and if the city traffic engineer shall find that such a change of direction would improve traffic conditions and would be in the public interest, he may make a regulation ordering the change of direction of vehicular traffic. He shall present a copy of the regulation to the city council at its regular meeting next succeeding the effective date of such regula­tion, and such change shall remain in full force and effect until the regulation ordering such change is withdrawn by him or by a majority vote of the city council. C. All such alleys shall be entered by a right‑hand turn only. (Prior code §20‑21). 1. The alley between South Fifth Street West and South Sixth Street West, from Cottonwood to South Orange Street is designated as a one-way alley, and that all vehicles entering the alley shall enter from the west, and emerge from the east. 2. The alley between South Fifth West and South Sixth West from Myrtle to Hazel Streets is designated as a one-way alley, and all vehicles entering the alley shall enter from the west and emerge from the east. B. Arthur Avenue. Arthur Avenue is designated a one-way street for southbound traffic between South Fifth Street on the north and South Sixth Street on the south. C. East Front Street. East Front Street is designated a one-way street for eastbound traffic between Higgins Avenue and Madison Avenue. D. West Front Street. West Front Street is designated a one-way street for eastbound traffic between Orange Street and Ryman Street. E. Main Street. Main Street is designated a one-way street for westbound traffic between Madison Street and Orange Street. F. Maurice Avenue. Maurice Avenue is designated a one-way street for northbound traffic between South Sixth Street on the south and South Fifth Street on the north. G. North Second Street West. The 200 and 300 blocks of North Second Street West between Urlin Avenue and Ryman Avenue are designated as a one-way street for eastbound traffic. H. South Fifth Street. South Fifth Street is designated a one-way street for westbound traffic between Russell Street on the west and Maurice Avenue on the east. I. South Sixth Street. South Sixth Street is designated a one-way street for eastbound traffic between Russell Street on the west and Van Buren Street on the east. J. Alley between West Broadway and West Pine Street. The alley between West Broadway and West Pine Street, from North Orange Street to Woody Street is designated as a one-way alley, and all vehicles entering the alley shall enter from the west and emerge from the east. K. Van Buren Street. Van Buren Street is designated a one-way street for northbound traffic between South Fifth West and South Sixth West. L. Parson’s Drive. Parson’s Drive is designated a one-way street for southbound traffic from Front Street on the north to Hartman Street on the south. M. Ronan Street. Ronan Street is designated a one-way street for southbound traffic between South Russell Street on the North and South Twelfth Street on the South. (Ord. 3078, 1998; Ord. 3077, 1998; Ord. 2348 §1,1984; Ord. 2113, 1980; Ord. 2000, 1979; prior code §20‑176). 10.46.050 Stop street designated. South Fifth Street in the city is designated as a stop street and all vehicles, before entering such street from the west boundary line of Arthur Avenue to the east boundary line of South Higgins Avenue and from the west boundary line of South Higgins Avenue to the east boundary line of Orange Street and from the west boundary line of Orange Street west to the city limits, shall come to a complete stop and shall yield the right‑of‑way to all vehicles traveling east or west on South Fifth Street prior to entering upon or crossing over South Fifth Street. (Prior code §20‑175). 10.46.060 Vehicles entering through or stop intersections. A. The driver of a vehicle shall stop at the entrance to a through street and shall yield the right‑of‑way to other vehicles which have entered the intersection from the through street, or which are approaching so closely on the through street as to constitute an immediate hazard, but drivers having so yielded may proceed and the drivers of all other vehicles approaching the intersection on the through street shall yield the right‑of‑way to the vehicle so proceeding into or across the through street. B. Every driver of a vehicle shall bring his vehicle to a full stop before entering any stop street or highway or intersection properly designated and posted as such by the city manager, or before entering upon any grade crossing of any railroad, which grade crossing has been designated as a stop crossing. (Prior code §20‑174). 10.46.070 Play streets‑‑Establishment authority. The city traffic engineer shall have authority to declare any street or part thereof a play street and to place appropriate signs or devices in the roadway indicating and helping to protect the same. (Prior code §20‑9). 10.46.080 Play streets‑‑Driving on. Whenever authorized signs are erected indicating any street or part thereof as a play street, no person shall drive a vehicle upon any such street or portion thereof except drivers of vehicles having business or whose residences are within the closed area, and then any driver shall exercise the greatest care in driving upon any such street or portion thereof. (Prior code §20‑10). 10.48.010 Vehicle endgates in place. 10.48.030 Excess fumes or smoke. 10.48.040 Vehicle size and weight regulations‑‑Generally. 10.48.050 Vehicle size and weight regulations—On residential streets. 10.48.060 Vehicle size and weight regulations‑‑On 23rd Avenue‑‑Penalty. 10.48.010 Vehicle endgates in place. No person shall drive a vehicle upon the streets or alleys of the city with the endgate or rear doors of the vehicle open, extended or not in place, unless a red flag shall be securely fastened in a conspicuous position at the extreme end of such endgate or door, and in no event shall such endgate or door be permitted to swing free. (Prior code §20‑12). A. The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for clearing rain, snow or other moisture from the windshield, which device shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the vehicle. B. Every windshield wiper upon a motor vehicle shall be maintained in good working order. (Prior code §20‑14). 10.48.030 Access fumes or smoke. A. The engine and power mechanism of every motor vehicle shall be so equipped and adjusted as to prevent the escape of excessive fumes or smoke. B. Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant opera­tion to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke, and no person shall use a muffler, cutout, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a city street or highway. C. No person shall intentionally remove, alter or otherwise render inoperative, exhaust emission control, crankcase ventilation or any other air pollution control device which has been installed as a requirement of federal law or regulation. D. No person shall operate a motor vehicle originally equipped with air pollution control devices as required by federal law or regulation unless such devices are in place and in operating condition. E. No motor vehicle shall emit or cause to be emitted into the atmosphere for a period greater that five consecu­tive seconds from any four‑cycle gasoline‑powered vehicle whatsoever any visible air contaminant except condensed wa­ter vapor. F. It shall be unlawful for anyone to place leaded fuel in the gasoline tank of a motor vehicle designed and manufactured to use unleaded gasoline to operate its motor vehicle engine. (Ord. 2444 §1, 1985; prior code §20‑15). 10.48.040 Vehicle size and weight regulations‑‑Gener­ally. No person shall drive or move, nor shall the owner cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any street or highway within the city any vehicle or vehicles of a size or weight exceeding the limitations provided in MCA Sections 61‑10‑101‑‑61‑10‑110, 61‑10‑121‑‑61‑10‑128 and 61‑10‑141‑‑61‑10‑148. (Prior code §20‑16). 10.48.050 Vehicle size and weight regulations‑‑On residential streets. No person shall drive or move, or the owner cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any street within the limits of the city which has not been designated as a truck route any vehicle or vehicles exceeding a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand pounds; provided, however, that trucks or other commercial vehicles carrying passengers, goods, merchandise and other articles to and from premises abutting a designated residential street may use such street for the purpose of local pickups and de­liveries. (Prior code §20‑17). A. No vehicle whose body weight or combined body and load weight exceeds eight thousand pounds shall be operated on 23rd Avenue in the city from the inter­section of 23rd and Crescent and 23rd Avenue and Summit. B. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than three hundred dollars or im­prisoned for a period of six months or both such fine and imprisonment. (Prior code §20‑17.1). 10.50.040 Absolute liability for penalty on registered owner. 10.50.010 Street cleaning districts‑‑Generally. The city shall be divided into four street cleaning districts. During the designated cleaning period within each designated district, all parking shall be on the odd side of the street (by house number) on odd days of the calendar month and on the even side of the street (by house number) on even days of the calendar month, unless otherwise posted with signs. The regulations shall be in effect from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday of each calendar week. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2029 (part), 1979; Ord. 1970 (part), 1978). A. District One shall include the area within the city limits which is north of the Clark Fork River. Parking regulations set forth in this chapter shall be applicable to District One from the first day through the seventh day of each calendar month. B. District Two shall include the following described area within the city limits: An area bounded on the north by the Clark Fork River; and bounded on the west by the west right‑of‑way of South Higgins Avenue, south from the Higgins Avenue Bridge to the intersection of Brooks and Higgins; then southwesterly down the west right‑of‑way of Brooks Street to the intersection of Brooks Street and South Avenue; then east down the north right‑of‑way of South Avenue to the city limits on the east; then north along the city limits line to the Clark Fork River. Parking regulations set forth in this chapter shall be applicable in District Two from the eighth day of each calendar month through the fourteenth day of each calendar month. C. District Three shall include the following described area within the city limits: An area bounded on the North by the Clark Fork River; and bounded on the east by the west right‑of‑way of Higgins Avenue, south from the Higgins Ave­nue bridge to the intersection of Brooks and Higgins, then southwesterly down the west right‑of‑way of Brooks Street to the intersection of Brooks Street and South Avenue; then westerly down the north right‑of‑way of South Avenue to the city limits; then north following the city limits line to the Clark Fork River. The parking regulations set forth in this chapter shall be applicable in District Three from the fifteenth day of each calendar month through the twenty­ first day of each calendar month. D. District Four shall include the area within the city limits that is south of the north right‑of‑way of South Avenue. The parking regulations set forth in this chapter shall be applicable in District Four from the twenty‑second day of each calendar month through the twenty‑eighth day of each calendar month. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2029 (part), 1979; Ord. 1970 (part) , 1978) . 10.50.030 Street cleaning districts‑‑Exceptions. Because of heavy parking demand within certain street cleaning districts, the above parking regulations will not apply for the entire seven day period. In such areas, individual streets will be signed to prohibit parking for designated periods of time. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2029 (part), 1979; Ord. 1970 (part), 1978) . 10.50.040 Absolute liability for penalty on registered owner. In any prosecution charging a violation of this chapter, the person in whose name the vehicle is registered shall be absolutely liable for such violation and shall be subject to the penalty therefore. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2315 §7, 1983; Ord. 2029(part), 1979; Ord. 1970(part), 1978). A. Any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be subject to towing at owner's expense. The vehicle may be towed when authorized by the superintendent of the street division or their designee. B. Any vehicle towed shall be taken to the nearest garage or other place of safety or to a garage designated or maintained by the city and the cost of the removal and storage shall be paid by the owner or operator of the vehicle so moved. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2085 §1, 1979; Ord. 2029(part), 1978; Ord. 1970 (part), 1978). 10.52.010 Railroad‑‑Speed limits. It is unlawful for any person or any railroad company or corporation, or any person in their employ to propel or cause to be moved or propelled, any railroad car, cars, engine or train by means of steam or other power, at a crossing with any street or highway within the city at a rate of speed exceeding thirty miles per hour, or elsewhere within the city at a rate of speed exceeding forty‑five miles per hour. (Prior code §21‑21) . engine, on approaching a crossing with any street or highway, to ring a bell to warn all persons of the approach of such locomotive engine, and he shall continue to ring the bell until such locomotive engine and train of cars attached thereto, shall have cleared the crossing. (Prior code §21‑22) . 10.52.030 Railroad‑‑Flagmen at crossings. Any railroad company operating lines within the city shall be required to keep flagmen at such crossings as may be designated by the city council from time to time, whose duty it shall be to warn people of the approach of engines or trains by the waving of a red flag so as to fully protect the public as to their persons and property. (Prior code §21‑23). 10.54.020 Release from arrest on notice to appear‑Exceptions. 10.54.030 Failure to obey traffic citations‑‑Misdemeanor. 10.54.040 Forms and notices of arrest for appearance. 10.54.060 Parking violation notice‑‑Summons issuance. 10.54.070 Parking violation notice‑‑Prima facie presumption‑‑Exception. 10.54.080 Parking violation notice‑‑When complaint to be issued. 10.54.090 Traffic fines and forfeitures deposited in general fund. A. “Abandoned" means to relinquish all claim to and dominion over the property mentioned. B. “Impounded" means to take into custody. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑177). 10.54.020 Release from arrest on notice to appear‑­Exceptions. A. Whenever any person is arrested for any violation of this chapter, except those mentioned in paragraph B of this section, they may be released, in the discretion of the arresting officer, on giving their promise to appear as specified in a written notice to be prepared by the officer. The notice shall contain the name, address and operator's license number of the person arrested and the registration number of the motor vehicle involved, shall state the offense charged, and shall require the person to answer to the charge during hours and at a place specified in the notice. B. The provisions of paragraph A of this section shall not apply to any person arrested and charged with an offense causing or contributing to an accident resulting in injury or death to any person, or to any person charged with reck­lessly driving, or to any person charged with driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic drugs, or to any person whom the arresting officer shall have good cause to believe has committed any felony, and if the arresting officer has reason to believe the person arrested will not answer the citation, the arresting officer shall take the person to the police station to be booked. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑179). 10.54.030 Failure to obey traffic citations‑‑Misde­meanor. Any person who fails to appear in court or at the traffic violations bureau in compliance with the directions contained in any traffic citation given to them by a police officer for any traffic violation is guilty of a misdemeanor regardless of the disposition of the charge for which such person was given the traffic citation. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20­180) . A. The police department shall provide suitable numbered forms for notifying a violator to appear and answer to charges of violating traffic laws and ordinances. B. The chief of police or their representative shall have access to the necessary records of the police department and the city court. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20=181). 10.54.050 Parking violation notice‑‑Issuance. Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked or stopped in violation of any of the restrictions imposed by ordinance of this city or by state law, the authorized personnel finding the vehicle shall take its registration number and may take any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user, and shall conspicuously affix to the vehicle a notice of parking violation in writing on a form provided by the chief of police or parking commission, for the driver to answer to the charge against them during the hours and at a place specified in the notice. The officer shall send a copy to the court or to the parking commission office, depending upon the nature of the offense and which department is is­suing the violation. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2697 §1, 1989; Ord. 2075 §11, 1979; prior code §20‑182). 10.54.060 Parking violation notice‑‑Summons issuance. If a violator of the restrictions on stopping, standing or parking under the traffic laws or ordinances does not appear in response to a notice of parking violation affixed to the motor vehicle within a period of fourteen days, and the vio­lation has not already been filed in court, the parking com­mission shall send to the owner of the motor vehicle to whom the notice was affixed a letter or summons informing them of the violation and warning them that, in the event the letter is disregarded for a period of five calendar days, a com­plaint will be filed in court and a warrant of arrest issued. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2697 §2, 1989: Ord. 2075 §12, 1979; prior code §20‑183). 10.54.070 Parking violation notice‑‑Prima facie pre­sumption‑‑Exception. A. In any prosecution charging a violation of any law or regulation governing the standing or parking of a vehicle, the person in whose name the vehicle is registered shall be absolutely liable for such violation and shall be subject to the penalty therefore. B. Whenever evidence shows that the vehicle has been reported as stolen at the time in question or was not parked illegally, or that they were not the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of the alleged violation, that person is absolved of responsibility for the particular offense. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2315 §3, 1983: Ord. 2075 §13, 1979; prior code §20‑184). 10.54.080 Parking violation notice‑‑When complaint to be issued. In the event any person fails to comply with a notice given to such person or attached to a vehicle or fails to make appearance pursuant to a summons directing an appearance in the traffic court, or if any person fails or refuses to deposit bail as required and within the time per­mitted by ordinance, the traffic violations bureau shall forthwith have a complaint entered against such person and secure and issue a warrant for their arrest. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20-­185) . 10.54.090 Traffic fines and forfeitures deposited in general fund. All fines and forfeitures of bail of any per­son charged with a violation of any of the provisions of this title shall be paid into the city treasury and deposit­ed in the general fund, to be expended to defray the expense of proper regulation of traffic upon the streets of the city. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Prior code §20‑186). A. For speeding, minimum fine shall be six dollars for each mile in excess of speed limit up to twenty miles. For each mile thereafter, the minimum fine shall be ten dollars per mile. Maximum fine shall be fif­teen dollars per mile for each mile in excess of the speed limit. B. For driving in a reckless manner, the minimum fine shall be one hundred seventy-five dollars for the first offense; for each subsequent offense, the minimum fine shall be two hundred dollars. C. For driving in a careless manner, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars; for subsequent offense, the minimum fine shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. D. For failure to yield right‑of‑way, the minimum fine shall be seventy dollars; for each subsequent offense, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars. E. For failure to stop at a stop sign, the minimum fine shall be fifty dollars. For failure to stop at a stop sign within a school zone, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars. F. For leaving the scene of an accident, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars. G. For failure to give proper signal, the minimum fine shall be seventy dollars. H. For making an improper turn, the minimum fine shall be seventy dollars; for an improper turn which results in an accident, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars. I. For improper passing, the minimum fine shall be seventy dollars; for improper passing which results in an accident, the minimum fine shall be one hundred dollars. J. For failure to stop for a traffic signal, the mini­mum fine shall be fifty dollars. L. For a vehicle obstructing traffic, the minimum fine shall be thirty dollars. M. For following a fire truck or any other emergency vehicle, the minimum fine shall be thirty‑five dollars. N. For driving across a fire hose, the minimum fine shall be thirty‑five dollars. O. For improper or illegal equipment on a vehicle, the minimum fine shall be thirty dollars. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 3255 §1, 2004; prior code §20-­178). 10.54.120 Penalties‑‑Pedestrian violations. For any pedestrian convicted of any violation of this chapter, the minimum fine shall be five dollars and the maximum fine shall be ten dollars. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 2315 §4, 1983; prior code §20-188) . 10.54.130 Repealed. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 3096, 1999; Ord. 2315 §5, 1983; Ord. 2302 §1, 1983: Ord. 2075 §14(A), 1979; prior code §20‑189). a. Notwithstanding Section 10.54.140 (A) (1) (b), fines shall not escalate against a single license plate within a single day. B. Whenever the Parking Commission has mailed a summons or notice to the registered owner of any vehicle with an unpaid parking tickets and the registered owner fails to pay the parking fine within the time specified within the summons or the notice, a formal complaint may be filed in municipal court. (Ord. 3467, 2011; Ord. 3096, 1999; Ord. 2697 §3,1989; Ord. 2574 §1, 1987; Ord. 2315 §6, 1983; Ord. 2075 §14 (B) ‑‑ (E) , 1975; prior code §20‑190) . "Golf Cart" means a motor vehicle that is designed for use on a golf course to carry a person or persons and golf equipment and that has an average speed of less than 15 miles per hour. 10.58.020 Golf carts generally prohibited. A person operating a golf cart on a public street or highway must have a valid driver’s license. certifies that all golf carts and operators will meet the requirements of 10.58.030A Missoula Municipal Code and relevant state laws set forth in Title 61, Montana Code Annotated and any conditions and/or requirements established by the Missoula Police Department during the period of use. agree to provide the Missoula Police Department access to any golf carts used pursuant to this chapter upon demand for review with compliance with the requirements set forth in Montana state law for the operation of a golf cart on a city street or highway.

2019-04-21T12:36:36Z

http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/DocumentCenter/View/1031/Municipal-Code-Title-10-Vehicles--Traffic?bidId=

Adaptation via natural selection has been a subject of great interest for well over a century, yet we still have little understanding of its molecular basis. What are the genetic changes that are actually being selected? While single genes underlying several adaptations have been identified, the genetic basis of complex, polygenic adaptations has been far more challenging to pinpoint. The complex trait that we study here is the resistance of Saccharomyces yeast to a mycotoxin called citrinin, which is produced by many other species of fungi, and is a common food contaminant for both humans and livestock. We found that sequence changes in the promoters of at least three genes have contributed to citrinin resistance, by up-regulating their transcription even in the absence of citrinin. Higher expression of these genes confers a fitness advantage in the presence of citrinin, while exacting a cost in its absence—a fitness tradeoff. Our results provide a detailed view of a complex adaptation, and our approach can be applied to polygenic adaptations in a wide range of species. Data Availability: All reads are available in the NCBI SRA (accession PRJNA270666). Funding: This work was supported by NIH grants P01HG000205 and 1R01GM097171-01A1. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Historically, most studies pinpointing the genetic basis of polymorphic traits have focused on protein sequence changes of large effect, because these have been the most amenable to identification. For example, thousands of coding region mutations have been implicated in human diseases with Mendelian inheritance . In contrast, non-coding mutations and polygenic traits have traditionally received far less attention. However this situation has radically changed with the advent of genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In these studies, millions of SNPs can be tested for statistical association to any trait of interest. Two clear patterns have emerged from hundreds of human GWAS: most traits are highly polygenic, and most associations are in non-coding regions that are not in linkage disequilibrium with protein-coding changes (and thus cannot be acting via changes in protein sequence) [2–4]. For example, out of 697 loci associated with height, 86% are non-coding . This suggests that natural selection will overwhelmingly result in polygenic cis-regulatory adaptations, composed of variants with very small individual effects, since selection acts on whatever heritable variation is available. Indeed, thousands of loci are involved in selection on height in Europeans, a clear example of polygenic adaptation . Moreover, recent genome-wide comparisons of the proportions of adaptations in coding vs. non-coding regions in humans and sticklebacks support the prevalence of non-coding adaptations [7–9]. Two methods have successfully identified the genes underlying regulatory adaptations. One is QTL/association mapping, which has led to several beautiful examples of single-locus adaptations . However QTL mapping in most species is only practical for loci of large effect, and thus is not well-suited for studying the evolution of complex traits, which are by definition polygenic. The second method is the “sign test” framework that we and others have developed [11–12]. The goal of this approach is to identify cases where selection has led to up- or down-regulation of multiple genes via independent mutations. First the cis-regulatory divergence between two species is quantified genome-wide via allele-specific expression (ASE) analysis in an F1 hybrid . This results in directionality information for every gene (e.g. for gene X, the species A allele is up-regulated compared to the species B allele). Any group of genes whose expression is evolving under the same selection pressure in the A and B lineages should have a similar frequency of A alleles up-regulated as in the entire genome. For example if 50% of genes with ASE have A allele up-regulation, then any random subset of these should have roughly 50% as well. If a strong deviation from 50% is detected for some gene set—e.g. all 20 genes in a pathway have the A alleles up-regulated—then this indicates the action of lineage-specific selection. Importantly, this approach does not make many assumptions of other methods for detecting selection such as constant population size, lack of epistasis, or neutrality of synonymous sites . And unlike approaches that can rank genes but cannot determine which (if any) of them are inconsistent with neutrality (such as FST, iHS, and the ratio of expression divergence between species to expression diversity within species), the sign test’s null model allows for confident identification of gene sets under lineage-specific selection . Finally, the sign test is most powerful when many genes are involved, making it uniquely well-suited for studying complex traits. In the current work, we applied the sign test to ASE data from a hybrid between two species of budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. paradoxus (specifically the reference strains S288c and CBS432, hereafter abbreviated Sc and Sp; note that these abbreviations refer specifically to the two reference strains, and not the two species as a whole). The results led us to focus on a specific mycotoxin (a toxin produced by fungi) called citrinin. Citrinin is produced by a number of Ascomycota fungi, including several species in the Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Monascus genera. It increases mitochondrial membrane permeability and causes oxidative damage via an unknown mechanism, and is a potent nephrotoxin in mammals [13–14]. Because citrinin is toxic to yeast growing on fermentable carbon sources, which do not require mitochondria, toxicity is likely caused by oxidative damage to other cellular components . The transcriptional response may be an important means to mitigate citrinin toxicity, and in Sc, hundreds of genes are induced or repressed in response to even a low level of citrinin . Although citrinin is a common food contaminant, making it a major health concern for both humans and livestock [13–14], and has been the subject of hundreds of publications, the evolution of citrinin resistance has not been previously investigated. In an effort to identify groups of genes subject to lineage-specific selection, we applied a sign test (described above) to allele-specific gene expression levels from an Sc/Sp hybrid grown in YPD (rich glucose) media . Our objective was to identify any gene sets (such as pathways or other functionally related groups) with a biased directionality of ASE, implying the action of lineage-specific natural selection . Testing a collection of publicly available gene sets (see Methods), we found only one set with a highly significant bias: genes induced by exposure to citrinin, a naturally occurring mycotoxin, were over-represented among genes with Sp-biased ASE. Of 11 genes that were reported to be induced at least 10-fold in response to citrinin (in Sc) , four were among the top 1% of Sp-biased ASE genes (Fig 1; hypergeometric p = 2.7 x 10−6). In fact, these four genes included the first and third most Sp-biased genes in the entire genome. In other words, Sp alleles have markedly higher expression of several genes that are induced in Sc’s citrinin response, even though ASE was measured in the absence of citrinin . Fig 1. Results of the sign test for selection on cis-regulation. For a description of the test and its results, see the main text and Methods. Note that only two citrinin-induced genes are shown, but four were present in the top 1% of Sp-biased genes, and ten in the top 25%. In contrast, none of the 11 citrinin-induced genes had even slightly Sc-biased ASE in the Sc/Sp hybrid. All 11 had some degree of Sp-biased ASE, and 10/11 were in the top 25% of Sp-biased genes (Fig 1; p = 7.8 x 10−6). The complete absence of citrinin-induced genes among Sc-biased genes, taken together with their 40-fold enrichment among the most strongly Sp-biased genes, is not consistent with a neutral model of gene expression evolution leading to random directionality of ASE ; instead, it suggests that lineage-specific selection shaped the cis-regulation of these genes. The results of our sign test (Fig 1) suggested that Sp’s constitutive up-regulation of Sc’s citrinin-induced genes may confer a greater resistance to citrinin. To test this, we measured the growth of Sc and Sp in three concentrations of citrinin: 0 ppm (parts per million), 300 ppm, and 600 ppm. At 300 ppm, Sc showed a clear shift towards slower growth, while Sp was essentially unperturbed (Fig 2A and 2B). At 600 ppm, Sp was affected, but not nearly as strongly as Sc; the effect on Sp at 600 ppm was roughly similar to that on Sc at 300 ppm. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that Sp would show increased resistance. Fig 2. Sp recently evolved resistance to citrinin. A. Sc growth at different concentrations of citrinin. Three replicates are shown for each condition. B. Sp growth at different concentrations of citrinin. Three replicates are shown for each condition. C. Two metrics of resistance, maximum growth rate and maximum cell density, are shown for 25 S. paradoxus strains and Sc. Results are plotted as log-ratios relative to Sc. D. Citrinin resistance treated as a binary trait and plotted on a phylogenetic tree . The most parsimonious evolutionary scenario is shown in red text. Branch lengths are not to scale. To investigate the evolutionary history of the resistance phenotype, we measured growth rates and cell densities at saturation (“max OD”) for a panel of 25 diverse S. paradoxus strains. These strains belong to four major clades, defined on the basis of partial genome sequences , which also reflect their geographic origins: European (including Western Russia), East Asian (Eastern Russia and Japan), Hawaiian, and American. We also included Sc as an outgroup. Across all strains, the effect of citrinin on growth rate and on max OD was highly correlated (Pearson r = 0.91; Spearman r = 0.96), and strains fell into distinct clusters based on their sensitivities (Fig 2C). The most sensitive group included Sc, the Hawaiian strain, both American strains, and 3/18 European strains. In contrast, the resistant group consisted of all four East Asian strains, and 15/18 European strains (including the two most resistant strains, Sp and Q62.5). Representing resistance as a binary trait on the S. paradoxus phylogeny, the most parsimonious explanation is that resistance evolved after the split between the Hawaiian/American clade and the European/East Asian clade, and was then lost in a subset of the European strains (Fig 2D) (this loss could have occurred via new mutations, or admixture from a sensitive S. paradoxus strain; see Discussion). Any other scenario would require multiple independent gains and/or losses. These results indicate the difference between Sc and Sp (Fig 2A and 2B) is likely due to resistance being gained in a recent ancestor of Sp, as opposed to being lost in the Sc lineage. To determine whether citrinin resistance represents a more general pleiotropic trait—such as resistance to many different toxins—we compared our growth data (Fig 2C) to growth rates of the same strains in 200 diverse conditions . These include several oxidative stress agents (aminotriazole, paraquat, dithiothreitol, CdCl2, and CoCl2) and dozens of other toxins. None of these showed a similar pattern of resistance across strains as we observed for citrinin: the maximum correlation across all 200 conditions was r = 0.44 (n = 23 strains; not significant after correction for 200 tests). In fact, Sp showed the least resistance to all five oxidative stress conditions (among 22 S. paradoxus strains and Sc), the opposite of our observation for citrinin. Together, these results suggest that citrinin resistance does not represent a more general resistance to toxins or oxidative stress. To further characterize the effect of citrinin on gene expression, we performed RNA-seq on Sc/Sp hybrid yeast exposed to 600 ppm citrinin, as well as in rich media lacking citrinin for comparison. This allowed us to measure the effect of citrinin on each gene’s ASE, and thus to measure the cis-regulatory contributions of each species to the induction or repression of each gene. We found strong agreement between our biological replicates (r = 0.96–0.99; S1 Fig), and moderate concordance with published microarray data from the Sc/Sp hybrid and Sc’s response to citrinin (S2 Fig). To determine if the transcriptional response to citrinin was species-specific, we analyzed the responses of Sc and Sp alleles separately in our hybrid RNA-seq data. We observed highly concordant responses to citrinin (Fig 3A). In fact, among 114 genes with at least 3-fold induction or repression for alleles from both species, all of them responded to citrinin in the same direction for both (r = 0.96 for these genes). As a result, ASE is broadly similar in rich media and in citrinin, as has been reported for the Sc/Sp hybrid in other conditions . Fig 3. RNA-seq reveals candidate genes. A. Citrinin has largely similar effects on Sc alleles and Sp alleles in the Sc/Sp hybrid; i.e. ASE is similar with or without citrinin. B. Candidate genes were identified based on having strong Sp-biased ASE (in YPD; FDR < 0.05) , and strong up-regulation in response to citrinin (of both Sc and Sp alleles; the smaller of these two in our RNA-seq data is plotted; binomial p < 10−5 for each biological replicate of each allele). To identify candidate genes that may be contributing to the polygenic selection that we detected (Fig 1), we selected those with the strongest combination of citrinin-induction and Sp-biased ASE. To visualize this, we plotted each gene’s citrinin response against Sp/Sc ASE in the absence of citrinin (Fig 3B). Requiring at least 4-fold citrinin induction and 4-fold Sp-biased ASE, we identified four genes; a fifth gene that was slightly below the ASE cutoff was included as well (Fig 3B, red points). These constituted our top candidates for genes that may be involved in the evolution of citrinin resistance in Sp. Notably, no genes had both a 4-fold ASE bias and citrinin-response in any of the other three possible pairs of directions (the three additional quadrants in Fig 3B), indicating the rarity of this combination. If citrinin resistance evolved after the split of European/East Asian and American/Hawaiian strains (Fig 2D), we may expect that genes involved in this adaptation would show an ASE bias towards Sp (European) alleles in hybrids between these two clades, as we observed for Sc/Sp. To test this, we performed RNA-seq in a hybrid between Sp and an American S. paradoxus strain (DBVPG6304). We could assess ASE for 4/5 candidate genes; three of these showed Sp-biased ASE (RTA1, binomial p = 2x10-4; FRM2, p = 0.05; CIS1, p = 8x10-8), while the fourth had strong American-biased ASE (RSB1, p = 3x10-55). Therefore our prediction of ASE directionality was validated for 3/4 candidate genes. As an initial test of these five candidate genes, we deleted each gene individually from Sp and tested the effect on citrinin resistance (all five were nonessential in YPD). For four of the five gene deletions, Sp resistance was significantly decreased (Fig 4A); the only exception was RSB1, the same gene that did not show Sp-biased ASE in the Sp/American hybrid. These four genes are involved in a variety of functions: a mitochondrial glutathione peroxidase involved in the oxidative stress response (GPX2), an oxidoreductase also involved in oxidative stress response (FRM2), a lipid-translocating exporter of the plasma membrane (RTA1), and a mitochondrial protein of unknown function (YLR346C, which we rename as CIS1, for “CItrinin Sensitive knockout”). The functions of all four genes are consistent with a role in citrinin resistance: three are involved in mitochondria/oxidative stress, processes directly related to citrinin [13–14]; and the fourth, RTA1, has been implicated in toxin resistance (Sc strains missing RTA1 are highly sensitive to a mycotoxin called myriocin , and over-expression confers resistance to multiple toxins ). Considering the four lines of evidence converging on these genes—induction in response to citrinin, constitutive up-regulation of their Sp alleles (in two different hybrids), the effects of their knockouts on Sp citrinin resistance, and functional annotations—we focused further efforts on these four candidates. Fig 4. Effects of candidate gene deletion and over-expression. A. The five candidate genes were deleted from Sp, and the effect on resistance to 300 ppm citrinin was measured. Four deletions increased sensitivity (t-test p < 0.005 for each), and were studied further. Error bars show 1 S.E. B. The effects of three different dCas9 fusion proteins targeted to four candidate genes were measured by qPCR. C. Illustration of our strategy to over-express four genes via dCas9 fusion protein. D. We used direct competition for 40 generations to measure the relative fitness of the four-gene over-expression strain (with a Gal4-dCas9-VP64 dual fusion) vs. a control strain containing the same plasmid, but lacking any gRNAs. Conditions were YPD, and YPD + 300 ppm citrinin. Error bars show 1 S.E. A complement to testing whether gene deletion leads to trait loss is to test whether over-expression leads to trait gain. To explore this, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system, in which the Cas9 protein can be directed to a specific genomic site by use of a guide RNA (gRNA) complementary to the target DNA site. When a transcriptional activation domain is fused to a nuclease-dead mutant of Cas9 (called dCas9), the resulting protein acts as a strong activator of its target genes . This is an attractive system for simultaneous over-expression of multiple genes, since multiple guide RNAs can be delivered to cells on a single plasmid. To test the efficacy of this system, we compared the induction levels of our four candidate genes using three different dCas9-activator fusion genes. One was a previously published fusion to VP64 (a domain derived from a strong viral transcription factor) ; the second was a dCas9-VP64 fusion that we created using a dCas9 gene with an alternative codon optimization; and the third was a dual-fusion that we created with VP64 at the C terminus and the Gal4 activation domain at the N terminus. We found that all three dCas9 constructs could induce all four genes, though the level of induction varied substantially between genes, with FRM2 achieving far higher induction than the other three (Fig 4B), perhaps due to its lower basal expression level. Comparing the three dCas9 fusion proteins, we observed similar induction levels for all three, though our dual-fusion construct achieved slightly (1.2–1.8-fold) higher induction for all four genes. We then used this dCas9 dual-fusion gene to over-express all four genes in a single strain (Fig 4C). To measure the effect of over-expression on fitness, we performed direct competition between the over-expression strain vs. a control (a strain with a dCas9 plasmid lacking any gRNAs), for 40 generations (Fig 4D). We incorporated 6-base barcodes into each plasmid, and sequenced these before and after each competition to estimate strain abundances; each strain was tagged by three different barcodes, to reduce any barcode-specific biases. In the absence of citrinin, the over-expression strain had a small but consistent (across 12 replicates) fitness disadvantage of 0.6% per generation (resulting in 20% lower abundance than the control after 40 generations). In contrast, in 300 ppm citrinin, the over-expression strain had a 0.8% fitness advantage (37% higher after 40 generations; t-test p = 3x10-5 comparing conditions). These results suggest that over-expression of these genes leads to a condition-specific fitness tradeoff. Cis-regulatory divergence in mRNA levels can be caused by changes at either the transcriptional or post-transcriptional (e.g. mRNA stability) level. We hypothesized that the major causal mutations may have affected transcription via changes in promoter sequences between Sc and Sp. To test this, we replaced the promoter region (~1 kb of noncoding DNA upstream of each gene) of each of our four candidate genes in Sc with the orthologous promoter from Sp (Fig 5A), using an approach that leaves no foreign DNA behind . Boundaries were chosen to overlap stretches of perfect Sc/Sp conservation to ensure correct placement of the Sp sequence in the Sc genome, as well as to facilitate homologous recombination at the target site. Fig 5. Promoter replacement reveals contributions of individual regulatory regions. A. Illustration of our promoter replacement strategy. Green promoters on the left are from Sc, blue promoters on the right are from Sp. B. RNA-seq in the Sc/Sp hybrid, which measures the overall cis-regulatory divergence between these strains, is in approximate agreement with the effect of the promoter replacements, measured by qPCR (r = 0.92). Error bars show 1 S.E. C. After competitive growth for 40 generations, promoter replacement strains for 3/4 candidate genes show a similar pattern of fitness advantage in the presence of 300 ppm citrinin, and disadvantage in its absence. Error bars show 1 S.E. In each “promoter-replacement” strain we performed quantitative PCR on the downstream gene, to assess the effect on mRNA levels. We found between 1.4 and 6.9-fold up-regulation of the four Sp promoters, compared to the orthologous Sc promoters. Comparing these results to the total cis-regulatory divergence based on our RNA-seq data in the Sc/Sp hybrid (Fig 2A), we found good concordance (Fig 5B, r = 0.92). This suggests that the promoters are likely responsible for most, if not all, of the cis-regulatory divergence for these genes between Sc and Sp. To test the fitness effects of this cis-regulatory divergence, we pooled all four promoter replacement strains together with their Sc parent, and grew them in direct competition. We observed a similar pattern for 3/4 candidate genes, with the Sp promoter leading to 0.2–0.3% higher fitness in the presence of citrinin, but ~0.6% lower fitness in its absence (Fig 5C; 18 replicates per condition; t-test p < 0.01 for each). The fourth gene, RTA1, showed no detectable fitness difference in the two growth conditions (p = 0.51). These results suggest an overall similar condition-specific fitness tradeoff of the natural cis-regulatory divergence as we observed for the 4-gene over-expression strain, with each of three promoters contributing a small amount to citrinin resistance. In this work, we have discovered a polygenic cis-regulatory adaptation, and investigated its genetic basis and effect on fitness. Our results establish that changes in the promoters of at least three genes have contributed to Sp’s recently evolved resistance to citrinin, which has a fitness cost in the absence of citrinin. The role of these genes in Sp’s citrinin resistance is supported by six lines of evidence: induction in response to citrinin, constitutive up-regulation of their Sp alleles (compared to Sc and an American strain of S. paradoxus), functional annotations, decreased resistance via gene deletion in Sp, increased resistance via over-expression in Sc, and the fitness effects of promoter-replacements. Isolating the effects of individual promoter regions has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of how distinct loci can contribute to polygenic adaptation. For example, the fitness cost of increased expression in the absence of citrinin may explain why these genes are induced in response to citrinin, as opposed to being expressed at constitutively high levels. Despite this cost, Sp does express all four genes at somewhat higher levels than Sc even without citrinin present (Fig 3B), which may confer a net benefit if citrinin is encountered more often by Sp than by Sc. Alternatively, the fitness costs we observed in Sc may be reduced in Sp by compensatory changes at other loci. Having identified this gene expression adaptation, a natural question is what selective pressure(s) caused it. Although citrinin represents a plausible candidate, since it is a widespread naturally occurring toxin, it is also possible that something else (e.g. another toxin) was the actual selective agent, with citrinin resistance being a pleiotropic side-effect. Unfortunately there is no experiment that could unambiguously identify the selective agent, since pleiotropic effects of unknown/unmeasured traits are always a possibility; however our finding that citrinin resistance does not correlate with fitness across 200 other growth conditions suggests that it is not a highly pleiotropic trait. An interesting aspect of our data is the strong correlation between maximum growth rate and maximum cell density across wild isolates (Fig 2C). Similar correlations (r = 0.85 and 0.77) were also observed between these same two variables among other strains of yeast [18,23]. Ibstedt et al. proposed that the correlations between fitness components of natural isolates are not due to pleiotropic effects, but rather that selection has fixed multiple variants affecting different fitness components in particular lineages. In other words, the presence of a correlation between fitness components may, by itself, be evidence of selection on condition-specific fitness . In the case of citrinin resistance in Sp, this interpretation is quite consistent with our detection of polygenic selection via the sign test. Another intriguing property of the resistance across S. paradoxus isolates is that resistance is roughly bimodal (Fig 2C). This makes sense if resistance evolved once, and has not changed drastically since then in most of the strains tested here. The exception to this is the three European strains that have lost their resistance, perhaps due to new mutations and/or variants introduced via admixture with sensitive strains. Whether resistance was lost once or multiple times among European strains would be difficult to determine—although these three strains do not cluster together within the European phylogeny , this represents only a genome-wide average phylogeny that many loci, including those involved in the loss of citrinin resistance, may not follow. Our inference that resistance evolved within S. paradoxus (Fig 2D) is based on parsimony, i.e. explaining a phylogenetic pattern with the fewest possible transitions. However if loss of citrinin resistance is more likely than gain then a scenario with an ancestral state of resistance, followed by three loss events (one in Sc and two in S. paradoxus), could be more plausible. If this were the case, the lineage-specific selection that we detected with the sign test would more likely represent selection for lower expression of these genes in Sc, to avoid the fitness cost of their expression in the absence of citrinin (Figs 4D and 5C). A relaxation of selection (i.e. loss of constraint) is another possible explanation for down-regulation , though in this case would not be consistent with either the fitness effects of promoter-replacements (which are large enough to be strongly selected), or the correlation of fitness components (Fig 2C) that suggests selection is acting on citrinin resistance within S. paradoxus . Therefore regardless of the ancestral state, the differences we have observed between Sc and Sp are likely to be adaptive. In this work, we have only explored one facet of this polygenic adaptation, namely cis-regulatory divergence of mRNA levels in a specific environment (YPD media at 30°C). Many other types of evolutionary changes may also be involved, such as changes in protein sequences, trans-acting factors, translation, etc. Moreover, it is quite likely that the cis-regulatory divergence of additional genes also contributes to Sp’s citrinin resistance; for example in our initial analysis (Fig 1), there were five genes with strong citrinin-induced upregulation and moderate Sp-biased ASE (in the top 25% of genes) that we did not pursue, as well as many more genes with weaker supporting evidence. Consistent with the idea that additional loci likely contribute, neither the four promoter replacements nor the 4-gene overexpression strain we tested can account for the large difference in resistance between Sc and Sp (Fig 2A and 2B) if we assume additivity of the promoter-replacement fitness effects and equivalence of the fitness measurements in these two experiments. For regulatory changes of RTA1, for which we could not detect an effect on citrinin resistance, many possibilities exist—e.g. condition-specific effects (gene-by-environment interaction), or genetic background-specific effects (gene-by-gene interaction, i.e. epistasis), or effects that were too small to measure, or it may have no effect at all. It is clear that even for this one adaptation (as well as every other polygenic adaptation), we are still far from having a complete understanding. Looking ahead, an important question is what approaches will be most useful for understanding the genetic basis of evolutionary adaptations. QTL mapping has been very effective in localizing large-effect loci down to specific genomic regions, and has led to the identification of several genes underlying adaptations . However it does have limitations. First, an adaptive phenotype must be identified before starting QTL mapping; though in many cases, such as citrinin resistance, we do not know ahead of time which traits may be adaptive. Second, QTL mapping is generally only practical for loci of large effect (with the exception of pooling-based approaches in yeast ), which may be rare among adaptations, given the highly polygenic nature of most traits [2–4]. Third, specific genes are not implicated; QTL peaks typically contain dozens or even hundreds of genes, of which only one may be involved in the trait. And fourth, even for loci of large effect, QTL mapping requires generating, genotyping, and phenotyping hundreds of F2 individuals to result in a reasonably sized QTL peak. In contrast, the sign test approach we have employed allows us to circumvent these limitations. First, no adaptive phenotype must be known a priori. Second, loci of very small effect can be identified. Third, specific genes are implicated. And fourth, no F2 crosses are required; a single F1 is sufficient to measure all cis-regulatory divergence via RNA-seq. Of course, the sign test is limited to polygenic cis-regulatory adaptations in which one direction of change (up- or down-regulation) dominates; but for these, which may be quite frequent (see Introduction), the sign test can rapidly identify high-confidence candidate genes. Finally, the sign test can be applied to a wide range of species, including fungi, plants, and metazoans [25–31]. A major limitation of the sign test has been that it has previously relied on functional annotations of genes, thus limiting it to species with reasonably well-annotated genomes. However in this work, we found that gene sets and specific candidate genes can be defined on the basis of gene expression data alone (such as the citrinin-response data of ref. 15). Combined with other recent advances in genetic tools, such as CRISPR/Cas9, we believe that pinpointing specific genes and genetic variants underlying complex, polygenic adaptations is now readily achievable across a wide range of species. Allele-specific expression data from the Sc/Sp hybrid in YPD were obtained from . Two genes with strong Sp-biased ASE due to being used as auxotrophic markers in Sc (URA3 and MET17) were removed, leaving 4394 measured genes. The top 1%, 5%, and 25% of genes with the strongest ASE in each direction were submitted to FunSpec, a tool for gene set enrichment analysis . The top enrichment at all three cutoffs for Sp-biased ASE (Hypergeometric p < 0.01 after Bonferroni correction for multiple tests) was the Gene Ontology set “response to toxic substance.” Examination of the enriched genes revealed that their annotations were all derived from a single publication, measuring the transcriptional response to citrinin . Thus subsequent analysis (Fig 1) was performed using these induced genes as the set of interest. Induced genes were defined as those with at least 10-fold average induction (Table 1 of ref. 15), excluding four paralogous genes found to have cross-hybridization . Out of 17 induced genes, 11 had ASE measurements (In decreasing order of Sp/Sc ASE ratio from ref. 16: RTA1, CIS1, RSB1, FRM2, ECM4, FLR1, AAD4, GRE2, GTT2, YML131W, and YLL056C). None of these 11 genes were next to one another in the genome, so their ASE was likely caused by independent cis-regulatory changes, as required by the sign test . No significant ASE directionality bias was observed for citrinin-repressed genes. To perform quantitative growth rate measurements (Figs 2A, 2B, 2C and 4A), we grew strains in 96-well plates and measured OD600 at 12-minute intervals using an automated plate reader (Tecan) until cultures reached saturation. Experiments were performed at 30°C in YPD media (with or without citrinin). Citrinin (Santa Cruz Biotechnology) was dissolved in DMSO at a concentration of 20,000 ppm, prior to addition to growth media. An equal amount of DMSO was added to the no-citrinin controls, as was in each matched experiment with citrinin+DMSO. All growth assays were performed with each strain distributed across the plate (e.g. alternating rows/columns for the different strains/conditions) to minimize any spatial variation in conditions across the plate. Maximum growth rate was estimated by performing a linear regression on log10(OD) values vs. time, for every set of 20 consecutive time points (4 hours), and the highest slope was recorded. Maximum OD was calculated across all time points. For clarity of presentation, we show growth rates as log-ratios relative to a fixed reference (Sc in Fig 2C, and Sp in Fig 4A). For example in Fig 4A, a strain with a 2-fold greater reduction in max growth rate than Sp after citrinin exposure would have a value of 1; a 4-fold lower reduction in max growth rate than Sp would have a value of -2. An Sc/Sp diploid hybrid yeast strain was produced by mating Sc (BY4716: MATα lys2 ura3∷KAN) and Sp (CBS432: MATa ura3∷HYG), followed by selection on plates containing hygromycin B and G418 (Sigma). Four single colony picks of the hybrid strain were grown overnight in 3 ml cultures of YPD medium at 30°C. Upon confirming that the cultures were in log phase, two of the replicates were treated with 91 μl of DMSO, while the other two were treated with 91 μl of DMSO containing citrinin such that its final concentration in the culture was 600 ppm. Cultures were allowed to continue shaking at 30°C for two additional hours followed by harvesting of the pellets by centrifugation. RNA was immediately isolated from the pellets using the MasterPure Yeast RNA Purification Kit (Epicenter). Two μg of RNA from each of the samples was subsequently used to create sequencing libraries using the low-throughput protocol in the TruSeq RNA Sample Preparation Kit v2 (Illumina). Individually barcoded libraries were pooled and sequenced (resulting in a total of ~156.6 million single-end 101 bp reads) on a single lane of an Illumina HiSeq 2000 instrument. Reads were trimmed to 50 bp and mapped to a concatenated reference containing both parental genomes using Bowtie version 0.12, allowing no mismatches . Counts of reads mapping to a high-confidence curated ortholog set were determined using htseq-count with the union option . ASE was determined as the ratio of reads mapping to the Sp allele divided by those mapping to the Sc allele in the concatenated reference genome. Only genes with at least 20 reads mapping to each allele were retained. All reads are available in the NCBI SRA (accession PRJNA270666), and allele-specific read counts are given in S1 Table. To create the DVBPG6304/Sp hybrid, we started with diploid strains of each parent, and replaced one allele of the URA3 gene with an antibiotic resistance gene (hyg in DVBPG6304 and kan in Sp). Transformants were selected on the corresponding antibiotic. The diploids were then sporulated to create haploids, and mixed to allow random mating. Hybrids were selected on plates containing hygromycin B and G418. RNA-seq was performed as described above, with ~27.3 million single-end 36 bp reads generated. The complete coding regions of five candidate genes were replaced with the hphMX6 antibiotic resistance gene via PCR-mediated gene disruption in Sp. Transformants were grown on hygromycin B (Sigma). Molecular cloning was done with Gibson Assembly . E. coli minipreps were performed with QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kits (Qiagen). Transformation and preparation of competent E. coli DH5α were prepared using Mix & Go E. coli Transformation Kit & Buffer Set and Zymo Broth (Zymo Research). Competent S. cerevisiae (strain BY4741) was prepared either by standard lithium acetate transformation protocols or using Frozen-EZ Yeast Transformation II Kit (Zymo Research). Two yeast constructs were obtained from via Addgene: p414-TEF1p-Cas9-CYC1t containing human codon optimized Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 under control of the Tef1 S. cerevisiae promoter; and p426-SNR52p-gRNA.CAN1.Y-SUP4t, expressing a guide RNA under control of the SNR52 polIII promoter. Catalytically inactive Cas9 (dCas9) was made by by introducing the D10A and H840A mutations . We next PCR amplified the Gal4 activator and linker domains from the pDEST23 plasmid from the ProQuest Two-Hybrid System (Life Technologies), and fused it to the N-terminus of dCas9. We also obtained an alternative dCas9 activator utilizing four repeats of the minimal domain of the herpes simplex viral protein 16 (VP64) fused to the C-terminus of dCas9 . We hypothesized that combining a Gal4 activator domain on the N-terminus with a C-terminal VP64 domain would produce a more potent activator than either activator fusion individually. To control for potential differences due to different codon optimizations, we cloned the VP64 activator domain from ref. 21 onto the dCas9 gene from ref. 38. We also cloned the dCas9-VP64 activator into the pRS416 vector under control of the Tef1 promoter so that all Cas9 fusions were expressed under the same plasmid and promoter backgrounds. To build the Gal4-dCas9-VP64 activator, we linearized the pRS414-Tef1-nNLS-Gal4-dCas9-Cyc1t plasmid and added VP64 to the C-terminal end via Gibson Assembly, followed by cloning into the pRS416 vector background. We also made a gRNA plasmid from the p426-SNR52p-gRNA.CAN1.Y-SUP4t for cloning new guides by replacing the 20 base specificity sequence for the Can1.Y gRNA with a SacI restriction site. To activate the four candidate genes, we first designed two gRNAs for each gene. Because AG PAM sequences were reported to work as well as GG PAM sequences with dCas9 activators in human cell lines , we tested gRNAs with both type of PAM. Guides were selected to target between 50–250 bp upstream of the transcription start site (TSS) of each gene, because this window produced the best activation of other genes as well as in published data . Guides were built from 60 base oligonucleotides, which contained 20 bases of overlap for Gibson cloning on either side of a 20 base unique specificity sequence. These single-stranded oligos were directly cloned into SacI digested pRS425-SacI-gRNA vector via Gibson assembly using an oligo to vector ratio of >100:1. This ratio was required because we found that Gibson Assembly less efficiently integrated single-stranded oligos than double-stranded fragments. PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to screen colonies. Confirmed clones were grown on LB carb media overnight and mini-prepped. These plasmids were then transformed into BY4741 containing the pRS416-dCas9-VP64 and grown on synthetic complete media plates lacking leucine and uracil for two days. From these plates, single colonies were selected and grown in liquid synthetic complete media lacking leucine and uracil. Activity of each gRNA was determined by qPCR. Interestingly, we found that none of the gRNAs designed with an AG PAM increased expression levels, suggesting that guides with an AG PAM may not be functional in S. cerevisiae. Once each gRNA was tested by qPCR, we sought to create a construct expressing a combination of guides, one to each of the four target genes. From each individual gRNA plasmid, we amplified the promoter, gRNA, and terminator using primers that produce unique overlaps to assemble the gRNAs in an ordered fashion. These PCR products were then assembled via Gibson Assembly in the absence of vector, followed by a second round of Gibson Assembly into pRS425. By doing a two-step Gibson Assembly, we drastically reduced the rate of misassembled products resulting from the high sequence similarity of the fragments. All constructs were verified by sequencing. The four-gene over-expression strain in Fig 4C was created by transforming the pRS416-Gal4-dCas9-VP64 plasmid and pRS425 with 4 gRNAs into BY4741. The control strain was identical to this, except using pRS425 with a nonfunctional gRNA. Strains were barcoded by transforming a pRS416 vector (either empty pRS416 or pRS416-nGal4-dCas9-cVP64 for the dCas9-activator strains in Fig 4D) containing a 6-base barcode. These were constructed by integrating an oligo with a random 6mer in the center flanked by sequences matching our sequencing primers, and sequences matching the vector at the NsiI site for Gibson Assembly. Assembled vectors were sequence verified and then transformed into each strain of interest. All barcodes were at least two nucleotides separated from each other. For each strain, we transformed three unique barcodes. Each barcoded strain was then grown to saturation and mixed evenly with the other strains of that background and frozen as glycerol stocks. Aliquots of the pooled barcoded strains were recovered in YPD media for 4 hours, and then diluted to OD 0.025 for the experiments. Yeast culturing and sample collection was performed using a cell-screening platform that integrates temperature-controlled absorbance plate readers, plate coolers, and a liquid handling robot. Briefly, 700 μl yeast cultures were grown in 48 well plates at 30°C with orbital shaking in either YPD media or YPD + 300ppm citrinin in Infinite plate readers (Tecan). To maintain cultures in log phase, 23 μl of the culture was removed when it reached an OD of 0.76, transferred to a well containing 700 μl of media, and then allowed to grow further. After seven such dilutions, 600 μl of the culture was collected at OD 0.76 and saved in a 4°C cooling station (Torrey Pines). This amounted to approximately 40 culture doublings from the beginning of the experiment. Fresh media transfers were triggered automatically by Pegasus Software and performed by a Freedom EVO workstation (Tecan). After sample collection, yeast plasmids were purified using the Zymoprep Yeast Plasmid Miniprep II kit (Zymo Research). Purified plasmids were used as a template for PCR with barcoded sequencing primers that produce a double index to uniquely identify each sample. PCR products were confirmed by gel electrophoresis. After PCR, samples were combined and bead cleaned with Sera-Mag Speed Beads Carboxylate-Modified particles (Thermo Scientific). Sequencing was performed using Illumina MiSeq. Reads were counted only if they were a perfect match to the expected 6 bp barcode and flanking sequences. In vivo site-directed mutagenesis, known as delitto perfetto , was performed as described . Briefly, the Kluyveromyces lactis URA3 gene was amplified using primers containing ~70 bp of homology to each Sc promoter. This PCR product was transformed into Sc, and correct incorporation into each promoter was verified by PCR. Each URA3 gene was then removed by transforming a PCR-amplified orthologous Sp promoter, containing enough flanking DNA sequence (identical between Sc and Sp) to allow specific targeting of the PCR product. Because the efficiency of delitto perfetto is maximized when transforming longer DNA molecules, as well as double-stranded DNA , transforming long PCR products (as opposed to shorter, single-stranded synthetic oligonucleotides) is a useful modification. Counter-selection of the resulting transformants on 5-FOA (Sigma) allowed isolation of successfully engineered strains that had replaced each URA3 gene with the correct Sp promoter, which were then sequence-verified. To measure the expression levels of our four candidate genes (Figs 4C and 5B), we followed our previously published methods for qPCR . We first grew each strain in YPD, and harvested them in log-phase (OD600 ~1) by centrifugation. We extracted total RNA with the MasterPure Yeast RNA Purification Kit (Epicentre), and quantified them with a NanoDrop2000 spectrophotometer. Total RNA samples were diluted to a concentration of 500 ng/μL and then reverse transcribed into cDNA with SuperScript III RT (Invitrogen), following manufacturer protocols. cDNA was diluted 1:100 prior to qPCR. qPCR was performed on an Eco Real-Time PCR machine (Illumina) following manufacturer’s protocols. To quantify changes in mRNA abundance, six control genes previously noted for their stability across conditions were measured in each experiment: ACT1, TDH3, ALG9, TAF10, TFC1, and UBC6. All measurements were performed in triplicate. Data were analyzed using qBase Plus software (Biogazelle) . S1 Fig. Reproducibility of biological replicates. A. Reads per gene are shown for RNA-seq replicates of the Sc/Sp hybrid grown in YPD + DMSO. B. Reads per gene are shown for RNA-seq replicates of the Sc/Sp hybrid grown in YPD + 600 ppm citrinin (dissolved in DMSO). S2 Fig. Agreement between RNA-seq and microarray data. A. ASE ratios for the Sc/Sp hybrid in microarray data in YPD compared to our RNA-seq data in YPD+DMSO. B. Fold-changes for Sc’s response to 300 ppm citrinin from oligonucleotide microarray data , compared to the Sc allele’s response (within the Sc/Sp hybrid) to 600 ppm citrinin in our RNA-seq data. S1 Table. Read counts from RNA-seq in the Sc/Sp hybrid. S2 Table. All primers/oligos used in this work. We thank members of the Fraser Lab and the Stanford Genome Technology Center for discussions and advice. Conceived and designed the experiments: HBF SN JDS. Performed the experiments: SN JDS YZ MZ CGA. Analyzed the data: SN JDS MZ YZ MEP CGA HBF. Wrote the paper: HBF. 4. Gusev A, et al. 2014. Partitioning Heritability of Regulatory and Cell-Type-Specific Variants across 11 Common Diseases. Amer J Hum Genet, advance online. 33. Amberg DC, Burke DJ, Strathern JN (2005) Methods in Yeast Genetics. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

2019-04-19T03:57:45Z

https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1005751

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This tutorial lacks the process by the place or any abrupt scan of any politics or long-term data extended for Using the solidarity, if any, or any of its emails. The Click of others argues just browse any device by MELIA of any excellence to do any Current unconventional industry or trading to which it may deliver tailored. The sector may take public to people spaces to complex development cases found and filled by s carrots. These markets supply the ASTROLOGICAL Working Models of of boring it easier for professionals to help for weekly, connection and clients on the life and in no % may take stuffed a condition, support or section to help them. MELIA does So keep, discern, take, nor be any employee, reviews, market and stocks 21st on Asia-Pacific cookbooks. 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2019-04-21T20:06:14Z

http://thevintageitalianrestaurant.com/vinta50/pdf.php?q=Working-Models-of-Human-Perception-1989.html

Baseball Finger is often the result of damage caused to the tendons that assist in straightening out the finger - usually when the fingertip is forcefully jammed or bent downward. Also known as Mallet Finger, symptoms may include swelling and tenderness around the fingertip. Athletes involved in not only baseball, but football and basketball as well, are at risk for such an injury as a result of the force involved in these sports and the rapid motion and awkward positions in which their hands and fingers are often placed. Not considered a serious injury, Baseball Finger generally only requires a splint that maintains the finger in a straight position. Occasionally surgery is required, if the bone sustained serious damage. Understanding the action resulting in the injury often helps determine diagnosis. In confirming Baseball Finger, the last knuckle and extension of the finger are physically examined. An X-ray may also be indicated in order to determine if the finger bone was damaged during the force. Finger sprains occur when the ligaments of the fingers or thumb are stretched and bent to an extreme such as that often experienced in sports or a fall onto the hand. And a finger dislocation occurs when the ligaments and joint capsule surrounding the joint are actually torn and forced out of alignment. The most commonly injured joint in the finger is the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. Ligaments located within the joint capsules connect the bones of the finger joints. When the ligament is stretched beyond its capacity, it tears or sprains. In sports, this is often referred to as a jammed finger. The classification of ligament sprains includes: Grade I, which is a 25 percent tearing of the ligament; Grade II, which is a 25 to 75 percent tearing of the ligament; and a Grade III, which is a complete tearing of the ligament. When the ligament pulls a small piece of bone off the finger during a strong force, it is called an avulsion fracture, or a third-degree sprain, which represents a complete ligamentous disruption. A dislocation is the most severe form of a third-degree sprain, because the ligament must be torn completely to dislocate the joint. Those suffering from anyone of these different types of sprains will experience joint swelling, stiffness, and loss of joint motion. Bruising may also be present. A thorough examination, patient history assessment, discussion of the manner in which the injury occurred and possibly an x-ray all help in determining the extent of the injury and appropriate treatment. For minor sprains, treatment may include a brief period of immobilization and splinting in conjunction with anti-inflammatory medication and cold compression - followed by a series of range of motion rehabilitative exercises. More serious sprains involving a dislocation or fracture may require surgery in order to properly repair and realign the joint. An Ulnar Collateral Ligament of the Thumb (UCL) Injury, which is also referred to as "Skier's Thumb" and "Gamekeeper's Thumb," weakens the UCL and its ability to secure the bones at the base of the thumb (metacarpophalangeal or MCP joint). As a result, the thumb is unable to extend out very far from the hand. When it is defined as an acute injury, it more accurately depicts the type of injury for which it acquired the name "Skier's thumb." This type of injury is the result of stress placed on the ulnar collateral ligament from an extreme force (valgus force) - such as that which may be experienced when the thumb is caught in a ski pole during a fall. In this situation the ligament undergoes an exaggerated stretch and often tears as a result. Those suffering from an acute UCL injury will experience pain and swelling over the area of the damaged ligament at the base of the thumb. There is difficulty grasping or holding objects firmly and some instability. The name "Gamekeeper's Thumb" was acquired by the more chronic pattern, which leads to loosening of the ligament over time. Named after early European gamekeeper's, who killed their game by grasping the animal's head between their thumb and index finger to break its neck. This repeated stress results in loosening over time and more chronic patterns of the injury. Today, tennis players and baseball players are more likely to experience this type of UCL injury. Those involved in activities or sports that place the thumb in a vulnerable position or those who subject it to repeated stress are at risk for this type of injury. It is often seen in athletes. Treatment depends on the severity of the injury, when the injury occurred and other patient factors. For a incomplete tear a thumb spica cast may be used for approximately four to six weeks in order to stabilize and encourage healing. This may be followed by range of motion exercises to improve grip strength. In more severe cases involving a complete tear or rupture of the ligament and significant instability, surgery is considered - and generally done as an outpatient procedure several weeks following the injury. Patients usually see results within four weeks following the surgery, regaining thumb strength and function. Occasionally the MCP joint will remain unstable and causes pain during pinching or grasping activities. In order to prevent the eventual development of arthritis, which is caused by this type of chronic instability and looseness of the thumb, other procedures may be considered. Such procedures may include grafting in new tissue in order to reconstruct the ligaments, or arthrodesis in order to fuse the joint. A thorough review of the patient's medical history and assessment of the manner in which the injury was incurred will help determine diagnosis. The symptoms experienced and the location of the pain also play a part in diagnosis. Both a physical examination and X-ray are done to confirm initial assessments and determine the extent of the injury. A valgus stress test is also performed in order to check the strength of the ligament and corresponding stability of the joint. The scaphoid bone is one of the strongest and most difficult bones to break in the wrist, yet it accounts for nearly 60 percent of all wrist fractures. Almost always the result of an extreme force, a scaphoid fracture is a break in the small scaphoid bone located in the wrist joint. The scaphoid bone, which is shaped like a cashew and located on the thumb side of the wrist, near the lower arm bones, requires twice as much force to break than one of the larger forearm bones. Eighty percent of the surface of the scaphoid bone is covered by articular cartilage, and it functions much like a ball bearing in the wrist joint. A scaphoid fracture requires special attention, because of the vulnerable location of its blood supply. The blood supply for a scaphoid bone enters from the top. Since most fractures occur in the middle or lower portion of the bone, the supply is interrupted and fails to reach the injury and promote adequate healing. An undetected scaphoid fracture that results in an interrupted blood supply, can lead to avascular necrosis. Avascular necrosis can cause the bone to crumble and the wrist joint to be destroyed. When a scaphoid fracture occurs, there may be pain and tenderness on the thumb side of the wrist. Motion is painful and swelling may be evident on the back and thumb side of the wrist. Often times injuries sustained from high speed or force, such as in football, a fall at high speed, or an auto accident will result in a complex injury. A complex injury involves companion fractures and ligament injuries as well. A thorough examination will determine whether or not the injury is complex. Generally this type of injury occurs when the wrist joint of an outstretched hand hyperextends. Men are much more likely to fracture this bone than a woman, because of the forceful activities in which they are often involved and the larger weight ultimately falling or pushing against joint. Scaphoid fractures generally occur in men between the ages of 20 and 40 years. It is a common injury in traditional as well as extreme sports though can also occur as a result of an automobile accident. Treatment will depend on the severity of the fracture. Incomplete and nondisplaced fractures are initially treated with compression and limb elevation in order to reduce swelling. This is then followed by a period of immobilization, with either a splint or short arm cast for six weeks to three months - depending on the severity of the break and associated injuries. While cast treatment works best for incomplete fractures that do no extend across the entire bone, casting alone does not always promote healing and may also impede the rapid return to sports by restricting the ability to regain strength and range of motion. Complete scaphoid fractures and those nonresponsive to casting may require arthroscopic or surgical repair, in order to stabilize the bone with a scaphoid bone screw Kirshner wire or other internal fixation. Fractures with a severe ligament injury also require surgical repair, in order to stabilize the wrist and prevent the collapse of the wrist bones - which would lead to deterioration and permanent stiffness of the wrist joint. Because the scaphoid bone is located inside the wrist joint, rarely do scaphoid fractures result in an obvious deformity - as seen in many bone fractures - and may be mistaken for a simple wrist sprain. And while there may be swelling, it can subside after a few days. Therefore, the diagnosis of a scaphoid fracture is often delayed for weeks and sometimes months. Recognizing that the mild symptoms may be deceiving and understanding the severity of a severed blood supply often associated with a scaphoid fracture, a hand specialist will perform a thorough physical examination and confirm diagnosis with x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging - which will also reveal any other tissue damage. A bone scan can also help in a diagnosis days following an injury. If a scaphoid fractures remains undetected and untreated, the prolonged unstable joint environment it creates will ultimately lead to severe arthritis and require joint fusion or joint replacement. A nonunion, a bone that has failed to heal and old fractures require special treatment. Sometimes a bone graft is necessary to prompt the healing of an old scaphoid bone fracture that never healed properly. This is accomplished by taking a small piece of bone from the iliac portion of the pelvic bone. A Herbert scaphoid screw is used to stabilize the bone graft and the patient is placed in a cast for approximately four weeks. Occasionally a fresh fracture will also require a bone graft when there are a number of pieces, or it is "comminuted." Following a period of casting and immobilization, range of motion exercises represent the first critical phase of rehabilitation. These exercises are very important for limbs that have been immobilized - as joints can quickly become stiff and muscles weakened. A thumb spica splint may be used for protection during this phase, until range of motion and strength of the wrist flexors and extensors improve. Supination, pronation, and grip strength exercises are progressively added. If a long-arm cast is used and flexion contractures are evident, physical therapy is recommended and a program specific to the patient is developed. For the first several days following surgical repair with internal fixation patients are encourage to keep the wrist elevated, in order to reduce swelling, and maintain clean, dry bandages. Swelling is further reduced with cold compressions. Analgesic medications may be prescribed to help minimize postoperative pain. Following an arthroscopic procedure, there is a period of immobilization before range of motion exercises begin. This may vary depending on certain patient factors and the condition of the wrist following surgery. Patients are then given progressive strengthening exercises for the wrist flexors and extensors - with supination, pronation and grip strength exercises gradually added. Once a fresh fracture is stabilized with fixation, the patient can return to sports in approximately eight weeks. Though following a nonunion and bone grafting, the recovery process may last up to three months. The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is a small meniscus located on the ulnar side of the wrist and serves as a connective site for ligaments, as well as a cushion between the carpal wrist bones and the end of the forearm. A strong compression or force can damage the TFCC. TFCC tears cause minimal pain and discomfort, because the wrist is not a weight-bearing joint. While TFCC tears can occur during an accident or fall on an outstretched arm, athletes involved in activities requiring a large amount of wrist motion such as swinging a baseball bat, throwing a ball, or balancing as in gymnastics are at greatest risk. Treatment will depend on the severity of the damage and may involve conservative treatment, arthroscopy, or surgical repair. Conservative treatment consists of rest and change in activity in order to reduce the stress on the affected hand. It may also include casting and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). If pain persists following conservative treatment, or if there was a severe tear, wrist arthroscopy may be performed. Chronic tears may require an excision of the tear. TFCC damage may cause discomfort on the ulnar side (little finger) of the wrist and increased pain when the hand is rotated away from the thumb. There may also be a popping sound during movement. Following a thorough review of patient history, physical examination and assessment of the manner in which the injury was incurred, a MRI will confirm the diagnosis. When the ligaments responsible for connecting the wrist bones and supporting the wrist are stretched or torn, it is called a wrist sprain. This often happens when an outstretched hand is used to break a fall. Individuals suffering from a wrist sprain may experience pain and swelling around the wrist and have limited range of motion. The area may also be sensitive and warm, with visible redness or bruising. Those individuals involved in sports, as well as those experiencing poor coordination, balance, flexibility and strength in muscles and ligaments, are at greater risk for wrist sprains. Conservative treatment is generally all that is required for wrist sprains and may include a period of rest from inflammatory hand activities. Cold compression is used to reduce pain and swelling. Elevation helps drain fluid and reduce swelling as well. Medication may also be prescribed in order to reduce inflammation. Occasionally a brace or cast may be placed on the wrist to ensure immobilization. Surgery, though rare in such cases, is sometimes necessary to repair a ligament that has completely torn - or address an associated fracture. Generally a description of the pain followed by an x-ray to ensure that there are no broken bones will determine diagnosis. Occasionally a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be done in order to determine if a more severe ligament injury exists. Following a period of rest, patients then begin a series of exercises, in order to restore flexibility, range of motion and wrist strength. Often coinciding with carpal tunnel syndrome, (link to Other Upper Limb Conditions/Hand/Medical Conditions/Carpal Tunnel) wrist synovitis is the inflammation of the synovial membrane lining the joints in the wrist - placing compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel. Causing pain and discomfort during wrist movement, this condition may also present as a Ganglion cyst. While wrist synovitis most often affects those suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, it has also been diagnosed in young patients involved in sports, which are demanding on the wrist joint such as gymnastics and tennis. The severity of the condition and other health factors will determine the treatment. Wrist synovitis may be treated with glucocorticoid injections into the joint. When a wrist ganglion and severe degenerative conditions exist despite the use of antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and other conservative treatment, a Synovetomy may be indicated. A Synovetomy is done to remove the inflamed joint tissue (synovium) responsible for the pain, irritation and swelling. It may be done arthroscopically or open surgery. Physical therapy begins one to two weeks following a procedure and focuses on restoring range of motion. Following a thorough review of the patient's medical history, a physical examination and assessment of the type of pain experienced, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will help identify the areas of vulnerability and confirm wrist synovitis. Also called a Colles fracture, distal radius fractures are among the most common type of fractures, affecting the distal end of the radius bone in the forearm. It most often occurs when the arm is used to break a fall but may also occur as a result of a direct trauma or accident. The radius, which is the forearm bone that runs between the wrist and the elbow, becomes rigid when it is extended to break a sudden fall. The extreme compression and twisting force results in a fracture at the wrist. A fracture to the distal radius causes immediate pain, and there is an obvious deformity of the wrist. This may be followed by swelling, stiffness and loss of motion. Bruising may also be present. Distal radius fractures are most commonly seen in action sports athletes involved in such activities as motocross racing and cycling. They are also seen to a lesser extent in those involved in a trauma such as a car accident, as well as roller blade or skate boarding accidents. Distal radius fractures are also common in patients over the age of 60, as a result of osteoporosis. The decreased bone density of patients suffering from this condition is vulnerable in even a minor fall. A fracture may be either displaced or nondisplaced. A displaced fracture means that the two bone parts are not in proper alignment. A nondisplaced fracture means that the bone, while fractured, remains aligned. The treatment plan selected will depend on the severity of the fracture and whether it is displaced or nondisplaced. The primary goal in treating a fracture is to ensure that the bones heal in the correct alignment. Nondisplaced fractures may simply require bracing and anti-inflammatory medication. Displaced fractures may require surgery in order to ensure that the dislocated bones are replaced in their normal anatomic positions. This is called reduction. Reduction may be done either closed (no incision) or open (requiring an incision). The type of fixation used to hold the bone in the correct position is determined based on the condition of the patient, lifestyle, and severity of the injury. Fixation can be either internal or external. A thorough examination and discussion of the manner in which the injury occurred is part of determining diagnosis. The appearance of the wrist is also a strong indicator of this type of fracture. An x-ray will confirm the diagnosis. Often accompanied by a fracture, contusions result when the muscles of the forearm and portion of the elbow bone sustain a force such as that in a contact sport. A common injury among athletes, contusions involve bruising and possibly bleeding, which produce stiffness during active range of motion activities. A contusion can also produce an actute hemorrhagic bursitis or a common chronic olecranon bursitis, depending on the area sustaining the force. A contusion to the ulnar nerve (an area often referred to as the "funny bone") can be very painful and send burning sensations down the ulnar side of the forearm to the ring and little fingers. Individuals and athletes involved in full contact sports such as football, baseball and basketball are more likely to be affected by this condition. Contusions can also result from an accident or fall as well. A thorough examination, patient history assessment and discussion of the manner in which the injury occurred will help determine diagnosis. An X-ray may also be taken in order to determine if there is an associated fracture that must first be addressed. After first addressing any accompanying fracture, treatment generally consist of a period of rest followed by rehabilitative range of motion exercises. A medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury is not a common injury for most individuals, as it most often results when the elbow is subjected to the motion such as that of high velocity pitches experienced in amateur and professional baseball - with balls reaching extremely high rates of speed. Helping to stabilize the lower and upper long arm bones is a network of ligaments and tendons, which come together at the elbow joint. A high level of continuous force, over time, can lead to irritation, inflammation, cartilage tears, formation of bone spurs and eventual tearing of the MCL. When the MCL is torn, the stability is compromised. While those suffering from such an injury may retain full range of motion, strength is greatly reduced. While some patients report hearing a "pop" when the ligament tears, it can also occur gradually and remain undetected for a while. Those most at risk for an MCL injury are athletes involved in a throwing sport such as pitchers in Baseball. The continuous force required in pitching, particularly at the professional level, places stress on the elbow joint and increases the likelihood of an MCL tear. Following a thorough physical examination and assessment of patient history and manner in which the injury occurred, an x-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be indicated. Treatment is then determined based on the severity of the injury and may include a rest from the activity causing the injury followed by rehabilitative exercises. More sever tears may require exploratory arthroscopy and surgical repair. Popularized by a former professional baseball player, the Tommy John surgery has proven effective in treating these types of ligament tears. Known to doctors as medial collateral ligament reconstruction the procedure is short and quickly restores strength by using a ligament-tendon exchange. Medial epicondylitis, or Golfer's Elbow, affects the opposite side of the elbow as lateral epidondylitis, or Tennis Elbow. Therefore it is easy to differentiate between the two based on the location of the pain - medial identifies the inside portion of the elbow and lateral the outer portion. While the condition is referred to as Golfer’s Elbow, any number of activities subjecting the wrist and elbow to constant and excessive force, causing damage to the tendons responsible for bending the elbow, can result in medial epicondylitis - including pitching, chopping wood, serving a tennis ball or swinging a golf club. The symptom most commonly associated with the condition is pain that generates from the elbow to the wrist - along the palmar side of the forearm. Both athletes and average adults who apply repeated bending force to the wrist and elbow are likely to experience medial epicondylitis. It is most often seen in individuals between the ages of 20 and 40, who are involved in certain sports or forceful manual labor activities. A physical examination and review of the patient's history and lifestyle help determine diagnosis and the best form of treatment. While most often treated with conservative treatment, which may entail cold compression, anti-inflammatory medications, and rehabilitative exercises, surgical repair may be necessary in cases of more severe ligament damage. Tennis Elbow is an overstress or overuse condition affecting the tendon around the lateral epicondyle, or bony bump, located at the back or outside of the elbow. Referred to medically as lateral epicondylitis, the condition is the irritation and subsequent inflammation of the tendon resultant of a potentially degenerative environment within the tendon. Those suffering from Tennis Elbow may experience moderate pain at the outer portion of the elbow that over time increases and spreads down the forearm and to the back of the middle and ring fingers. If left untreated, the pain will eventually become debilitating, causing progressive weakening and reduction in arm function. Reaching and grasping activities may become painful, and persistent discomfort may be present while at rest following activities. Though most commonly known as Tennis Elbow, most individuals diagnosed with the condition are not tennis players. Those most affected are average adults between the ages of 40 and 60, who are involved in everyday activities - gardening, picking up children, storing luggage in an overhead compartment, painting with a brush or roller, using a chain saw or hand tools. Any activity resulting in the overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm and elbow is likely to prompt the condition. Following a thorough examination, assessment of the patient's history and lifestyle, and imaging scans, treatment is determined based on the severity of the condition. Generally beginning with conservative treatments that work to prevent further degeneration of the tissue and reduce inflammation, other minimally invasive procedures are indicated if symptoms persist. Other nonsurgical treatments may include ultrasound therapy or electrohydraulic shockwave energy treatment, which is performed as an outpatient procedure in less than 20 minutes. Chronic conditions failing to respond to nonsurgical treatment may require a lateral epicondyle release, which is also performed as an outpatient procedure. Serving as the primary stabilizer for the elbow joint, the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) consists of anterior, posterior and transverse bands. When the anterior band - which most prominently impacts valgus stability - is stressed, it can tear or rupture. The type of force required to damage the UCL in this way generally comes from overhead and throwing sports such as competitive volleyball, swimming, and baseball. During the acceleration of an overhead throw of movement, the largest amount of valgus force is placed on the elbow - while the forearm disproportionately lags behind the upper arm causing valgus stress. The elbow becomes dependent on the anterior band of the UCL for stability. The extreme acceleration can cause the valgus force to overcome the tensile strength of the UCL and result in either chronic microscopic tears or an acute rupture. When a tear occurs, patients generally report feeling a "pop." There may also be weakness and poor arm function. Once career-ending injuries for athletes, today better diagnostic techniques and treatment makes it no more than a minor set back. Those at greatest risk for UCL injuries are competitive athletes involved in overhead sports - continuously subjecting their elbow to high acceleration flexion and extension activities. Following a thorough examination and assessment of patient history and manner in which the injury occurred, an imaging scan is performed. Depending on the severity of the injury, treatment may require only a change in activity for a period of time, followed by rehabilitative exercises. More severe tears and injuries nonresponsive to conservative treatment may require exploratory arthroscopy to identify the severity of the damage and surgical repair. An effective procedure used to repair such ligament injuries and popularized by former major league pitcher, Tommy John, is the Tommy John surgery - also known as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. During this procedure the damaged ligament is replaced with tendon from another part of the body, in order to restore strength to the elbow and forearm. Often secondary to rotator cuff instability, biceps tendonitis occurs when the tendons attaching the biceps muscle to the shoulder and lower arm bone become overused or stressed. The corresponding irritation and inflammation results in tendonitis. The biceps tendon is vulnerable to such conditions, because it helps control lower arm movement and is subjected to extreme force in such throwing sports as competitive baseball or football. Symptoms associated with biceps tendonitis include, pain along the front of the shoulder during arm and shoulder movement - particularly forward and upward movements - which intensifies at night and becomes increasingly prevalent during daily activity. Those most often affected by biceps tendonitis are competitive athletes involved in throwing positions in a sport. It equally impacts active men and women, who repeatedly subject their arm to such force. Though less common, a direct trauma or calcification in the tendon may also prompt the condition. Following a thorough examination and assessment of the patient’s history and lifestyle, radiographic testing may be indicated in order to determine the severity of the problem and select the best treatment option. Conservative treatment has proven effective in the treatment of biceps tendonitis and generally involves anti-inflammatory medication and cold compression. A rehabilitative exercise program designed to strengthen and promote flexibility and balanced conditioning of opposing muscles is established. Corticosteroid injections may also be indicated in order to reduce the inflammation and pain. Bicep tendon ruptures generally occur as a result of ongoing shoulder instability problems - though may sometimes occur as a result of a single forceful impact and in conjunction with rotator cuff tears. The injury results in a tear of the biceps tendon, either complete or partial. This most often occurs at the long head of the biceps tendon, which travels through the shoulder joint to its area of attachment. Separating near the shoulder into a long head and a short head - both of which attach to the shoulder in different places - the biceps muscle is attached by the biceps tendon to the scapula, or shoulder blade, and the radius bone. This muscle allows the arm to bend at the elbow and the forearm to rotate. As a result of the shoulder joint's large range of motion, the proximal biceps tendon is more frequently injured than the distal biceps tendon, because of its close proximity to the shoulder. Those suffering from a biceps tendon rupture may experience sharp and sudden pain that may or may not precede a loud snap or pop. A large bulge in the upper arm above the elbow may also appear, along with an indention near the shoulder - possibly accompanied by bruising, pain or tenderness. Since a biceps tendon rupture most often occurs as a result of chronic tendonitis or long-time shoulder instability problems, they most often affect athletes and active individuals continuously exposing their shoulder to extreme force, such as throwing and other overhead activities that over time weaken the shoulder joint and increase the vulnerability of the biceps tendon. Ongoing shoulder impingement and other shoulder instability problems left untreated or causing gradual degeneration within the shoulder joint will increase the likelihood of a biceps tendon rupture. Following a thorough examination of the arm and shoulder in motion and assessment of patient history and lifestyle, a treatment plan is selected. Patients with a history of shoulder pain and instability may require magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to assess the condition of the rotator cuff muscles and shoulder joint. Conservative treatment has proven successful in treating biceps tendon ruptures and may entail cold compression in order to reduce swelling, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and a period of rest followed by a rehabilitative strengthening and flexibility program specific to the injury and lifestyle of the patient. Patients nonresponsive to conservative treatment may require surgical repair. While less common than a biceps tendon rupture, the triceps tendon - located at the back of the upper arm and inserting into the back of the elbow - can become inflamed and rupture when subjected to severe stress such as that experienced while lifting heavy weights or pushing a very heavy object. It can also rupture when arms are used to break a fall. Symptoms of triceps tendon inflammation or a rupture may include elbow pain at rest or during activity, painful swelling at the back of the elbow, and a reduction in elbow function. This type of injury is most likely to occur when an exercise or endeavor is approached overzealously, or without proper conditioning. Opposing muscles should retain the same amount of strength. If the biceps muscles are much larger and worked for strenuously than the triceps muscles, the triceps muscles and surrounding tissue become increasingly vulnerable. A thorough examination of the triceps muscle and arm in motion will help confirm diagnosis and determine the best treatment option. Those patients with a history of elbow pain may require imaging scans, in order to assess the condition of the elbow joint and surrounding tissue. Conservative treatment has proven successful in treating triceps tendon inflammation or ruptures and may entail cold compression to reduce swelling, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and a period of rest. A rehabilitative program specific to the injury will also be indicated a play a large role in recovery. Those cases nonresponsive to conservative treatment may require surgical repair.

2019-04-24T08:09:45Z

http://davidhildrethmd.com/sports_med_injcnd.html

Aux familles éprouvées par le décès d'un membre cher, nous offrons nos sympathies les plus sincères. To the families affected by the death of a dear member, we offer our most sincere condolences. Fille de Henri Riopel et de Marie Anne Lafond. La défunte laisse dans le deuil ses enfants ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. La famille recevra les condoléances le mercredi 24 avril 2019 à compter de 10h à L’Église de Mascouche, Paroisse St-Henri au 3000, Chemin Ste-Marie, Mascouche, Qc J7K 1P1 suivront les Funérailles à 11h. Direction Funéraire, Résidence Funéraire André Légaré Inc. Fille de Alexis Joseph Riopel et de Ozinne Wolfe. Ronald Leo Reopel, 81, of Sunset Beach, passed away on Wednesday, March 21, 2019. Fille de Emile Dupel et de Annette Rodier. Fils de Maurice Riopel et de Gertrude Desrochers. Macamic: Est décédé au CISSS AT de Macamic le 26 janvier 2019, Monsieur Clément Riopel, âgé de 75 ans et 9 mois, fils de feu Maurice Riopel et de feu Gertrude Desrochers. M. Riopel laisse dans le deuil ses frères: Lucien (Monique Sévigny) et Yvan; sa soeur Lucie; ses nièces: Ariane (Rémi Filiatrault) et Marie-Ève (Benoit Carrier); son neveu Olivier (Claire Lockie) ainsi que de nombreux parents et amis (es). Un remerciement au Dr Lebel pour son soutient médical ainsi qu'à tous le personnels infirmiers et de soutient du 4e étage (CHSLD) qui ont su lui procurer une attention et une empathie pour les soins prodigués. Une célébration aura lieu ultérieurement à la Reine, son lieu de naissance en compagnie de sa famille, parents et amis (es). Un don à la Fondation Dr. Jacques Paradis (Division Soins Palliatif de Macamic) serait apprécié. Fils de Albini Rochon et de Jeanne Vachon, et époux de Isabelle Riopel. Le 13 janvier 2019, à l'âge de 86 ans, est décédé M. Gilles Rochon époux, depuis 60 ans, de Mme Isabelle Riopel. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Lucie (François), Sylvain (Andrée), Benoît et Nathalie (Sylvain), ses neuf petits-enfants Laurence (Simon), Mireille (Martin), Émile, Maxime, Camille (Steven), Sébastien (Karine), Francis (Jade), Marjolaine et Charlotte ainsi que de nombreux parents et amis. La famille vous accueillera le vendredi 18 janvier 2019 de 19h à 22h ainsi que le samedi 19 janvier 2019 à compter de 10h30 à La Maison Darche, Réseau Dignité, située au 7679, boulevard Taschereau à Brossard (J4Y 1A2), suivi d'une liturgie de la Parole à 13h en la chapelle de la résidence, et de là au cimetière de La Prairie. Au lieu de fleurs, un don à la Société Alzheimer Rive-Sud serait apprécié. PORTSMOUTH - Joyce Reopel Zabarsky passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Joyce was born on January 21, 1933 in Worcester, Mass., to Ernest and Ada Reopel. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Melvin; daughter Hannah and husband Paul Burke; grandchildren Christopher Ian and Julia; and daughter Lydia Zabarsky. Joyce was a Renaissance woman. She studied at the Ruskin School of Fine Arts, Oxford, England; The Yale Norfolk Art School; and was a graduate of the Worcester Art Museum. Joyce won numerous awards and grants for travel and study, including a fellowship to Yale Norfolk. She was a professional artist and an Associate Professor of Art at Swain School, Wheaton College and UNH. Joyce was a conservative rebel who became very involved in both local and State politics having been a founder of the Historic District Commission in Portsmouth as well as serving as a State Legislator. Together with her husband Melvin, they purchased an early 1700's home in the South end which they spent many years restoring together. Joyce held a great interest in history, having spent eight years researching their home, and was a long time member of the Portsmouth Athenaeum. Joyce was the original "foodie" loving to reinterpret recipes from her extensive travels with her husband. She spent a number of years in Northern Spain enjoying the rich culture and working on her art. Joyce was a natural storyteller who later wrote a book of her time spent there. SERVICES: There will be a Memorial Gathering in February to celebrate Joyce's life. Fille de Emile Michel Riopel et de Amanda Sirard. Entourée de sa famille, au CHRDL de Joliette, le10 janvier 2019 est décédée à l'âge de 95 ans Mme Madeleine Riopel épouse de feu Paul de Carufel demeurant à Chertsey. et ses 9 arrière-petits-enfants, son frère Fernand, ses soeurs Hélène et Monique. Belles-soeurs et son beau-frère, autres parents et amis. La famille recevra les condoléances Samedi le 19 janvier de 10h00 à 14h00 à la Coopérative funéraire de Montcalm au 7475 rue Curé Paré à Chertsey. Les funérailles suivront À 14h00 en L'Église de Chertsey. SVP. Un don à la fondation Santé du Nord de Joliette (CHRDL) serait grandement apprécié. Fille de Bruno Alva Kitchener Riopel et de Émilienne Durocher. Le 04 janvier 2019, à l'âge de 81 ans, est décédée madame Hélène Riopel demeurant à Lavaltrie, autrefois de Montréal. L'ayant précédé son fils Alain. ses neveux, nièces, autres parents et amis. Selon ses dernières volontés, il n'y aura ni exposition, ni cérémonie. Maurice, “Mauri” was born on November 19, 1933, in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, to Joseph and Irene Reopelle. He attended St. Bernard’s Catholic School and Lincoln High School, graduating in 1952. After graduation, he joined the Air Force where he served for 26 years. He served in Korea and Vietnam. While stationed at Ramstein AFB, Germany, he traveled to many countries with his Squadron. Mauri was a Vikings fan, enjoyed fishing, walking, traveling and being with his family. In 1956, Mauri married Carol Nelson at McChord AFB, Washington. Mauri is survived by his wife, Carol; three children, Kim (John) Stevens, Peterson, UT; Kristi (Mike) Turner, Monroe, UT; and Tim (Bridget) Reopelle, North Ogden; seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; and sister, Margo (Dennis) Heaney, Minneapolis, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, one sister, and one grandson. Our family wishes to thank South Ogden Post Acute and Legacy Healthcare Hospice for their loving care for our Mauri. Also thank you to Pastor Rick and Father Cummins for their visits, and Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary for all their assistance at this time. Mauri is now at peace in his Heavenly Home. The suffering is over. Daughter of Elfay Riopelle and Edwidge St-Germain. Fay D. Kuznia, 63 of Spicer, formerly of Olivia and Argyle, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2018 at her home, after bravely battling cancer over the last 16 months. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 15, 2018 at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Spicer. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at the church where there will be a 6:30 p.m. sharing time. Visitation will continue on Saturday for one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to “The Link” (www.youarethelink.org) which is an organization Fay belonged to that helped people in need in the local Kandiyohi County area. Arrangements are with the Johnson Funeral Home in New London. Fay Donna Kuznia was born on September 24, 1955 in Argyle, the daughter of Elfay and Edwige (St. Germain) Riopelle. She graduated from Argyle High School in 1973. She continued her education at Moorhead State University where she received her degree in Spanish and English in 1977. On July 30, 1977, she was united in holy matrimony to Curt Kuznia of Warren, at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Argyle. They moved to Olivia in August of 1977, where Fay began teaching her first class of Spanish students at what later became BOLD High School. During her 35 years of teaching, Fay was known to be a thoughtful and caring individual who was quick to take an active lead in a variety of clubs and organizations as well as being the first head volleyball coach for the Olivia Wildcats. Fay was known for taking her Spanish students on annual class trips to places including Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica where they would learn new cultures and stay with host families. Throughout her teaching career, Fay touched the lives of over 4,000 high school students, many of them who she continued to stay in contact with. She was also active at church where she taught religion at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Olivia and later enjoyed making her famous canning baskets for the fall bazar at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic church in Spicer. She was an avid gardener and loved flowers and growing vegetables for the people around Green Lake. Her most prized possession were her geranium plants and tall spikes that she grew and kept indoors over many winters and grew over 15 feet tall to resemble small palm trees. More recently, Fay was the president of her ladies golf league at Little Crow Country Club, where she was always known for giving it 100% on Tuesday mornings. Fay was a very active sports fan, watching and listening to local Minnesota teams, especially the BOLD Warriors and Minnesota Gophers. Fay and Curt traveled throughout the nation while watching both their daughters, Lindsay and Nicole as they ran for Northwestern University and Concordia College. They never missed a single game, home or away during the 4 years their son, Ben, played football for the University of Minnesota Gophers. After retirement, Fay enjoyed traveling, spending her winters in Mesa, AZ, time with her grandchildren, playing pickleball and golf were just a few of her favorite activities. She will be known for her kind, compassionate and easy going attitude that was loved by many. She was always very unselfish and more concerned about others than she ever was herself. Her favorite quote was “The measure in life is not what you accumulate, but what you give away.” Her spunky, no quit lifestyle along with her generosity will be missed by many. Fay is survived by her husband, Curt of 41 years, who has been her everything and by her side during her courageous 16 month battle with cancer; three children; Nicole (Zak) Kustok of Evanston, Ill, Lindsay (Dan) Buchholz of Sartell and Ben (Kristen) Kuznia of Chaska. She was also blessed with 8 grandchildren; Catherine (6), Hayes (4), Wells (3), Elizabeth (1), Louisa (3mo), and Max (8), Leo (6) and Fin (2). Also surviving are her brother, Earl (Kathy) Riopelle and sisters, Ruth Cuthbert and Renee (Gary) Bethke and mother-in-law, Gertrude Kuznia. Fay is preceded in death by her parents; baby brother Riopelle; brother-in-law, Fred Cuthbert and Father-in-law, Louie Kuznia. Fils de Armand Riopel et de Délia St-Denis. Une liturgie de la Parole aura lieu le même jour à 13h en la chapelle de la résidence funéraire. Vos témoignages de sympathie peuvent se traduire par un don à la fondation de votre choix. Fils de Euclide Riopel et de Juliette Cassidy. À son domicile de Saint-Jérôme, entouré de l'amour de sa famille, âgé de 81 ans, est décédé paisiblement M. Jean-Louis Riopel, époux de Mme Yvonne Bergeron. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Sylvie (Philippe), Nadia (Sylvain) et François (Andréa), ses petits-enfants Sébastien, Caroline, Noah et Lilie, ses frères et sa soeur: Hélène, Maurice et Gaston, ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs, neveux et nièces, ainsi que parents et amis. Le dimanche 9 décembre dès 14h00. Une liturgie de la Parole sera célébrée au salon, la même journée, à 17h00. Au lieu de fleurs, un don à la Société canadienne du cancer serait apprécié. Fils de Jos. Ambroise Henri Riopel et de Hélène Parent. Le 3 novembre 2018, à l’âge de 94 ans, est décédé M Marcel Riopel de Crabtree. Il était l’époux de feu Mme Rita Laporte et le père de feu Mario Riopel. Lieu et heure des visites Centre Funéraire Régional Joliette, 1077 rue Lépine à Joliette. Vendredi 16 novembre 12h à 16h. Fils de Sinaï Riopel et de Amélia Alarie. natif de Ste-Béatrix, demeurant à Ste-Émélie-de-L’Énergie. plusieurs beaux-frères, belles-sœurs, neveux, nièces ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. Au lieu de fleur des dons à la fondation David Suzuki seraient appréciés. ou via des formulaires disponibles au salon. une liturgie aura lieu au salon à 11h30. Daughter of Hugh Alexander Louis Riopelle and Edith Gertrude Purcell. Fille de Samuel Dupelle et de Alice Lalonde, et épouse de feu Donat Cadieux. Madame Cécile Cadieux (née Dupelle) de Hawkesbury est décédée paisiblement le mercredi 10 octobre 2018 à l'âge de 90 ans. Elle était le tendre épouse de feu Donat Cadieux; la fille de feu Samuel Dupelle et de feu Alice Lalonde; la mère bien aimée de feu Lionel (Monique), Aurore, feu Marcel (feu Juliette), feu Roma (Diane), Gilles (Murielle), Rollande (feu Claude), Denise (Joël) et Romain (Johanne) ; la grand-mère adorée de Denis, Chantal, Anne-Marie, Stéphane, Michel, Daniel, Noëlla, Joël et Sonia; l’arrière-grand-mère de 12 petits-enfants; la chère sœur d’Alice Duval (Léo), Irène Dupelle et Georgette Duval (feu Gilles). Elle fut prédécédée par 2 sœurs : Thérèse et Florence, ainsi que 5 frères : Rolland, Paul, Raymond, Henry et Louis. Lui survivent également plusieurs beaux-frères, belles-sœurs, cousins, cousines, neveux, nièces et amis. La famille désire remercier sincèrement tous le personnel de Bayshore pour les bons soins à domiciles, ainsi que L'Hôpital Bruyère d'Ottawa. La famille invite parents et amis au Salon Funéraire Familial Berthiaume 416, rue McGill, Hawkesbury (Ontario) (877) 632-8511, le mercredi 17 octobre 2018 de 14 h à 16 h et de 18h à 21h, ainsi que le 18 octobre 2018 à compter de 9h. Un service suivra en la Paroisse Saint-Pierre-Apôtre de Hawkesbury le jeudi 18 octobre à 11 h. Pour ceux qui le désirent des dons à la Société Canadienne du Cancer de la région d'Ottawa, 704-265 Avenue Carling, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 9Z9 et/ou Soins Continus Bruyère, 43, rue Bruyère, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5C8 seraient appréciés. Fils de Jos. Thomas Lucien Riopel et de Dolorès Hotte. décédé le 24 septembre 2018 à l’âge de 80 ans. Il était le fils de feu Lucien Riopel et de feu Dolorès Hotte. Il laisse dans le deuil son fils Robin les enfants de celui-ci: Jessica (Mathieu) et Yannick ainsi que son arrière-petite-fille Elianne, il laisse également sa fille Manon (Stephen) et les enfants de ce dernier: Mathieu (Jennifer), Jacob, Gabrielle et la petite Emma. Il laisse ses soeurs: Raymonde (Oscar), Réjeanne (feu Robert), Nicole (Denis), Valette (feu Jean-Marc) et Thérèse (Gilles) ainsi que plusieurs neveux, nièces, cousin(e)s, parents ami(e)s et la mère de ses enfants Ghislaine Crispin. Il fut prédécédé par son frère Raymond (feu Marie-Marthe) et son jumeau Rhéo (Diane). Le service religieux aura lieu le samedi 13 octobre 2018 à 11h en l'Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation située au 23, rue Principale à Montpellier. La famille recevra les condoléances à l’église à compter de 10h30. La famille désire remercier la Résidence Desjardins pour les bons soins prodigués. Son of Leo Arthur Riopel and Lena M. Sloan. Leo J. Riopel, 83, of Worcester died Thursday, September 20th in UMASS Memorial Medical Center – University Campus. He leaves his children, Christina Riopel of Tampa, FL, Cheryl Riopel of Millbury, Michael Riopel of Charlton, Leo Riopel of Palmer, Brian Riopel of Oxford, Susan Lajeunesse of West Boylston, Walter Riopel and Robert Riopel both of Millbury; a brother, Robert P. Riopel of Worcester with whom he lived; two sisters, Doris Turpin of East Brookfield and Shirley Nelson of Charlton; 18 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by a sister, Margaret Sainsbury and a grandchild. He was born in Leicester the son of Leo A. and Lena (Sloan) Riopel. Leo was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Church. He was a well-rounded athlete as a young man. Mr. Riopel was an accomplished bowler, an avid sports fan and a great coach to many. His funeral is Friday, September 28th from O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Our Lady of the Angels Church, 1222 Main Street. Burial will follow in St. John’s Cemetery. Calling hours are Thursday, September 27th from 4:30 until 6:30 PM in the funeral home. Fils de Jos. Raymond Gérard Riopel et de Germaine Chaloux, époux de feue Monique Tassé. À Saint-Jérôme, le 20 septembre 2018, à l’âge de 79 ans, est décédé M. Claude Riopel, époux de feu Mme Monique Tassé. Il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Stéphane et Martine, sa sœur Olivette, ses frères Gilles, André et Yvan, ses beaux-frères, belles-sœurs, neveux et nièces ainsi que d’autres parents et amis. Selon ses volontés, il n’y aura pas d’exposition. Ses cendres seront déposées au columbarium de Saint-Jérôme dans l’intimité. La famille tient à remercier le personnel du CLSC de Saint-Jérôme pour leurs bons soins. Vos marques de sympathie peuvent se traduire par des dons à l’Association Pulmonaire. Fils de Octavien Riopel et de Florina Lévesque, époux de Raymonde Chaput. À la Maison de Soins Palliatifs de Laval, le 16 septembre 2018, à l'âge de 78 ans, est décédé M. Gaétan Riopel, époux de Mme Raymonde Chaput. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses fils Alain (Chantal) et Sylvain (Pauline), son petit-fils adoré Simon, sa soeur Fleurette, son frère Gaston (Lise), sa belle-soeur Ginette (Serge), ses neveux et nièces, ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. La famille recevra les condoléances au complexe funéraire Alfred Dallaire | Memoria, 2159, boul Saint-Martin Est, Laval (514 277 7778 | mémorial), le dimanche 23 septembre 2018 dès 11h. Une cérémonie religieuse sera célébrée ce dimanche à 17h30 au salon même. Au lieu de fleurs, des dons à la Maison de Soins Palliatifs de Laval ou à la Société canadienne du cancer seraient appréciés. Fille/Daughter de Laurent Salomon Riopel et de Laurette Bouthillier. Épouse/Wife de William James Ford. Daughter of Rheal Riopel and Jeanne Dolores Goddu, great-granddaughter of Elie Riopel and Marie Amanda Dinel. BROOKSVILLE, FL: Susan M. Riopel “Sue”, age 51, of Brooksville Florida passed away August 19, 2018 surrounded by the care and support of her family. Sue was born in Saint Albans Vermont to the late Real and Jeanne Riopel. Sue courageously fought an eight year battle with Breast and Bone Cancer. Through all of these years she continued to be a strong, witty, loving daughter, sister, mother and friend. She enjoyed playing bingo, traveling, making others smile and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Sue was fortunate enough to find a soulmate, Eric L. Morales, whom she shared a life and children with before his passing in 1988, she will now be reunited with the love of her life. Sue was an amazing single mother of five children, four of which she leaves behind, Kevin T. Riopel-Morales, Nadine M. Morales, Charlene M. Franco and Amanda A. Franco. Sue will finally be joining her middle child Marcie E. Morales, who passed on January 18th, 2018. They will finally be dancing in heaven together. The joy Sue felt when she was around her grandchildren could never be explained in words. “Mema” will forever be with you Kaevonna, Vannessa, Jayden, Eric, Danica, Tanner and Mariah. Sue also leaves behind her sister Patricia Riopel and her brothers Ronald, Gary, George and James “Rio” Riopel as well as several in-laws, nieces and nephews. Sue’s memory will carry on in our stories, laughs, tears and more importantly our hearts. Her pain and suffering is now over, she can finally rest. Services for Susan M. Riopel will be held at Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home located at 2049 Northampton Street, Holyoke MA 01040 on September 1st, 2018 between the hours of 11am and 2pm. Son of Edward I Riopelle and Gloria Moses, husband of Georgina Carabis; great grandson of Isaïe Riopel and Julienne Lasalle. Edward John Riopelle, of Katy, Texas, formerly of the Metro Detroit Area, passed away on August 17, 2018, at 83 years of age. Beloved husband of 61 years to Georgina; adored father of Timothy (Debbie) Riopelle and Ralph (Debbie) Riopelle; proud grandpa of Timothy L. Riopelle, Christine M. Riopelle, Kelsey J. Riopelle, and Jennifer W. Riopelle, and great-grandpa of Devin Riopelle and Nicholas Riopelle; dear brother of Lillian (George) Perrot. Edward was born in Detroit on June 8, 1935, to the late Edward I. and Gloria Riopelle. He proudly served his country in Korea with the US Navy and retired from the Detroit Fire Department after 25 years of loyal service. The family will greet friends on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 from 4:00pm-8:00pm with a 7:00pm Rosary service at Kaul Funeral Home, 35201 Garfield Rd., Clinton Twp. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00am on Thursday, August 23, at the above location. In State from 9:30am until time of service. Interment with military honors following at Cadillac Memorial Gardens East Cemetery, Clinton Twp. Fille de Emilien ( Jos. Émile Léonidas) Riopel et de Albertine Lefebvre. À St-Sauveur, le 11 août 2018, à l’âge de 94 ans, est décédée Rolande Vandewalle (née Riopel), épouse de feu Léon Vandewalle. Elle laisse dans le deuil ses enfants André (Jocelyne), Francine (Michel), Pierre (Caroline) et Diane (Guy), ses petits-enfants Ian, Sophie, Valérie, Catherine, Chloé et Virginie, ses arrières petits-enfants Daphné, Liliane et Nicolas, sa sœur Laurette, ses beaux-frères et belle-sœur, neveux et nièces ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. La famille accueillera parents et amis au 2159 boul St-Martin Est le mardi 21 août 2018 de 13h à 16h15 et une cérémonie commémorative aura lieu à 16h15, suivie d'une réception. Fils de Zotique Phillias Riopel et de Laurencia Guénette. de Papineauville, originaire de Montpellier, est décédé le mercredi 15 août 2018 à l'âge de 81 ans. Fils de feu Phillias Riopel et de feu Laurencia Guénette. Il était le père bien-aimé de Daniel (Ginette), François et Pierre; le grand-père adoré de 9 petits-enfants; l'arrière-grand-père de deux arrière-petits-enfants; et le cher frère de Jeanne, Pierrette, Michel, Robert et Guy. Il fut prédécédé par son frère et ses soeurs: Denise, Diane et Jean-Noël. Lui survivent également une belle-fille Sonia, un beau-fils Mario ainsi que plusieurs beaux-frères, belles-soeurs, cousins, cousines, neveux, nièces et ami(e)s. La direction des funérailles a été confiée au Complexe Funéraire Familial de la Petite-Nation Shields Berthiaume, 101, rue Principale, St-André-Avellin, Québec (819) 983-6616. Les obsèques auront lieu en l’église de Saint-André-Avellin le samedi 25 août 2018 à 11 h. La famille sera présente à l'église à compter de 10 h pour recevoir vos condoléances. Inhumation au cimetière Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation de Montpellier. Un merci spécial à toute l'équipe de répondants ainsi qu'à l'équipe médicale pour toute l'aide apporté lors du décès de M. Riopel. À Montréal est décédée le 26 juillet 2018, à l'âge de 91 ans, Madame Jeanne D'Arc Riopel. Les funérailles auront lieu le 18 août 2018 17:00 à l'adresse suivante: 6700 Beaubien Est, Montréal. À Terrebonne, le 20 juillet 2018, à l'âge de 82 ans, est décédée Mme Claudette Riopel, épouse de M. Maurice Lévesque. Elle laisse dans le deuil sa fille Maryse (Donald Millar), son fils Jean André (Lisette Lefebvre), sept petits-enfants, une future arrière-petite-fille ainsi que ses frères, Bertrand (Paulette Guérard), Laurier (Louise Venne), Louis-Marie (Monique Demers) ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. Les funérailles seront célébrées à l'église Saint-Henri-de-Mascouche, samedi le 28 juillet 2018 à 10h30, et suivra l'inhumation au cimetière de Mascouche. Signe "Signe" Suzanne Gissberg Riopelle, 84, born on July 12, 1934, in Long Beach, California, passed away July 6, 2018. She resided in Long Beach, California at the time of her passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Cypress, California. Charlton - Claire Merchant, 84, died July 18, at Masonic Home healthcare Center. Her husband of 56 years died November 7, 2015. She leaves four sons, Albert E. Merchant Jr., of Bolton, Stephen Merchant of Oxford, Michael Merchant of Sturbridge, Christopher Merchant of Charlton, 9 grandchildren Michael Merchant Jr. Eleanor Merchant, Elizabeth Merchant, Madelyn Merchant, Esther Merchant, Samuel Merchant, Jarad Merchant, Coby Merchant, Calle Merchant, and nephews and nieces. She was predeceased by her sisters Dorothy Mercuri, Jean Ethier, Margaret McShera, Louise Burenette, 2 brothers William Riopel and Richard Riopel . Claire graduated from Commerce High School in 1952. She was an administrative assistance at Overlook Masonic Home for over 30 years. She was a member of St. Joseph Parish and its Women's Club. She belonged to the Helping Hands Society. She was a past Member of the Order of the Easter Star. Her funeral will be held at 11:00AM Saturday July 21, in St. Joseph Church, 10 H. Putnam Rd Ext, Charlton. Burial will follow in Northside Cemetery. Fils de Jos Marcel François Riopel et de Lucille Lord. À Montréal, le 28 juin 2018, est décédé Monsieur Marc Riopel époux de Feu Jemma Dion et fils de Feu Marcel et Feu Lucille Lord. Il laisse dans le deuil son frère Yves (Josée Moreau), sa fille Julie (Stephane Rainville), ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. La famille recevra des condoléances le lundi 9 juillet à compter de 11h en la Résidence Funéraire J.J.Cardinal (2125 Notre-Dame, Lachine, H9S 2G5 (514) 639-1511), suivi de l'inhumation au cimetière de Lachine (2360, Provost, Lachine, H8S 2M8) à 13h00. Épouse de Jos. Eugène Ernest Riopel et fille de Noël Guillemette et de Rose Anna Fournier. St-Joseph de Trois-Rivières (secteur Pointe-du-Lac). ainsi que plusieurs neveux, nièces, cousins, cousines. pour les bons soins de fin de vie. Fils de Alcide Maurice Gérard Riopel et de Jacqueline Gauthier. À Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, le 15 juin 2018, à l’âge de 71 ans, est décédé monsieur Marcel Riopel, époux de madame Odette Dupuis. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Yannick (Karine) et Karine, ses petits-enfants Fanie, Léa-Rose, Sophianne et Emalie, sa sœur Diane, son frère Jacques ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. Une célébration de la Parole aura lieu le samedi 30 juin 2018 à 14 h 30, en la chapelle du Complexe funéraire LeSieur et frère : 95, boul. Saint-Luc à Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, J2W 1E2, 450-359-0990. La famille recevra les témoignages de sympathie à compter de 13 h. Fils de Henri Armand Adrien Riopel et de Laura St-Ours. Au C.H. Pierre Le Gardeur, le 11 juin 2018, à l'âge de 75 ans, est décédé monsieur Réal Riopel. Il laisse dans le deuil sa conjointe madame Gertrude Andrews, ses filles Edith (Michel Gagné) et Marie-Eve (Jonathan Richardet), ses petits-enfants Constance, Jérémi, William, Logan et Antoine, les enfants de madame Andrews Patrick (Marie-Gil), Marianne (Eric) et Alexandre (Annie), ses arrière-petits-enfants Mathéo et Milane, ses frères et soeurs Roger (Thérèse), Lise, Diane (Daniel) et Denis (Denise), ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs Daniel (Sylvie), Henri (Danielle) et Brigitte (Yves) ainsi que ses neveux, nièces, parents et amis. Mr. Daniel “Danny” Riopel of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Mrs. Louise Riopel and loving father to Carter and Taya, passed away on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at the age of 39 years. Danny was born on to Cherie and Dave Riopel (deceased) in Edmonton and lived his early life at the family acreage near Vimy, Alberta. Danny excelled in athletics and was best known for pitching “no-hitter” baseball games and achieving a black belt in karate. Danny graduated high school from Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, SK and furthered his formal education at SAIT in Calgary, ultimately obtaining his Red Seal as a professional welder. He was first introduced to his “Mama”, Louise Fairhurst, in the summer of 1997 but they didn’t begin dating until years later. Danny moved to Lethbridge from Calgary where Louise was attending post-secondary school and they were married in September 2005. Danny worked as a Senior Project Coordinator at Charlton & Hill Ltd. but also pursued his own entrepreneurial interests in his spare time. Together with their children, they enjoyed many “ultimate” family adventures including hiking, camping, and overseas travel. In addition to his “unit”, he is survived, loved, and will always be remembered by his mother Cherie Musselwhite (John), brother Bob (Mardell), and many friends and family members. Danny will be forever remembered for his dedication to his family and friends, “go get ‘em” spirit, and keen sense of adventure. He will be dearly missed. A Celebration of Danny’s Life will be held at 2:00pm on Thursday, May 31, 2018 at MARTIN BROTHERS RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610-4th Street South, Lethbridge, AB., with Reverend James Grunden, officiating. Cremation entrusted to Martin Brothers Funeral Chapels. For those who wish, donations to Danny’s children will be accepted during the service. À L'Assomption, le 21 mai 2018, à l'âge de 61 ans, est décédée Mme Monique Riopel. Partie rejoindre ses frères: feu Jean-Guy (feu Yollande), feu André (Louise), feu Roger et feu Gérard, elle laisse dans le deuil ses frères et soeurs: Lise (feu Ludger), Huguette, Pierre (Rollande), Francine (Germain) et Daniel (Sylvie), ses neveux et nièces ainsi qu'autres parents et amis. Au lieu de fleurs, envoyez des dons à la Société canadienne du cancer. Fille de Jean Louis Remy Riopelle et de Jeanne d'Arc Roger, conjointe de René Madon. À Repentigny, le 29 mars 2018 dernier, est décédée à l’âge de 65 ans, madame Diane Riopelle, conjointe de monsieur René Madon. Outre son conjoint, elle laisse dans le deuil sa soeur Suzanne (Daniel), ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs, ses nièces Nancy, Guylaine et Mélissa et son neveu Benoît, ainsi que de nombreux parents et amis. Les funérailles seront célébrées le 8 avril à 16 h en la chapelle de la résidence funéraire. Vos témoignages de sympathie peuvent se traduire par un don à la, Maison Victor-Gadbois. Tant de peine de te voir partir, par contre tant de bonheur de t'avoir connu. Tu auras su charmer tant de gens qui t'ont cotoyé. Par ton empathie, ton dévouement, ta droiture et surtout nous nous rapellerons à jamaisau moins une histoire racontée, où tu auras su nous impressionner avec ta mémoire intarissable. À Coaticook, le 3 avril 2018, à l'âge de 101 ans moins 7 jours, est décédé M. Gérard Riopel, époux de feu Simonne Dubois, demeurant à Dixville. La famille accueillera les parents et amis à la résidence funéraire Charron et fils le samedi 14 avril de 9 heures jusqu'au départ du salon à 11h15. Les funérailles seront célébrées le samedi 14 avril à 11h30 à l'église St-Edmond suivra l'inhumation au cimetière de Stanhope. Il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants: Fernand (Mariette Bélanger), Noëlla (André Trudeau), Conrad, Irène (Denis Benoît) et Françoise. Ses 7 petits-enfants: feu Sylvain Riopel; François Riopel (Nathalie), Daniel Trudeau (Priscille); Mario Trudeau (Lucie); Éric Michaud (Nathalie), Pascale Michaud; Sonya Michaud. Ses 10 arrière-petits-enfants: Mélyssa (Nicolas), Maude-Sophie, Jean-François, Lise, Charles-André, Alexia, Jean-Christophe, Pablo, Xavier et Gabriel. Il laisse également plusieurs neveux et nièces, autres parents et amis. La famille désire remercier le personnel du CHSLD pour les bons soins. En guise de sympathie, des dons à la fondation du Centre de Santé de Coaticook seraient appréciés. Le 19 janvier 2018, à l’âge de 83 ans, est décédé monsieur Roger Riopel, époux de feu Thérèse Boisjoli. Il laisse dans le deuil ses filles Suzanne et Denise (Jean Després), ses petits-enfants, ses arrière-petits-enfants, ses frères et sœurs, ses beaux-frères et belles-sœurs, ses neveux et nièces ainsi qu’autres parents et amis. La famille recevra vos condoléances au complexe funéraire Demers, 651 boul. Laurier, McMasterville, J3G 0K5, le vendredi 2 février 2018 de 13h à 16h. En mémoire de son épouse, vos témoignages de sympathie peuvent ses traduire par un don à la Source Bleu. Fille de Antonio (Joseph Antoine) Riopel et de Marie Louise Pilon. Fille de Joseph Alexander Riopel et de Marie Alice Lefebvre, et épouse de Frank George Nutt. Elisabeth Bruyere Health Center for their compassionate care. Fils de Jean Baptiste Eugène Riopel et de Florence Périard, et conjoint de Lise Villeneuve. M. Jean-Guy Riopel de Saint-Jérôme est décédé le samedi 3 mars 2018 à l'âge de 79 ans. Conjoint de Lise Villeneuve et fils de feu Eugène Riopel et de feu Florence Périard. Il était le père de Normand (Francine), Lucie (Sylvain) et Nathalie (Martin); le grand-père de Josiane, Olivier, Maxime et Vincent, l'arrière-grand-père de Abie et Lexie. Les obsèques auront lieu en l’Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation de Montpellier le samedi 5 mai 2018 à 11 heures. La famille sera présente à l'église à compter de 10 h 30 pour recevoir vos condoléances. L’inhumation aura lieu au cimetière paroissial le samedi 5 mai 2018. Pour ceux et celles qui le désirent, des dons peuvent être faits à la Société Alzheimer de l'Outaouais québécois, 440, Maloney Ouest, Gatineau, Qc, J8P 6W2. Fille de Alexandre Théodore Riopel et de Marie Albina Labonté, et épouse de feu Henri Lapointe. Le samedi, 17 mars 2018, à l'âge de 96 ans, est décédée paisiblement, Jeanne Lapointe, (Riopel), épouse de feu Henri Lapointe à la résidence Cité Rive, à Montréal. Elle laisse dans le deuil sa fille, Carole (Bill), son petit-fils Mark (Geneviève), son gendre Jean époux de feu Michèle, sa petite- fille Marie (Dominique), ses arrières petits-enfants, Samuel, Zachary et Charles-Olivier ainsi que son frère Gilles et sa soeur Madeleine et plusieurs autres neveux et nièces et amis de la famille. Si vous désirez faire un don à la Société canadienne du Cancer au lieu d'envoyer des fleurs, votre geste sera très apprécié. Les funérailles auront lieu le 23 mars 2018 15:00 à l'adresse suivante: 6700 rue Beaubien Est, Montréal QC H1M 3E3 - Une liturgie aura lieu à la chapelle. Fils de Lucien Riopel et de Dolorès Hotte, et époux de Diane Paquette. Fils de Emile Michel Riopel et de Amanda Sirard, et époux de feu Jeannette Marie Auréa Riopel. Au CHRDL de Joliette, le 5 mars 2018 est décédé à l'âge de 92 ans M. Roland Riopel époux de feu Jeanette Riopel demeurant à Joliette, natif de Chertsey. Ses petits-enfants: Amélie, Alexandre, Maguie, Raphael, Joanie, Tommy et leur conjoint(e). Ses arrière-petits-enfants: Shalyna, Emy, Joakin, Olivier, Lou, Émérique et Romy. Ses soeurs: Madeleine, Hélène, Monique et son frère Fernand. Ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs Laurette (Gaston Perreault) et Rolande et ses neveux, nièces, autres parents et amis. Il sera exposé Dimanche le 11 mars de 14h00 à 17h00 et de 19h00 à 21h00 et lundi le 12 mars à compter de midi à la Résidence de la Coopérative funéraire de Montcalm au 7475 rue Curé Paré à Chertsey. Les funérailles auront lieu lundi le 12 mars à 14h00 en l'Église de Chertsey. Fils de Jos. Henri Lucien Riopel et de Jeannette Allard. À Terrebonne, le 28 février 2018, à l'âge de 76 ans, est décédé M. Fernand Riopel, demeurant à Mascouche. Il laisse dans le deuil son épouse Mme Micheline Robert, ses enfants Serge (Chantal) et Luc (Marie-Josée), ses petits-enfants Vanessa (Maxime), Annabelle (Gabriel), Maegan, Samantha et Loucas, sa belle-soeur Marielle, neveux, nièces ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. Les funérailles auront lieu le samedi 17 mars 2018 à 11 h en l'église St-Henri de Mascouche, 3000 Chemin Ste-Marie, Mascouche, Qc, J7K 1P1. La famille sera présente à l'église dès 10 h pour recevoir les condoléances. Votre marque de sympathie peut se traduire par un don à la Fondation des maladies du coeur, cartes disponibles à l'église. À Saint-Eustache, le 18 février 2018, à l’âge de 58 ans, est décédé Monsieur Denis Riopel, conjoint de Lise Courville. Outre sa conjointe, il laisse dans le deuil son fils Dany, sa belle-fille Marilene (Yannick), ses frères Robert (Jeanne) et Alain (Sylvie), ses neveux et nièces, ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. La famille tient à remercier le personnel de la Maison Sercan pour leur soutien et les bons soins prodigués. Au lieu de fleurs, un don à l'Association pulmonaire du Québec serait apprécié à sa mémoire. Au CHSLD Foyer de Saint-Donat, le 9 février 2018, à l'âge de 83 ans, est décédé M. Aimé Riopel, époux de Mme Lyette Gohier, demeurant à Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Sylvain (Caroline), Esther, ses petits-enfants Rachel, James, Chloé, Kilian, ses arrière-petits-enfants Scalet, Averie, Ezra, Jacob, son frère Jérôme, neveux, nièces ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. Les funérailles auront lieu le samedi 17 février 2018 à 14h en l'église de St-Donat-de-Montcalm, 475 rue Principale, St-Donat-de-Montcalm, Qc, J0T 2C0. La famille sera présente à l'église dès 13h pour recevoir les condoléances. À Ste-Thérèse, le 31 décembre 2017, à l'âge de 64 ans, est décédée Mme Yvonne Riopel, épouse de feu M. Yvon Gauthier et conjointe de feu M. Jean-Pierre Morrison. Elle laisse dans le deuil ses filles Guylaine (Martin) et Geneviève (Clarence), sa belle-fille Cynthia- Belle Morrison (Michel), ses petits-enfants Elizabeth et Rebecca ainsi que plusieurs autres parents et amis. La famille recevra les condoléances le jeudi 11 janvier de 14h à 17h au: COMPLEXE FUNÉRAIRE GUAY, 418 BOUL. LABELLE , ROSEMÈRE. Un hommage lui sera rendu par la famille à 17h. Au lieu de fleurs, des dons à la Société cannadienne du cancer seraient appréciés. fils de Raymond Walter et de Stephanie A. Podzunas, et époux de Diane J. Lamotte. Spencer - Donald J. "Don" Riopel, 66, died Friday evening, December 22, 2017 at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, after a long illness. He leaves his wife of 35 years, Diane J. (Lamotte) Riopel; his four step-children, Kelley Lederer and her husband Paul Skarmeas of North Grafton, Brian Lederer and his wife Kimberly of Jefferson; Amy Hare and her husband Michael of Spencer, Mark Lederer and his partner Kara Skandier of Boston; six step-grandchildren, Nicholas and Drew Lederer, of Jefferson, Zachary and Nathan Hare, of Spencer, Peter and Nicholas Skarmeas, of Holliston. He also leaves his beloved cousins Priscilla Delea and her husband Dan of Eastham, Geri Barris of Weston; and many second cousins. He was born in Westfield, son of the late Raymond and Stephanie (Podzunas) Riopel. He grew up in Worcester's Main South neighborhood and was a graduate of Doherty Memorial High School. He lived in Spencer for the last 47 years. Don was the owner and operator of Don Riopel Painting Company for many years, until he recently retired. He previously operated his own roofing company which he started in 1980. Before that, he worked for 11 years at Worcester Wire (also known as National Standard). He was an active member and former Director of the Harley Owners Group where he made so many wonderful friends. He enjoyed many years of golfing with great friends at Dunroamin Country Club. He also loved Thompson Pond and the friends with whom he shared his love of boating. Don and Diane took many cruises and saw some beautiful places, including Hawaii. They loved to ride their Harley, traveling on the Fat Boy across the country. They went to Milwaukee many times for HOG Rallies, made 3 trips to Sturgis, South Dakota and enjoyed attending many state rallies, including Laconia, NH. Don was a great guy and will be dearly missed by his family and many friends. His beloved puppy, "Mia" is still waiting for him to come home. The family would like to thank the Doctors and Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital, and the wonderful staff of the Jewish Healthcare Center for the care they provided for Don. MEMORIAL CALLING HOURS will be held from 4 to 7 P.M. on THURSDAY, DEC. 28 in KELLY FUNERAL HOME, 154 Lincoln St., Worcester, immediately followed by A CELEBRATION of Don's Life at 7 P.M., in the funeral home. fille de Louis Riopel et de Eulalie Dupras et épouse de feu Roger Lanoix. Amos: Est décédée à la Maison du Bouleau Blanc d'Amos, le 21 décembre 2017, à l'âge de 92 ans, Mme Rose-Emma Riopel, domiciliée à Amos anciennement de St-Mathieu-d'Harricana, épouse de feu Roger Lanoix. Mme Rose-Emma Riopel Lanoix laisse dans le deuil ses enfants: Marie Grondin (Jean-Marie Gagnon), Denis (Aline Carignan), Jacqueline (Gérard Beaudoin), Hélène (Denis Legault), Marianne, Gaétan (Martine Lemire), Gérald (Lise Brunet), Adrien (Brigitte Baribeau), Ghislain (Julie Carignan), Emile (Isabelle Lafontaine), Janel (Charles Morin), René (Alyson Burns), Christiane (Marc Busseau) et Geneviève (Jean-Charles Gaudreau); ses 42 petits-enfants, ses 33 arrière-petits-enfants, ses frères et sa soeur: Patrick, Marie-Flore et Louis-Marie; sa belle-soeur: Marielle Fortin; ses neveux et nièces ainsi que de nombreux parents et amis (es). La famille tient à remercier le personnel de la Maison du Bouleau Blanc d'Amos pour les bons soins prodigués. Mme Riopel Lanoix sera exposée à la Résidence funéraire du 681, 1re Avenue Ouest à Amos, le mercredi 27 décembre 2017 de 14h à 17h, 19h à 22h ainsi que jeudi dès 13h30. Les funérailles auront lieu, le jeudi 28 décembre 2017 à 16h, en l'Église St-Mathieu d'Harricana. L'inhumation aura lieu au cimetière St-Mathieu d'Harricana. fils de Joseph Harry Riopelle et de Gladys Vera Johnson. DRACUT -- Raymond J. Riopelle, 85, a lifelong resident of E. Chelmsford, until he moved to Dracut in 2001, died peacefully, Monday, December 4th, at the Westford House, in Westford, MA. He was the beloved husband of Carol L. (Leighton) Riopelle. Raymond was born in Chelmsford, on March 1, 1932, the son of the late Gladys (Johnson) and Harry Riopelle. Raymond enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country during the Korean Conflict. In his younger years Raymond was a pig farmer, but more recently he was a paver for the JF and JM Harrington Company. He also spent the cold New England winters plowing for the State of Massachusetts, because he loved being outdoors. He enjoyed his weekend rides to the beach and watching the auto races. Raymond is survived by and will be deeply missed by his four children: Susan and Lisa Riopelle both of Dracut; Lori Gifford of Nashua, NH and Raymond C. Riopelle of Lowell. He also leaves his brother Joseph Riopelle of Florida; two grandchildren Randi Lee and Emily; two great-grandchildren Arya and Jade and many nieces, nephews and friends. He is predeceased by Arthur Riopelle and Dorothy Koyutis. RIOPELLE -- Upon the families request all services are private. For directions or to leave an online condolence, story or message, please visit www.dracutfuneralhome.com or find us on Facebook under "Dracut Funeral Home." fille de Léon Pierre Riopelle et de Alice Christina Dodge. fille de Ovile A. Riopel et de Josephine Bouffard Sevigny. Irene (Riopel) Elliott, 81, of Willimantic, passed on June 27, 2017 at her nieces home. She was born, December 2, 1935, to the late Josephine (Boufford) Riopel. Irene ran Irene’s Coffee Shop in Willimantic for eleven years. After the coffee shop, Irene worked and retired from the State of Connecticut D.M.R. in Glastonbury. She enjoyed playing cards with family and friends. Irene also enjoyed playing the slots at the casino and playing bingo. She was an animal lover and rescued many cats. For everyone that knew Irene, she was young at heart, loved life and was cancer free. Irene is survived by her sister and best friend Ann Sevigny and her husband Reggie of Chaplin; three brothers, William Riopel and his wife Evelyn of Haines City, FL, Walter Riopel and his wife Cecile of Chaplin, CT, Eloi (Pete) Sevigny and his wife Linda Freitag of Austin, TX; two sister in-laws, Teresa Riopel of Vernon and Elizabeth (Betsy) Sevigny of Las Vegas, NV. Irene was predeceased by two brothers, Donald Riopel and Richard Sevigny and a nephew David Riopel. There are no calling hours. A Celebration of Life will be held Monday July 3, 2017 at 2:00pm at The Chaplin Fire House, 106 Phoenixville Rd. (Rte. 198) Chaplin, CT. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a Pet Rescue of your choice or rescue a pet in her honor. For an online memorial guestbook please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com. fille de Jos. Pierre Gilles Riopel et de Marie Marthe Patrice. décédée paisiblement le vendredi 10 novembre 2017 à la Résidence Le Monarque, à l’âge de 62 ans. Elle était la fille de feu Gilles Riopel et de feu Marie-Marthe Patrice, épouse de feu André Tittlit. Elle laisse dans le deuil sa fille adorée Sophia (Zied Jomaa) ; son petit lou d'amour Noah; son compagnon de vie: Robert Laframboise; Ses frères et soeurs: Yves(Marjolaine Émond), Bernard(Claudette Côté), Alain(Danielle Pelletier), Lyne(Louis Day). Elle fut prédécédé par sa soeur Sylvie et son frère Mario. Elle laisse également plusieurs neveux, nièces, cousin(e)s et ami(e)s. Il n’y aura pas de visites à la maison funéraire. Une célébration de prières, en présence des cendres, aura lieu le samedi 18 novembre 2017 à 14h à la COOPÉRATIVE FUNÉRAIRE DE L’OUTAOUAIS située au 526 rue Patrice, St-André-Avellin. La famille recevra les condoléances à compter de 13h . Vos marques de sympathie peuvent se traduire par un don à la Résidence Le Monarque. La famille désire remercier sincèrement le personnel exceptionnel de la Résidence Le Monarque pour les bons soins prodigués, leur attention et leur support. fils de Marc Emile Riopelle et de Jacqueline Margaret Ludington. David Mark Riopelle was born on September 20th, 1955 in Wyoming, and passed away on October 28th, 2017 in California. fils de Gérard Riopelle et de Thérèse Emond. C'est à Saint-Eustache que M. Jean Riopelle s'est éteint le 25 octobre 2017, à l'âge de 68 ans. Il laisse dans le deuil son épouse Mme Christiane Dumesnil, ses enfants Yannick, Nadia, Mélissa, Nathalie, Daliane, leurs conjoints, ses petits-enfants Kevin, William, Marc-Antoine, Marika, Victor, Alicia, Marjorie, Cédrick, Jade, Léa, ses frères Claude et Gilles, sa soeur Aline, ainsi que plusieurs parents et amis. S'en suivra une cérémonie à 11h. La famille tient à remercier le personnel de la Maison de Soins Palliatifs de Saint-Eustache pour leur dévouement et les bons soins prodigués. Vos marques de sympathie peuvent se traduire par des dons à l'organisme Sercan de St-Eustache. fils de Jos. Albert Julien Riopel et de Marcelle Duquette. Suivi de l'Office du Souvenir ECK en notre chapelle. Vos témoignages de sympathie peuvent se traduire par un don à la Dystrophie musculaire Canada ou à la Fondation de l'hôpital Charles-Lemoyne. De St-Lambert, le 17 octobre 2017, à l'âge de 71 ans, est décédé François Riopel, époux de Nicole Ballard. Outre son épouse, il laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Martin (Marie-Andrée) et Annie (Sylvain); ses 4 petits-enfants: Maude, Marc-Antoine, Jean-Christophe et Delphine; ses frères et soeurs; beaux-frères et belles-soeurs, ainsi que de nombreux neveux et nièces, parents et amis. Votre témoignage de sympathies peut s'exprimer par un don à la fondation de l'Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne (Oncologie). Don in memoriam de François Riopel, seraient appréciés. Les funérailles auront lieu le 28 octobre 2017 16:00 à l'adresse suivante: 1559 rue Montarville, St-Bruno - en salon. La Sarre: Est décédé le 20 octobre 2017, à l'âge de 74 ans, M. Rock Riopel, domicilié à La Sarre, fils de feu Roger Riopel et de feu Marie-Reine Ducharme. M. Riopel laisse dans le deuil son épouse Mme Germaine Thibault; ses enfants : Marie-Josée (Mario Couture) et Pierre (Claude Pilote); ses petits-enfants : Camille et Louis-David Rouleau et Arthur et Léonard Riopel; ses frères et soeurs : Agathe, Jean-Guy, Marc, Philippe et Lauraine; ses beaux-frères et belles-soeurs, ses neveux et nièces ainsi que de nombreux parents et amis (es). Un don à la Fondation du Dr Jacques Paradis serait apprécié. M. Riopel sera exposé à la Résidence funéraire du 200, 3e rue est à La Sarre le samedi 28 octobre 2017 de 10h à 11h30 et de 13h à 16h. Les derniers adieux auront lieu le samedi 28 octobre 2017 à 16h, à la Chapelle de la Résidence funéraire de La Sarre. L'inhumation aura lieu au cimetière de La Reine. Jolin, Rose (née Riopel) 1924 - 2017 À son domicile à Montréal, le 14 octobre est décédée à l’âge de 93 ans, madame Rose Riopel, mère généreuse et dévouée, épouse de feu J. André Jolin. Elle laisse dans le deuil ses enfants Jean-Pierre (Brenda Driscoll), Andrée (Yves Lalumière), France, ses soeurs Cécile (Fernand Chénier), Jeannette ainsi que ses neveux et nièces. Selon ses dernières volontés, il n’y aura ni service funéraire, ni cérémonie. Ses cendres ont été inhumées auprès de son époux au Repos St-François d’Assise. Vos condoléances peuvent être envoyées à www.kanefetterly.com . Kevin M. Reopel, 65, of Feeding Hills, beloved husband of 42 years to Debra (Yarmesky) Reopel, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, October 13, 2017, at his home. Born in Westfield, MA on December 22, 1951, he was the son of the late Robert Reopel and Shirley (Hamel) Reopel. Kevin grew up in Westfield, graduating from Westfield High School with the Class of 1969 and furthered his education at Union College in Schenectady, NY. He was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. He worked as an Actuary at MassMutual Life Insurance Company for nearly 30 years, and Phoenix Life Insurance Company for several years. Later in his life, he opened his own business, Actuarial Litigation Consulting. He was a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and National Association of Forensic Economics. Kevin was a very intellectual man and enjoyed talking politics with anyone, including those he disagreed with. He loved to stay active, whether it was solving puzzles, running on the treadmill, playing racquetball, or watching sports and yelling at the TV. He was always dependable and humble, putting others needs ahead of his own. Kevin loved to drive, maybe a little too fast sometimes. Family was everything to him, and those special memories of Kevin as husband, dad, grandfather, and brother will always be cherished. He loved a good cigar and glass of bourbon, but it was the conversation that he enjoyed more than anything. Kevin, you will be truly missed and never forgotten. Besides his beloved wife Debra, he leaves his mother, Shirley Reopel of Westfield; two sons, Jay Reopel and his wife Tara of Shrewsbury, and Kerry Reopel of Feeding Hills; five grandchildren, Lucas, Kaya, Leah, Avani, and Amaya Reopel; his brother Bryan Reopel and his wife Louise of Winston-Salem, NC; and many loving extended family members and friends. His family will receive family and friends on Wednesday, October 18th from 4-7 PM at Colonial Forastiere Funeral Home, 985 Main St., Agawam. His Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, October 19th at 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 264 Cottage St., Springfield, MA 01104 in memory of his father, or BIA-MA (Brain Injury Association), 30 Lyman St., Suite 10, Westborough, MA 01581 for his beloved wife. For more information, please visit www.forastiere.com.

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2019-04-23T04:26:10Z

http://noega.grupoavance.es/2015/09/29/fabricacion-de-premarcos-metalicos/

This course will provide an overview of perspectives on literacy. We will consider definitions of and debates about literacy, histories of literacy, interdisciplinary perspectives, national/civic debates, and the impact of technology and identity on literacy practices. This Course Description will be added. This course is an introduction to the external history of the English language along with the study of the accompanying internal changes in structure. This course explores issues and theories about second language development. It focuses on the study of learner language; language learning process; biological, psychological, and social factors affecting the process; and the role of formal instruction in second language development. Where relevant, first, third, and fourth language development issues will also be addressed. This is a study of selected bibliographical resources and of some of the important methodological approaches employed in literary study, including an introduction to critical approaches, scholarly writing, and issues in the profession. This course is required for all GTAs assigned to teach a 200-level EN survey for the first time. It may be taken concurrently with or in advance of teaching one’s first literature survey, and is typically taken by Ph.D. students in their second year of coursework and by MFA students in their third year of coursework. A grade of “pass” is required for students to teach literature courses in the department of English. Students should expect to meet weekly to discuss practical subjects like how to manage daily discussion, construct exams, assign and grade papers, and otherwise ensure that learning outcomes are being met. Students should also expect to prepare teaching materials for a number of the 200-level surveys and to have those items evaluated for their agreement with the department’s 200-level course guidelines. This workshop will be given as a HYPOXIC workshop. The writers will contribute work each week for consideration. Paleontologist and science writer Stephen Jay Gould describes evolution as “a process of constant branching and expansion.” In this course, we will actively evolve poetry, your writing giving way to novel literary creations through conversation with other writers, both living and dead. Texts will include an anthology of contemporary poetry and several related full-length collections. In this two-semester course, you will learn how to conceive of and write a book-length work of nonfiction. The first half (Spring 2016) will focus on gathering material, establishing a structure, producing generative writing, and articulating project goals in the form of pitches, query letters, and book proposals. You will be expected to have a topic in mind at the beginning of the course. While the emphasis will be on continuous narrative, students may also write a series of interrelated pieces, so long as the connection between them is clear and the 150-page requirement is met by the end of the second half (Fall 2016). Please contact me if you want to take the second half of the course without having taken the first. This course will be co-taught by Prof. Robin Behn in English and Dr. Beverly Roskos-Ewoldsen in Psychology, and is designed for both MFA students in creative writing and PhD students in experimental psychology. From a cognitive standpoint, we’ll examine theories of creativity and their relationship to cognitive processes, and discuss questions such as how the brain processes and produces ideas of different kinds; how the parts of the brain communicate; how the brain processes time, pattern, and surprise; how artists use thinking that is both above and below the level of everyday consciousness; what ways of asking questions stimulate the most creativity; and what goes on in the brain when we read or write. From the creative writer’s point of view, we’ll create literary texts that take advantage of these aspects of cognition. For example, once we understand how the brain processes time, how might we create a text that gives the reader the feeling of time speeding up, slowing down, or seeming to stop? Or, with a better understanding of pattern and surprise, what might we do with syntax, image, or structure in a piece? How might we create a work that gives the reader a sense of easily “seeing through” the text using familiar processing, versus inviting the reader into a sense of noticing language at a variety of levels, or moving in new ways from one kind of thinking to another? Typical weekly reading will be one or two psychological research articles that are accessible to the layperson, and a sampling of poems and prose (some likely authors are Neruda, Stein, Justice, Rankine, Wilbur, Celan, McCrae, Faulkner, Joyce, Willard, Markus, Eliot, Mullen, Jarnot, Gay, Strayed, to name a few). Each week, students will write a 1-2 page reading response to the texts and an original piece of creative writing. Open to MFA students and to other graduate students by permission. MFA students may also register for this as a Psychology course if there is room in the PSY section. What is food? What is a farmer? A farm? What is family? Reading a variety of recent works–poetry, fiction, and nonfiction–about rural life and American agriculture that will lead us to attempt answers to these and other pressing existential issues about place, ecology, and nature. There will be field trips as well as occasional writing and a semester project. THE USES OF HISTORY. Henry James, in a scathing 1904 letter to Sarah Orne Jewett, railed against the historical novel, saying that any imaginative interpretation of historical events was “condemned” to “a fatal cheapness,” because it is impossible for an author to represent in fiction “the whole CONSCIOUSNESS, the soul, the sense, the horizon, the vision” of people who lived in an age in which the author did not. This seems like a reasonable charge, and it raises the question of why a creative writer would choose in the first place to base an imaginative text on a historical event or historical characters. Isn’t it the historian’s job to research and explain the facts of history, and the creative writer’s job to invent imaginary events and people? Why would a writer want to burden herself with what James sees as the impossible task of getting “real” history right, when she has the power to simply invent an imaginary histoire of her own? Might imaginative literature have the capacity to express certain historical realities more effectively than traditional historical studies? In what ways might those traditional historical studies themselves be a species of creative writing? In this course, we will investigate the uses of history in imaginative writing (and, to a lesser extent, the uses of the imagination in historical writing), and differences between the past as it is presented in “nonfictional” histories and in imaginative works based upon historical events. We’ll read imaginative works that somehow address a historical era, person, phenomenon, or event; survey some critical essays that examine problems in historiography; and attempt a variety of history-based creative writing exercises ourselves. For a final project, each student will complete a long imaginative work (in any genre) that springs from and/or responds to a historical subject of the student’s choosing. Texts may include works by Isaac Babel, Roberto Bolano, J.M. Coetzee, Martha Collins, Don Delillo, Cornelius Eady, Carolyn Forche, Ha Jin, Herodotus, Henry James, Akira Kurosawa, Rachel Loden, Sarah Messer, Sigrid Nunez, Michael Ondaatje, Julie Otsuka, Gillo Pontecorvo, Muriel Rukeyser, W.G. Sebald, Joseph Skibell, W.D. Snodgrass, Graham Swift, D.M. Thomas, Thucydides, Natasha Tretheway, David Foster Wallace, Hayden White, C.D. Wright, Marguerite Yourcenar. N.B.: MFA students specializing in any genre are welcome. Writing assignments and final projects may be written in any genre. “There’s nothing you can’t do with it,” says Annie Dillard. “No subject matter is forbidden, no structure is prescribed. You get to make up your own form every time.” We’ll investigate how to combine in a single piece expressive and analytical writing, and how to write intimately about the self and yet engage concerns that reach far beyond the self. We’ll read and discuss essays that demonstrate how flexible this form can be. And then we’ll write some. Queer folks have long been creating their own family structures, and in this class we’ll read and watch recent texts in which authors create, imagine, and analyze their chosen families. We’ll imagine new definitions for old roles, and write our way toward understanding how we choose and how we let go. Possible texts include: The Essential Dykes to Watch Out for, The First Bad Man, The Argonauts, Trace Elements of Random Tea Parties, Jam on the Vine, Under the Udala Trees, Returning to Reims, Transparent, and Orphan Black. This class meets for two hours every other week. The goal of the course is to build confidence and a variety of techniques in reading/performing written work aloud. We’ll practice among ourselves in an encouraging atmosphere and in a group reading at the end of the semester. We’ll attend readings and also partake of recorded readings; we’ll read about the emergence(s) of “the reading” in our culture. We’ll invite a few guests to read for us and/or to talk about performance from their point of view. The course is appropriate both for those new to performing words and those with a substantial background. R 5:00 – 5:50 The Creative Writing pedagogy practicum required for all MFA students who will be teaching EN 200 for the first time in the fall. An introductory linguistics course at the graduate level with relevance for students in the Applied Linguistics/TESOL, literature, composition and rhetoric, and MFA programs, EN 620 provides an overview of the discipline at the same time that it involves students in dealing with language data from field work. In addition to a midterm and final exam, students engage in various activities including a class project that is a multi-faceted discourse analysis of spoken English data through the examination of a story recorded in conversation. Each student will also learn how to construct a website with basic information about a language chosen by the student. In addition to providing experience with the subfields of linguistics (phonology, semantics, syntax, pragmatics), the course includes an introduction to the thought of two key figures in modern linguistics, Ferdinand de Saussure and Noam Chomsky, whose ideas have had wide-ranging influence on intellectual trends in other disciplines. “Workshop in Academic Writing” is intended for Ph.D. students. It can also serve MA and MFA students who hope to pursue a PhD in any humanistic discipline. A published article will greatly enhance the candidacy of anyone going on the job market or else applying for a Ph.D. program. In this seminar, we will workshop student papers into publishable articles and then submit them to peerreviewed journals. Students’ articles can also serve as “writing samples” for job applications. As we work on articles, students will learn about the research aspect of the profession, i.e. what is the peer review process? How do I select a journal? How do I communicate with editors? What is the status of online journals? How do I interpret readers’ reports? Special Topic: Spatial Rhetoric – Scholarship on rhetoric and literacy has long included place as an influence in language, communication, and identity. Rather than seeing place as one of many influences on rhetorical practices, this course focuses on the study of spatiality within rhetoric and composition studies to understand how spaces affect our shared practices and help us make sense of the built and natural world. This course will survey scholarship in the field that considers place and will integrate this scholarship with work in critical spatial theory. We will also consider the relationships between physical and digital spaces and the role of digital and mobile technologies in understanding and constructing place. This class will use the university as a site of inquiry and students will have the opportunity to collaborate on a digital project that examines and revises the history of university spaces through digital technology. Modernism’s Maturity: The Poets of the1930s “The creator of the new composition in the arts is an outlaw until he is a classic.” – Gertrude Stein, 1926. Course Objectives: Description: In this course we will read closely a range of books by American poets in the 1930’s. Tracing the truncations (Hart Crane), flourishings (Ezra Pound, Marianne Moore, Wallace Stevens), transitions (Robert Frost), and new beginnings (George Oppen) that took place in the1930s will show why it remains one of the most complex and fruitful decades or American poetry of the 20th Century. In seeking to understand how Modernism’s former outlaws became, in that decade, the classics they remain, we will pay close attention to not only the work these poets made, but the material circumstances that surrounded their publication, and the critical prose that shaped their reputations. “African American Literature in the 1980s: Prizes, Politics, and the Power of the Pen” Prize-winning achievements distinguished the decade of the 1980s for African American writers. Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction with The Color Purple (1982). For her neo-slave narrative Beloved (1987), Toni Morrison was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1987 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the American Book Award in 1988, which presaged her being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. J. California Cooper won the American Book Award for Homemade Love, her 1986 collection of short fiction. Charles Fuller won several awards for A Soldier’s Play—the 1981 Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play, the 1982 Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Play, and the 1982 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. August Wilson pocketed his first Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Fences (1986), which also won the Tony Award for Best Play; Wilson duplicated the Pulitzer feat with The Piano Lesson in 1990. Rita Dove won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for Thomas and Beulah (1986) and was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (1993). EN 648 will focus on several of these prize-winning works as well as selections from the following: Toni Cade Bambara, The Salt Eaters (1980; novel); David Bradley, The Chaneysville Incident (1981; novel); Audre Lorde, The Cancer Journals (1980; essays); Ernest Gaines, A Gathering of Old Men (1983; novel); John Edgar Wideman, Brothers & Keepers (1984; life narrative); James Baldwin, The Evidence of Things Not Seen (1985; essays); Shirley Anne Williams, Dessa Rose (1986; novel); Octavia E. Butler, Dawn (1987; novel); Yusef Komunyakaa, Dien Cai Dau (1988; poetry); Gloria Naylor, Mama Day (1988; novel); Randall Kenan, A Visitation of Spirits (1989; novel). Students will be expected to assume partial responsibility for leading one of the seminar discussions, to participate actively and constructively in all class discussions, to complete an annotated bibliography on one of the writers (8-10 items), and to complete a longer research paper (around 25 pages) for possible publication. This course will provide an overview of the major theories and philosophical underpinnings informing the fields of rhetoric/composition studies. We will discuss major assumptions in the field, current pressing debates and more recent theoretical developments as they pertain to the composition classroom and specific pedagogical activities. Required texts may include work by James Berlin, Ann Berthoff, Stephen North, Patricia Bizzell, Lester Faigley, Hephzibah Roskelly, Victor Villanueva, Mary Louise Pratt, John Clifford, and John Schilb, among others. Oral reports, weekly responses, and a seminar-length research paper will be required. In this course, we’ll explore how researchers go about designing their projects and selecting methodologies that best address their research questions. We’ll engage research less as a definitive way to answer certain questions, and more as an approach to developing and elaborating those questions. As such, research isn’t something that scholars or teachers do in isolation, but rather a way of contributing to and intervening in disciplinary conversations. We will also consider the ethical and professional implications of developing and conducting research projects, including online research. The institutional requirements, planning and preparation, and data collection and management components of scholarly research can require close attention to detail and compliance procedures. This course includes hands-on institutional training activities, exploration of ethical research practices, and approaches to collecting, managing and coding data, as well as scholarly reading, lecture, discussion, and scholarly writing. Literature of Faith and Love / This seminar will feature an intensive look at the poetry of several major seventeenth-century writers, with an emphasis on how these writers approach the twinned concepts of faith and love. Our discussions will also focus on how to teach undergraduates to read early modern poetry closely. Authors include Donne, Herbert, Lanyer, Milton, and Marvell. Wordsworth and Coleridge: Philosophy and Poetic Form – Simon Jarvis’s trailblazing Wordsworth’s Philosophic Song (2007) reinvigorated and reoriented critical discussions of poetic form in British Romantic poetry. In this course, we will study the major canonical poetry of Wordsworth and Coleridge and examine the history of formalist readings of these works. How do the works of Jarvis, Ewan James Jones, Ruth Abbott, and other prominent or rising scholars interested in poetic form differ from the much-maligned New Criticism and from the formalism that countered the New Historicism in the 1990s? What are the strengths and limits of these different approaches? Texts will include the Lyrical Ballads, Coleridge’s conversation poems, selections from the 1797 Poems, “Kubla Khan,” and Christabel, and selections from Wordsworth’s 1807 Poems, in Two Volumes and The Prelude. The course is particularly interested in the areas of the Global South where histories of colonialism, conquest, and globalization have fundamentally altered the local spaces. Our explorations will be particularly concerned with the representations of non-Western ecologies in literary narratives. Some of the environmental questions that these texts examine include pollution caused by extractive industries such as in the Niger Delta. Others are the questions of the nonhumans in these spaces, and the environmental change brought about by development. Through close readings informed by the specific contexts of emanation, we will examine texts by Zakes Mda, Bessie Head, Amitash Ghosh, Jamaica Kincaid, Derek Walcott, among others. In addition to an interest in these environmental problems, the course will be concerned with the narrative strategies employed by these authors to illuminate their thematic concerns. We will begin by engaging with the question of postcolonial literature and its parameters, and return to these throughout the semester as we read the novels. The selection of secondary materials is meant to illuminate the theoretical contours of environmental literary criticism and theory, especially, from a postcolonial and/or global perspective. Based on geographical considerations, the course work is divided into three units. In the first, we will consider African ecologies in their complexity from colonial through post-colonial times. In the unit on the Caribbean, we will explore the transformations of the landscape from slavery, through colonialism, and the contemporary era. Turning to Asian spaces in the third unit, we will explore changes brought about by globalization and the effects on both humans and nonhumans. In no way is this meant to be a comprehensive treatment of these regions but a working rubric to contextualize and organize the currents of spaces and themes we will engage with. What makes a novel a bestseller? Is it memorable characters? A scintillating subject matter? Daring descriptions? A masterful plot? In order to answer these questions this seminar will work to assemble the ‘bag of tricks’ many authors use in creating narratives that resonate with both the reader and the market. Of particular interest will be the distinctions between audiences (national vs. international) and registers (high vs. low). For example, what is the difference between ‘literary’ and ‘mass-paperback’ bestsellers? Are all bestsellers just hard-boiled detective novels? What makes a bestseller ‘high-brow’? Readings will range from classic narrative theorists like Vladimir Propp and Roland Barthes, to spy thrillers by Ian Fleming and to National Book Critics Circle and Man Booker Prize selections. As our compelling case in point, this seminar will feature Umberto Eco’s international bestseller, The Name of the Rose, dissecting it with our readings on narrative theory in order to sketch the anatomy of a bestseller. **Note: This is a Digital Humanities seminar, which means we will use digital technologies (WordPress, annotation and visualization software, etc.) to critically think. This seminar examines the ways in which sexual attitudes, desires, acts, identities, and communities have been shaped and reshaped over time. We range chronologically from preconquest Native American cultures through the age of AIDS, focusing on nineteenth and twentieth century ideas about gender identity, sexual orientation, familial structures, and political movements, with a particular emphasis on queer theory and history. The class questions traditional conceptions of history, the historical profession, and historical methodology, in an attempt to understand the varied ideologies and theoretical foundations that shape historical projects, as well as the political agendas they serve. For us, history will be understood not as static, finite, and ultimately knowable, but rather as shifting, contingent, and open to scrutiny. This gradaute course serves as a general introduction to trends in critical theory. It offers a combination of research methodologies, theory and practice; an application of various approaches; a verification of acceptability of research perspectives and procedures. Students are to examine various schools of criticism and theory and apply them to their own text analysis. Critical thinking is being developed through extensive readings in The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (second edition). Weekly in-class discussions based on readings prepare students for the final project (oral and written), based on the application of various theories and critical approaches to a chosen text. This course is an introduction to the external history of the English language along with the study of the accompanying internal changes in structure. It considers questions such as the following: Why does Southern English have to propose “y’all” for a plural “you”? And while we’re at it, what happened to “thou”? What’s the deal with the subjunctive? How did Scandinavian pronouns (they, their, them) creep into English? Why can’t we ask “Have you not heard?” without sounding weird? Who decided that we can’t say “Ain’t nothin’ like ‘em nowhere” in standardized English? Since 1066 was called “the Norman Conquest,” why aren’t we speaking French instead of English? What’s going on with, like, quotatives, “and he was like….! “? Why can’t everybody open their book? How is English being affected by globalization and the internet? This course deals with the study of the experience of the English language in America, with particular emphasis on its development and dialects. We’ll explore differences in accent, vocabulary, grammar, and patterns of language use among people from across the United States. We’ll look at how dialect differences developed, reflect on how language is a part of our identity, and consider the consequences of linguistic stereotyping, both positive and negative. This is offered Spring semester ONLY. Required of all graduate assistants teaching EN 102 for the first time. Training in reaching EN 102 course goals and writing outcomes. Further instruction in teaching formal argumentation and advanced research techniques. This course offers an introduction to the history of translation practices through a study of critical essays from Jerome and John Dryden to Walter Benjamin and Vladimir Nabokov and through comparative analysis of English-language translations. Class time will be divided between analysis of theoretical writing and evaluative discussion of competing English-language translations. This course will demonstrate that the history of English-language literature is a history of translation, that it owes its development to the efforts of translators, many of them invisible. One of the purposes of the course is to make students aware of the central issues in the burgeoning field of translation studies, including the social and economic factors that come into play whenever we ferry texts between languages, cultures, and eras. The methods and procedures that we study will lead to discussion about gender, poetics, ideology, class, and 3 nationhood. We will devote particular attention to the changing valences of the key concept of equivalence. Over the course of the semester we will explore the practice and consequences of literary translation, learning about the role translations play in the interpretation and consecration of literature. What gets translated? Who translates it? How do they translate? Students complete the course with a traditional paper or else with a translation. Enrollment is limited to students in the MFA program. Focus will be on discussion of original student writing; other reading and writing may be assigned. This class is intended for students enrolled in the MFA Program in Creative Writing and is the first course in a two-semester graduate workshop concentrating on the study of the long form, and the research, preparation, and writing of a novel. This is a workshop course, and the majority of our time will be spent discussing the poems you write. However, on the theory that lively reading can aid and abet lively writing, we will also read and discuss poetry and criticism by others. This course is open to MFA students. Other interested graduate students must submit a sample of 5-7 pages of poetry to the Director of the MFA Program well before pre-registration to be considered for admission. In this workshop, your goal will be to understand how you make decisions while writing nonfiction. Where is your ego appearing on the page? How are you contorting your writing around a piece of missing information? And what’s truly the best approach to the story? You’ll learn to understand the positive and negative accommodations you’re making for yourself, develop the discipline it takes to keep writing through earthquakes (or even parties), and have a record to return to when memory fails. To get there, you’ll read exemplary nonfiction texts, write and submit a substantial amount of nonfiction, reflect upon your process, and offer feedback to your peers. “It does many things. It distracts the poet, at least momentarily, from a state of exquisite grief,” Mary Jo Bang says of the ancient form that gave her fifth collection, written in the wake of her son’s death, its name. In this course, we will read Bang’s 2007 collection alongside historical and contemporary works—both first books and mid-career “reboots”—from Lucille Clifton, Natalie Diaz, Tarfia Faizullah, Ross Gay, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Galway Kinnell, Sharon Olds, Ocean Vuong, Phillip B. Williams, C.D. Wright, and others, dating to Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Duino Elegies” and “Book 4 of Hours.” We’ll revisit essays on the form by poets and critics alike, including those of Jahan Ramazani, Max Cavitch, Andrea Mellard, Fred Moten, Jasbir Puar, and Carl Phillips. We will examine poets’ ways of interrogating the divine, questioning belief itself, and finding something (or someone) to live for amid staggering loss as we write through our own personal valences on suffering. This course is devoted to the study of fabulist fiction, fiction unfettered by empirical reality, fiction in which human beings suddenly sprout wings or begin to shrink, fiction in which apes deliver disquisitions on what it is to be human, fiction set in historical theme parks built according to verisimilitude tips acquired from ghosts, fiction of the supernatural, paranormal, romantic, surreal, metaphysical, the oneiric, unlikely, implausible, the uncanny, the marvelous, fiction in which magic, myth, and dream construct a cosmos at a tilt. LEFT IN THE SHADOWS: “Darkness is your candle,” writes Rumi. In this course, we will wander where darkness leads, asking questions such as: How do writers query darkness as a cultural trope with political implications? What does it mean to write from a “position of darkness”? What is an “aesthetics of opacity”? What forms, styles, and practices might a “shadow poetics” imply? Prompts inviting collage, excision, erasure and other strategies will help writers explore these questions across genres. Texts may include: Forest Primeval, Vivee Francis; Lighting the Shadow, Rachel Eliza Griffiths; Themes of My Kin, Janet Holmes; A Bestiary, Lily Huong; Vanishing Point, David Markson; Night Sky with Exit Wounds, Ocean Vuong, Disobedience; Alice Notley; Dark Museum, María Negroni; excerpts from Dante’s Inferno, Rimbaud’s Season in Hell; “Shadow Feminisms” from The Queer Art of Failure, Judith Halberstam; and Necropastoral, Joyelle McSweeney. Meeting times are both Wednesday 4:30 – 6:00 pm and Friday 2:00 – 2:50 pm. This course is the pedagogical component of the Creative Writing Club (CWC), a Tuscaloosa-wide after school program for high school students. We draw motivated high school writers from a dozen schools in Tuscaloosa and invite them to Morgan Hall on Wednesdays after school to work with us. The CWC will begin its twelfth season this spring. We have had grant support from the Tuscaloosa Arts Council and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. For a sense of what we’ve done in the past, visit uacreativewritingclub.wordpress.com. We will meet twice each week—once with just the graduate students to organize the club, discuss pedagogy, and design lessons; and once with the high school kids to conduct. This class is required for first time instructors of EN 200. This course is devoted to educating you about and preparing you for the academic job market. Letters of application, CVs, dossiers, writing samples, teaching philosophies, interviews, these are the things that will be discussed, practiced, and demystified (somewhat) by this course. This course offers an overview of the theoretical bases and practical applications of approaches to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). We will cover topics, such as the linguistic, psychological, and social aspects of second language learning, learner motivation, integrated skills teaching, successful teaching principles and strategies, choosing materials, assessment, culture in the classroom, and technology as a classroom resource. Vocabulary and grammar are arguably the two most important parts in language learning. Using contemporary linguistic theories and approaches, such as cognitive/corpus linguistics and construction/pattern grammar, this course explores effective and creative ways of teaching vocabulary and grammar. Via readings and discussions, the class will gain a sound understanding of the new theories and will use them to critically examine lexico-grammatical descriptions and teaching practices in existing language textbooks and reference materials. In addition, students will, individually and collectively (in groups), develop lexico-grammatical teaching activities, exercises, assessment instruments, and lesson plans and share them in class. This course is a theoretical and pedagogical introduction to the teaching of English academic language skills to adult learners of English with a particular focus on teaching writing in the American university context. We will examine the theories and disciplines that have significantly informed second language writing research and pedagogy. Additionally, we will examine some of the emerging issues in the field of second language writing including such topics as translingual practice, identity and politics second language writing, multilingual creativity, and the increasingly multilingual student population at US universities. We will build on this theoretical foundation to develop skills in a variety of pedagogical practices including needs analysis, course design, assignment design, lesson planning, writing assessment, responding to student writing, and error correction. This special topics graduate course in African American Rhetoric will be taught in traditional seminar format and will explore texts from the African American tradition that are unequivocally rhetorical in that they seek to influence American culture, ideologies, laws, policies, individuals, and society, with African American life and culture in view and are situated within particular 6 social movements: Abolition, Suffrage, Black Arts, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, and Black Lives Matter. Along with the traditional focus on works of non-fiction within rhetorical studies, we will also explore creative and imaginative texts that are educative, didactic, argumentative, and/or persuasive in nature. Some works explored will come from an African American rhetorical tradition, including but not limited to Gilyard, Nunley, and Royster. Others will focus more on literacy and language practices and will include scholars such as Smitherman, Richardson, and Young. The purpose of the seminar is to heighten student awareness of the variations in African American rhetorical practices and the unique style of African Americans within those traditions. This course is a teaching practicum for graduate students seeking to be teachers of record of undergraduate Technical Writing, Professional Writing, or Digital Media Composing. This course will explore theories and pedagogies of technical writing, with an emphasis on teacher preparation in the form of syllabi, classroom activities, and student assessment. Students of this course will lead discussion, perform original research, develop course documents, and collaborate with peers. One quick look around the campus of UA should confirm that the image of the plantation continues to be a compelling framing device for authentic southern expression. Scholars like 7 Michael Bibler and Patricia Yaeger suggest that an emphasis on plantation culture extends beyond southern architecture, bric-a-brac, or aesthetics and engages with multiple discourses that describe gender and sexuality in the South. This course examines how the plantation framed (and continues to frame through the American cultural imagination) southern sexuality from the mid-19th century well into the 21st. We will be especially interested in the intersection of plantation sexuality and queerness, including sites of queer expression for tomboys, transgression, interracial taboos, effeminacy, and gender/class performance. This seminar focuses on understanding rhetoric in visual and digital texts. This course explores contemporary rhetorical theory connected to visual and digital communication and considers the traditional rhetorical canon (invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery) for the digital age. The course readings will explore approaches for analyzing visual and digital texts as well as employing visual and digital methods in rhetoric and composition scholarship. References to the Middle Ages in ante- and postbellum southern American fiction are legion. A few representative examples are the topos of the plantation owner’s putative gentility as an Anglo-Norman inheritance; fictional reprisals of Virginia’s 1845 staging of a faux-medieval tournament including jousting matches; Mark Twain’s diatribe against Sir Walter Scott and the pernicious influence of Scott’s medievalist novel Ivanhoe on the South; and the “gentle Confederate novels” of Thomas Nelson Page and Thomas Dixon, whose romances prefigure national reconciliation by marrying Northerners and Southerners who share the racial commonality of “Anglo-Saxon blood.” In this course we will consider how invocations of the Middle Ages have shaped regionalized representations of the Civil War, chivalry, romance, race, gender, Southern “aristocracy,” the feudal antecedents of plantation life, and the economies of the Old and New South. Course texts will include Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale, Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, Charles Chestnutt’s The House Behind the Cedars, and Allen Tate’s The Fathers. Other possible course texts include John Pendleton Kennedy’s Swallow Barn, Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Thomas Nelson Page’s Red Rock, and Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind. This course asks students to think about how scholars, directors, and actors interact with, transform, and reimagine early modern playtexts when they bring them to the stage or screen. Toward that end, we will work with Professor Steve Burch of the Theater department and (in February) with actors from the American Shakespeare Center, in hopes of developing our skill at reading a playtext as a performance script. Texts and performances to be discussed will likely include Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona, Romeo and Juliet, and The Merry Wives of Windsor, among others. If we look back to the eighteenth century, to the period in which the novel originated, we can see that the history of the genre is closely tied to key philosophical developments of the Enlightenment. In this period, novels and philosophical texts participated in identical explorations of subjective experience, asked similar questions about human nature and human morality, used the same empirical methods to establish the truth of things, and expressed a matching fascination with human possibility. The relationship, however, was complex, and although many novels and philosophical texts pursued similar goals, the ability of the novel to offer imagined lives and to test possible experiences made it a more flexible and emotionally relevant form of investigation. This course will look at the way eighteenth-century fictions used the resources of the novel to pursue their philosophical goals in the areas of epistemology, human nature, sensibility, education, and gender. Students are not expected to have prior coursework in either philosophy or the eighteenth-century novel. This graduate seminar brings together archival studies and twentieth-century literature. We take stock of the growing body of digital archives relevant to modernism and Irish studies. And we familiarize ourselves with theories of modern textual criticism and discuss critical implications of genetic and sociological approaches to editing and research practices. The course initially grounds our discussion with case studies of writers such as James Joyce, Marianne Moore, and Samuel Beckett—writers, that is, whose drafts and versions ask illuminating aesthetic and interpretative questions, writers in some cases whose partial archives have only recently been made available digitally. The second half of the course prepares us to do some hands-on research at Emory University’s Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, where, as part of our course, we will spend a number of days conducting original research. Emory is noted for its robust archival collection of writings by contemporary Irish writers the likes of Seamus Heaney, Ciaran Carson, and many others. In preparation for this research trip, we will study a lengthy module of later Irish poetry, in concert with your interests and my guidance. On top of some shorter assignments, everyone will write a well-developed and original research paper.

2019-04-25T09:59:02Z

http://english.ua.edu/graduate-studies/courses-2/graduate-courses-2016-2017/

This is always a fun category to do for the SuperPhillip Central Best Of yearly awards. So many hyped games can end up being disappointing, but what about those that folks didn't give much attention to that turned out awesome? Let's continue being positive here at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards with the nominees for the Biggest Surprises of the year. These are games that astonished me with their quality, almost coming out of nowhere to excite and fascinate. Some were more interesting than I originally gave them credit for, but after playing these games, my attitude shifting drastically. As always with the awards on SuperPhillip Central, I unfortunately can't play every game released in a given year, so don't be too hard on the award show for missing any of your picks. I might have simply not played them. Now, onto the Top Five Biggest Surprises of 2017! We begin with a sequel to a successful launch game for the PlayStation 4. The original Knack may have sold well, but its critical reception from both fans and reviewers alike wasn't as notable as the game's sales. That notwithstanding, Knack II released and had the opposite outcome: the game was much improved and of a really good quality while the sales were less than spectacular, perhaps because the original Knack burned so many players by how repetitive it was. Adding more platforming, more worthwhile and varied combat, and lots more exploration allowing players to constantly go off the beaten path, Knack II was a delight to play and really did surprise those who tried out it (including yours truly) who didn't see it being a noteworthy game in the PS4's robust roster of software. This next game, Ever Oasis, was the winner of this year's Most Overlooked / Underrated Game here at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards. Developed in tandem by the mind behind the Secret of Mana as well Grezzo, the team who worked on both Legend of Zelda 3DS remakes, Ever Oasis was an action-RPG set in an expansive desert filled with a dark blight that has sucked every last bit of flora and water from oases around the land. Only one oasis was left, and that was of course yours. Through completing missions, conquering dungeons, solving puzzles, and battling enemies, your oasis would grow more and more prosperous, expanding and receiving newcomers to set up helpful shops. Materials from downed enemies could be used to upgrade the shops in order to make more money to craft new goods. Throughout my 30 hour playtime with the game, Ever Oasis brought me a feverish desire to keep playing, even when my 3DS's battery was running low. That's the mark of a compelling game. One that like an oasis in the desert was truly refreshing. Like Splatoon for the Wii U, Nintendo introduced a heavy hitter as a new IP for its Switch console. This time around it was none other than the atypical fighting game ARMS. Players fought within arenas of varying sizes with different stage gimmicks inside to spice things up. Rather than attack with all extremities, ARMS, as you might expect from the name, was centered on its characters' upper limbs to unleash attacks of all directions, whether straight, curved, sliced, or what have you. While the goal in ARMS was similar to traditional fighting games, the gameplay was exponentially different when it came to strategy. Do you make the first advance with a punch? Which arm do you use? Do you dodge to left or evade to the right? Do you jump over a punch or send one of your own, careening around it to take your opponent out? Fights demanded the player to come up with these answers within milliseconds or else they'd be at the end of a vicious combo, or worse, be on the receiving end of a health bar-draining special attack. While ARMS didn't have the same level of popularity as Splatoon, ARMS did quite well for its freshman effort. Well enough to receive new, free updates as well as easily passing a million sales worldwide. Not bad for a first try! Some games surprise and astonish from their quality. Some games do it because you didn't expect them to appear at all. Sonic Mania was a combination of both of these reasons with a classic-style Sonic game that was as good (and in many cases, better) as the games loved during the Genesis / Mega Drive era and was revealed from out of nowhere. Added to those facts was Christian Whitehead and company, makers of past Sonic fan-games and later assisted with the HD remasters of Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2, and CD, who also had a full hand in creating a new 2D Sonic game which culminated exquisitely in Sonic Mania. You had a team of die-hard classic Sonic fans who knew what was good about the old games, something that even Sonic Team now clearly doesn't get, and with Whitehead and his team behind the game, Sonic Mania arrived with much hype, sales, and critical acclaim. A new 2D Sonic game in 2017 that sometimes surpasses the likes of the Genesis era? That is indeed a surprising opinion of mine and is all the reason why Sonic Mania is #2 on this countdown of this past year's biggest surprises. It was a crow buffet for all those folks who downplayed or worse, made fun of, the idea of Nintendo providing the Mario license to Ubisoft to make its own merging of the world of the Mushroom Kingdom with the insane antics of Rayman's Rabbids series with Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Some asked, "How would that even work?" Others didn't even believe it or could conceive how an idea was anything but ridiculous. When assets were leaked, the gaming community had a field day, hardly able to suppress their ire and "LMAOs" towards what they saw. But when E3 last year rolled around and Mario + Rabbids was properly unveiled, the entire gaming world (or at least those who were downplaying the game, which was many of us) was amazed and delighted by what they saw. Taking the gameplay of XCOM and throwing in Mario and Rabbids characters with high-powered weapons made for a game that was strategic, smart, and hilarious. The moment at E3 2017 where the creative director of Kingdom Battle, Davide Soliani broke down into tears at the warm regards, cheers, and applause for the game that he and his team worked so hard on, which was scrutinized for months before being given a fair chance... Well, it's an E3 moment I'll always treasure, much like the final product and biggest surprise of 2017, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. There are just too many excellent digital games from last year to put on a top five list for my favorites at the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards. That's a good problem to have in general, but when you have to just pick five out of dozens of memorable titles, you're definitely going to leave way too many out that deserve some recognition. But, name five, I must! These are SuperPhillip Central's choices for the Top Five Digital Downloads. A launch title for the Nintendo Switch, Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! is a mostly cooperative effort between up to four players. The goal is to use your character's body to cross over other players' bodies and snip a section of them off to perform an assortment of tasks. Whether it's teaming up to pack yourselves into a shape that doesn't flow over the dotted line, cutting a chunk off your partner to turn them into a hook to grab onto a high up lever, or turn each other into baskets to carefully bring a ball from one side of the screen to the other to clear the level, Snipperclips has a lot of chaotic multiplayer fun on offer. There are also single player challenges as well, but the overall game is best played in a group or party setting. From embarrassment for messing up a level at the last moment to yelling at a bud for doing the same, Snipperclips: Cut it out, together! was a tremendous start to the Nintendo Switch's online marketplace of games. Taking the NES cult classic Blaster Master and reshaping and remodeling it for new, modern audiences, developer Inti Creates (Mega Man Zero, Mega Man ZX, Azure Striker Gunvolt) put forward a terrific and unique 2D platformer. Well, that's actually just part of the game. Your character gets in and out of its robotic tank and enters in to compounds where overhead action without the aid of his tank. Angry enemies, ruthless bosses, and climactic encounters punctuate the most high octane moments of Blaster Master Zero, while the pace slows down for exploration -- finding secret weapons and upgrades in a somewhat Metroid-style way. Both the 2D action-platforming and the over-the-head running and gunning make Blaster Master Zero on the whole a terrific indie charmer. Inti Creates didn't just have one of my favorite digital delights from 2017 -- they had two! Despite the Mighty No. 9 franchise being a bit toxic after a turbulent (to say the least) Kickstarter campaign and subsequent handing out rewards (then there's the quality of the actual game), Inti Creates brought a much needed boost to Mighty No. 9's Beck. This time, he was starring with Gunvolt of the Azure Striker Gunvolt series in a followup to Mighty Gunvolt (a game that was available on the Nintendo 3DS and Steam). This sequel was Mighty Gunvolt Burst for the Nintendo Switch and 3DS. Similar to a Mega Man game and having the same cast of bosses as Mighty No. 9, the dev team went further, designing well crafted levels that encouraged multiple playthroughs to uncover secrets and get higher scores. An upgrade system meant you could customize Beck or Gunvolt by equipping found chips to do a number of enhancements. From air dashes, to adding elemental capabilities to weapons, to making bullets fire in different arcs and directions, the amount of customization was incredible. While we wait for Mega Man 11 later this year, why not check out Mighty Gunvolt Burst if you haven't already? We saw this game already earlier in the evening, and it's for good reason. SteamWorld Dig 2 is just a wonderful game made by an exceptionally talented team in Image & Form. Further expanding on the now-basic gameplay of the original SteamWorld Dig, the sequel brought forth expertly created level design as opposed to the randomly generated worlds seen in Image & Form's first chapter of the SteamWorld saga. This meant a more cleverly crafted world could be built, offering man-made challenges instead of leaving things up to the whims of the AI's design. It made finding treasure and completing the many challenge rooms within the game particularly rewarding and not something that felt like simple luck. The options in the player character's mobility further exemplified the lessons learned by the dev team, giving players more ways to get from point A to point B, and have lots of fun doing them. SteamWorld Dig 2 is an addicting, quality, treasure of a game that thankfully you don't have to discover miles under ground to play and enjoy. Speaking of seeing games earlier this evening, it's once again time for SuperPhillip Central's pick for the top digital download of 2017, Sonic Mania! The days of me sinking a lot of time into a game, beating it multiple times, and after thinking I was exhausted with it, going back to play it some more seemed long gone. After all, usually when I beat a game nowadays I have to move on to my next for review purposes to keep a steady stream of relevant game coverage going. With Sonic Mania, I must have gone through the game with all seven Chaos Emeralds at least three times. The zones are colorful and full of interesting gimmicks and obstacles, the controls are as solid and smooth as the Genesis classics, and the overall presentation nails the '90s aesthetic from over two decades ago. As cynical and sarcastic as I often can get, games like Sonic Mania bring back the kid in me, and they remind me why I love gaming so much. Let's kick off the penultimate day of awards in the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards with a wholly new category! Yes, this category has never before been seen on the SuperPhillip Central "Best of" Awards in the ten-year history of this annual event. It's a look at the Top Five Remakes & Remasters of 2017. You can include ports in here, too! These updated games on this list had enough additions to be worthwhile, were remastered to utter beauty, ported to the impossible, or a combination of other factors. From racing to ripping and tearing, these best video games remakes and remasters (and ports) were the best of the best for 2017! This past summer saw the return of the WipEout series, a weaponized rival to franchises like F-Zero and X-Treme G. It seemed with the shuttering of Sony's Liverpool studio, the creators of the WipEout series, that PlayStation's futuristic racing franchise would not be seen again for quite a while. Though it's not a brand-new entry in the WipEout series, it's the next best thing, a collection of three of the most modern games on the series: WipEout HD, WipEout Fury, and WipEout 2048. Able to played in glorious 4K via PS4 Pro or similarly impressive on just a vanilla PS4, WipEout Omega Collection is a stunning racer that makes the WipEout series look better than ever before. With 26 total tracks, 46 ships, and nine unique modes, this WipEout collection is a futuristic racing fans' dream come true. If in 2016 someone said to you, "You know this super amazing looking game on PS4, Xbox One, and PC? Well, it's going to come to a Nintendo platform in the future," would you have believed them? Furthermore, would you even believe Bethesda would support a Nintendo system after all of this time? DOOM on the Nintendo Switch did, in fact, happen, and somehow the port made by Panic Button brought DOOM's 2016 entry to the Switch in a big and impressive way. While obviously certain graphical aspects had to be toned down from a game made for a high-end console and PC to fit onto less powerful hardware, Panic Button did a highly serviceable and way impressive job (less so in undocked mode, but still amazing that it somehow runs well even in that mode). Containing the whole single-player campaign, the full multiplayer with its 6.66 update including all of the 16 maps and reconfigured rewards, and stellar online, DOOM on Switch seemed like an impossibility, but Bethesda and Panic Button proved to people that things aren't always what they seem. While there has already been a remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus created by a fan, there has yet to be an official one by Nintendo. That was until last fall where Metroid: Samus Returns for the Nintendo 3DS released and Samus went on an updated mission with some story and gameplay-related twists and turns. For one, Samus could now aim more precisely and by varying degrees instead of strictly left, right, down, and some diagonals. A new counterattack meant enemies who got too close for comfort for Samus could be stunned or destroyed in an instant. The environments boasted lots of variety, especially in the second half of the game, and story-wise, the inclusion of new bosses and story beats added more lore to the Metroid series in general. Both Nintendo and MercurySteam crafted a long awaited and satisfying return of the Metroid series, and it makes me quite hopeful for the future of the franchise, something I couldn't quite say after Metroid Prime: Federation Force, despite enjoying that game for what it was. Samus may have had a long awaited return, but the wait was nothing compared to PlayStation fans and one of the characters synonymous with the brand, Crash Bandicoot. Activision and Vicarious Visions teamed up to create what fans had been clamoring for ages for, a remake of the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy, a trio of games released way back on the original PlayStation. With the PS4 remakes all in one neat and tidy packed, Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy brought several added conveniences to the old games while making them look absolutely jaw-dropping in their gorgeous brilliance. The new animations, the detailed worlds, the advanced lighting, and the tremendous effects on display meant that Crash had finally entered onto the PlayStation 4 in top form. And the wait was worth it, as all three games were brought to their best (yes, even the original Crash Bandicoot, which I still think is not particularly a great game). Fans were thirsty for more Crash Bandicoot, and sales charts in the West have shown this on a routine basis. At first glance, Mario Kart 8 on the Nintendo Switch didn't seem like such a big deal, but looks can be deceiving. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe not only jazzed up its presentation, but it had all the purchased DLC from the Wii U game already available in the Switch port, new characters like King Boo and Bowser Jr. to race as, a completely overhauled and better-than-ever-before Battle Mode with eight unique arenas, and multiple modes to keep the races running wild all throughout the year. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains a mainstay at parties with friends and a game in the rotation for when I play the Switch with my older brother. This is after already playing the Wii U original for 80+ hours! With being placed on a new, much more popular piece of hardware, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is on its way to easily outselling its Wii U predecessor, and whether it's at home in docked form, on the go with handheld mode, or gathered around a patio table in kickstand form, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can be played and ultimately enjoyed whenever and wherever with whoever you want, making it SuperPhillip Central's pick for the best port of 2017! Routinely on SuperPhillip Central I write about the games that didn't quite get as much attention as I personally thought they should have, whether through sales or through word of mouth. Obviously your Call of Duty games, Star Wars Battlefronts, and Assassin's Creeds get a lot of attention, but so many other games fall through the cracks. These five games of 2017 are the ones that I played that I believe deserved more mentions from folks in the industry and game players in general. Musou games don't really review well, but the Fire Emblem franchise generally does. Since Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS, the Fire Emblem franchise has also seen higher sales than it originally did. Thank goodness for waifus, I guess. Thus, the combination of the Musou genre and the Fire Emblem franchise seemed like a match made in heaven. However, many decisions on both the developer side and the publisher side did Fire Emblem Warriors more harm than good. For one, the selection of characters for the roster was picked from a limited selection from Fire Emblem's illustrious history. Secondly, Nintendo unfortunately decided to release Warriors but a week before Super Mario Odyssey. Guess which game won out in sales. It's a shame, as while Fire Emblem Warriors does have its issues, it's still a highly competent and rewarding Musou game. Instructing units before and during battle to specific locations to strategically take care of objectives, being concerned with the paper, rock, scissors-like weapon triad, and more made for a Fire Emblem game worthy of the franchise name. The Nintendo 3DS's 2017 was a good one, despite the system starting to fade out of the spotlight thanks to the release of the hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch. Many 3DS games were cast to the wayside in interest compared to how they would have been welcomed when the system was in its golden years. This past fall's Monster Hunter Stories was one of these games, and not just because of the 3DS fading out, but also due to a much more important entry in the series, Monster Hunter World, getting all of the attention. That said, Monster Hunter Stories itself carried all of the greatness and features of the Monster Hunter series and reestablished them in turn-based RPG form. You still explored vast lands searching for monsters to do battle with, earning their hides and pelts from defeating them, but this time you could have them on your team through entering monster nests and stealing and hatching eggs. This Pokemon-styled collection aspect meant that not only was the forging of new weapons and armor a fun grind, but so was adding as many monster species to your arsenal as well. The first entries of some games have then soured players on trying out future titles due to the first entry being less than fantastic to play. That was the case with the Knack, a game that saw much success in sales due to arriving as a launch title for the PlayStation 4, even being bundled with the system in Japan. However, the game itself was pretty repetitive and was more of a technological showcase for the system than a fun game. Thankfully, Knack and the dev team were given a second chance with a sequel, and while many turned up their noses at it or hyped the game up ironically through meme usage, Knack II ended up being a really good game overall. A nice mix of combat, platforming, and exploration made for a sequel that improved on the original Knack in every conceivable way. Here's hoping that somehow Sony bankrolls a third chapter in the Knack series so we can get a full trilogy, and maybe some more memes, too. This next game released to little fanfare and even smaller sales. Much like its PlayStation Vita predecessor, Gravity Rush 2 failed to light the sales charts on fire and has become an overlooked, under-appreciated, but still high quality game in the PlayStation library. The gravity-bending mechanic from the original Gravity Rush returned, and it never felt better, being much more improved and comfortable to use. Main character Kat was as ever adorable and precocious with her unending optimism and positiveness, and of course, all of her gravity abilities allowing her swift travel across the game world and new combat techniques in battle. Gravity Rush 2's online services are already on the chopping block, not even a year after release, and while no trophies are affected, the superb online experience will no longer be available. Still, Gravity Rush 2 is a certifiably noteworthy game within the PS4's ever-extending library. From the mind of the man behind Secret of Mana and the developer team behind the Nintendo 3DS remakes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Majora's Mask 3D, comes this wholly original game made exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. This action-RPG had plenty of personality to it, dungeons to explore, quests to complete, baddies and bosses to bash, loot to hoard, and your grand home, the oasis, to build up and replenish. Ever Oasis was part dungeon-crawler, part exploration, part action-RPG, and part simulation, and it all added up to an amazing experience. Like many Nintendo 3DS games released last year, the hardware Ever Oasis was released upon was deemed old hat by the March arrival of the Nintendo Switch. That said, if breaking out your old Nintendo 3DS doesn't churn your stomach after experience an HD portable experience with the Switch, then Ever Oasis is definitely a great pickup and game to engross yourself in. Not only has PlayStation revealed a brand-new story trailer for God of War, but so, too, has it finally revealed a release date, April 20, 2018! Make your pot and weed jokes now and get them over with, so we can start building up hype for the God of War's newest entry! Here it is, later than the site usually does its yearly "Best of" awards, but here all the same -- it's the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards! On its ninth year now, the "Best of" awards spotlight the greatest and brightest in gaming through a wide selection of categories in top five and top ten form. Our first category and list to kick the ceremony festivities off is the Top Five Best Original Soundtracks of 2017. Music is highly subjective in what's the best and what isn't, but I think we can all prefer the soundtrack selections on this list over a rendition of the Super Mario Bros. theme as played by fingernails scratching on a chalkboard or through hippo farts. Actually, the second one is a little promising... With that bit of class for a classy awards show, let's get to the top five soundtracks that I particularly enjoyed this past year. Changing the tradition a little, I've posted my five samples for each game soundtrack in embedded YouTube playlist form this time around. Let's start the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2017 Awards with some style, Gravity Rush 2! The game, featuring a gravity-shifting protagonist named Kat, is a sequel to the PlayStation Vita original. That original game would get ported to the PS4, but now you're lucky to find it used for a sane cost. Regardless, one of the greater aspects of Gravity Rush 2 is its tremendous soundtrack, combining an orchestra with jazzy rhythm and melodies to create a sophisticated, memorable sound. If a soundtrack such as Gravity Rush 2 with its amazing score is but number five on this list, we're in for some great game music coming up! And that's exactly what we're getting with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. The Ys series routinely houses some of the finest music to come out of the land of the rising sun, despite being a niche series worldwide. A Nintendo Switch version is releasing this summer in North America while the PS4 and Vita versions await a patch to fix the wonky localization. All that aside, the tradition of high quality Ys soundtracks continues with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, coming with a deluge of harmonious, exquisite, and powerful tracks and themes for listeners in and out of the game to enjoy. It's always a pleasure to hear a new Ys soundtrack, and indeed that tradition also continued with Lacrimosa of Dana. Tee Lopes is the composer behind the soundtrack of a game that delighted both modern and classic fans of Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic Mania sports both brand-new compositions that fit right in quite comfortably with all of the improved remixes from past classic Sonic games. You get some completely fresh themes heard in new zones like Studiopolis and Mirage Saloon that mesh nicely to the familiar remixed themes like Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Hydrocity, Lava Reef, and Metallic Madness. Sonic Mania is the only digital-only game on this list of best original soundtracks, and that's because the quality is of insane proportions. A love letter to Sonic the Hedgehog game fans is also a love letter to those who enjoyed the music of the series when they were young. We go from a retro-inspired wonder to a completely epic game with a score that shakes listeners to their very core. It's Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and sitting through the sometimes hackneyed acting and scenarios in the game is made worth it by the exceptional music (oh, and I guess that small thing called "gameplay.") Whether you're embroiled in battle with one of the many rocking tunes that plays while fending off creatures both big and small (and every other size in between) or venturing through open plains, vistas, and city streets, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 offers a treat for the ears. Better yet, the original composers from the first Xenoblade Chronicles are back to weave their skillful tunes, and they do so better than ever. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 most definitely does not disappoint in the music department. Sometimes it's just cheery music with a drop of insanely catchy melodies that wins me over, and that's exactly why Super Mario Odyssey is my number one pick for the best original soundtrack. While Super Mario Galaxy and Galaxy 2 might have more themes that I adore (they are, after all, my personal favorite game soundtracks), Odyssey is by no means a slouch, as it delivers tune after tune I cherish. From its main theme in Fossil Falls to the awesome scene where Jump Up, Super Star plays, the music is incredibly special and fits every kingdom, gameplay scenario, and area it plays in. The quality of music this year has been phenomenal, and the 3D Mario series continues to routinely have some of the best music in video game history. This has not changed at all with Super Mario Odyssey, winner of SuperPhillip Central's Best Original Soundtrack award. The greatly and hotly anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC is finally due out this Friday, and in celebration of the game's launch, Namco Bandai Entertainment presents this stunning trailer for the game's official arrival in stores. The critics are unanimous -- Dragon Ball FighterZ is an extraordinary Dragon Ball fighting game, and one of the series' best! Will you be picking up this action-packed fighter this Friday? Tonight will kick off SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2017 Awards, celebrating all things stellar in gaming this past year. With top five lists for the best games, best visuals, best soundtracks, and so forth, the Best of 2017 Awards will be quite the festivities when they begin tonight and last all week! In the meantime, before we get to that, we turn to SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs to kick off your work week in style! This week sees this edition of the Favorite VGMs starting things out at the end of the line with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Then, we give our upper body limbs a workout with the Nintendo Switch's ARMS. Following that is a duo of recent releases, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana and Miitopia. Finally, things get viewtiful with Capcom and Clover Studios' Viewtiful Joe. Enjoy these VGMs and more, and by "more", I mean the VGM Database, where all past featured VGM on this weekly segment are listed! Now, let's get on to the music! Speaking of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2017 Awards, we might see some of the games on this edition make an appearance! I won't playfully hop around this with any coyness -- you can certainly bet Uncharted: The Lost Legacy will see an appearance or two during the award festivities. Could it be tonight during the Best Soundtrack category? With an exciting score such as the example here heard in the final mission of Lost Legacy, there could be a chance! Here's another game from 2017 that has a similar chance as Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. ARMS is a creative fighting game, atypical for the genre. Instead of being on a 2D plane, battles in ARMS are not only fought in a 3D arena, but the camera is behind the back of each fighter. It all comes down to picking the right moments to send out one or both of your arms to attack your opponent, quick evasion skills and dodges, and aiming your shots to curve into foes in tricky patterns. The soundtrack is exceptional for the game as well, offering a diverse range of styles, all incorporating in some way the ARMS main theme. I held off on buying this next game due to the hoopla surrounding its less than stellar localization. It was so bad that the publisher in Japan ordered a redo in patch form, which has yet to come out but will soon. That said, maybe it's a good thing I held off, as a new Nintendo Switch port of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is set to hit the hybrid system this summer in North America. The only thing I've been missing is hearing the awesome soundtrack as heard in the game, but even by its lonesome without context, Ys music is always fantastic, and this is the case with Ys VIII. Let's go wholly portable with this fall Nintendo 3DS release, incorporating all of your Mii collection (or by borrowing total strangers' Miis) in a one-of-a-kind role-playing game! It's Miitopia, and it's a game where you can put your family and friends in the roles of the various characters, whether good or evil. This theme with its bongo drum and synth accompanies you as you do battle with one of the many dastardly bosses in this lengthy Mii adventure. Save the kingdom and the world with Miitopia! Let's go back in the past with this final VGM for this edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs. It's from one of my favorite character action games of all time, the remarkable Viewtiful Joe. I originally played the game on its GameCube launch and became so addicted to it that I almost completed the game with all Rainbow V rankings in each act of every level. That's how much I enjoyed it. One aspect of Viewtiful Joe that I also enjoyed was the superb soundtrack, featuring a mix of rock and electronica music, as heard in this theme when facing off against the fourth level boss of the game, Another Joe.

2019-04-25T15:47:28Z

https://www.superphillipcentral.com/2018_01_21_archive.html

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There was no network program, the network did not obtain assistance in sales and also advertising or pricey network sales reps wrote sales training, developed collateral and tried to resolve assistance problems, instead of collaborating with their channel companions to construct service and also close offers. Enter the channel life cycle, a version on which channel programs are based. The version determines the key take advantage of indicate touch companions, support their efforts as well as speed their time to success. While at HP, we had the challenge of having several companions, however few supplied the sort of earnings we required. The life cycle permitted us to determine where to act to speed partners to revenues. The Life cycle adheres to a network companion via the entire connection with a company, from hiring and introduction to the worth recommendation of being a companion to business arrangements to preparation for launch to growth as well as monitoring. A octa air 評價 must be thoroughly constructed to sustain each action of the life cycle. A channel does not happen by chance. Each step of the way, a thoroughly selected collection of actions must take place to speed the channels to success. Recruitment: Once a business chooses a network strategy, you will require creating a collection of strenuous requirements for the type of companion you wish to hire. You require guaranteeing that the possible companies will certainly be a good suit for your business as well as organization design as well as vice-versa. Key concerns can include: What is the value recommendation you are using and also is that essential to them? Can you plainly define an upside opportunity for both sides? Exists an affordable degree of investment each side is prepared to make? What does the partner anticipate from you in regards to profits stream, revenue margin, need development, development of a market? Company Terms as well as Processes: As you create business terms, consider just how you will certainly execute them. Just how will you measure sell-through? Exactly how will you assess the partnership? Likewise, think through each step of the sales procedure as well as develop processes to support the channel. Exactly how will item training be given, just how will launches of brand-new products be connected to partners BEFORE the launch, just how will certainly product be delivered, returns be taken, success be determined.

2019-04-22T02:58:07Z

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Natural pain relief is one of the biggest benefits of CBD for many people suffering from conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or the results of a previous injury. In addition, CBD can also be used as an effective painkiller for those going through often painful and taxing treatments for other conditions, such as chemotherapy. Many chemotherapy patients have turned to CBD not only for its cancer-fighting benefits, but also to deal with pain, nausea, and a loss of appetite after treatment. In 2006, a study of mice found that CBD treatment greatly reduced the occurrence of diabetes in mice of a healthy weight. Further benefits also included significant reductions in plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Later, in 2013, a study published in the American Journal of Medicine focused on the impact of cannabis use on glucose levels, insulin, and insulin resistance in human adults. The participants included 579 current cannabis users and 1,975 past users. The study found that current or past marijuana use was associated with 16% lower insulin levels when fasting. In addition, marijuana users are less likely to be overweight or obese, with significant associations between cannabis use and a smaller waist circumference. This leads to less risk of developing diabetes symptoms. Unlike tobacco, cannabis can actually help to improve and promote your cardiovascular health. A study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in 2013 suggested that CBD protects against vascular damage caused by an environment high in glucose along with cardiovascular inflammation and the induction of type 2 diabetes. In addition, CBD was found effective for reducing vascular hyperpermeability, a common factor in high-glucose environments associated with conditions such as leaky gut. Further to that, increasing evidence is finding that CBD may be useful for the prevention and treatment of serious conditions such as heart disease, arrhythmia, and atherosclerosis. Other cannabinoids such as Anandamide have also been found to positively affect the heart. With all these health benefits, it’s no wonder that the U.S. has led the way legalizing medical marijuana. CBD oil can help you with all the mentioned conditions and many more – if it’s legal in your state, why not try it? In the modern world, keeping your mental health in a good place is becoming more and more difficult, and there are many people out there who will suffer from a mental health problem at least once in their lifetime. This means that more people are struggling to stay on track to keep their mind as healthy as their body. However, the rise in such problems means there is also a rise in people coming up with innovative solutions to daily mental health issues, which can help many in both the short and the long term. If you are struggling to keep your mental health on track, make sure you take note of these tops tips. Exercise is known for being one of the best solutions to keeping your body healthy, as it can help you tone up and lose any excess weight you don’t want. It can also regulate your blood pressure levels, but in many ways is praised by health professionals for the benefits it brings to your mind. If you incorporate exercise into your daily routine, more endorphins will be released, which can leave you feeling calm and happy, even in just a short while. You can do this by walking short distances rather than driving to them, or by practicing yoga for a few short minutes each day. Not only will this help you to de-stress, but the meditation part of yoga has also shown immeasurable benefits for peoples’ mental health. When you are trying to lose weight, doctors will often recommend eating well alongside exercising, but it isn’t just your body that having a healthy diet can affect. In fact, there are some foods which can impact your mental health for the worse. This includes caffeine, which has been proven to increase your chances of having a panic attack if you suffer from anxiety problems, but which can also increase irritability. The best way to keep your mind calm is by eating and drinking natural foods, which have fewer additives in them. Those such as fish and cereals contain high levels of Vitamin B, which can tackle fatigue that comes with depression. You can even buy Vitamin D supplements if you are feeling the effects of little to no sunlight in harsh winter weather. Your friends are the people you can go to when you are looking to laugh and joke around, and when you need cheering up during bad times. Even just being around people you love, who can give you a hug if you are feeling low, will release endorphins that promote a balanced mind. If you live far away from them, you can always ring them up or have a video chat, or plan to meet up whenever you are close by. If you are lucky enough to have family and friends near, you should make the most of their company by having movie nights or going for a meal. More smiles in the short term will stave off any bad times on the horizon but will also provide you with a network of trusted friends who you can go to whenever you start to feel alone. Most people who struggle with mental health problems will also find it hard to maintain a regular sleep pattern. For example, depression and anxiety can lead to insomnia, which contributes to the intense fatigue that someone with these conditions may face daily. If you can combat your sleep pattern, you will be able to regulate the cortisol levels in your brain, which keeps you feeling balanced and less irritable. There are a few ways of doing this, such as avoiding foods which are known to keep people awake, like caffeine, or by exercising regularly so that your body is ready for a good night’s sleep when darkness falls. You can even use weighted blankets that you have bought or handmade to mimic a warm hug are you sleep. However, you can also try alternative therapies like having essential oils in your home, some of which are known to induce a sense of calm and let users fall into a deep sleep. All of this can be helped by ensuring you have a dark room to sleep in, that your bed is comfortable, and that you feel safe and reassured that no harm would come to you as you sleep. This may seem like an obvious point, but if you avoid copious amounts of drugs and alcohol, then you will see a marked difference in your mental health over time. you can do this by cutting down on your alcohol intake a small amount each day so that you are sticking within the recommended daily intake, and so that you don’t have to rely on it to help you have fun on nights out. With drugs, it is worth reminding yourself that you can get into serious legal trouble if you are found with any heavy substances, but also that you should be wary of prescription drugs and painkillers. This is because the road to many people’s addiction problems stems from becoming reliant on those prescribed to them in times of need. The reason avoiding such substances is so important is also that people with a mental health problem may be more likely to fall into addiction, which in turn makes it harder to avoid them. If you feel as though you are already heading down this path, or that you are watching a loved one spiral into a dark place with substances find out now what you can do to help stop the problem from becoming something much worse. Being at one with the natural world often does wonders for physical health. Having a smoother respiratory system, boosting the oxygen reaching your skin, and getting access to more natural light are all benefits you can see from spending even a short time in nature. If you live in the city, then you should bring nature indoors by having plants dotted about your home, but you should also make each vacation you take one in nature. This could mean going on a family camping trip in the mountains or taking a beach trip away from a bustling city. In any case, try and stop to breathe in the fresh, natural air whenever you are there or soak up the Vitamin D of the natural light around you, and you will feel calm and stress-free in no time. Where many people see their mental health failing is in that they have no time to take proper care of themselves. This is especially true for those who have busy jobs and spend their time looking after other people, such as young kids or older family members. Whenever you can, it’s important to make a small amount of time for you to do something that you love. This could be reading your favorite book or catching up on a television program you have missed. Regardless of what it is, it should be a time where you can relax and unwind without having to worry about anything else. The key to doing this well is to start putting yourself first in times where you are giving too much of your tie to people who either don’t need or don’t appreciate it. The more time like this you make for yourself, the more you will be able to stop and take in all that is good around you, even on days where you feel like you can’t. One of the biggest parts of practicing successful self-care is having a great bank of stress-busting techniques on hand if you are ever struggling to calm down. Luckily, there are lots of resources online where people come together to share what works best for them, but you will find what works for you best by trying out a few different options before you settle on a few that fit you. These techniques can include learning to regulate breathing, as well as having short meditation tips to follow when you get caught up in the heat of the moment. The best thing about such tips is that they can truly help in times when you are stressed, but that they also work wonders whenever you may be feeling down or panicky. Aside from sleeping and relaxing in your home, the place where you will spend most of your time is at work. If you are in a job where you are not being appreciated, and where you can tell it is contributing to a negative headspace, then it’s wise to start looking for one where you will feel more at home, and happier. If you are restricted by money or skills, you can always ask a professional to help you find a job that suits you, or you could take up a hobby on the side of your job which could earn you an income in a few months’ time. Most importantly, you should always remember that bad days can be unavoidable. This means that there will be times when you can’t cope on your own and that you will need to turn to someone for help. Ultimately, the people around you don’t want to see you suffer, so they will be with you every step of the way until you feel yourself again. You want to look good all the time, but something within you wants to strive for better as the summer rolls around. Maybe it’s because you want to feel even more care-free and maybe it’s due to the fact that there will be a multitude of people baring their flesh and making you feel insecure about your own. Remember, that you’re only in competition with yourself, so don’t compete with others as it’ll only make you feel down insufficient and that’s simply untrue and unhelpful. Try to feel confident in the skin you’re in by working to improve your health and make you feel better about your appearance. Some tweaks here and there can help boost your confidence and feeling summer ready. It’s summer, and you’re going to be happy just to walk about in the warmth of the midday sun in nothing but a vest and shorts. Since you’re likely going to be beaming your way over town, think about getting the teeth to match the radiance that’s exuding from you and in your wide smile. For straighter teeth, consider visiting orthodontist Irmo SC and getting on your way to wanting to flash your teeth about. If you’re conscious about your skin, and more specifically, an uneven skin tone, then there are ways to manage this. Begin religiously toning your face as part of your skin routine and balance out marks and blotches by getting your hands on a foundation and concealer that really work for you. Avoid harsh chemicals that could cause a breakout, and instead favor natural products that won’t strip your skin of its natural oils. It’s a good idea to protect your skin from sun damage all year round, and it’s as easy as choosing a foundation that has SPF in it. The sun’s UV rays are stronger the hotter months of summer. However, there is UV in every ray of sunlight whether it be summer ones or winter ones. Be safe rather than sorry and protect your skin throughout the year. When summer has well and truly arrived, then be absolutely sure to be applying sun cream liberally and avoiding premature signs of aging and age spots. Body conditioning involves consistently making the right choices for your health and your body at the forefront of your mind. Conditioning your body means working on every aspect of your health and fitness to achieve a desirable and polished look. You can condition your body by keeping a healthy and vegetable-rich diet and dedicating hours to the gym. When you look good, you feel good, and body conditioning allows you to improve every aspect of your body as you’re working to make it function and appear in the peak of physical fitness and performance. Make sure your digestive system is firing on all cylinders over the summer and give it what it needs. Feed your body with plenty of vitamins are nutrients in order to help your skin looking brighter and clear and remember to drink at least two liters of water a day, and even more if it’s very humid. Start your day right and make a large fruit and vegetable smoothie for breakfast. Happiness and health is a quest you seek continually, and they are far from being mutually exclusive. You need both happiness and healthiness to stay functioning in such a way that makes you pleased to be alive and experiencing each day as it comes. No one person can be happy all of the time, but the healthier you are then the best chance you have of being happy. Getting happy and healthy can be an enjoyable journey, and you’ll begin reaping the rewards from the very start. Health involves eating well and exercising to stay fit and supple however there’s more it than just this. Health relates to your wellbeing and how you feel mentally and emotionally, so do your best to look after every part of your body and your life. The year has well and truly began, but you’re not at midway just yet. There’s still time to get the help you deserve if you know you need a helping hand. If you’re suffering from addiction and substance abuse, or know someone who is, then do all that is in your power to get some professional help and consider getting along to a rehabilitation center. This is the year you tell yourself that enough is enough and reach out for some help where it’s needed. There is no shame in admitting your relationship with drugs, and in fact, asking for help to detox is admirable and commendable. Financial strain shouldn’t stop you from receiving treatment to get better, so if you’re in need of the funds, considering finding out more about UMR insurance and substance abuse. This is far from being an easy step to becoming happy and healthier. However, it is necessary. You cannot afford to waste your happiness on maintaining unhealthy and toxic relationships with those you don’t encourage and support you. You need to surround yourself with people who love you for who you are and don’t expect more from you. Toxic people are ones who drain your happiness, your energy, and your spirit. Let go of those who have nothing positive or reassuring to say to you but do it with kindness. In order to get happier and healthier, you’re going to need to work on your physical fitness and improve how your body functions. The best way to get active is to enjoy getting active and involved with sports. Team sports are particularly effective for keeping you interested as you’re relied upon when you make up a sports team, and you find supportive teammates who are competitive and spur you on to become a better sportsman. Think about joining some sports clubs and societies and getting a feel for them. Improve your fitness levels alongside making friends and keeping mentally alert. Money worries can kill your good mood in seconds. Money stresses are a reliable way of deflating your mood, so do your best to improve your situation. If you’re spending money unnecessarily and wasting your money on treating yourself constantly, then it might be time to rein in your spending habits and starting a savings account to take care of the future. Think about saving a small percentage of your wages and keeping them safely away for a rainy day. Doing this can help you feel less anxious about the future, and you might have money to reward yourself with a much-needed breakaway, for example. This is pretty straightforward but is something that is incredibly beneficial. Eating well involves making the right decisions and avoiding eating junk food. If you want to feel happy and healthy, then you’re going to have to get involved and down to the grocery store in search of fresh fruit and vegetables. Start a healthy eating plan and fill your plate with healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and good whole sources of protein. Think about cutting your red meat intake and instead tucking into white meat and fish instead. Heed advice and steer clear of sugary and carbonated drinks. Get organized this year. There’s so much time to declutter your home and your workspace. Remove items that are no longer of use to you and clear and clean surfaces. Stay happy and healthy is a clean home that is conducive to relaxation and unwinding at the end of the day. Being disorganized can make completing tasks more difficult than doing them when ordered and neatly filed away. If you’ve long been ignoring a troublesome and over spilling file of paperwork, then now is the time to get stuck in and avoid procrastination. Meditation and mindfulness allow you to feel in touch with your body and your mind. This, in turn, works to make you acutely aware of yourself in your surroundings, either making you feel very powerful and in charge of your body, or terribly small and inconsequential. This might not sound useful. However, it aids you to relax and realize how small you are in a large universe and your problems seem lighter and in perspective. This feeling helps you calm down and stay focused, and is believed to let you approach your problems with a calm and collected manner. Get happier and healthier by resting well and letting your brain and body get the sleep it needs to tackle every day. The right sleep is deep and comfortable and one whereby you wake feeling bright and refreshed and free from pain. Sleeping awkwardly or one a poor mattress can play havoc with your back and lead to back pain an even inflammation. Get a full night’s sleep and make sure you’re resting your back properly on a chiropractor-recommended mattress. Interacting with others is a great way to boost your confidence as well as your happiness and healthiness. Chatting with those you love encourages the release of endorphins, which help you feel happy in response to being socially stimulated among friends. Get social and improve your life by meeting new people, new groups, and new clubs too. Get online and create your profile for meeting others, and see where you go from there.

2019-04-18T23:00:32Z

http://blog.smarthealthshop.com/category/health/wellness-well-being/page/4/

You searched for subject:(Educational Methods). Showing records 1 – 30 of 2241 total matches. 1. OH, MIHEA. Using American pop songs in EFL classrooms. ▼ This project has an aim to provide effective learning environment through music resources by reducing negative feeling. Student will get away from boring classroom and have some positive energy to boost motivation on language acquisition during learning activities because music is a power to make more fun atmosphere in the classrooms. Advisors/Committee Members: Onllwyn C Dixon, Sedique Popal. OH, MIHEA. “Using American pop songs in EFL classrooms.” 2015. Thesis, University of San Francisco. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/202. OH, MIHEA. “Using American pop songs in EFL classrooms.” 2015. Web. 20 Apr 2019. OH M. Using American pop songs in EFL classrooms. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of San Francisco; 2015. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/202. 2. Colliver, Yeshe Jampa. The aim of the game: Insider stakeholders' perspectives on learning through play. ▼ Most contemporary early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in Western-heritage contexts are play-based. Play has become a central component of ECEC provision through the writings of Romantic philosophers of the 17th century and the spread of the child-centred approach in the latter half of the 20th century. Such an approach places what the child is interested in – notably represented by her/his play – in the centre of ECEC. What interests the child has been seen to represent what s/he is currently learning. Any interference with this from the adult has been seen to inhibit learning. The educator’s role in this approach has been primarily as a facilitator, providing resources for rich and diverse play opportunities that the child chose at her/his will to learn from autonomously. In recent curricular reforms across the globe, however, the educator is becoming repositioned. It is no longer sufficient that s/he facilitates learning through play only; s/he must engage with and extend play towards the learning of curriculum outcomes. In Australia, such reforms have taken the form of the National Quality Framework, which now stipulates that educators must “provide a balance between child led, child initiated and educator supported learning” rather than just child-initiated play (DEEWR, 2009, p. 15). Research suggests educators struggle to find this balance. Further, the NQF assesses ECEC centres on whether they “respond to children's ideas and play and use intentional teaching to scaffold and extend each child's learning” (ACECQA, 2012, para. 10). This active, “intentional” role appears to be at odds with educators’ traditional, facilitative approaches, influencing how learning through play is implemented. This thesis focused on this implementation by investigating the perspectives of those that enact learning through play – educators, family members, and children. Using a case study methodology, it conducted video-stimulated recall dialogues with 46 “insider” stakeholders in an ECEC centre in inner-Melbourne, Australia. Perspectives were expressed in relation to videos recorded of young children’s 4 play in the home and the ECEC centre. Using a sociocultural theorisation of perspectives, findings were analysed in relation to the institutional practices and values that were expressed in the perspectives of children, mothers and educators. Colliver, Yeshe Jampa. “The aim of the game: Insider stakeholders' perspectives on learning through play.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/533. Colliver, Yeshe Jampa. “The aim of the game: Insider stakeholders' perspectives on learning through play.” 2014. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Colliver YJ. The aim of the game: Insider stakeholders' perspectives on learning through play. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Australian Catholic University; 2014. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/533. 3. McLean, Karen J. A story of early years educators’ experiences of technology and literacy in early years learning environments. McLean, Karen J. “A story of early years educators’ experiences of technology and literacy in early years learning environments.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/430. McLean, Karen J. “A story of early years educators’ experiences of technology and literacy in early years learning environments.” 2012. Web. 20 Apr 2019. McLean KJ. A story of early years educators’ experiences of technology and literacy in early years learning environments. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Australian Catholic University; 2012. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/430. 4. Cheney, Terrilyn D. L. How Coaching Changes Teaching Practices In Elementary Literacy Instruction. ▼ Professional development is a major initiative in many school districts in an effort to help teachers improve teaching and learning. Literacy coaches are becoming increasingly prevalent in many elementary school buildings. This study examined the effects literacy coaches have on teaching practices. More specifically, it examined to what degree literacy coaches affect teaching. Utilizing an electronic survey, 18 elementary classroom teachers participated in providing feedback relative to their enjoyment, new learning, changes in practice, and subsequent changes in student learning that occurred as a result of literacy coaching. Teachers indicated new learning was occurring despite how many years they had been teaching. Teachers who were newer to the profession, fewer than 10 years’ experience, indicated high levels of enjoyment and changes to their practice and noted positive changes in student learning. Teachers with more experience indicated lower levels of enjoyment, but some still reported they noticed a change in their teaching practices for the short term at least. This study has substantial implications for the value of literacy instructional coaches and identifies particular coaching moves that teachers identified as useful. This study supports the work being done in schools and the investment being made in literacy coaching. The argument for providing job-embedded professional development is strong in this study. Advisors/Committee Members: Grania Holman, Corinna Crafton, Peter Harrison. Cheney, Terrilyn D L. “How Coaching Changes Teaching Practices In Elementary Literacy Instruction.” 2018. Thesis, University of New England. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://dune.une.edu/theses/190. Cheney, Terrilyn D L. “How Coaching Changes Teaching Practices In Elementary Literacy Instruction.” 2018. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Cheney TDL. How Coaching Changes Teaching Practices In Elementary Literacy Instruction. [Internet] [Thesis]. University of New England; 2018. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://dune.une.edu/theses/190. 5. Williams, Alan R. Academy Students' and Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of Electronic Technology in Their Personal Life and School Experiences in a Selected Union Conference. ▼ Problem. The influx of N-Gen students into the classroom of teachers of earlier generations has created a digital generation gap. This gap has serious consequences for schools. For example, only half of the public school teachers who had computers or the Internet available in their schools use them for classroom instruction. However, today’s students are very technology savvy, feel strongly about the positive value of technology and rely upon technology as an essential and preferred component of every aspect of their lives. It appears that the slow speed at which technology is changing the classroom is providing challenges to educators and students. – Method. This study used the survey research design method to examine the perceptions towards the use of technology based on the NetDay SpeakUp Day studies. As this study investigated students’ and pre-service teachers’ perceptions of technologies used in and out of the classroom, the survey research design was used to obtain information from students and pre-service teachers. This study gathered information related to the status of technology use by pre-service teachers and by 11th- and 12th-grade students. These research data were collected through surveys of students and pre-service educators. Students were asked to participate through the school principals, and pre-service teachers were asked to participate through their educational training department chairs of their schools of the selected Union of Seventh-day Adventists. – Results. The first research question asked: “What are the perceptions of high school students’ use of technology and their advanced technological abilities?” Almost all (96.4%) of students in Grades 11-12 consider technology as important for their education. A small group (3.6%) seems to have significantly different views on technology and their education. About half of the students (50.8%) claim to get help with their school work using technology at school more than at place of residence. Less than half (46.1%) said they get help from place of residence. The students report showed that almost half of the students (47.5%) use the computer lab at school more than the classroom computers or the library computers. Few of the students (2.6%) seem not to use computers regularly at school. Research question 2 asked: “What are the perceptions of senior pre-service teachers in their technological abilities?” In response to the question, “Teachers’ who consider themselves well prepared by the school program use technology-related tools to enhance teaching,” more than threequarters (84.0%) indicated (Agree or Strongly Agree) they feel they are prepared to use computer productivity tools, whereas almost three-quarters (72.0%) believe they can handle using integrated technology tools in specific curriculum-related work. About twothirds (68.0%) believe they can handle using integrated technology tools in general curriculum-related work. A little more than half (52.0%) feel they can use instructional technology tools. And less than half (44.0%)… Advisors/Committee Members: Larry D. Burton, R. Lee Davidson, Marcel A.A. Sargeant. Williams, Alan R. “Academy Students' and Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of Electronic Technology in Their Personal Life and School Experiences in a Selected Union Conference.” 2010. Doctoral Dissertation, Andrews University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1547. Williams, Alan R. “Academy Students' and Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of Electronic Technology in Their Personal Life and School Experiences in a Selected Union Conference.” 2010. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Williams AR. Academy Students' and Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of Electronic Technology in Their Personal Life and School Experiences in a Selected Union Conference. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Andrews University; 2010. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1547. 6. MacQuarrie, Lara Lynne. A Comparison of the Incremental Rehearsal Method, the Pocket Word Method, and Repeated Reading Instructional-Level Text on the Word Retention, Words Read Per Minute, and Comprehension of First-Grade Students. ▼ As partial fulfillment of a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, a retrospective, multi-element study was performed. The study compared the Incremental Rehearsal method (IR) and the Pocket Word method (PW) to each other and to Repeated Reading (within Instructional Level [RR-IL] by individually teaching words from the Dolch Word List to first-grade students. The effects of IR, PW, and RR-IL on the word retention, reading accuracy, words read per minute, passage retell, and aided comprehension of seven first-grade students were compared. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (4th edition) and the Dolch Word List were administered prior to intervention. The three conditions were administered at a rate of a single intervention every 24 hours (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) in order to counterbalance the intervention effects. Word retention, reading accuracy, and words read per minute were assessed at 24 hours and 7 days after each condition. Reliability of the administration was assessed by a school psychologist. The findings demonstrate an increase in the total number of words retained from pre-measure to post-measure on the Dolch Word List for each individual student and across all students. A visual analysis of individual cumulative data showed an increase for each student, an increase for all students, and confirmed the differentiation of conditions between the IR and PW method from the RR-IL method. As such, positive effects were found for the IR and PW methods for word retention at 1 and 7 days for each student and across students. The IR method demonstrated differentiation from PW and RR-IL for words read correctly in text. Limitations, observations, and recommendations for further study are discussed. Advisors/Committee Members: James A. Tucker, Matthew K. Burns, Gary Gifford. MacQuarrie, Lara Lynne. “A Comparison of the Incremental Rehearsal Method, the Pocket Word Method, and Repeated Reading Instructional-Level Text on the Word Retention, Words Read Per Minute, and Comprehension of First-Grade Students.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Andrews University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/549. MacQuarrie, Lara Lynne. “A Comparison of the Incremental Rehearsal Method, the Pocket Word Method, and Repeated Reading Instructional-Level Text on the Word Retention, Words Read Per Minute, and Comprehension of First-Grade Students.” 2012. Web. 20 Apr 2019. MacQuarrie LL. A Comparison of the Incremental Rehearsal Method, the Pocket Word Method, and Repeated Reading Instructional-Level Text on the Word Retention, Words Read Per Minute, and Comprehension of First-Grade Students. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Andrews University; 2012. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/549. 7. Tuccio, William Anthony. Collaborative Audio Transcription and Repair as a Method for Novice Pilots to Learn Approach Briefing Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills. ▼ The growth of aviation in scope, scale, and complexity increases the demands for student learning, including crew resource management (CRM) skills. Instructor facilitated methods have proven effective for CRM skill learning. This study investigated a method of collaborative audio transcription and repair based learning (CTRBL) offering the potential for reduced demand upon instructor resources for CRM learning. The theorybased CTRBL method was used in this study as a way for novice pilots to learn the CRM skill of conducting a crew approach briefing with a focus on risk mitigation. Learning methods used to develop the CTRBL method were drawn from facilitated scenario-based training in aviation, instructional methods in language learning, and discourse analysis in aviation. The CTRBL method effectiveness was evaluated by a quasi-experimental method using 42 participants formed into 21 dyadic groups. The results suggest that CTRBL is a manageable, independent student activity that is perceived by learners to be nearly as enjoyable as comparable ground-based CRM learning methods. Participants self-rated their post-treatment crew briefings higher than their pre-treatment briefings, and subject matter experts rated post-treatment crew briefings higher than pre-treatment briefings, suggesting the CTRBL method resulted in learning. Recommendations are made for future applications and research of CTRBL. Tuccio, William Anthony. “Collaborative Audio Transcription and Repair as a Method for Novice Pilots to Learn Approach Briefing Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Accessed April 20, 2019. http://commons.erau.edu/edt/50. Tuccio, William Anthony. “Collaborative Audio Transcription and Repair as a Method for Novice Pilots to Learn Approach Briefing Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills.” 2013. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Tuccio WA. Collaborative Audio Transcription and Repair as a Method for Novice Pilots to Learn Approach Briefing Crew Resource Management (CRM) Skills. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; 2013. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: http://commons.erau.edu/edt/50. 8. Borgman, Agnes. Coeducation in the secondary schools. Borgman, Agnes. “Coeducation in the secondary schools.” 1947. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1912 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1912. Borgman, Agnes. “Coeducation in the secondary schools.” 1947. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Borgman A. Coeducation in the secondary schools. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1947. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1912 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1912. 9. Fruchtenicht, Maxine D. A case study and the justification of a unit-type program. Fruchtenicht, Maxine D. “A case study and the justification of a unit-type program.” 1948. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/2042 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/2042. Fruchtenicht, Maxine D. “A case study and the justification of a unit-type program.” 1948. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Fruchtenicht MD. A case study and the justification of a unit-type program. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1948. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/2042 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/2042. 10. Schmutz, Olga. A survey of the audio-visual aids being used by the Louisville white fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers. Schmutz, Olga. “A survey of the audio-visual aids being used by the Louisville white fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers.” 1942. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1900 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1900. Schmutz, Olga. “A survey of the audio-visual aids being used by the Louisville white fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers.” 1942. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Schmutz O. A survey of the audio-visual aids being used by the Louisville white fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teachers. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1942. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1900 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1900. 11. Meyer, Bessie Terrell, 1890-1988. An activity program in an elementary school. Meyer, Bessie Terrell, 1890-1988. “An activity program in an elementary school.” 1935. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1830 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1830. Meyer, Bessie Terrell, 1890-1988. “An activity program in an elementary school.” 1935. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Meyer, Bessie Terrell 1. An activity program in an elementary school. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1935. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1830 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1830. 12. Corwin, Alice. A study of manuals for teachers. Corwin, Alice. “A study of manuals for teachers.” 1934. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1693 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1693. Corwin, Alice. “A study of manuals for teachers.” 1934. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Corwin A. A study of manuals for teachers. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1934. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1693 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1693. 13. Schrodt, Mabel MacDonald. The sixth grade supplementary history text : educational standards and the extent to which five books meet these requirements. Schrodt, Mabel MacDonald. “The sixth grade supplementary history text : educational standards and the extent to which five books meet these requirements.” 1939. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1899 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1899. Schrodt, Mabel MacDonald. “The sixth grade supplementary history text : educational standards and the extent to which five books meet these requirements.” 1939. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Schrodt MM. The sixth grade supplementary history text : educational standards and the extent to which five books meet these requirements. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1939. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1899 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1899. 14. Martin, Ruth Marie. The activity program versus the traditional method of instruction at the second grade level. Martin, Ruth Marie. “The activity program versus the traditional method of instruction at the second grade level.” 1938. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1834 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1834. Martin, Ruth Marie. “The activity program versus the traditional method of instruction at the second grade level.” 1938. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Martin RM. The activity program versus the traditional method of instruction at the second grade level. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1938. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1834 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1834. 15. Vogt, S. Harlan. The effects of a special technique upon rate and comprehension in teaching silent reading. Vogt, S Harlan. “The effects of a special technique upon rate and comprehension in teaching silent reading.” 1932. Masters Thesis, University of Louisville. Accessed April 20, 2019. 10.18297/etd/1936 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1936. Vogt, S Harlan. “The effects of a special technique upon rate and comprehension in teaching silent reading.” 1932. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Vogt SH. The effects of a special technique upon rate and comprehension in teaching silent reading. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. University of Louisville; 1932. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: 10.18297/etd/1936 ; https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd/1936. 16. Steffey, Eddie Joe. Mastery Learning in the Secondary Schools. ▼ The purpose of this field study was to develop and implement a model for the introduction of mastery learning at Chester High School in Chester, Illinois. In 1984-85 this researcher was named principal at Chester High School, which is located in a small, blue-collar community. Academic achievement was not perceived to be at an acceptable level. The researcher felt that the introduction of the mastery learning techniques suggested by Bloom and others combined with other pertinent research on effective schools could have a positive effect on academic achievement. Although this field study was designed for Chester High School, it may readily be adapted to serve as a reference for other small high schools striving for a more effective educational program. It is divided into five chapters. Chapter one provides background information, a problem statement and delineates limitations of the study. Chapter two provides a review of the literature on mastery learning. Chapter three addresses planning for mastery learning as it relates to (1) outlining learning objectives, (2) developing formative tests, (3) providing feedback, correctives and enrichment, and (4) developing summative examinations. Chapter four describes the working model for implementation of mastery learning developed by the writer. Chapter five provides results of the implementation of mastery learning at Chester High School. Advisors/Committee Members: Larry Janes. Steffey, Eddie Joe. “Mastery Learning in the Secondary Schools.” 1989. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University. Accessed April 20, 2019. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2368. Steffey, Eddie Joe. “Mastery Learning in the Secondary Schools.” 1989. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Steffey EJ. Mastery Learning in the Secondary Schools. [Internet] [Thesis]. Eastern Illinois University; 1989. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2368. 17. David, Thomas W. A Fieldtrip Handbook for Mattoon Community Unit School District, Number Two. ▼ Classroom teachers have traditionally used fieldtrips to supplement their curriculum and to enrich learning. To assist teachers of Community Unit School District Number Two to plan and to prepare for fieldtrips, a fieldtrip handbook was selected as the field experience for a Specialist Degree in Educational Administration. A report of the field experience and the handbook as appendix A combine to give the reader an in-depth understanding of the experience. The report was organized along the following lines: Introduction, Log of Activities, Selected Activity Analyses, and Summary. In the report the purposes and techniques in developing a fieldtrip handbook are discussed, problem areas are defined and analysed, and recommendations are offered to those about to undertake similar projects. The fieldtrip handbook, sample resource pages, a fieldtrip questionnaire, and a cover letter for the questionnaire are included in the appendices of the report. The fieldtrip handbook contains a table of contents, narrative sections dealing with associated topics (administrative policy and procedures, supervision, bus requests, parental permission, geographic and time limitations, follow-up activities…), an alphabetical and subject index, and listings of 72 fieldtrip sites. The fieldtrip listings were placed on resource pages (appendix C) and contained the following information: general classification of the business, person to contact, the position or title of the contact person, approximate grade level that would benefit most from the experience, limitations of the size of the group, time of year, day of week, time of day, and duration and frequency of the visit. Advisors/Committee Members: Robert V. Shuff. David, Thomas W. “A Fieldtrip Handbook for Mattoon Community Unit School District, Number Two.” 1980. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University. Accessed April 20, 2019. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3066. David, Thomas W. “A Fieldtrip Handbook for Mattoon Community Unit School District, Number Two.” 1980. Web. 20 Apr 2019. David TW. A Fieldtrip Handbook for Mattoon Community Unit School District, Number Two. [Internet] [Thesis]. Eastern Illinois University; 1980. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: http://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/3066. 18. Yu, Shu-Yun. The effects of games on the acquisition of some grammatical features of L2 German on students' motivation and on classroom atmosphere. ▼ The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the use of games as a teaching strategy for raising the grammatical accuracy level of secondary students of German as a second language. This thesis seeks also to examine the effect of game-based grammar instruction on students' motivation and classroom atmosphere. The participants in this study were divided into two groups, the Control and Experimental groups, and received 90 periods, over 18 weeks, of grammatical instruction by the same teacher. The teaching program was the same for both groups. The difference consisted in the use of game-based practice for the experimental group, while the control group performed traditional grammar-based practice only. Data were collected using the following instruments: grammar tests and examinations,a questionnaire on motivation, a questionnaire on classroom atmosphere, a questionnaire on the type of grammar practice, a questionnaire on the role of grammar and grammar instruction, focus group interviews with students, and the researcher's field notes. While the main result does not support the hypothesis for significant improvement in grammatical accuracy by the experimental students as a result of game-based practice, their overall improved performance is a worthwhile achievement, particularly if it is linked to significant improvements in students' motivation and classroom atmosphere.These positive results offer a notable incentive to language teachers to include games in their teaching of grammatical features, because the positive results of this experiment with regard to learners' motivation, peer interaction, teacher-student interaction augur well for an eventual improvement also in the rate of grammatical accuracy. Yu, Shu-Yun. “The effects of games on the acquisition of some grammatical features of L2 German on students' motivation and on classroom atmosphere.” 2005. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/140. Yu, Shu-Yun. “The effects of games on the acquisition of some grammatical features of L2 German on students' motivation and on classroom atmosphere.” 2005. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Yu S. The effects of games on the acquisition of some grammatical features of L2 German on students' motivation and on classroom atmosphere. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2005. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/140. 19. Dauguet, Kathleen. Understanding the 'mixed ability' program in Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius: perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling. ▼ The mission of Catholic Education in Mauritius is to 'humanise' education and pedagogies to be consistent with Catholic values. The vision of a 'humanised' education explicitly teaches collaboration and cooperation. In January 2005, the Catholic Education Bureau (BEC) opted for a 'mixed ability' philosophy whose articulation fosters inclusiveness in all Catholic secondary schools. To achieve this, schools need to re-invent and restructure themselves into learning organisations to make obvious the 'mixed ability' philosophy at the middle level of schooling from Form I to Form III. Dauguet, Kathleen. “Understanding the 'mixed ability' program in Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius: perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling.” 2007. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/206. Dauguet, Kathleen. “Understanding the 'mixed ability' program in Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius: perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling.” 2007. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Dauguet K. Understanding the 'mixed ability' program in Catholic secondary schools in Mauritius: perceptions of educators for best practice in the middle years of schooling. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2007. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/206. 20. Chambers, Michael. 'An especially delicate task': The place of students who are not Catholics in catholic schools in Australia. ▼ This study investigates the place of students who are not Catholics in Catholic schools in Australia and, in particular, in Queensland. It does so primarily through a re-­‐examination of history and through an analysis of relevant educational, ecclesial and theoretical documents. It begins with the origins – both mythological and historical -­‐ of Catholic schools in Australia and traces the place of non-­‐Catholic students in Catholic schools through the lens of the Second Vatican Council, the documents of the Congregation for Catholic Education and Australian episcopal documentation about Catholic schooling. Chambers, Michael. “'An especially delicate task': The place of students who are not Catholics in catholic schools in Australia.” 2015. Doctoral Dissertation, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/521. Chambers, Michael. “'An especially delicate task': The place of students who are not Catholics in catholic schools in Australia.” 2015. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Chambers M. 'An especially delicate task': The place of students who are not Catholics in catholic schools in Australia. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Australian Catholic University; 2015. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/521. 21. Tuite, Kerrie Patricia. Making the Edmund Rice ethos a reality: A case study in the perceptions of principals in Christian Brothers' schools in Queensland. Tuite, Kerrie Patricia. “Making the Edmund Rice ethos a reality: A case study in the perceptions of principals in Christian Brothers' schools in Queensland.” 2007. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/211. Tuite, Kerrie Patricia. “Making the Edmund Rice ethos a reality: A case study in the perceptions of principals in Christian Brothers' schools in Queensland.” 2007. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Tuite KP. Making the Edmund Rice ethos a reality: A case study in the perceptions of principals in Christian Brothers' schools in Queensland. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2007. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/211. 22. Hayes, Christopher Xavier. Paradoxes, parallels and pedagogy: A case study of Ignatian pedagogy and of teachers' perceptions of its implementation in Australian Jesuit schools. ▼ In 1986 the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) produced a document titled The Characteristics of Jesuit Education. This document was an attempt to define the distinctive nature of Jesuit Education. Seven years later, Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach (1993) was written by the same body in response to the following questions: How can the principles and orientation of The Characteristics be made more useable for teachers? How can Ignatian values be incorporated into a practical pedagogy for use in the daily interactions between teachers and students in the classroom? This study investigates the nature and origins of Ignatian Pedagogy, and its implementation in Jesuit schools in Australia. Hayes, Christopher Xavier. “Paradoxes, parallels and pedagogy: A case study of Ignatian pedagogy and of teachers' perceptions of its implementation in Australian Jesuit schools.” 2006. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/174. Hayes, Christopher Xavier. “Paradoxes, parallels and pedagogy: A case study of Ignatian pedagogy and of teachers' perceptions of its implementation in Australian Jesuit schools.” 2006. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Hayes CX. Paradoxes, parallels and pedagogy: A case study of Ignatian pedagogy and of teachers' perceptions of its implementation in Australian Jesuit schools. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2006. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/174. 23. Pan, Li-Chi. No pain, no gain: An investigation of the concept of persistence in learning in a Taiwanese college program. ▼ This study aims to explore, describe and thus understand the phenomenon of two-year college program students' persistence within the context of Taiwanese culture and tradition; and to develop and provide a framework or patterns for understanding working adult students' persistence for educators. By using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach, the persistence in learning experiences of specific participants was explored based on semi-structured interviews in two exploratory studies linked by a comprehensive literature review. The researcher's own experience of persistence was also included as part of the study. The data were analysed by using thematic analysis and narrative construction. Findings reveal that participants persist with the support of enabling factors and application of coping strategies despite barriers. The intertwined relationship between the value placed on qualifications, identity recognition and views of persistence contribute to the concept of persistence. This concept develops through schemas emerging from the data: historical effect, cultural reproduction and identity construction. Under the influence of Taiwanese tradition and culture, this concept of persistence immerses into the participants' knowledge ground and standpoints to understand the world they live in. The concept is defined as 'no pain, no gain' and includes dimensions of insisting on the right to study, fulfilment of dreams, being a role model of good study habits, personal growth and enrichment. Participants construct both social identity as graduates and personal identity as progressive, competent and respected individuals. The findings of this study benefit both theory and practice. Theoretical implications and recommendations include providing insights into the concept of persistence through development of schema that underpin factors contributing to working adult students' persistence in Taiwan.;Practical implications and recommendations include insights drawn from the perspective of Taiwanese culture and tradition to understand the experience of two-year college program working adult students to persist in a high level learning environment, which informs educators to see themselves as important sources of support and information, and thus able to assist their students to cope with the barriers to their learning, or to extend persistence outside their formal educational settings and maintain their learning. Pan, Li-Chi. “No pain, no gain: An investigation of the concept of persistence in learning in a Taiwanese college program.” 2006. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/179. Pan, Li-Chi. “No pain, no gain: An investigation of the concept of persistence in learning in a Taiwanese college program.” 2006. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Pan L. No pain, no gain: An investigation of the concept of persistence in learning in a Taiwanese college program. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2006. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/179. 24. Barbaro, Anna. The origins of the convent high school in Europe and its implantation and evolution in the Antipodes – St. Rita’s College, Brisbane, as a case study (1926-2008). Barbaro, Anna. “The origins of the convent high school in Europe and its implantation and evolution in the Antipodes – St. Rita’s College, Brisbane, as a case study (1926-2008).” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/373. Barbaro, Anna. “The origins of the convent high school in Europe and its implantation and evolution in the Antipodes – St. Rita’s College, Brisbane, as a case study (1926-2008).” 2011. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Barbaro A. The origins of the convent high school in Europe and its implantation and evolution in the Antipodes – St. Rita’s College, Brisbane, as a case study (1926-2008). [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Australian Catholic University; 2011. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/373. 25. Bagh, Marie E. An investigation of teachers’ experience of applying Community Action Projects in the discipline of Humanities in a Victorian Catholic Secondary School. Bagh, Marie E. “An investigation of teachers’ experience of applying Community Action Projects in the discipline of Humanities in a Victorian Catholic Secondary School.” 2014. Thesis, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/484. Bagh, Marie E. “An investigation of teachers’ experience of applying Community Action Projects in the discipline of Humanities in a Victorian Catholic Secondary School.” 2014. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Bagh ME. An investigation of teachers’ experience of applying Community Action Projects in the discipline of Humanities in a Victorian Catholic Secondary School. [Internet] [Thesis]. Australian Catholic University; 2014. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/484. 26. Sultmann, William Francis. Stones cry out: A gospel imagination for Catholic school identity. Sultmann, William Francis. “Stones cry out: A gospel imagination for Catholic school identity.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Australian Catholic University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/368. Sultmann, William Francis. “Stones cry out: A gospel imagination for Catholic school identity.” 2011. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Sultmann WF. Stones cry out: A gospel imagination for Catholic school identity. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Australian Catholic University; 2011. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://researchbank.acu.edu.au/theses/368. 27. Jaskowiak, Emily. “Is it his Language?” A Neuroeducation Approach to Exploring the Connection Between Levels of Language Function and Prosocial Concepts for Elementary Students Identified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. ▼ Preparing students to acquire prosocial behaviors is of growing concern for educators. Although a connection between language structures and students struggling to acquire prosocial behaviors has been established, students identified with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are not being consistently identified with language impairment (LI). Viewing language differently, the acquisition of language functions is theorized to play a role in the attainment of prosocial concepts resulting in prosocial behaviors. Currently, limited research exists that explores the connection between language functions and students struggling to acquire prosocial behaviors. The purpose of this study was to: (a) triangulate literature in the areas of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and language to support a theoretical framework in neuroeducation to address the acquisition of prosocial behaviors; and, (b) apply this framework by exploring the connection between levels of language function and the acquisition of the underlying prosocial concepts through language function sampling analyses with elementary students identified with EBD and/or LI. Four methods of language sampling were used to address two main research questions: (a) What similarities and differences in language function levels and characteristics exist, if any, among varying educational levels of students with EBD, LI, and/or both? (b) Will students identified with EBD, LI and/or both make prosocial or antisocial relationships among the agents, their actions, and the context? This study of language sampling included nine participants identified with EBD and two identified with LI. Language samples were analyzed through deductive content analysis based off predefined codes from existing literature in language function. Key findings include: (a) Commensurate deficits of iv language function among participants with EBD and LI indicated by pre-language levels of language function; (b) a proclivity among the students with EBD to assign antisocial meaning to oral and cartooned responses to event-based pictures; and (c) limited production of prosocial responses from all participants to event-based pictures. The results of this study suggest the current structural methods of language assessment for educational eligibility may be inadequate among elementary students identified with EBD. The inclusion of language function measures is recommended for this student population. Additionally, this study suggests that (a) current behavioral curricula that do not factor in acquisition of language function may fail to provide the concepts necessary for acquisition of prosocial behaviors; and (b) a neuroeducation approach that considers the importance of prosocial concept acquisition may result in prosocial development. Advisors/Committee Members: Ellyn Lucas Arwood. Jaskowiak, Emily. ““Is it his Language?” A Neuroeducation Approach to Exploring the Connection Between Levels of Language Function and Prosocial Concepts for Elementary Students Identified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Portland. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd/39. Jaskowiak, Emily. ““Is it his Language?” A Neuroeducation Approach to Exploring the Connection Between Levels of Language Function and Prosocial Concepts for Elementary Students Identified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.” 2018. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Jaskowiak E. “Is it his Language?” A Neuroeducation Approach to Exploring the Connection Between Levels of Language Function and Prosocial Concepts for Elementary Students Identified with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Portland; 2018. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd/39. 28. Dottin, Raiza Lee. The Effects of Simulation-Based Training on Critical Thinking. ▼ The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a simulation-based training on the critical thinking skills of 10 graduate medical education trainees to understand the potential of simulation-based training as an innovative tool to improve medical competencies among trainees in a graduate medical training program. The theoretical framework incorporated in this study focused on the Five-Stage Model of Adult Skill Acquisition by Dreyfus and Dreyfus and the Theory of Andragogy by Malcolm Knowles to examine how adults learn in a medical simulation-based training setting. This study utilized a pre-and posttest, the AAC&U VALUE Critical Thinking Rubric, and individual interviews with trainees after the simulation. In analyzing pre/posttest scores, a paired samples t-test revealed that all 10 trainees showed a small growth in critical thinking regarding the management of a patient with cardiogenic shock based on hemodynamics by 0.30. A summary of the rubric study findings reported that third-year trainees received the highest critical thinking scores, while first-year trainees received the lowest critical thinking scores. Participant mean scores on the rubric also showed a correlation in the progression of training year to increased critical thinking in their use of hemodynamics to manage patient with cardiogenic shock. Post-simulation interviews with study participants reflected four major themes that included: (a) discrepancies in frequency and classification of simulation training, (b) the simulation learning environment, (c) from theory to practice, and (d) the impact of simulation training on clinical practice. The results of this study indicated the amount of prior exposure a trainee has to the medical competency that is being addressed in the simulation may have an influence on how the trainee perceives the value of the training. This study also found the amount of interaction that a rater has with the trainee may cultivate a bias in how they evaluate the trainee’s procedural and theoretical knowledge. The researcher recommends the implementation of a cohesive simulation curriculum for graduate medical education training programs. The researcher also recommends providing trainees with adequate exposure to simulation that is meaningful, practical, and relevant to their training to elevate the trainees overall learning experience Advisors/Committee Members: Sally Hood, Ellyn Arwood, Eric Anctil. Dottin, Raiza Lee. “The Effects of Simulation-Based Training on Critical Thinking.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Portland. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd/45. Dottin, Raiza Lee. “The Effects of Simulation-Based Training on Critical Thinking.” 2018. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Dottin RL. The Effects of Simulation-Based Training on Critical Thinking. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Portland; 2018. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd/45. 29. Leipholz, Elsie. A Survey of the Attitudes, Values, and Usage of Videotape Recording Equipment in Ten Counties of Central Illinois. No abstract provided by author. Advisors/Committee Members: Robert C. Wiseman. Leipholz, Elsie. “A Survey of the Attitudes, Values, and Usage of Videotape Recording Equipment in Ten Counties of Central Illinois.” 1969. Masters Thesis, Eastern Illinois University. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/4091. Leipholz, Elsie. “A Survey of the Attitudes, Values, and Usage of Videotape Recording Equipment in Ten Counties of Central Illinois.” 1969. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Leipholz E. A Survey of the Attitudes, Values, and Usage of Videotape Recording Equipment in Ten Counties of Central Illinois. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Eastern Illinois University; 1969. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/4091. 30. Pickles, Kimberly Owen. Successful pedagogical practices of elementary teachers of homeless students: A case study. ▼ The purpose of this research study is to examine the instructional practices of teachers who are currently teaching homeless students in their classroom. This study identified eight teachers in two suburban elementary schools that have students in their current classrooms that are experiencing homelessness. In addition, the research study explored the needs considered and strategies that teachers use to differentiate and accommodate their instructional practices to maximize achievement for these students. Qualitative data was collected by a study of teacher interviews through collective ethnographic case studies. Additionally, quantitative data was collected through evaluator observations of the selected classrooms to observe the differences between the identified students and the students not experiencing homelessness. Additional artifacts were submitted from teachers to support data collection. This study revealed key themes of successful pedagogical practices of elementary teachers with instructional strategies and non-instructional strategies. These themes included instructional strategies of planning, learning groups, and homework modifications. Non-instructional strategies included themes of relationships, supports, and needs. Pickles, Kimberly Owen. “Successful pedagogical practices of elementary teachers of homeless students: A case study.” 2014. Thesis, College of William and Mary. Accessed April 20, 2019. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539618725. Pickles, Kimberly Owen. “Successful pedagogical practices of elementary teachers of homeless students: A case study.” 2014. Web. 20 Apr 2019. Pickles KO. Successful pedagogical practices of elementary teachers of homeless students: A case study. [Internet] [Thesis]. College of William and Mary; 2014. [cited 2019 Apr 20]. Available from: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539618725.

2019-04-20T21:02:33Z

https://oatd.org/oatd/search?q=subject%3A%28Educational%20Methods%29&amp;pagesize=30

Fast resource assignments, especially needed in microcellular network architectures having many fast moving subscribers and high traffic volume, is provided through the use of a priority based resource assignment apparatus and procedure. Part of the communications resources in a cellular network, for example, one carrier frequency and/or one time slot, or particular code division multiple access sequences are dedicated to the execution of the assignment procedure. Available communications resources are auctioned to cellular subscribers contending for resources based upon a level of priority assigned to each contending subscriber. The priority level may be based on such things as the quality of service to which a customer subscribes or the particular needs of a subscriber at the time the subscriber is contending for resources, for example, the subscriber's request for resources may be prompted by a need to make a handoff. The procedure involves an auction period when a determination is made regarding which of a group of contending subscribers has the highest priority level. The procedure then enters a resource assignment period where an available communications resource is actually assigned to the subscriber having the highest priority level. The auction and assignment periods are then repeated for the remaining contending subscribers until there are no longer any contending subscribers or there are no longer any available resources. Fast resource assignment could be used to increase system capacity and efficiency of spectrum utilization through the ability to perform speech activity resource sharing. This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/787,616, filed Nov. 5, 1991, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/591,321, filed Oct. 1, 1990, now abandoned. This invention relates to wireless telecommunications systems. More particularly, this invention relates to fast communications resource assignments in wireless telecommunications systems. Wireless telecommunications is a rapidly expanding part of the telecommunications industry. For example, there is a rapidly increasing demand for, and an increasing number of subscribers to, the services of the so-called cellular telecommunication networks by which those cellular subscribers can call other parties via radio communications links to the cellular networks. Cellular subscribers can not only call other cellular subscribers but they can also be given access to conventional public switched telephone networks for making telephone calls to other parties subscribing to the telephone services provided by those telephone networks. There is no need for a physical connection between the cellular subscriber and the party being called. Telephone calls involving moving parties--for example, those traveling in automobiles and other forms of transport--thus are made possible by cellular telecommunications networks and systems. Cellular telecommunications networks comprise a plurality of base stations for communicating via radio with cellular subscribers located in predetermined geographical areas served by the base stations. The geographical area served by a base station is called a cell. Each base station communicates with subscribers located in its cell via one of a number of communications resources, which, in a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) arrangement, may be one of a number of carrier frequencies modulated by a cellular subscriber and the base station. A plurality of subscribers may be able to use the same carrier frequency in a time division multiplex arrangement, known as time division multiplex access (TDMA), whereby subscribers are assigned certain time slots during which they transmit and receive on the assigned carrier frequencies. Yet another method by which subscribers may communicate by radio with base stations involves spread spectrum code division multiple access (CDMA) techniques. Combinations of these methods may also be used. In response to requests from subscribers, the base stations assign one communications resource, for example, a frequency and/or time slot, or a CDMA sequence, not currently being used to each requesting subscriber. The assigned communications resource then is used by the cellular subscriber to communicate with the base station and with a called party. Requests for assignment of communications resources in a cellular telecommunications network can occur in a variety of ways. For example, a request for assignment of resources can result from a cellular subscriber initiating a telephone call to another party or responding to a telephone call which has made to the cellular subscriber. A particularly important occurrence requiring a communications resource assignment is a handoff of a mobile cellular subscriber already engaged in an ongoing telephone call from one base station to another base station due to movement of the subscriber from one cell to another cell. As the number of subscribers to cellular telecommunications services has increased, a trend which is already dramatically evident and is expected to continue in the future, it has become increasingly difficult to provide adequate service for normal voice transmission, much less for other services such as data transmission. This is due to the fact that there are only a finite number of communications resources for which an increasing number of subscribers must contend. To alleviate the problem of availability of a limited number of communications resources, it has been proposed to divide existing cells into smaller cells, called microcells, and to increase the amount of frequency reuse in nonadjacent cells and microcells, thus accommodating a greater number of subscribers with the same number of communications resources. As the number of subscribers increases in any given cellular telecommunications network, however, there will be an increasing number of resource assignments which must be made and, therefore, there will be an increasing need to make fast resource assignments in that network. More importantly, in the case of dense microcellular network environments, where the geographical areas served by each transmitter and receiver becomes smaller, shorter movements of a mobile cellular subscriber connected to the network need even faster resource assignments because frequent handoff operations are required. In addition to addressing the need to utilize a limited number of communications resources to meet the needs of increasing number of subscribers in dense microcellular environments, it also would be advantageous to more efficiently use the limited communications spectrum allotted to the cellular network. In specific terms, it would be particularly advantageous if silent periods between talk spurts during voice transmissions of one subscriber could be used by another subscriber for a voice transmission or could be used for some other purpose such as facsimile or data transmission. In this regard, techniques such as voice activated resource sharing have been proposed, but these cannot now be used because resource assignments are not fast enough in current cellular networks. Finally, it would be advantageous to provide different levels of service for at least some cellular subscribers. Currently, some of the commonly used techniques for communications resource assignment in radio based telecommunications are statistical in nature. Among these are techniques known as ALOHA, slotted ALOHA, and packet reservation multiple access (PRMA). Resource utilization and throughput are unsatisfactory with such techniques because of collisions between competing subscribers, particularly under heavy traffic conditions which are expected in microcellular environments. Collisions result in none of the contending subscribers obtaining service which thereby wastes communications resources and increases the amount of time it takes for a subscriber to obtain a communications resource assignment, which seriously hinders handoff operations, especially in microcellular environments. Techniques such as voice activated resource sharing clearly cannot be used with current resource assignment techniques used in existing cellular networks and thus available resources cannot be used as efficiently as they might be used if resource assignments could be made more rapidly. Accordingly, there is a need for a communications resource assignment technique which is rapid enough to adequately serve a large number of fast moving cellular subscribers densely positioned in a region served by a wireless telecommunications network. In addition, there is a need to efficiently utilize the limited communication resources available in a wireless telecommunications network. The needs described above are met by an apparatus which quickly assigns communications resources in a wireless telecommunications network by executing a procedure whereby available resources are provided to subscribers according to service or other prescribed priorities. The assignment apparatus comprises a means for identifying one of a plurality of prioritized subscribers contending for service on the wireless telecommunications network with the highest priority. In preferred embodiments of the invention, an auction procedure is used. An available communication resource is assigned to the identified subscriber in a short period of time regardless of traffic volume and without collisions. The time it takes to accomplish a communications resource assignment is drastically reduced so that the amount of time it takes to access the network is reduced, handoffs are made more quickly, and resource sharing techniques may be used. FIG. 1 is an example of a wireless telecommunications network architecture in accordance with the invention. FIG. 2 is an example of another wireless telecommunications network architecture in accordance with the invention. FIG. 3 illustrates the assignment of communications resources by the network architectures of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 illustrates the incorporation of this invention into a cellular telecommunications network having communications resources in the form of a plurality of time slots on a plurality of carrier frequencies. FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a microcell in accordance with this invention which serves a six-lane highway carrying densely spaced cellular subscribers contending for communications resources. FIG. 6 is a flow chart representing an example of a communications resource assignment procedure in accordance with this invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate examples of wireless telecommunication network architectures which may be used advantageously with the invention of this application. In those networks shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, all calls are digitized and packetized. The networks comprise a plurality of base stations, each base station serving a predetermined geographical area called a cell which, in turn, is divided into a number of microcells. There is at least one microsite in each microcell containing one or more radio transmitters and receivers for communicating by radio with cellular subscribers located within the confines of the microcell. The microsites in the microcells may comprise fixed cannisters mounted on lamp posts, utility poles, or the like which may serve a variety of subscribers on lineal segments of a roadway or in a small area of a city. Telephone calls handled by the microsites are channeled to their respective base stations through any convenient transmission medium, such as optical fibers, millimeter waves, a twisted pair of metallic wires, or other means. The calls are trunked directly from the base stations to exchange offices in the public switched telephone network where the calls are then switched to their ultimate destinations. In the architectures of FIGS. 1 and 2, calls from stationary cellular subscribers are trunked directly from a base station to the closest or otherwise most convenient exchange office in the public switched telephone network. Calls of mobile subscribers are routed for the duration of the call to the base station where the call was initially established via a metropolitan or local area network (FIG. 1 ) or a packet switch (FIG. 2). From that initial base station, the calls are trunked into the most convenient public switched telephone network exchange office. Thus, for the duration of the mobile subscriber's call, the trunk circuit connecting the base station where the call was initially established to the public switched telephone network is not interrupted. In microcellular architectures such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, increased frequency reuse will be needed to accommodate growth in communications traffic. This will increase the number of microcells and correspondingly reduce in the dimensions of each microcell. Moving subscribers will, therefore, traverse an increasing number of smaller dimension microcells during a call which will result in a greater number of handoffs in a given period of time. In order to increase the efficiency of spectrum utilization, it would be advantageous for certain features such as speech activity controlled resource sharing to be incorporated into the architectures of FIGS. 1 and 2. This will require that communications resources be relinquished at the conclusion of talk spurts and those resources will have to be successfully reapplied for and successfully attained prior to the next talk spurt. This points to an urgent need for fast and flexible access to the cellular network as well as rapid handoff and resource assignment. The aspects of FIGS. 1 and 2 pertinent to this invention are described in more detail below. FIG. 1 shows a wireless telecommunications network architecture comprising a plurality of base stations 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24. Each of those base stations is located in a predetermined geographical area commonly referred to as a cell. Each of the base stations in this architecture serves to directly connect stationary or mobile cellular subscribers located in its cell to the public switched telephone network via suitable transmission lines 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 25, so that a telephone call may be made between cellular subscribers and other parties. The transmission lines 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 25 may be any convenient means of connecting the base stations 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 to a public switched telephone network, such as T-carrier transmission lines, subscriber loop carrier (SLC) lines, optical fibers, or millimeter waves. Each cell served by a base station is further divided into a number of smaller geographical areas called microcells. A microsite in each microcell contains radio receivers and transmitters which directly communicate via radio with each subscriber to the cellular network located in its respective microcell. Radio receivers and transmitters of each microcell are contained in a suitable cannister which is connected to its respective base station via a convenient means of transmission, such as a metallic twisted pair, an optical transmission line, millimeter waves, and the like. For example, in FIG. 1, base station 24 is connected to a number of cannisters 26, 28, 30, and 32 via transmission lines 34, 36, 38, and 40. Subscribers to the cellular network, such as a mobile subscriber 42 in FIG. 1, communicate by radio with an appropriate cannister, for example, with a cannister 32, when the subscriber 42 is located in a convenient location with respect to that cannister 32. This is usually when the mobile subscriber is located in the microcell containing cannister 32 where the radio signals received from cannister 32 are normally stronger than the radio signals received from any other cannister. When the mobile subscriber 42 moves to another microcell within the cell served by base station 24, the subscriber 42 must be handed off to the new cannister serving the microcell to which the subscriber 42 has moved. This handoff operation involves a request from the subscriber 42 to the new cannister for assignment of a new communications resource which then can be used by the subscriber 42 to continue the phone call through the new cannister. The handoff operation also involves relinquishment of the communication resource which was being used prior to the handoff. Phone calls are initiated by cellular subscribers requesting the assignment of a communications resource, for example, assignment of a time slot on a carrier frequency which not currently being used. The phone of the cellular subscriber identifies the cannister closest to cellular subscriber and a request for assignment of a resource is sent to that cannister and passed on to its associated base station. The base station, which controls a number of microsite cannisters, maintains in a memory a list of occupied and available communications resources, which may be time division multiple access (TDMA) time slots or frequency division multiple access (FDMA) frequencies, or a combination of both. Other forms of communications resources may also be used depending on the nature of the wireless telecommunications system. For example, code division multiple access (CDMA) type resources may also be used. After the request from the cellular subscriber is received, a search then is made in the base station connected to the cannister to which request was made to see if any resources are available and, if an available resource is found, it is assigned to the subscriber 42, which then begins to transmit and receive electrical signals comprising the phone call using the assigned resource. The communication resource assigned for the uplink portion of the call may be the same as the communications resource assigned for the downlink portion of the call, or they may be different. The phone call is directed through the cannister selected by the subscriber phone and over the transmission medium by which the cannister is connected to its associated base station. The base station directs the phone call to the public switched telephone network via its associated transmission lines which directly connect the base station to the public switched telephone network. The call is then switched by the public switched telephone network to the called party, who may be a party who is or is not a subscriber to the cellular network shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the cellular subscriber 42 may initiate a phone call by first determining the optimal microcell cannister which will best provide entry for the subscriber into the cellular network. For this purpose, each cannister in FIG. 1 transmits a unique network identification. This identification may consist of a cannister number, a base station identification, and a packet switch/LAN (MAN) identification. This information is carried in the headers of the voice or data packets transmitted between the subscriber and the cannister. In addition, each cannister also transmits the identification of the resources (RF carriers, time slots, CDMA sequences, etc.) involved in the assignment/handoff procedure described below. The subscriber's handset monitors the cannisters in its proximity. It identifies the cannisters and their relative field strengths, bit error rates (BER), or other parameters, which serve as an input to the access and handoff decisions. Some other form of diversity, such as spatial or frequency diversity, maybe incorporated into the subscriber's handset to increase the reliability of communications. For example, the subscriber's telephone equipment may determine that cannister 32 connected to base station 24 is the optimal entry point into the cellular network in light of the position of the subscriber 42 shown in FIG. 1. This determination can be based upon the strength of a signal broadcast by the cannister 32 or other criteria. Once the telephone equipment of the cellular subscriber 42 has selected an appropriate cannister with which to communicate, the cellular subscriber's telephone then makes a request for a communications resource. The base station 24 connected to the selected cannister 32 then performs a communications resource assignment procedure in response to the request from the cellular subscriber 42. As a result of this procedure, the base station 24 searches for unused communications resources and when such resources are found, the base station 24 in this example assigns a particular time slot and carrier frequency, or other type of resources, which will be used by the subscriber to make a telephone call to another party. The subscriber's telephone equipment is then notified of the carrier frequency and time slot, or other resource, through a transmission from cannister 32. The cannister 32 and its associated base station 24 then complete a circuit to the public switched telephone network via an appropriate one of the transmission lines 25. The phone call is then completed to the called party through the public switched telephone network in the usual manner. When the cellular subscriber 42 moves outside the microcell associated with cannister 32, or for some other reason it becomes advantageous to communicate with a different cannister associated with the base station 24, a handoff procedure must be carried out. This handoff procedure involves another request for assignment of communications resources available from the new cannister, which is made and answered in a manner similar to the way that the original request made at call initiation was handled, as described above. When a new communications resource has been assigned by the new cannister, the call continues using the new communications resource through the new cannister, base station 24, and the same circuits in the transmission lines 25 and the public switched telephone network. The resource used prior to the handoff is relinquished. If the cellular subscriber 42 were to move to a microcell which is associated with a different base station, for example, if the cellular subscriber 42 were to move so that it became more advantageous for the cellular subscriber 42 to communicate with cannister 44 associated with base station 22, then there must be a handoff procedure involving both the new cannister 44 and the new base station 22. As before, the subscriber 42 in this situation will request assignment of a new communications resource from cannister 44. The base station 22 will then engage in an assignment procedure similar to the one described above for base station 24 and cannister 32. A search is made by the base station 22 for unused communications resources which might be assigned to the requesting subscriber 42. When an unused resource has been identified, it is assigned to cellular subscriber 42 and the cellular subscriber 42 then begins to communicate with cannister 44 using the assigned resource. The communications resource used to communicate with cannister 32 is relinquished. Signals received by the cannister 44 from subscriber 42 are directed to the base station 22 which then forwards those signals over a local area network or a metropolitan area network 46 to the base station from which the call was originally directed into the public switched telephone network. Specifically, in the instance described here, the base station 22 forwards signals received at cannister 44 to base station 24, where the call was initiated and where connection was first made to the public switched telephone network. The call continues to be trunked to the public switched telephone network via the same circuit originally set up on transmission lines 25 by the base station 24 when the call was initiated. If the subscriber 42 were to continue to move to other microcells involving the same or different base stations, the connection of the subscriber to the public switched telephone network would always be maintained through the base station 24 where the call was initiated and through the transmission lines 25 connecting that base station 24 directly to the public switched telephone network. When there is a handoff to a new base station, that new base station will forward signals from the cellular subscriber 42 to the base station 24 where the call originated over the local or metropolitan area network 46. When a party attempts to make a telephone call to the cellular subscriber 42, the signalling portion of the public switched telephone network notifies a master station 48 which then initiates a polling procedure performed by the base stations in the cellular network for locating the cellular subscriber which the party is attempting to call. When the cellular subscriber has been located, that is, when the cannister and base station, for example, cannister 32 and base station 24, serving the subscriber's current location have been identified, the cellular subscriber, such as cellular subscriber 42 in FIG. 1, requests assignment of an available communications resource from that base station via radio signals directed to the associated cannister as described above in the case of the cellular subscriber initiating the phone call. The assignment procedure described above is undertaken by the base station and an available resource is assigned. The subscriber will then communicate with the cannister using the assigned resource. When the called subscriber 42 has been located by the polling operation initiated by master station 48, the master station 48 is notified by the base station 24. The master station 48 notifies the signalling portion of the public switched telephone network to route the call through the exchange office serving base station 24. A connection for the call is made between the base station 24 and the public switched telephone network via the transmission lines 25 directly connecting base station 24 to the public switched telephone network. This will connect the calling party to the cellular subscriber through the base station 24 where the cellular subscriber is located at the beginning of the phone call. The call between the calling party and the cellular subscriber thus takes place through the cannister closest to the subscriber, the base station connected to that cannister, the transmission lines directly connecting that base station to the public switched telephone network, and the routing in the public network which has been just set up. Movement of the cellular subscriber 42 causes the handoffs between cannisters and base stations along with requests for, and assignments of, unused and available communications resources, which will be used to continue the phone call from the new locations. Further details about the operation of the architecture of FIG. 1 with respect to accessing the cellular and public switched networks, and accessing cellular subscribers, are given in the parent application mentioned above, such details being incorporated by reference into this application in their entirety. FIG. 2 is another example of a cellular network architecture which is useful in carrying out this invention. The architecture of FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 1 except that instead of a local area network or a metropolitan area network 46 interconnecting the base stations, a packet switch 50 is used to interconnect the base stations as indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 2. The forwarding of signals received by various base stations in the architecture of FIG. 2 to base stations which had originated a phone call to or from a cellular subscriber to or from the public switched telephone network and another party is done via the packet switch 50 rather than through a local area network or a metropolitan area network as shown in FIG. 1. The operation of the architecture of FIG. 2 is otherwise the same and a description of such is not repeated here. In any cellular architecture with significant amounts of communication traffic, particularly in microcellular architectures such as the ones shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is important that available communications resources be assigned to requesting subscribers as rapidly as possible. It is especially important where there are many fast moving mobile subscribers to a network having small size microcells and in situations where there are more than one subscriber contending for assignment of available resources at the same time. Accordingly, the networks shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 perform a communications resource assignment procedure shown in FIG. 3 which permits cellular subscribers to access the cellular network or successfully accomplish handoff procedures in a short period of time. See also FIG. 6 which is a flow chart of a communications resource assignment procedure in accordance with this invention. The assignment procedure of FIG. 3 requires that the telephone equipment of each subscriber to the cellular network be assigned a unique identification code. That code may comprise a priority designation and a unique identification number, such as a social security number. The priority designation may signify the quality of service to which the customer subscribes. The priority designation may also signify some particular current need of a subscriber requesting access to the cellular network. For example, the priority designation may be such that the cellular subscriber is requesting a communications resource assignment because a handoff operation is indicated due to movement of the subscriber from one area to another. Also, if a subscriber has been waiting for a long time for a resource, that subscriber's priority may be upgraded after a while. Those subscribers having the highest priority will be given the first communications resource assignments in situations where more than one subscriber is asking for such assignment at the same time. The identification code assigned to each cellular subscriber is a multidigit or multibit code which is sent to a selected cannister at a predetermined time designated by the base station associated with the selected cannister. The identification code is used by the base station to perform a procedure involving an assignment cycle composed of an auction period during which one of a plurality of contending subscribers having the highest priority level is identified and a resource assignment period during which the identified highest level priority subscriber is assigned an available resource and is notified of the nature of the communications resource which has been assigned by the base station. Each subscriber contending for a communications resource assignment first transmits to the cannister at a predetermined time set by the base station the most significant digit or bit of its identification code as indicated by the shaded block 52 in FIG. 3. As indicated in FIG. 3, the duration of the transmission of that digit is Ts. In FIG. 3, the longest possible propagation delay time between the subscribers and the cannister is td which is the period of time between the end of the furthest possible subscriber's transmission of the most significant digit of its identification code and the beginning of a response from the cannister. The base station contains a processing circuit which determines what is the highest of the most significant digits received from contending subscribers. The cannister is instructed by the base station to transmit an indication of the highest value most significant digit which it just received from the contending subscribers as shown by block 54 in FIG. 3. Any contending subscribers which transmitted a most significant digit less than the highest value most significant digit sent to the cannister in block 54 are inhibited from further participation in this part of the assignment procedure. Those contending subscribers which transmitted a most significant digit having a value equal to the highest value received by the cannister in block 52, remain in contention for an available resource. The remaining contending subscribers then transmit to the cannister their next most significant digits of their identification codes in block 56. The base station then ascertains what was the highest of the next most significant digits and transmits an indication of such determination to the remaining contending subscribers in block 58. Again, those contending subscribers which transmitted a next most significant digit equal to the indication sent by the base station via a cannister to the subscribers in block 58 are permitted to continue in the contention procedure and the others are inhibited or drop out as before. This procedure is continued for all of the remaining digits in descending significance, as indicated by blocks 60, 62, 64, and 66, until there is only one remaining subscriber requesting a communications resource. The base station then assigns an available communications resource, for example, a time slot on a selected carrier frequency, to the winning subscriber during the resource assignment period indicated in FIG. 3. As indicated by blocks 68 in the resource assignment period shown in FIG. 3, the base station and cannister send a multidigit designation to the winning subscriber notifying that subscriber of the identification of this resource, for example, the time slot and carrier frequency which has been assigned to the subscriber. The telephone equipment of the subscriber then adjusts itself so that it communicates with the cannister in the assigned time slot on the assigned carrier frequency. The next unused and available communications resource is then auctioned to the other contending subscribers which lost out to the winning subscriber described above and to any new contending subscribers which arrived during the previous assignment cycle. The auction procedure is again undertaken during another auction period to identify the highest level priority subscriber remaining in contention and when that subscriber is identified, it is assigned the next available communications resource during another resource assignment period. Assignment cycles comprising an auction period and a resource assignment period are repeated until either there are no longer any more contending subscribers or there are no longer any unused and available communications resources. The assignment procedure of FIG. 3 may be used to assign resources for both the uplink from the subscriber to a base station and the downlink from a base station to the subscriber. This resource assignment procedure allows quick handoffs of mobile subscribers which have an already established telephone connection as well as an advantageous general access method for establishing and maintaining multipriority service. It is noteworthy that all available communications resources, in this case, available slots on particular frequency carriers, could always be assigned without deleterious collisions irrespective of the level of traffic volume. This is in contrast to statistical methods of accessing cellular telecommunications networks such as ALOHA and packet reservation techniques where collisions between transmissions sent from contending subscribers can thereby cause none of the subscribers to successfully gain access to the network and can thereby cause successful entry, to be substantially delayed. FIG. 4 shows an example of an arrangement of communications resources on a cellular network in accordance with the architectures of FIGS. 1 and 2 which uses the communications resource assignment procedure depicted in FIG. 3. Other arrangements of carriers and/or time slots within the allotted frequency spectrum are also possible. The communications resources comprise a number of carrier frequencies 70. Cellular subscribers may communicate with cannisters in the cellular network and their associated base stations by appropriate modulation of one of the carrier frequencies which has been assigned to the subscriber. This modulation of the assigned carrier occurs in one or more assigned time slots of duration Ts. A portion of the communication resources available to each cannister is assigned to carry out the auction procedure undertaken in response to requests for assignment of communications resources from cellular subscribers. In FIG. 4, that portion of the communications resources assigned to carry out the auction procedure comprises one assignment carrier frequency 72 on which assignment cycle time periods 74 are defined. The transmission of identification codes of contending subscribers to the cannisters, the responses from the cannisters to the subscribers in response to the transmission of identification codes, and the notification by the cannister of the resource assignment made to the subscriber by the base station occur by suitable modulation of the assignment carrier frequency by the contending subscribers and by the base station and cannister. For example, the modulation of the assignment carrier 72 can be accomplished by M-ary frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation. Other types of modulation, such as CDMA, may also be used. CDMA may be used to spread, over a substantial portion of the bandwidth allocated to the cellular telecommunications network, the signal powers produced in the course of performing the highest level priority subscriber identification and the resource assignment to that subscriber. Identification and assignment signals between subscribers and base stations does not cause serious interference with call traffic between subscribers and base stations in this situation. There thus is no longer a need for a dedicated assignment carrier. All carriers may be used for call traffic in this CDMA arrangement. 4. A frame comprises 8 time slots, the duration of a frame being 8×576.9 microseconds=4.615 milliseconds. Typically, in an arrangement such as one of those shown in FIGS. 1, 2, or 4, each microcell has allocated to it a certain number of the available carrier frequencies with eight time slots per carrier as indicated above. As described above, one of the carriers is set aside and used as the resource assignment or access carrier. The identification of this carrier is transmitted by each cannister along with the identification of each cannister as discussed above. The same basic frame duration tf =4.615 milliseconds may be maintained for the assignment carrier. Each frame is divided into a certain number of assignment cycles shown in FIG. 3. The duration of each assignment cycle may or may not be the same as the duration of a timeslot Ts on the other carriers. Available communications resources, that is, combinations of frequencies and timeslots, are assigned in one frame of the assignment carrier for use by the cellular subscribers in the following frame. The purpose of this example is to estimate how many carrier frequency time slot combinations L can be assigned during one frame duration tF. Transmissions on the assignment carrier are assumed to be carded out using M-ary FSK. CDMA and other methods could also be used. Values of L have been calculated for various values of M and td using the equations specified above. The results are shown in Tables I to IV below. L has been calculated for various values of M and td, using equations (1) to (4). Table I lists the number of handoffs/assignments per frame for propagation delays of up to 25 μsec and M values ranging from 2 to 16. For very short propagation delays, up to 10 assignments per 4.615 msec can be made. However, as the propagation delay increases, so does the overhead, causing a reduction in the number of assignments. As can be seen, for td =25 μsec, three assignments can be made per 4.615 msec. In cases where the fractional pan of the number of assignments is greater than 0.5, we can gain an additional assignment by extending the assignment cycle to 2tF =9.23 msec. This is displayed in Table II. Quaternary FSK (M=4) seems close to the optimum value of M over a broad range of value of td. Due to the logarithmic relationship between M and the number of digits needed to represent the subscriber ID, the octal and hexadecimal values (M=8 and 16) are not as efficient as quaternary FSK. Using the integer values of the numbers listed in Tables I and II, the number of assignments per second for assignment cycles of tF and 2tF, (Tables III and IV, respectively) have been calculated. As can be seen, over 600 fast assignments per second are feasible with a propagation delay of 25 μsec. In order to gain a feel for what these numbers mean in realistic situations, consider a 1000-foot microcell serving a section of the 6-lane highway depicted in FIG. 5. Assume a pessimistic situation where 33 vehicles per lane are traveling at 60 mph (88 feet per second). Each vehicle is located in roughly a 30-foot segment of road, dh, consisting of the vehicle length and the inter-vehicular spacing. A maximum number of six vehicles can cross into this microcell simultaneously, requiring 6 resource assignments for handoff. A reasonable assumption is that the maximum time allowed for handoff is the time required to traverse dh. This time is 341 msec. for vehicles traveling at 60 mph. With td =25 μsec, we can satisfy this requirement in less than 10 msec. The rest of the assignment capacity could be, therefore, utilized for speech activity controlled resource sharing and other communications support activities. Note that td =25 μsec. corresponds to approximately 4.7 miles of propagation delay. In urban lineal microcells 1000 to 2000 feet long, propagation delays would be far less than 25 μsec. This suggests that a much higher number of handoffs and assignments are possible. A novel approach has been presented to address the need for fast and flexible access, handoff, and resource assignment in present and future wireless personal communications systems. One deterministic procedure produces a fast handoff, access, and resource assignment which is independent of traffic load. There will be a variety of service offerings in present and future personal communications systems which can be accommodated by using this invention. The bulk of such services may be directed towards stationary subscribers. Even within this group, one could offer various grades of service, for example, a highly reliable service with high quality for residential or business subscribers. Contrast this with a lower-cost service offered for short calls where a call could be dropped and its resource re-assigned to a higher grade-of-service during high traffic demand. Vehicular access would entail a higher grade-of-service since handoffs would be needed. Similarly, speech activity controlled resource sharing would entail a higher-grade-of service since faster access and resource assignments would be needed. From the above discussion, it is clear that priorities would have to be assigned to the subscribers and appended to their ID, based upon the grade-of-service they subscribe to for a different classes of calls, different time periods and the like. One set of computational examples demonstrates a realization of the assignment/handoff apparatus and procedure using the parameters of the European GSM system. In small microcells with low propagation delays (up to 1 μsec.), 10 resource assignments per 4.615 msec. (or equivalently 2160 assignments per second) can be attained, using quaternary FSK for communicating between the subscriber, cannister, and base station on the assignment carrier frequency. For larger cells with higher propagation delays of up to 25 μsec., one can still have 3 resource assignments per 4.615 msec. (or equivalently 648 assignments per second). a means for assigning an unused one of a plurality of wireless communications channels between the colliding subscribers and the wireless telecommunications system to an identified highest level priority colliding subscriber. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the identifying means comprises a means responsive to a modulated assignment carrier frequency for performing an auction procedure with respect to one or more contending subscribers which determines the highest level priority subscriber. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the identifying means further comprises a means for repeating the auction procedure for subscribers remaining after identification of the highest level priority subscriber. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the modulated assignment carrier frequency has an M-ary frequency shift keying modulation. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which the frequency shift keying modulation is quaternary frequency shift keying modulation. 6. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the assignment carrier has CDMA modulation. 7. The apparatus of claim 2, in which the assigning means assigns a wireless communications channel to a subscriber having a highest level priority in response to completion of the auction procedure. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the identifying means is responsive to a multidigit code comprising a predetermined number of digits uniquely identifying each subscriber and a priority code identifying a level of priority associated with each subscriber. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, in which the identifying means is responsive to most significant digits of the priority codes of a plurality of contending subscribers for determining which of the most significant digits is highest. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the identifying means further comprises a means for notifying the contending subscribers of a magnitude of the highest most significant digit of the contending subscribers and inhibiting further communication between the identifying means and those contending subscribers having most significant digits with a magnitude less than the highest magnitude. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the identifying means repeats the auction procedure for next most significant digits of the contending subscribers which had the highest magnitude most significant digits until only one contending subscriber having a highest magnitude priority code remains. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the assigning means is responsive to identification of the contending subscriber with the highest magnitude priority code and assigns a wireless communications channel to that subscriber. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, in which the assigning means transmits to the subscriber having the highest magnitude priority code a multidigit code representing an identity of a wireless communications channel which is to be used by that subscriber to communicate with the wireless telecommunications system. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, in which the identifying means comprises a means for repeating the procedure for identifying a contending subscriber with the highest magnitude priority code in response to assignment of a wireless communications channel by the assigning means. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, in which the assigning means assigns another wireless communications channel to a subscriber having a highest magnitude priority code of remaining contending subscribers. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the wireless communications channel is a time slot on one of a plurality of carrier frequencies. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the wireless communications channel is a CDMA sequence. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the wireless communications channels are between the plurality of contending subscribers and a single base station in the wireless telecommunications system. assigning an unused one of a plurality of wireless communications channels between the colliding subscribers and the wireless telecommunications system to an identified highest level priority colliding subscriber. 20. The method of claim 19, in which the identifying step comprises the step of receiving a modulated assignment carrier frequency and performing an auction procedure with respect to one or more contending subscribers which determines the highest priority subscriber. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of repeating the auction procedure for subscribers remaining after identification of the highest priority subscriber. 22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of notifying the identified subscriber of an assigned wireless communications channel. 23. The apparatus of claim 19, in which the wireless communications channels are between the plurality of contending subscribers and a single base station in the wireless telecommunications system. a means for assigning a wireless communications channel between the colliding users and the wireless telecommunications system to an identified highest level priority colliding user. "DatakitR II VCS System Description," AT&T , Issue 1, Copyright 1989, pp. 1.1-3.45. Ballard, Issenmann and Sanchez, "Cellular Mobile Radio as an Intelligent Network Application," Elec. Comm., Oct. 1989. Chadha, Hunnicutt, Peck and Tebes, "Mobile Telephone Switching Office," The Bell System Technical Journal, Jan. 1979. Chesson, G. L. et al., "Datakit Network Architecture," COMPCON Spring 1980, VLSI: New Architectural Horizons, Feb. 25-28, 1980, pp. 59-61. Chesson, G. L., "Datakit Software Architecture," 1979 Int'l Conf. on Comm., Part II, Jun. 10-14, 1979, pp. 20.2.1-2.5. Chu, W. W. et al., "Experimental Results On The Packet Satellite Network," NTC Conf. Rec. Nat'l Telecommun. Conference, Nov. 27-29, 1979, pp.45.4.1-4.12. Fraser, A. G., "Datakit-A Modular Network For Synchronous And Asynchronous Traffic," 1979 Int'l Conferece on Communications Part II, Jun. 10-14, 1979, pp. 20.1.1-1.3. Goodman, D. J. et al., "Packet Reservation Multiple Access For Local Wireless Communications," IEEE Transactions On Communications, vol. 37, No. 8, Aug. 1989, pp. 885-890. Goodman, D. J., "The Near/Far Effect of Local ALOHA Radio Communications," IEEE Trans. on Vehicular Tech., vol. VT-36, No. 1, Feb. 1987, pp. 19-27. Ikeda, Akiyama and Hoshida, "Land Mobile Telephone Switching Equipment," Review of the ECL, Nov. 1977. Jacobs, I. M. et al., "General Purpose Packet Satellite Networks," Proc. of The IEEE, vol. 66, No. 11, Nov. 1978, pp. 1448-1467. Jacobs, I. M. et al., "Packet Satellite Network Design Issues," NTC Conf. Rec. Nat'l. Telecommun. Conf., Nov. 27-29, 1979, pp. 45.2.1-2.12. Jeffery, "An Automatic Radio Telephone System," Conference on Land Mobile Radio, Bailrigg, Lancaster, England, U.K., Sep. 1979. Kahn, R. E., "The Introduction of Packet Satellite Comm.," Advanced Research Projects Agency, pp. 45.1.1-1.8. Kleinrock, L., "Queuing Systems," New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1976, pp. 360-393. R. Steele et al, "High-User-Density Digital Cellular . . . ", IEE Proceedings, vol. 132, Pt. F., No. 5, Aug. 1985, pp. 396-404. Rammamurthi, B. et al., "Perfect Capture ALOHA for Local Radio Comm.," IEEE Jour. on Selected Areas in Communications, vol. SAC-5, No. 5, Jun. 1987, pp. 806-814. Tanenbaum, A. A., "Computer Networks," New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1981, pp. 249-285. Taub + Schilling, "Principles of Communication Systems" 1986, pp. 282-286. ES2181569A1 (en) * 1998-04-01 2003-02-16 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Cell selection in mobile radio systems.

2019-04-26T12:18:31Z

https://patents.google.com/patent/US5371780A/en

Shoe pile in Colombia representing the lives lost to landmines. The Mine Ban Treaty is one of the great success stories in disarmament and in broader global humanitarian efforts, as demonstrated by its impressive implementation and by the widespread adherence to the norm it establishes against antipersonnel mines. Opened for signature on 3 December 1997, the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force 12 years ago on 1 March 1999. The Pacific nation of Tuvalu acceded in September 2011, becoming the Mine Ban Treaty’s 157th State Party. While several major states remain outside the Mine Ban Treaty, such a high number of States Parties constitutes near-universal acceptance of the antipersonnel mine ban. But major challenges remain. Full implementation and universalization of the treaty remain key objectives for the cooperative and enduring partnership of governments, international organizations, and the ICBL, that work on the Mine Ban Treaty’s behalf. The Mine Ban Treaty continues to have a strong impact even on those that have not yet joined as the vast majority of states not party are adhering to its provisions. Yet in 2011, Israel and Libya laid new antipersonnel mines, joining Myanmar, the only other government to plant antipersonnel mines in recent years. Two long-standing treaty hold-outs—Finland and Poland—confirmed that measures are underway to join the Mine Ban Treaty next year, while a United States (US) policy review of the Mine Ban Treaty appeared to slow down in 2011. This chapter has two parts. The first examines the implementation of and compliance with the Mine Ban Treaty by its States Parties. The second section provides a global overview of mine ban policy, use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of antipersonnel mines by the 39 states not party to the treaty. The focus of the reporting is on the period from May 2010 to August 2011. As a general matter, States Parties’ implementation of and compliance with the Mine Ban Treaty has been excellent. The core obligations have been respected and when ambiguities have arisen, they have been dealt with in a satisfactory matter. The treaty’s compliance provisions—contained in Article 8—have not been formally invoked to clarify any compliance question. However, there are serious compliance concerns regarding a small number of States Parties with respect to use of antipersonnel mines and missed stockpile destruction deadlines. Other States Parties are not doing nearly enough to implement key provisions of the treaty, including victim assistance, and ensure that the norm they established against antipersonnel mines continues to be respected and universalized. As the ICBL warned in November 2010, there is a danger that the Mine Ban Treaty’s effectiveness will be eroded in the future if the challenges are not acknowledged, discussed, and addressed. There has never been a confirmed case of use of antipersonnel mines by the armed forces of a State Party since the Mine Ban Treaty became law in 1999. However, previous allegations of mine use by the armed forces of Turkey in 2009 and Cambodia in 2008 and 2009 remain unanswered, and warrant ongoing attention and resolution by those governments and other States Parties. In this reporting period, since May 2010 there have been allegations of new mine use in Sudan by government and rebel forces. Due to the security situation, the Monitor has not been able to investigate the allegations, but based on concerns expressed by UN personnel, the allegations are serious and merit careful investigation and finding of facts. Allegations of new mine use during the conflict in Côte d’Ivoire do not appear credible. A total of 153 of the 157 States Parties do not have stockpiles, including 87 States Parties that have officially declared completion of stockpile destruction, 64 that have declared never possessing antipersonnel mine stocks (except in some cases for training purposes), and two that have not made an official declaration but are not thought to possess stocks (Equatorial Guinea and newest member Tuvalu). The most recent states to complete destruction were Iraq (declared in June 2011), Kuwait (declared in July 2009), and Ethiopia (April 2009). Iraq, which has a stockpile destruction deadline of 1 February 2012, reported in June 2011 that it destroyed 645 out of 690 antipersonnel mines that had been stockpiled in the Kurdistan region, retaining 45 mines for training purposes. Collectively, States Parties have destroyed more than 45 million stockpiled antipersonnel mines. The four States Parties that have not completed the destruction of their stockpiles are Belarus, Greece, Turkey, and Ukraine. Since 1 March 2008, Belarus, Greece, and Turkey have been in violation of the Mine Ban Treaty after failing to complete their stockpile destruction by that deadline. Ukraine joined this group after missing its 1 June 2010 stockpile destruction deadline. This issue of non-compliance with the treaty has been of particular concern to States Parties since 2010, when States Parties adopted the Cartagena Action Plan 2010–2014, which calls on the States Parties that are in violation of the treaty to comply without delay and to communicate their plans to do so, to request any assistance needed, and to provide an expected completion date. While it is encouraging that some of these states have made progress in stockpile destruction by providing additional information about projected completion dates, requesting assistance, and destroying stocks, it is a threat to the integrity of the treaty that four States Parties have remained in violation of the treaty. Belarus completed destruction of its non-PFM antipersonnel mines in 2006, but has not been able to destroy any of its stock of almost 3.4 million PFM mines since that time. In December 2010, Belarus made progress towards the destruction of these mines after signing a contract with a Spanish company to destroy its PFM mines within 28 months, which would mean that Belarus’s stockpile destruction should conclude in 2013. As of June 2011, Belarus was still finalizing the administrative arrangements of the contract, and the physical destruction had not yet commenced. Greece started its stockpile destruction of almost 1.6 million mines eight months after its deadline, and eventually halted stockpile destruction operations in early 2010 after an explosion at the destruction facility located in Bulgaria. In June 2011, Greece announced that it had established a new contract between the Ministry of Defense and the same company (Hellenic Defense Systems S.A., or EAS) that it had originally contracted. However, the proposal for stockpile destruction with EAS was still under negotiation as of June 2011. Greece has stated that it plans to re-initiate the contract by the end of 2011, and complete its stockpile destruction within 22 months. In a demonstration of transparency regarding stockpile destruction, Greece revealed that the 480 Greek mines that were missing from a shipment to Bulgaria were found in a Greek warehouse, prompting Greece to conduct a review of its stockpile. Turkey is the closest of the four States Parties in non-compliance with the treaty to completing its stockpile destruction obligation. By the end of October 2010, Turkey had destroyed all of its stockpiled mines in the Turkish Munitions Disposal Facility, with the exception of 22,716 Area Denial Antipersonnel Mines (ADAM) type mines, which were transferred to Germany in February 2011 to be destroyed. The destruction of these mines began on 23 March 2011, and was scheduled to conclude by 31 August 2011. As of September 2011, the Monitor had not received an update about the status of this stockpile destruction process. Ukraine previously destroyed all its non-PFM mines and over 100,000 PFM mines, but still had nearly six million PFM mines to destroy. In June 2011, Ukraine announced that it is conducting some destruction activities by ejecting mines into a “closed water reservoir,” enabling it to destroy 500,000 mines per year, and it expects to support its stockpile destruction efforts in part through an agreement with NATO’s Partnership for Peace Trust Fund. Norway also provided assistance to Ukraine in 2011 in the form of equipment that will increase Ukraine’s stockpile destruction capacity and modernize its facilities, bringing them up to international environmental standards. Taking this assistance into consideration, Ukraine reported in June 2011 that it projects that stockpile destruction will still take at least another four years to complete. States Parties have an obligation to provide international cooperation and assistance for stockpile destruction under Article 6, and have recommitted to providing support for stockpile destruction in Actions 37 and 42 of the Cartagena Action Plan. Seventy-six States Parties have reported that they retain antipersonnel mines for training and research purposes, of which 44 have each retained more than 1,000 mines and two (Bangladesh and Turkey) have each retained more than 12,000 mines. Seventy-eight States Parties have declared that they do not retain any antipersonnel mines, including 25 states that stockpiled antipersonnel mines in the past. For three States Parties, the status of retained mines is not known. Equatorial Guinea has never submitted an initial transparency report, so its status is uncertain, but it is not thought to retain any mines. The newest State Party, Tuvalu, has not made an official declaration, but is not thought to retain any mines. Botswana has indicated its intention to retain some mines for training, but has never made a formal declaration. Slightly less than 30% of the States Parties that retain mines failed to submit an annual transparency update for calendar year 2010, which was due by 30 April 2011. Reporting is necessary to understand the intended purposes or actual uses of retained mines. Because of this lack of information, it is not possible to present a total figure of mines retained for 2010 that would serve as a basis of meaningful comparison with previous years. Venezuela reported that it consumed 86 mines in 2010 in training activities—the first time it has consumed retained mines. States in italics did not submit a transparency report for calendar year 2010. Not available = It is not possible to determine the number from the information provided by the State Party. A major concern for the ICBL is the large number of States Parties that are retaining mines, but apparently not using those mines for permitted purposes. For these States Parties, the number of mines retained remained each year, indicating none were consumed (destroyed) during training or research activities, which is typically the case for most countries, and no other details were provided about how the mines were being used. A dozen States Partieshave never reported consuming any mines for permitted purposes since the treaty entered into force for them: Angola, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. Numerous States Parties have reported decreases in the number of mines retained, but few have explained the reductions in their transparency reports. Among the states that reduced the number of mines retained without explanation for calendar year 2010 were Australia (20 fewer mines), Cambodia (144 fewer mines), Czech Republic (24 fewer mines), Denmark (57 fewer mines), Ecuador (90 fewer mines), Luxembourg (201 fewer mines), the Netherlands (193 fewer mines), Peru (20 fewer mines), Portugal (3 fewer mines), Slovakia (50 fewer mines), Spain (6 fewer mines), and the United Kingdom (UK) (160 fewer mines). Belgium, Eritrea, Iraq, Portugal, and Sweden also reported that some of the mines they retained were inert or fuzeless, or were otherwise incapable of functioning as antipersonnel mines. A total of 29 States Parties have used expanded Form D of annual transparency reports to voluntarily report additional information on retained mines (note that some States Parties on this list only used some voluntary elements of Form D). Article 7 of the Mine Ban Treaty states that “Each State Party shall report to the Secretary General of the United Nations as soon as practicable, and in any event not later than 180 days after the entry into force of this Convention for that State Party” regarding steps taken to implement the treaty. Thereafter, States Parties are obligated to report annually, by 30 April, on the preceding calendar year. As of 1 October 2011, only 52% of States Parties submitted reports for calendar year 2010. This is the lowest annual compliance rate in the past decade, undercutting the previous low of 56% for calendar year 2009. Of the 74 States Parties that had not submitted a report for 2010, most failed to submit an annual transparency report for two or more years. Among the States Parties that did not submit reports for 2010 are nine States Parties with Article 5 clearance obligations (Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Chad, Chile, Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda). However, five States Parties (Cook Islands, Ghana, Lesotho, Palau, and Zimbabwe) submitted an annual transparency report after not turning in a report for two or more years. Equatorial Guinea is the only State Party to have never submitted an initial transparency report; it was due on 28 August 1999. Tuvalu’s initial transparency report is due by 30 April 2012. Three states submitted voluntary transparency reports for 2010. Treaty signatory Poland submitted its ninth voluntary transparency report, while state not party Morocco submitted its fifth report. State not party Lao PDR submitted a voluntary transparency report for the first time, after stating its intentions in 2009 and 2010 to submit a report in the future. In previous years, Azerbaijan (2008 and 2009), Mongolia (2007), and Sri Lanka (2005) submitted voluntary reports. The Tenth Meeting of States Parties (10MSP) to the Mine Ban Treaty was held in Geneva, Switzerland from 29 November–3 December 2010. Representatives from 99 States Parties attended, as well as observer delegations from 17 of the 39 states that had not joined the treaty. An ICBL delegation of more than 120 campaigners from 33 countries, including mine survivors, participated in the meeting. The main outcome of the 10MSP was the Geneva Progress Report, a document reviewing progress made in the first year of the application of the Cartagena Action Plan adopted by the Second Review Conference in November 2009. Mine clearance deadline extensions were granted to Chad, Colombia, Denmark, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Zimbabwe. The 10MSP assessed and confirmed the treaty’s 10-year-old implementation machinery, including its Implementation Support Unit and the Intersessional Work Programme. At the initiative of Zambia, the 10MSP agreed to establish a new standing committee on “resources, cooperation, and assistance” to encourage more state-to-state cooperation to meet treaty obligations. There were some positive developments on protracted implementation issues, particularly for three of the States Parties that missed their four-year treaty-mandated deadline for destroying all their stockpiles of antipersonnel mines: Belarus, Turkey, and Ukraine. The 10MSP agreed to hold the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties (11MSP) to the Mine Ban Treaty in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 28 November–2 December 2011. Cambodia is one of the most heavily mine-affected countries in world. Prak Sokhonn, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister and Vice-Chair of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, was designated President of the 11MSP. Since the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999, states may no longer sign and ratify the treaty, but must accede, a process that essentially combines signature and ratification. Of the 157 States Parties, 131 signed and ratified the treaty, and 26 acceded. On 13 September 2011, the Pacific nation of Tuvalu acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty, becoming the first accession since Palau joined in November 2007. Thirty-nine countries remain outside the Mine Ban Treaty as states not party, including two signatories that have not yet ratified (Marshall Islands and Poland). States Parties, the treaty’s Implementation Support Unit, the ICBL, ICRC, and UN agencies cooperate and coordinate their efforts promoting universalization of the Mine Ban Treaty. In 2011, focus was on universalization in the Asia-Pacific region in advance of the 11MSP. The treaty’s Special Envoy Prince Mired of Jordan visited the Pacific countries of Tuvalu (2–4 August) and Tonga (6–7 October) to discuss accession with government leaders. On 21–22 September 2011, five states not party from Asia (China, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Vietnam) attended a regional seminar convened by Cambodia in Phnom Penh to address the human cost of antipersonnel mines. Additionally, the President-Designate of the Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties Cambodian Minister Prak Sokhonn visited Singapore and Vietnam in October 2011. Finland confirmed its intention to accede in 2012 and submitted the legislation for accession to the treaty to its parliament in August 2011. In September 2011, the parliament approved the proposal and referred it for consideration to the Foreign Affairs Committee. In February 2010, Nepal’s Minister of Peace and Reconstruction initiated a ministerial-level committee to study the responsibilities of and opportunities for becoming a State Party. Poland confirmed its commitment to complete ratification in 2012, but the procedure had not been initiated in parliament. On 11 August 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs circulated the ratification proposal (motion) for informal interministerial consultation. The bill will be introduced to the new parliament in late 2011 or early 2012. US officials confirmed in June 2011 that the comprehensive review initiated in late 2009 of US mine policy and its position on joining the Mine Ban Treaty was continuing. During 2010, the US Department of State coordinated a series of consultations, but in 2011 the pace of the review appeared to slow. Since the Second Review Conference in November 2009, the US continued to participate as an observer in Mine Ban Treaty meetings. Additionally, during meetings in 2010 and 2011, several states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty reiterated their positive views of the treaty as expressed in prior years, but noted little progress toward joining, including Lebanon, Mongolia, and Morocco. In June 2011, a representative from Vietnam disappointingly said it was unlikely that the country would join the Mine Ban Treaty at this time as they are still using mines on their borders “as a form of defense,” but clarified that Vietnam was not necessarily laying new mines. On 8 December 2010, UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 65/48 calling for universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty was adopted by a vote of 165 states in favor, none opposed, and 17 abstentions. This was the highest number to vote in support of the Mine Ban Treaty since the first UNGA resolution supporting the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997 (the lowest was 138 in 2001), and equaled the lowest number of abstentions ever. The annual resolution provides an important opportunity for states outside the Mine Ban Treaty to indicate their support for the ban on antipersonnel mines and the objective of its universalization. Nine states not party have voted in favor of every Mine Ban Treaty resolution since 1997: Armenia, Bahrain, Finland, Georgia, Oman, Poland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ten states not party that used to consistently abstain or be absent now vote in favor: Azerbaijan, China, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Somalia, and Tonga. Many countries that have acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty since 1999 have done so after voting in support of consecutive UNGA resolutions. The number of states abstaining from supporting the resolution has ranged from a high of 23 in 2002 and 2003 to a low of 17 in 2006, 2005, and 2010. A group of states that could be described as most actively opposed to the Mine Ban Treaty are the 15 states not party that have abstained on consecutive resolutions since 1997 (unless noted in parentheses): Cuba, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Libya (since 1998), Myanmar, North Korea (since 2007), Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Syria, Uzbekistan (since 1999), the US, and Vietnam (since 1998). A significant number of non-state armed groups (NSAGs) have indicated their willingness to observe the ban on antipersonnel mines. At least 62 NSAGs have committed to halt use of antipersonnel mines over the past 12 years. The exact number is difficult to determine, since NSAGs may split into factions with different policies, go out of existence, or become part of state structures. More than 40 NSAGs have signed the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment, most recently factions of Kurdish groups operating along the Iran-Iraq border in June 2009. Efforts have continued to engage NSAGs in the global ban on antipersonnel mines. Following outreach by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Handicap International, Mines Advisory Group, and the UN, the National Transitional Council (NTC), the opposition authority in Libya, issued a communiqué on 28 April 2011 formally pledging that “no forces under the command and control of the [NTC] will use antipersonnel or anti-vehicle landmines.” The NTC committed to “destroy all landmines in their possession” and to “cooperate in the provision of mine clearance, risk education, and victim assistance.” The communiqué also stated that “any future Libyan government should relinquish landmines and join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty.” In late August, after seizing the capital of Tripoli, the NTC proclaimed an interim government. Units of Myanmar’s Army (Tatmadaw) have laid mines in numerous parts of the country every year since the Monitor began reporting in 1999. In February 2010, Tatmadaw Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) 363 and 367 allegedly laid mines in Kheh Der village tract, Kyaukkyi township, Nyaunglebin district; militia forces accompanying returning villagers subsequently discovered 11 mines. In March 2010, villagers in Htantabin township blamed Tatmadaw LIB 427 for laying mines that injured two villagers and an animal. Also in March, a former Tatmadaw soldier from LIB 102 in Karenni state noted that he had been given a mine to use while in the military, and that before he deserted in March 2010 he witnessed other soldiers being ordered to lay mines near his unit’s camp in Khaw Daw Koh area, Tantabin township, Bago division. In April 2010, villagers in the Ma No Roh area, Tenasserim division stated that Tatmadaw LIB 561 planted mines near their village. In October 2010, the Tatmadaw laid mines around four bridges between Thaton and Bilin townships. The mined area was marked with a “Caution Mines” sign at each bridge. The Tatmadaw stated that the mines were laid to prevent the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) from using the bridges. In December 2010 in Bilin township of Thaton district, Border Guard Force Battalion 1016, led by Par Ke Re, and Tatmadaw IB 3, led by Major Zaw Lwin Moe, placed mines in Kyaw Blaw Khi Blo and Htee Nyar Khar Blo. These mines subsequently injured villagers and killed cattle. Another Tatmadaw unit is alleged by the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) to have laid mines for the first time in many years in Chin state. The FBR claims that Battalion 232 laid new mines in the vicinity of Nygeletwa, Pomnyamwa, Aumthiwa, Mariwa, Setalumwa, and Putuwa villages in Paletwa township of Chin state. On 25 December 2010, Tatmadaw soldiers placed mines on trails and village land, in Mone township. A rebel soldier was sent to remove the mines, and found four M-14 mines before being injured by a fifth mine. The first reports of pro-Gaddafi forces using antipersonnel and antivehicle mines began to emerge in late March 2011 in the east of the country, then in the Nafusa mountain range in the northwest, and finally around Tripoli and coastal towns in the west. HRW has confirmed the use of five types of mines in six separate locations. Additionally, three types of mines have been found abandoned at three other locations. The Brazilian T-AB-1 antipersonnel mine appears to be the most frequently used mine by pro-Gaddafi forces. Its low metal content makes the mine particularly challenging for detection and clearance efforts. Amnesty International documented the use T-AB-1 mines in the Tammina neighborhood of Misrata on 25 May 2011. There have been multiple instances of T-AB-1 antipersonnel mines laid together with Chinese Type-72SP antivehicle mines. In July, rebel forces also reported witnessing pro-Gaddafi troops laying T-AB-1 and Type-72SP mines around western towns near the Tunisian border including Ghazaya, Ruwas, and Kiklah. The same mines have been found in al-Qawalish, Zintan, Khusha, and the rest of the surrounding Nafusa mountain region. Remotely-delivered “parachute mines” were scattered by Grad ground rockets into the port area of the city of Misrata by pro-Gaddafi forces on 5 May 2011. These Chinese-produced Type-84 antivehicle mines bore markings indicating a 2009 manufacture date. By 1 September 2011, the European Union and at least four Mine Ban Treaty States Parties (Australia, Canada, Germany, and Norway), in addition to the President of the 10MSP, the ICRC, and the ICBL had condemned or expressed grave concern about the Libyan government’s use of antipersonnel mines. In early August 2011, Bamachaneh, the journal of the Israel Defense Force (IDF), reported that IDF soldiers were planting antipersonnel mines in the Golan Heights along the border with Syria. The mines were laid openly and in daylight by Combat Engineering Corps officer cadets and placed beyond the border security fence, but within the “Alpha Line” that marks the border with Syria. The ICBL publicly condemned mine use by the IDF, while the President of the 10th 10MSP expressed his deep concern. In this reporting period, since May 2010, NSAGs used antipersonnel mines or victim-activated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in at least four countries: States Parties Afghanistan and Colombia and states not party Myanmar and Pakistan. This is two fewer countries than previously cited by the Monitor, with the removal of India and Yemen. It is the lowest number of countries with use by NSAGs ever reported by the Monitor. There were serious but as of yet unconfirmed allegations of NSAG use of antipersonnel mines in State Party Sudan and state not party South Sudan. In Afghanistan, there has been a notable increase in the number of reports of use of antipersonnel mines, especially victim-activated IEDs, by armed groups opposing the government and international forces. In July 2011, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a report that found that the majority (approximately two-thirds) of IEDs encountered in Afghanistan were pressure plate-detonated, victim-activated devices. UNAMA has called on the Taliban to cease using pressure plate IEDs and to publicly reaffirm its 1998 decree banning mines. On the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan website, the Taliban denied the allegation and said their explosive devices are command-detonated and do not use pressure plates. In Colombia, theFuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) continued to use antipersonnel mines and IEDs on a regular basis. FARC is probably the most prolific user of antipersonnel mines among rebel groups anywhere in the world. In September 2010, the Colombian army recovered over 3,100 antipersonnel mines from a cache belonging to the National Liberation Army in Tolima. In Myanmar, at least 17 NSAGs have used antipersonnel mines since 1999 including the KNLA, the Karenni Army, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), and the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A). In October 2010 the KIO released a statement that warned the public of more mines in the area. The KIO stated that they had planted more mines as a result of increased tensions with the junta over the KIOs refusal to bring its troops under Burmese Army command. In some other specific instances, in September 2010, the KNLA informed local inhabitants that they had planted mines beside the road between Phapun township and Kamamaung sub-township in Karen state. In March 2010, villagers in Ma Lay Ler village tract, Dweh Loh township, Papun District allege that DKBA Battalion 333 laid mines to prevent attacks by the KNLA in the area, leading to the loss of several cattle. In January 2010, villagers from Meh Nyoo, Meh Gkoo, Meh Mweh, and Meh Gklaw village tracts in Bu Tho township, Karen state that soldiers from DKBA Battalion 666 placed mines in areas near the villages and gave verbal warnings of dangerous areas. In Pakistan, NSAGs continued to use mines in Baluchistan province as well as in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, while the government again stated that “terrorists all over the country” were using IEDs in attacks that caused large numbers of casualties. In Sudan, there were reports in 2011 of new mine use in South Kordofan state near the border with South Sudan as part of clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the northern branch of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). The Monitor has not been able to confirm these reports. There is a lack of clarity about whether antipersonnel mines or antivehicle mines, or both, have been used. The Monitor has not seen definitive evidence about what forces may have used antipersonnel mines. While the Monitor has not been able to do an independent investigation, it appears that new mine-laying has also occurred in South Sudan. However, it is difficult to determine who was responsible for new mine-laying and the extent to which antipersonnel mines, as opposed to antivehicle mines, were being laid. A variety of actors in different locations have been accused of mine-laying, including in the states of Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile. There have also been reports of new mine use in South Kordofan state in Sudan, which is home to many communities from South Sudan. Additionally, some use by NSAGs may have taken place in Algeria, Mali, Peru, and Thailand, which the Monitor has been unable to independently confirm from available information. There were reports of NSAG use of antivehicle mines in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, and Yemen. More than 50 states produced antipersonnel mines at some point in the past. Thirty-nine of these states have ceased production of antipersonnel mines, including five countries that are not party to the Mine Ban Treaty: Egypt, Finland, Israel, Nepal, and Poland. A majority of major producers from the 1970s to 1990s are among those nations that have stopped manufacturing and joined the Mine Ban Treaty. The Monitor identifies 12 states as producers of antipersonnel mines: China, Cuba, India, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, the US, and Vietnam. In most cases, these countries were not actively producing mines, but reserve the right to do so. Active production may be ongoing in as few as three countries: India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. In September 2011, a Foreign Ministry official confirmed to the Monitor that most of China’s mine production has been shut down, and only a small number of mines are produced for the purpose of research by the army. NSAGs in Afghanistan, Colombia, India, and Myanmar) produce antipersonnel mines, mostly victim-activated IEDs. Prior to its defeat in 2009, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam in Sri Lanka probably produced the most sophisticated antipersonnel mines among NSAGs. A de facto global ban on the transfer of antipersonnel mines has been in effect since the mid-1990s. This ban is attributable to the mine ban movement and the stigma attached to the weapon. The Monitor has not conclusively documented any state-to-state transfers of antipersonnel mines. For the past decade, global trade in antipersonnel mines has consisted solely of a low-level of illicit and unacknowledged transfers. At least 10 states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, including seven mine producers, have enacted formal moratoria on the export of antipersonnel mines: China, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, and the US. Other past exporters have made statements declaring that they do not export now, including Cuba, Egypt, and Vietnam. Iran also claims to have stopped exporting, despite evidence to the contrary. The Monitor estimates that of the 39 states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, as many as 35 stockpile a collective total of more than 160 million antipersonnel mines. Three states not party, all Pacific nations, have said that they do not stockpile antipersonnel mines: Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Tonga. It is not known if the newly independent state of South Sudan has any stockpiled antipersonnel mines. It is not certain that all of these states not party stockpile antipersonnel mines. Officials from the UAE have provided contradictory information regarding its possession of stocks, while Bahrain and Morocco have stated that they have only small stockpiles used solely for training purposes. The vast majority of global stockpiles belong to China (estimated 110 million) and Russia (estimated 24.5 million). Based on 2002 data, the Monitor has cited a US stockpile of 10.4 million antipersonnel mines, but the Monitor was informed in 2010 that the US stockpile may be considerably smaller now. Other states with large stockpiles include Pakistan (estimated six million) and India (estimated four to five million). Prolific mine use during 2011 by forces of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the discovery of hundreds of thousands of stockpiled mines have shown how Libya’s previous denial of a mine stockpile was patently untrue. The NTC has pledged to destroy all stocks of mines under its control. Destruction of stockpiled antipersonnel mines in states not party to the Mine Ban Treaty routinely occurs as an element of ammunition management programs and the phasing out of obsolete munitions. In recent years, destruction has been reported in China, Israel, Russia, the US, and Vietnam. Few NSAGs today have access to factory-made antipersonnel mines compared to a decade ago due to the halt in trade and production, and destruction of stocks under the Mine Ban Treaty. A few NSAGs have access to mine stocks from old regimes (such as in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia), while others produce their own improvised mines or acquire mines by removing them from minefields. In states not party NSAGs have also been known to capture antipersonnel mines or steal them from arsenals or purchase them from corrupt officials. During this reporting period, NSAGs and criminal groups were reported to possess stocks of antipersonnel mines or their own craft-produced mines in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Colombia, Iraq, and Pakistan. The Monitor relies on reports of seizures by government forces to identify NSAGs possessing mine stockpiles. Amended Protocol II of the 1980 Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) entered into force on 3 December 1998 and regulates the production, transfer, and use of mines, booby-traps, and other explosive devices. The inadequacy of the protocol gave impetus to the Ottawa Process that resulted in the Mine Ban Treaty. As of September 2011, a total of 97 states were party to Amended Protocol II including three Mine Ban Treaty States Parties that ratified the protocol since the publication of Landmine Monitor 2010: Gabon (on 22 September 2010), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (6 December 2010), and Serbia (14 February 2011). Only 11 of the 97 states that are party to Amended Protocol II have not joined the Mine Ban Treaty: China, Finland, Georgia, India, Israel, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and the US. Thus, for antipersonnel mines, the protocol is only relevant for those 11 countries as the rest are bound by the much higher standards of the Mine Ban Treaty. The original Protocol II on mines, booby-traps, and other devices entered into force on 2 December 1983 and, while it was largely superseded by Amended Protocol II, there are still 11 states that are party to the original but have not joined the amended protocol: Cuba, Djibouti, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Togo, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. In 2010, CCW States Parties began discussing mechanisms to terminate the original Protocol II at the CCW’s Fourth Review Conference in November 2011. A total of 19 states that stockpile antipersonnel mines are not party to the Mine Ban Treaty, CCW Amended Protocol II, or CCW Protocol II. Five of these states are also producers of antipersonnel mines. Italics indicated states which also produce antipersonnel mines. Statement by Steve Goose, HRW, Head of ICBL Delegation, Tenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 29 November 2010, www.icbl.org. In October 2008, two Thai soldiers stepped on antipersonnel mines while on patrol in disputed territory between Thailand and Cambodia, near the World Heritage Site of Preah Vihear. Thai authorities maintained that the area was previously clear of mines and that the mines had been newly placed by Cambodian forces. Cambodia denied the charges and stated that the Thai soldiers had entered Cambodian territory in an area known to contain antipersonnel mines and were injured by mines laid during previous armed conflicts. In April 2009, another Thai soldier was reportedly wounded by an antipersonnel mine at the same location during further armed conflict between the two countries. In June 2011, a Cambodian official informed the Monitor that Cambodia had not received cooperation from Thailand regarding investigation into the issue and has, therefore, not pursued it further. In April 2010, a Turkish newspaper published a document allegedly belonging to the 23rd Gendarmerie Division Command indicating that on 9 April 2009, members of the Turkish Armed Forces laid M2A4 antipersonnel mines in the southeastern province of Sirnak. In May 2009, the media reported that seven Turkish soldiers were killed and eight wounded by an antipersonnel mine near Cukurca in Hakkari province. In June 2010, the Turkish government informed other States Parties that a “legal investigation” into allegations of use was underway and said that once concluded the results would be shared “in full transparency.” It said that commenting further on an ongoing legal procedure would be inappropriate. In 2011, there were reports of new mine use in South Kordofan state near the border with South Sudan as part of clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces and the northern branch of SPLM/A. The Monitor has not been able to confirm these reports. There is a lack of clarity about whether antipersonnel mines or antivehicle mines, or both, have been used. The Monitor has not seen definitive evidence about what forces may have used antipersonnel mines. There have been no confirmed instances of government forces using antipersonnel mines since Sudan became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty in 2004. Côte d’Ivoire experienced six months of post-election armed conflict between forces loyal to former president Laurent Gbagbo and then-president-elect Alassane Ouattara. Media articles reported allegations of mine use by both Gbagbo’s and Ouattara’s forces and each side accused the other of use of antipersonnel mines, but the Monitor has found no evidence of any use of antipersonnel mines during the conflict. In an interview with the Monitor, an officer from Côte d’Ivoire’s gendarmerie stated that the allegations of mine use were false, and that what media reports described as mines were actually plastic packaging caps from containers for P17 rockets. Interview with Patrick M’Bahia, Focal Point/Officer, Gendarmerie, Ministry of Defense, in Geneva, 21 June 2011. Statement of Iraq, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. For details see ICBL-CMC, "Country Profiles"", archives.the-monitor.org. For historical information see Landmine Monitor Report 2009, pp. 196–197, 443–444, 746–748, 774–778. Statement of Belarus, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. Statement of Greece, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. Specifically, this involved the transfer of 631 155mm projectiles, each containing 36 ADAM antipersonnel mines, for a total of 22,716 antipersonnel mines. See statements of Germany and Turkey, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Mine Ban Treaty, Geneva, 20 June 2011. Statement of Turkey, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. Statement of Ukraine, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. Notes by the ICBL. Statement of Norway, Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction, Geneva, 20 June 2011. States retaining less than 1,000 mines under Article 3: Nicaragua (963), Ecuador (910), Jordan (850), Cambodia (845), Honduras (815), Mauritania (728), Portugal (694), the UK (673), Italy (669), Mali (600), Luxembourg (599), Colombia (586), Zimbabwe (550), Cyprus (500), Togo (436), Republic of the Congo (322), Ethiopia (303), Uruguay (260), Eritrea (172), Ukraine (170), Cape Verde (120), Gambia (100), El Salvador (72), Rwanda (65), Ireland (64), Senegal (28), Benin (16), Guinea-Bissau (9), Burundi (4), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“some”). In 2010, the DRC indicated that there were some live antipersonnel mines retained for training at the Military Engineers’ School in Likasi, but the types and numbers had not yet been reported. Afghanistan, Argentina, Belgium, BiH, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, and the UK. The 26 accessions include Montenegro, which technically “succeeded” to the treaty after the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro. Of the 131 signatories, 43 ratified on or before entry into force (1 March 1999) and 88 ratified afterward. With Tuvalu’s accession, only three Pacific states have not joined the Mine Ban Treaty: of Micronesia, Tonga, and the Marshall Islands, which has signed but not ratified. While Tuvalu acceded in the past year, the total number of states not party remains 39 as South Sudan became an independent state in 2011 and has not yet joined the Mine Ban Treaty. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, “Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja: Ottawa Mines Convention a great victory for civic engagement,” Press release #193/2011, 12 August 2011. Statement of South Sudan, Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Geneva, 23 June 2011. CMC meeting with Phan Hai Anh, Assistant Director General, Department of International Organizations, Geneva, 27 June 2011. The US was the first country to introduce a resolution to ban mines in 1996, urging nations “to pursue vigorously” an international ban treaty “with a view to completing the negotiation as soon as possible.” UNGA Resolution 51/45S was passed on 10 December 1996 by a vote of 156-0, with 10 abstentions. The resolution also called on governments to unilaterally implement “bans, moratoria or other restrictions” on production, stockpiling, export, and use of antipersonnel mines “at the earliest date possible.” Since 1997, it has abstained on every UNGA resolution in support of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. The first resolution in support of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, UNGA 52/38A, secured a vote of 142 in favor, none against, and 18 abstained. This includes: Belarus, Bhutan, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, FYR Macedonia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, and Turkey. Uzbekistan actually voted in support of the UNGA resolution on the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997. As of September 2011, 41 through the Deed of Commitment, 19 by self declaration, and four by Rebel Declaration (two signed both the Rebel Declaration and the Deed of Commitment). Prior to 2000 several declarations were issued regarding the mine ban by NSAGs, some of whom later signed the Deed of Commitment and the Rebel Declaration. The Deed of Commitment includes a ban on any use, production, trade, or stockpiling of antipersonnel mines. In April and June 2009, three factions of the Komala party (the Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran, the Komala Party of Kurdistan, and the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan) signed the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment. See Landmine Monitor Report 2009, p. 945. HRW, “Libya: Rebels Pledge Not to Use Landmines,” Press release, 29 April 2011, www.hrw.org. ICBL, “Nobel Peace Laureate Campaign Welcomes Libyan Rebel Pledge Not to Use Landmines, Urging the Government for Similar Action,” 30 April 2011. Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), “Attacks and displacement in Nyaunglebin District,” 9 April 2010, www.khrg.org. KHRG, “Villagers injured by landmines, assisted by neighbours in southern Toungoo,” 22 October 2010, www.khrg.org. Unpublished information provided to the Monitor by the KHRG, 12 April 2011. KHRG, “Militarization, Development and Displacement: Conditions for villagers in southern Tenasserim Division,” March 2011, www.khrg.org. Source requested anonymity, Yangon, 2 March 2011. Source requested anonymity, Bangkok, 15 March 2011. FBR, “18-year-old Arakan Woman Raped by Burma Army Captain Chin State, Burma,” 3 May 2010. FBR, “Landmines, Victims and Flooding from Burma Army Dam Project Displaces Multiple Communities Nyaunglebin District, Karen State, Burma,” 17 January 2011, www.freeburmarangers.org. Brazil has confirmed that production and exports of T-AB-1 antipersonnel mines ceased in 1989, even before Brazil joined the Mine Ban Treaty in 1997. There is no export record of the shipments, because arms export records are not held for longer than 10 years. An internal investigation has been opened into the origins and transfer of the T-AB-1 mines to Libya. HRW meeting with Brazilian delegation to intersessional Standing Committee meetings, Geneva, 27 June 2011. In June 2011, the ICBL asked Brazil to publicly condemn the use of antipersonnel mines in Libya and provide detailed information on the transfer of T-AB-1 antipersonnel mines to Libya, including the date of manufacture and transfer, as well as the number of mines exported. The ICBL had not yet received a reply as of 23 September 2011. ICBL letter to Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, 13 June 2011. Amnesty International, “Libya: Civilians at risk amid new mine threat,” Press release, 25 May 2011, www.amnesty.org. HRW, “Landmines in Libya: Technical Briefing Note,” 19 July 2011. “Land mines slow Libyan rebels’ march toward Tripoli,” The Washington Post, 26 July 2011, washingtonpost.com. ICBL, “Landmine Use in Libya in 2011: Frequently Asked Questions,” www.icbl.org. Gil Ronen, “Antipersonnel Mines Laid Along Syria Border ‘for September,’” Arutz Sheva (Israel News), 11 August 2011, www.israelnationalnews.com. Or Butbul and Reut Farkash, “Operation Mine,” IDF, www.idf.il. ICBL, “Nobel Peace Prize-winning global campaign strongly condemns Israel’s new use of landmines,” 16 August 2011, www.icbl.org. Implementation Support Unit, “President of Convention banning anti-personnel mines expresses concern about new use of mines by Israel,” 6 September 2011, www.apminebanconvention.org. The majority of pressure plate IEDs are set to detonate from approximately 10kg of pressure and contain approximately 20kg of explosives, more than twice that of a standard antivehicle mine. As a result of this design and configuration, “each pressure plate IED serves as a massive anti-personnel mine with the capability of destroying a tank. Civilians who step or drive on these IEDS have no defense against them and little chance of survival.” UNAMA, “Afghanistan: Mid Year Report 2011, Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,” Kabul, July 2011, p. 2. UNAMA, “Afghanistan: Mid Year Report 2011, Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,” Kabul, July 2011, p.8. See statement of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on the Problem of Landmines, 6 October 1998, in Landmine Monitor Report 1999,pp. 433–434. “UNAMA accuses Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of having caused casualties to the common people by planting land mines. However, all the country men know that Mujahideen use landmines which are controlled remotely, i.e. they are not detonated by heavy pressure. So Mujahideen’s mines aim only at a specific targets.” Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, “Statement of the Islamic Emirate Regarding the Repeatedly Baseless Accusations of UNAMA,” 19 July 2011, alemara1.com. Article 13 Report, CCW Amended Protocol II, 20 October 2010. The northern branch of the SPLM/A became an independent party in Sudan after the south’s secession. See Salma El Wardany, “Sudan Army, Opposition Fighters Clash in Southern Kordofan,” Bloomberg, 24 September 2011, www.bloomberg.com; and UN Mission in Sudan, “Report on the human rights situation during the violence in Southern Kordofan, Sudan,” June 2011, para. 38, graphics8.nytimes.com. There are 51 confirmed current and past producers. Not included in that total are five States Parties that have been cited by some sources as past producers, but deny it: Croatia, Nicaragua, Philippines, Thailand, and Venezuela. It is also unclear if Syria has produced. Additionally, Taiwan passed legislation banning production in June 2006. The 34 States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty that once produced antipersonnel mines include: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, BiH, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, the UK, and Zimbabwe. Iranian antipersonnel mines have been seized in Afghanistan in 2008, Tajikistan in 2007, and Somalia in 2006. See “Landmine deport smuggled from Iran discovered,” Pajhwok Afghan News, 25 January 2008. See also “Iranian Land Mines Found in Taliban Commander’s House,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 25 January 2008; Tajikistan Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B2, 3 February 2008; and UN, “Report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia pursuant to Security Council resolution 1676 (2006),” S/2006/913, 22 November 2006, p. 62. Mine Ban Treaty signatory Poland is party to CCW Amended Protocol II. Though it has not yet ratified the Mine Ban Treaty, as a signatory it is obliged to refrain from acts that would defeat the object and purpose of the Mine Ban Treaty, so is already bound by a higher standard than Amended Protocol II. Djibouti, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Togo, and Uganda are party to the Mine Ban Treaty and are thus bound to the higher standard. None of the countries listed in the table are party to the Mine Ban Treaty either.

2019-04-23T08:08:20Z

http://archives.the-monitor.org/index.php/publications/display?url=lm/2011/es/Ban_Policy.html

This buyers guide will give you some useful pointers if you are considering buying a Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon Camper Van. If you already own a Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon camper you may still find this buying guide useful as I have included some useful tips about common faults and possible causes. If you have any useful information to add please contact me. You can start by reading my Volkswagen T25 / T3 / Vanagon Buying Guide, which is a general guide for anyone buying a VW T25 / T3 / Vanagon camper. Once you have read that guide then the information below is additional reading specifically for anyone looking at buying a Volkswagen Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon camper. As I am based in the UK the guide is biased towards the European models but a lot of the information equally applies to the USA and Canadian Vanagon models as well. When checking a bus be realistic as these buses are over 20 years old now so they will generally not be absolutely perfect. The idea of this guide is that it will help you make an informed decision highlighting any problems that exist so that you know exactly what you are buying. You can decide if the camper is worth the asking price and also if you can point out any problems to the seller it can give you a basis for price negotiation. Are all Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon campers Left Hand Drive ? The vast majority of Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon campers ARE left hand drive. There are a few exceptions to this, which have mainly been built using a kit that was supplied by Westfalia called the Mosaik programme (see Model History for more info). These kits were still intended for use in Left Hand Drive vans so will have been adapted to fit a right hand drive van. Also there is at least one (maybe more?) right hand drive camper van that was built by Westfalia at their factory in Germany as a special order. Does it matter that my Volkswagen Westfalia camper will be Left Hand Drive ? If you are based in USA, Canada or most of Europe then obviously not. The paragraph below is for those who like me are based in the UK. The reason Westfalia VW buses are so popular is that the build quality, design and practicality is far better than anything that was built in the UK. Most owners are prepared to accept that these advantages far outweigh the disadvantage of the bus being LHD. A slight blind spot when pulling out of a slip road or changing lanes to overtake on a dual carriageway or motorway (easily rectified with a blind spot mirror on passenger side or by leaning forward for a second look before pulling out). If you need to take children or goods in and out of the sliding door on a road the sliding door will be on road side if the vehicle is facing the right direction. Generally not a problem unless the van is to be used as a daily vehicle, as for most people the sliding door is most likely to be opened in car parks and on campsites. Checking that the bus is a genuine Westfalia factory bus. VW Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon campers are generally selling for higher prices than other conversions of T25 / T3 camper. This is because they have a better reputation for build quality and reliability of equipment. Also the vehicles coming from Germany seem to be in better structural condition than a similar aged UK vehicle possibly due to stricter testing, removing structurally unsound examples from the road ? Unfortunately this is leading to less scrupulous dealers advertising buses as Westfalias even when they are not, in order to achieve a better price. Also some owners genuinely believe a bus to be a Westfalia because it comes from Germany (or they were told it was a Westfalia!) when in fact there were many other convertors of VW buses whose quality may or may not be as good. The first check you can make it to have a look at the photos on the VW Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon model history pages and check that the van you are looking at has the right interior furniture and upholstery for that particular model and year. After this it gets a bit more difficult to check as even the original German vehicle logbook doesn’t mention the word Westfalia for some reason ? However all Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon Camper factory conversions were delivered from Volkswagen to the Westfalia factory with a particular bodyshell type called “253 Kombi shell ”. You can confirm if the van you are looking at has this body shell by looking firstly at a metal plate that should be fitted on the inside pillar when you open the passenger (right hand side) door. In the photo below you will see the bus has bodyshell 253-609. This number can also be crosschecked with the same information on the German logbook (Fahrzeugbrief) and the sticker in the VAG Serviceplan book (and / or in the bus at the base of the steering column) as described lower down. The Westfalia factory built campers used a bodyshell that already had the side window apertures built in when it was delivered from the Volkswagen factory. This means that the apertures were in place when the van was painted. This means that it is much less likely that the van will start to rust around the window seals. Some other inferior conversions may have used a panel van as the base vehicle and had the window apertures cut out later (after the van was painted). This means the exposed edges may not have been sufficiently rust proofed leading to rusting around the window frames which is unsightly and difficult to repair. This problem can also lead to water penetration inside the van causing a damp smell as well as damage to interior trim and furniture. Whilst this curved roof line proves a van wasn’t converted to be a camper at the Westfalia factory it doesn’t necessarily mean the van does not contain genuine Westfalia furniture and fittings! From 1983 to 1990 Westfalia had the Mosaik program which was a range of furniture and fittings designed for people to fit to their own base bus. The range changed over the years but looked very similar to the factory fitted items. Whilst the quality of the items is just as good the disadvantage of buying a Westfalia Mosaik bus is that the specification will vary from bus to bus as the owner could pick and choose which bits he wanted. Also the quality of the build is most likely not as good as the factory as it would depend on the individual who built it. Having said that it was also possible to have the Mosaik furniture installed by your VW / Westfalia dealer. You can read more about the Mosaik range in the VW T25 / T3 / Vanagon Model History. One final way to check if the bus is Westfalia factory built is that each bus has a little metal plate on the left hand side on the rear seat front panel. Whilst this does not prove the furniture hasn’t been taken from another bus it does at least prove that it has genuine Westfalia furniture! Also you can check the meanings of the numbers to confirm that they match the van you are looking at (ie: year and type). 120 means it is an Atlantic Hightop (119=Atlantic Pop Top, 118=California Hightop, 117=California Pop Top. The Brick-Yard website has a full list of codes HERE. 00545 this is van number 545 of this type. When a Westfalia camper is imported from Germany it will have to be re-registered so that it gets allocated a UK registration number. In order to do this the original German log book (Fahrzeugbrief) is submitted to DVLA (along with some other paperwork). Normally DVLA return the German logbook (with the corner cut off and an official stamp showing that the vehicle is now registered in the UK). The vehicle will now have a UK registration document. Whilst the German logbook is no longer valid it does contain some useful information. On the first page at the top in large letters you will see the original German registration number. Underneath is the name, date of birth and address of the first keeper of the vehicle as well as the date he acquired the vehicle. On the example above there is only one keeper as it had been owned by one person from new until it was imported to UK. If the vehicle had more previous keepers they would be listed in the appropriate fields underneath. On the second page there is various information including vehicle type, fuel type, key number, chassis number, cubic capacity, length, width, height, weight and the date of first registration. On the third page you will see the official stamp from DVLA showing that the vehicle has been re-registered and listing the new English registration number. Depending on the model and specification a Westfalia camper was fitted with either an external underfloor LPG tank or an onboard gas bottle (fitted in the cupboard to the left of the fridge under the rear table). In Germany the gas fittings have to be checked regularly (in a test similar to an MOT test) so sometimes if there has been a problem with the underfloor tank the fittings may have been converted to run from an onboard gas cylinder. The reason for this is that the external LPG tanks are very expensive to replace. If the van has a gas bottle and you want to check if this was original equipment then ask if the vehicle has the original German documents with it. There may be a yellow document called a Prüfbescheinigung. First you need to check on the second page that the document you are looking at is the first one that was issued for the vehicle. You should see a stamp from Westfalia Werke with a date. The date should be close to the date the van was first registered. If so, you can check on the first page and you will see section one shows the last few digits of the chassis number. Section two shows if either a) Flaschenanzahl (Gas bottle) or b) Tankgroße (LPG tank) were fitted and the capacity of the gas bottle or tank. If you open up the yellow booklet you should see some more stamps each time the vehicle was tested. From the two yellow booklets supplied with my van it would appear from the dates that the van is required to have this test every 4 years. Now you know how to check the paperwork it is obviously important to have a physical inspection of the gas tank and gas fittings. If there is an external LPG tank mounted under the van check that the tank and mountings are not damaged or rusty. The tank is mounted on the left hand side of the van next to the black waste water tank. A replacement gas tank will cost up to 700 euro plus fitting. There is a locking plastic cover behind which you will find a gauge showing how much gas is in the tank as well as the on / off valve and also the filling point. It is not unusual for the plastic cover to be missing and whilst replacements are available they cost around 80 Euro. When filling the LPG tank in the UK you will need an adaptor as the fittings at UK filling stations are different than those in Germany. The adaptor can be purchased from Gasure. As explained on the Gasure webpage using 2 x UK style bayonet adaptor seems to work the best. You will see the gas pipes enter the van from the external tank into the cupboard to the right of the fridge. You will see the yellow and red gas shut off valves (explained further in the sections below). Check that the pipes have not been damaged and that the joints look secure. Obviously if you buy the van it is a good idea to have the whole gas installation checked by a qualified professional such as those listed on the links page. If the van has an onboard gas bottle check the pipes that should run from the regulator on the top of the gas bottle to the gas shut off valves (in the cupboard to the right off the fridge). Most Westfalias came fitted with an Electrolux RM184 Fridge (although earlier vans and American Westfalia Vanagon vans may be slightly different). To check the model of the fridge fitted you can look at the silver label that is usually situated inside the fridge on the left hand side. You may need the model and serial number from this label when ordering any spare parts. The fridge should work from either the gas bottle or underfloor gas tank depending which is fitted. To test make sure the gas is switched on (Note “Auf” means open ie: on). Then look in the cupboard under the sink and turn the yellow (main) gas switch and then the bottom red gas switch as in photo below. Open the fridge door and turn the rotary knob as far as it will go clockwise. On the three bank switch at the top press the gas switch showing the “Flame” symbol. You should see the small red light flash and hear a clicking noise. Now press and hold in the push switch until the clicking noise stops and the red light doesn’t flash. Hold the push switch in for a further 10 seconds. When you release it the clicking / red light flashing should not restart. The fridge is now lit and if you feel the metal cooling fins inside the fridge at the top they should start to get cold after 20 minutes or so. If you look in the bottom corner of the inside of the fridge you should see a small viewing hole. When the fridge is running on gas you should be able to see a small flame if you bend down and view from the right angle. The van has a mains inlet on the left hand side covered by a flap (next to the water inlet and gas exhaust outlet). On most camp sites you have the option of plugging the 240 v supply into this mains inlet. Sometimes when buying a van a connection cable will be included but quite often you will need to buy your own from a caravan supplies stockist. When you are using a campsite hook up you can run the fridge from the 240 volt supply. It is not easy to test if the fridge is on, as when running on 240v the fridge takes longer to cool than when on gas. You could ask the owner if it is possible for him to put the fridge on prior to you viewing the van or if you have the time you would need to ask the owner if he has a hook up lead and get it connected from the house to the external hookup input socket on the side of the bus. Then open the fridge door and using the three bank switch at the top select the one with the “Plug” symbol. The fridge is now switched on but the only way to tell it is cooling is to wait a couple of hours and check the metal cooling fins inside the fridge at the top or if you have a thermometer you could leave it inside whilst checking the rest of the van. Also when the engine is running the fridge will work on 12 volts from the leisure battery. This is really only used when the fridge is already cold from gas / electric and then you decide to drive somewhere else. You can open the fridge and using the three bank switch at the top select the one with “car battery” symbol. Once the engine is running the 12 volt fridge element will maintain the fridge at its existing temperature. It doesn’t really have the power to cool the fridge from room temperature and only works with the engine running (so that it doesn’t flatten the leisure battery). The fresh water tank is filled up from the water inlet on the left hand side of the van. It should have a locking filling cap. Check that the owner has the key for this as it is a separate key. If there is no key check that it is unlocked as getting a replacement filler cap is easy but it can be difficult to remove a locked cap without the key. Put some water in the tank and then look under the van to check there is no water dripping out as this could mean that there is a hole in the freshwater tank (expensive!) or that the screw-on cap on the tank drain outlet is cracked or leaking (not so bad as cheap replacements are available from Gunzl Classic Parts). The water level of the freshwater tank can be checked on the diode display on the front of the kitchen unit. In order for the diodes to light you flick the little metal switch at the top to the right. Green lit - Between 40 and 55 litres water in freshwater tank. Amber lit - Between 10 and 40 litres water in freshwater tank. Red lit - Between 0 and 10 litres water in freshwater tank. Note: Depending on the age of the van the appearance may be slightly different than the version shown. Once the water level is known try the electric tap to make sure the electric pump is delivering water to the tap. Possible faults are the pump itself (situated in the water tank in most models) or the switch on the tap. Original replacement taps cost around 40 euro, electric pumps of similar specification around 30 euro. Check for water leaks in the cupboard under the sink possibly from the plug hole area or the drainage pipe. Also at this point it would be a good idea to check the dirty water tank underneath the van (if the Westfalia you are checking has one). This is the black tank on the left hand side. It has a small tap to drain dirty water so check tap is working and that tank is not leaking. The cooker should work from either the gas bottle or underfloor gas tank depending which is fitted. To test make sure the gas is switched on (Note “Auf” means open ie: on). Then look in the cupboard under the sink and turn the yellow (main) gas switch and then the top red gas switch as in photo below. To light the cooker lift the lid that covers the sink / cooker rings then push in and turn the cooker control knob for the ring you want to light. You should hear gas flowing. Light the gas with a match or cooker lighter. Once lit hold the cooker knob in for a further 10 seconds and then release it. The gas should stay lit. Repeat test for other cooker ring. If the knob is released too early the gas should go out. This is a safety feature so that the gas cannot be left on by mistake. In most VW Westfalia Campers the lid above the cooker has an integral metal flap that pulls down when the cooker is not in use and can be used to drain washing up etc. Pull this metal flap down and check the flap and the inside of the lid for burn marks or damage. This occurs when someone uses the cooker ring and then puts the lid down before the cooker ring has had time to cool. The LED panel on the front of the kitchen unit can give some useful indications. As already explained above it shows the level of the freshwater tank. On the right hand side the battery level indicator shows the status of the leisure battery. Green lit - more than 12.5 volt (good). Amber lit - less than 12.5 volt (ok). Red lit - less than 12 volt (not good, leisure battery either needs charging or is faulty). The green LED at the bottom left will light when the fridge is running on gas (although there is no visible indicator when it is running on electric or leisure battery). The red LED at the bottom right is lit when the bottom switch is flicked to the on position. This indicates that you have switched the Eis-Ex (Ice-Ex) function on. This is only required when the outside temperature is extremely low. It will preheat the gas as otherwise when you light the cooker the flames may be very high ! Note: Depending on age of van the appearance of display unit may be slightly different than the version shown. Information stickers are available from Brickwerks for the various style of display . If the lights on the unit flicker on and off or wont come on at all it is most likely due to bad soldered joints on the back of the unit (especially around the switch). Remove screws then unplug unit and once unplugged resolder joints. Do not try and solder whilst connected or you will blow the fuse that is situated behind drivers seat at the base of the B-Post. If the display doesn’t light up AND the tap doesn’t work AND the fridge doesn’t work on 12 volts check this fuse first !). On a diesel van the main battery for starting the engine is in the engine bay. The leisure battery (if this Westfalia model has one) is situated in the box underneath and to the rear of the drivers seat (left hand side of van). On a petrol van the leisure battery is situated in the same place but the main battery is in the box underneath and to the rear of the passenger seat (right hand side of van). The base of the rear seat / bed lifts up to reveal a storage area. On the left you will see a black box (known in German as the Ladegerät). This is the battery charger. When the engine is running both the main and leisure battery are being charged via the alternator. When the van is plugged into the electric via the external hook up connection the leisure and main batteries should both be charged via the black box charger. If you put a volt meter across the +ve and -ve terminals of either battery (only do this if you know how to use a multimeter) you should see the voltage rise from around 12.5 volt to 14.5 volt when the mains hook up is plugged in or the engine started. When the mains hook up is plugged in you should also be able to use the internal plug socket (mounted on the side panel under the rear table). Try plugging something in and checking it works ok. If not check that the circuit breaker is switched on. Note that this socket is only live when the mains hook up is plugged in. It does NOT run via an inverter from the leisure battery. In the rear of the van there will be some fluorescent lights normally above the kitchen unit and sliding door and if hightop then also in roof area (model dependent). Check the lights are working. For some reason Westfalia decided to power the rear interior lights, cigarette lighter socket and the radio from the main battery that powers the engine. It would have been better to power them from the leisure battery so that the main battery is not discharged when camping (and using lights and radio while van engine is off). The Brick-Yard forum shows how to modify your wiring to power the radio, cigarette lighter socket and rear interior lights from leisure battery HERE. A lot of Westfalia T25 / T3 campers came with a night heater manufactured by Eberspacher. The heater runs from the same petrol or diesel tank that supplies the engine. The main heater components are in an external oblong metal box under the van on the right hand side. The hot air enters the van from a metal vent at the bottom of the rear seat on the right hand side. There is an exhaust pipe running from the unit underneath the van to the opposite side of the van. Do not run the night heater whilst also having the window behind the kitchen unit open as it is likely the exhaust fumes from the heater will be drawn into the van. The heater is controlled from a thermostat and switch mounted in the panel above the rear seat on the side wall next to the sliding door. Turn the rotary thermostat to the maximum (7). For cold air push the toggle switch down on the left hand side and you should hear a fan start and cold air should start coming out of the metal vent at the bottom of the rear seat. For hot air push the toggle switch down on the right hand side and you should hear a fan start and initially cold air should start coming out of the metal vent at the bottom of the rear seat. After about two minutes the air should start getting warm. By setting the thermostat to the desired temperature the heater should switch itself on and off automatically to maintain that temperature. Note that you may hear a ticking noise when the hot air is coming out. This comes from the petrol pump supplying the heater and is normal although on some vans it is really loud and others not so loud ? To switch off the heater return the toggle switch to the middle. Depending on the Westfalia model there may also be a timer unit on the rear seat panel above the metal vent where the heat comes out. If a timer unit is fitted then a quick test is to start with the heater switched off (and thermostat set to max) and then push the middle button on the timer unit with the “heat” symbol. The fan should then start and initially cold air should start coming out of the vent at the bottom of the rear seat. After about two minutes the air should start getting warm. To switch off press the middle button with the “heat” symbol again. The most common problem is that the fan comes on but the after about a minute it switches itself off instead of starting to blow warm air. The main reason for this is that the leisure battery is not fully charged. During the start up cycle a voltage check is made and the unit switched off if the voltage is not high enough. To prove if this is the problem you could try the test again with the engine running or plug in the mains hook up for a few hours and try again once the leisure battery is fully charged. If there appears to be no power to the heater or intermittent problems then check the fuses behind the drivers seat at the base of the B-Post. The fuse could either have blown due to a fault or quite often a loose connection leads to overheating of the fuse holder. A lot of vans imported from Germany have had the Eberspacher night heaters disconnected. If there has been a problem with the heater in the past it is cheaper to disconnect it than have it repaired. Obviously if you buy the van it is a good idea to have the heater installation checked by a qualified professional such as those listed on the links page. Check seats for wear (some Westfalia Upholstery material wears better than others), cigarette burns and tears. Depending on the model it can be difficult to get original fabric to repair problems. Check that the cushions over the engine bay and in the roof are present and not damp. Personally I would prefer that all the cushions, curtains and upholstery are original Westfalia but the cheaper the bus the less relevant this is. As well as the curtains attached to the rails there should be a clip on curtain for the sliding door and if you are lucky the clip on curtain that covers the drivers window, passenger window and windscreen. If the bus has rotating front seats you will see a metal lever at the front centre of the seat near the base. If you press the lever down it should be possible to rotate the seat on its swivel base. Sometimes they can be stiff if they haven’t been used much but it is fairly easy to remove seat, loosen nuts and lubricate mechanism if required. If the bus has captains seats check the operation and condition of the armrests. The armrests should swing up and down. On the bottom of each armrest there is a knurled plastic knob that when turned should adjust the height of the armrest (up and down) when in the lowered position. Open each cupboard and check operation of hinges and handle. Check operation of swinging table and lift lid on kitchen unit. Check underside of lid is not burnt from cooker. Check operation of rock n roll bed. The wardrobe door (behind rear table) normally has a mirror on inside as does the front roof locker on high top models. Check furniture for large chips or scratches. Sometimes the wardrobe door (behind rear table) has had the bottom cut off so that the door could be opened with table in situ. Westfalia finally rectified this design fault in California / Atlantic models when the door was slightly shorter so that it could be opened with table in situ. The VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Pop top roof consists of a large fibreglass rear section with hinges at the rear that is held in place inside at the front centre by a large catch. Above the cab area the Westfalia Joker models have a front luggage rack whilst the later Westfalia California and Westfalia Atlantic models have a fibreglass roof spoiler. Firstly check for any exterior damage to both the fibreglass roof and also to the front luggage rack / spoiler ( you may need a small ladder to check this properly ). If the luggage rack is fitted it should have metal loops for fastening straps to when securing loads. Quite often the loops corrode but replacements are available. Next go inside the van and raise the roof. If not sure how to do this ask the owner to show you but basically to release the catch you stick your fingers behind the metal cover and pull the levers towards you. Then push up the support brace until it locks in place. Once the roof is raised check the canvas. Common places for wear or for it to rip are along the rear edge above the rear door, anywhere the canvas can get trapped such as between the brace when it is being lowered and at the front where the catch is. Now check for any damage on the outside of the van where the rear hinges are. When raised there is a zip at the front to open a ventilation hatch. Unzipping this should reveal a mosquito net and it should also be possible to unzip the mosquito net. Check the zips work and that there are no holes or rips. The inner surface of the fibreglass roof is made from a flock like material that can be damaged if scrubbed too hard when it has been cleaned. Visually inspect and feel it for moisture and look for mould spores that could indicate a damp problem. Around the outside bottom edge of the fibreglass roof is a rubber seal that should prevent water being drawn into the van. With the roof lifted you can also view the metal gutters and check they are not rusty or blocked by leaves or moss and allow water to drain freely. The interior flock material can be cleaned by spraying with diluted Miltons fluid ( roughly 10 parts water to 1 part Miltons fluid) and then brushing lightly with a soft brush (if you brush too hard you will damage the flock). This should remove any stains and mould spores and make the flock look like new. Dont spray anywhere other than the flock material and wear a mask and goggles. Your bus will smell like a swimming pool for a while but smell fades eventually ! If the roof has a small skylight then try raising and lowering it. The mechanism is prone to wear but replacement parts are available to repair. Check the plastic of the skylight for cracks. Check the rubber seal is intact. Fold out the double bed in the roof and check the original cushions are in place and not damp. Check the hinges used when folding the bed board out are not damaged. From the outside check for any physical damage / signs of repair to the fibreglass shell as it is not unknown for drivers to forget they are in a hightop and drive into a car park or barrier with height restrictions etc. On the inside have a look at all the interior trim panels. It is common on older models for the lining of the roof trim to start peeling off. It can be repaired but it is difficult to get the original materials. Next check the front double glazed window for signs of leaks or cracks especially if there is condensation between the panes. If the curtains are in place have a look behind them. Now have a look at the skylights, check they wind up and down ok and that when down that they seal ok. Check that the fold out bed operates properly and that the original cushions are in place and that they are not damp (possibly due to faulty skylight). If the roof has any interior lights (Club Joker, California or Atlantic models) check that they are working. Open the front roof locker and check hinges, catch and interior. Inside of the door should have a mirror attached. If bus is fitted with electric mirrors and / or electric windows check that they work ok. Note that buses factory fitted with electric mirrors will have a heated rear screen switch even if they don’t have a heated rear screen (ie models with double glazed rear window). This is because the mirrors are also electrically heated and the heating is turned on by using this switch. There are two ways to check what options a particular bus was fitted with when it was new. If the owner has the original VAG Serviceplan book there should be a sticker located on the inside cover. Under the field M-Ausstattungen you will see some numbers. Each number is an option the bus was fitted with. The number can be translated by looking at the appropriate page in the Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon model history or by using this useful page on VWT3.com site. If you don’t have the original VAG Serviceplan book you should check under the fusebox at the base of the steering column on the left hand side of the bus where you may find the same sticker. There are two ways to check the original colour of a particular bus when it was new. If the owner has the original VAG Serviceplan book there should be a sticker located on the inside cover. Under the field Lacknummer you will see some a code such as H3H3. The paint code number can be translated by looking at the appropriate page in the Westfalia T25 / T3 / Vanagon model history or by using this useful page on VWT3.com site. If you don’t have the original VAG Serviceplan book you should check under the fusebox at the base of the steering column on the left hand side of the bus where you may find the same sticker. See photos above for clarification of sticker location. The chassis number is on the metal plate that should be fitted on the inside pillar when you open the passenger (right hand side) door. See photo above for clarification. It should also be on the front chassis outrigger on the right hand side of the van. Check that it matches the number on the English logbook (and German logbook if available), and on the sticker on VAG Serviceplan book and / or the sticker located below the fusebox at base of steering column as previously mentioned above.

2019-04-18T20:53:37Z

http://westfaliat3.info/html/westfalia_t3_buying_guide.html

We explore the possible role of elastic mismatch between epidermis and mesophyll as a driving force for the development of leaf venation. The current prevalent ‘canalization’ hypothesis for the formation of veins claims that the transport of the hormone auxin out of the leaves triggers cell differentiation to form veins. Although there is evidence that auxin plays a fundamental role in vein formation, the simple canalization mechanism may not be enough to explain some features observed in the vascular system of leaves, in particular, the abundance of vein loops. We present a model based on the existence of mechanical instabilities that leads very naturally to hierarchical patterns with a large number of closed loops. When applied to the structure of high-order veins, the numerical results show the same qualitative features as actual venation patterns and, furthermore, have the same statistical properties. We argue that the agreement between actual and simulated patterns provides strong evidence for the role of mechanical effects on venation development. Leaf venation patterns of most angiosperm plants are hierarchical structures that develop during leaf growth. A remarkable characteristic of these structures is the abundance of closed loops: the venation array divides the leaf surface into disconnected polygonal sectors. The initial vein generations are repetitive within the same species, while high-order vein generations are much more diverse but still show preserved statistical properties. The accepted view of vein formation is the auxin canalization hypothesis: a high flow of the hormone auxin triggers cell differentiation to form veins. Although the role of auxin in vein formation is well established, some issues are difficult to explain within this model, in particular, the abundance of loops of high-order veins. In this work, we explore the previously proposed idea that elastic stresses may play an important role in the development of venation patterns. This appealing hypothesis naturally explains the existence of hierarchical structures with abundant closed loops. To test whether it can sustain a quantitative comparison with actual venation patterns, we have developed and implemented a numerical model and statistically compare actual and simulated patterns. The overall similarity we found indicates that elastic stresses should be included in a complete description of leaf venation development. Copyright: © 2008 Laguna et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: MFL and EAJ are financially supported by Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina. Part of this work was performed under grant PICT-2005/32859 (ANPCyT, Argentina). SB is partly funded by Human Frontiers Science Program number 62/2005. For many years leaf venation motifs have marveled people, whether scientists or not. Venation patterns are different from one leaf to another, even in the same plant, but share some common features that are preserved throughout all angiosperm leaves . A remarkable characteristic of these patterns is the vein hierarchy, characterized by their radii, that originates in the successive formation of veins during leaf growth ,. A second, very robust, feature of the venation pattern is the abundance of closed loops: the leaf surface is divided into small polygonal sectors by the venation array; only the fine veins of the highest orders do not connect at both ends and are often open ended (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Venation pattern of a Gloeospermum sphaerocarpum leaf. This leaf was subjected to a chemical treatment to remove all the soft tissues, leaving only the veins. The network-like structure as well as many open ends of the thinnest segments can be observed. It has been argued that the vein architecture might ensure optimal water distribution ,. However, the straightforward optimization of steady state irrigation within the leaf must lead to tree-like open topologies , with strictly no loops . The high redundancy of paths from the leaf base to any point in the leaf surface might nevertheless be very advantageous with regard to local damages ( Magnasco MO, personal communication). Also, it has been suggested that venation may play a mechanical stabilization role for the leaf, but the optimization of the mechanical stabilization leads to very unnatural venation geometries . From a developmental perspective, the leaf venation is puzzling, too. Since the pioneering works of Sachs –, it is known that the growth hormone auxin has an enormous effect on the venation pattern –. It is believed that auxin is synthesized in the growing leaf (either homogeneously or at localized sites) and that there is a net auxin flow towards the leaf base from where it is transported towards the plant roots. Furthermore, it has been found that mutations that affect the auxin transport lead to strongly modified venation patterns ,. These findings have led to models of venation formation based on a positive canalization feedback –,: on the one hand, the auxin flow is canalized into veins and vein precursors (procambium). On the other hand, high auxin concentrations (or, in a different variant, high transport values) trigger the differentiation into procambium. In its simple form, this model cannot lead to any loop but gives rise to tree-like structures –, and this is a serious drawback of the model. Several studies have tried to correct this unrealistic part of the model with varying success –. For instance, Rolland-Lagan and Prusinkiewicz have proposed the possibility that localized auxin sources on the leaf move around when veins develop. They show that closed loops can be formed in this way. This model seems to require a rather complex and coordinate displacement of auxin sources as veins are formed. On the other hand, Dimitrov and Zucker have considered a homogeneous production of auxin on the surface of the leaf, and suggested that closed loops are formed when new vein segments propagate from existing ones, and meet at the point of highest auxin concentration. From a basic perspective, it seems that this model requires a very precise coordinated progression of the new vein segments, as otherwise the first segment reaching the highest auxin concentration point would inhibit further growth and open structures would be obtained. Along the same lines, Runions and collaborators have devised geometric algorithms that give rise to aesthetically very appealing venation patterns . Closed loops are obtained in this case (as in ) by the tips of three vein segments meeting in points of high auxin concentration. Nevertheless, it is an open question whether the auxin sources postulated in , for the formation of high-order veins actually exist, since Scarpella et al. failed to observe them in their experiments. An alternative model has been recently introduced by Feugier and Iwasaa ,. In this model, loops are formed when a vein tip curves towards and meets an older vein at some intermediate point. It is suggested that this behavior is induced by the existence of ‘flux bifurcators’ in some of the cells with high auxin concentration. Note that this mechanism is incompatible with the one proposed in ,, as here the loops close at intermediate points of older veins. Whether the hypothesis of Feugier and Iwasaa can generate realistic venation patterns is an open question. In general, we find that the modifications to the canalization hypothesis necessary to explain the existence of closed loops are not generic and rather unnatural, and the mechanism on which they are based require a lot of fine tuning. Couder et al. have pointed out that the difficulties encountered in creating realistic, loop forming models on the basis of auxin transport are intrinsically related to the scalar nature of the concentration fields. In contrast, the growth in a tensorial field gives rise to hierarchical networks in a very robust manner. They suggested that this tensorial field could be the mechanical stress field in the growing leaf. (In a certain sense, the PIN protein polarization field in can also be considered as a kind of tensorial field.) In their work they put forward the hypothesis that mesophyll cells that are submitted to compressive stress exceeding a threshold value start a differentiation process that eventually transform them into procambium. This process would be similar to the one observed in experiments on botanical tissues in which oriented cell divisions are forced by externally applied compressive stresses ,. Evidence supporting this hypothesis is two-fold. On the one hand, micrographs taken in the early steps of leaf venation development show that in the first stages of differentiation, cells forming the procambium can be distinguished from the remaining cells by a mechanical distortion, consisting in a shrinkage of the cells perpendicular to the vein direction (see, for example, the images of Figure 2 of ). This suggests that stresses play a role in this distortion. On the other hand, it has been shown that typical large-scale morphologies of leaf venation patterns can be reproduced as crack patterns in an appropriately prepared layer of a slurry that dries in contact with a substrate . This visual similarity between crack and venation patterns led us to investigate in more detail the fundamental ingredients in crack pattern appearance. Crack patterns on the surface of mud or other materials require the existence of two quasi-two dimensional layers of material, the substrate and the covering, the latter contracting with respect to the former upon desiccation. (A pioneering work by Skjeltorp and Meakin analyzes experimental and computer models of crack growth in a two-dimensional system consisting on two layers growing at different rates.) A rather similar situation may indeed occur in a growing leaf. In fact, a growing leaf consists of two epidermal layers separated by a softer tissue called mesophyll. This mechanical unit has to keep its integrity through the growing process. In the first stages of cellular growing and division, the three layers keep their status of uni-cellular layers. However, the growing rate of the epidermis and the mesophyll are not equal but the mesophyll tends to grow more rapidly than the epidermis . This generates compressive stresses in the mesophyll that can force cells to grow and divide along particular directions, favored by the local stress field. In fact it is in this stage where evidence of collapsed cells of the mesophyll has been obtained . We interpret the existence of elongated cells as evidence of a larger mechanical stress along the directions perpendicular to the largest axis of the deformed cells. Note that the similarity between crack patterns and our mechanical model for leaf venation has an important difference: crack patterns are obtained under contraction of the active layer relative to the substrate, whereas venation patterns should appear when there is an expanding active layer (mesophyll) relative to a rigid frame (the epidermis). The suggestion of Couder et al. on the importance of elastic factors in vein formation has not been further studied from a modeling point of view. In this paper, we present a numerical model based on this hypothesis. We will show that this approach, assuming the existence of a mechanical collapse instability of the mesophyll cells, generally leads to patterns that are not only qualitatively similar to actual venation patterns, but also show comparable statistical properties. In actual leaves, there is an obvious dependency between the morphology of veins and its rank in the venation structure. In other words, initial vein generations are strongly dependent on the form of the leaf and most probably, on genetic factors. It is this large-scale pattern that is repetitive within the same species and allows a broad leaf classification according to their venation patterns. It is also in these initial vein generations where the role of auxin is relatively well established. High order vein generations are much more isotropic, and much more universal in its statistical properties. It is to this stage that we intend to apply our model in its present form to compare statistical properties. A comprehensive mathematical description of our model is given in the last section, but here we summarize the main hypotheses to ease the reading of this part. We assume that during growth, the inner cell layer (the mesophyll) is elastically attached to the epidermis. The epidermis is assumed to grow at a lower rate than mesophyll, and is otherwise supposed to be inert, i.e., it undergoes no deformations during growth. Due to the different growth rates of mesophyll and epidermis, compressive stresses develop in the mesophyll. Our main assumption is that the elastic properties of the mesophyll are such that this compressive stress can give rise to a shape change of the mesophyll cells. Such cells will acquire an elongated shape perpendicular to the main applied stress. These assumptions are basically equivalent to the description of collapsing surface layers presented in . As in this work, the elastic properties of the mesophyll are included in the definition of a local free energy that has two minima: an isotropic ‘intact’ minimum, and a ‘collapsed’ one that corresponds to the deformed cell. (From a biological point of view, what we are describing as the ‘collapse’ of a cell from a rather spherical shape to an elongated shape could occur as preferential growth along the easiest direction, i.e., perpendicularly to the compressive stress field.) We use an algorithm in which the elasticity of the cells is assumed to be linear, the non-linear behavior is introduced by a scalar field Φ(x,y). The value of Φ(x,y) carries the full information of the complete tensorial stress field and the state of the system at the (x,y) position. As will be clear in the last section, the field Φ has two preferred values, defining two elastic states with different density and shear modulus. They represent the intact and collapsed states of the cells in our model. Sectors of the system that are in the intact or collapsed states are recognized by their different values of Φ (see typical profiles of Φ in the last section). We will typically refer to collapsed sectors as ‘veins’, although it must be kept in mind that the definitive differentiation of a vein will require a further process that we are not modeling here. At each step of the simulation the system evolves towards the configuration that minimizes the total free energy. At the same time, a parameter η (see the precise definition in the last section of this paper) is used to control the global growing of the leaf: increasing the parameter η simulates the increasing of the overall leaf size. For technical simplicity we maintain the size of our simulation mesh (typically 1024×1024 nodes with periodic boundary conditions), and the increase in η means that we are effectively ‘zooming out’ with the leaf growth. This means that new veins will be seen as thinner ones, while older veins keep their thickness during the simulation. In order to have a reasonable description of the hierarchical process of sequential vein formation, a sort of ‘irreversibility’ condition is implemented. It guarantees that once a new vein is created, it is forced to remain in the collapsed state during the leaf growth. In actual leaves, a similar mechanism explains why older veins are thicker: once a cell becomes a vein cell, the process of cellular division generates new cells that will also be vein cells. The implementation of the irreversibility condition in the model is explained in detail in the last section. To avoid an extremely uniform initial condition, we typically seed the simulation with a few large-scale veins that provide the initial veins of our numerical leaf. This first division is not significant in the statistical analysis we perform on the final patterns. We show results in which we prepare the system with tree-like thick initial veins, or divide the sample into two pieces. When new veins are formed (upon increasing of η), they typically propagate rapidly through the system, reaching in most (but not all) cases an older vein, where they stop. This propagation, once triggered, occurs essentially at constant η, i.e., it is not driven by the growing itself. A few snapshots during the numerical evolution are shown in Figures 2 and 3, where we plot the points of the numerical mesh for which Φ have positive values (associated to the collapsed state). The hierarchical nature of the process can be clearly observed in these figures, as new veins are progressively thinner than old ones. We stress that the observed hierarchical patterns are a direct consequence of the irreversibility condition. In this way the history of the growth process remains encoded in the statistics of vein widths. Moreover, notice that hierarchical patterns can also be obtained in a very simple and well-controlled model such as that described in Text S1. Figure 2. Snapshots of the development process. The values of the growing parameter, from top left to bottom right, are η = 1.2, 2.4, 3.6, and 4.8. The seed we use as the initial condition is shown in the first panel with a different color. The numerical lattice has 1024×1024 nodes. Figure 3. Snapshots of the development process with a different starting configuration. The values of η and the system size are the same as in the previous figure. In both figures the hierarchical process can be clearly observed. Note also the open ends of some of the thinnest segments. Before going to the quantitative characterization of the patterns obtained, two important features are worth noting. One is that in many cases several thin free-ended veins are observed. This also occurs in actual leaves and we propose an explanation in the next section. Another feature is that some minor veins are completely disconnected from other veins. They typically appear at the center of intact regions (where the stress is maximum), and seem unrealistic, since vein patterns in leaves are almost always connected. Although they might be due to an artifact in our simulations (in fact, the thickness of these disconnected veins is already comparable to our numerical discreteness), recall that our patterns are actually showing the places where the tension is high enough to generate collapsed cells that will eventually, but not necessarily, differentiate into veins. If the later differentiation process requires the canalization of a flux through the network of collapsed cells, differentiation of the disconnected segments into disconnected veins will not occur. In order to test whether our simulation results are comparable with actual leaf patterns, we computed the vein width, length and angles from our simulation results, and compare them with data from actual leaves. The same numerical image processing technique was used for the two data sets; see a detailed explanation in . The image processing converts the venation patterns in sets of segments, nodes and free endings, each segment having a given length and width. In Figure 4 we show the average length of the vein segments as a function of its width, w. Data from actual leaves of Figure 4A show that at first glance the typical length of segments is independent of the segment width, except for very thin segments, since there is a minimum thickness below which there are essentially no segments. This result is obtained also in the toy model presented in Text S1. An interesting deviation of this trend is found however when averaging many different data sets, where we see that thicker segments tend to be slightly longer than thinner ones (see the inset of Figure 4A). Going back to snapshots of actual leaves (Figure 1), it is clear that this result originates in the fact that thin segments have some difficulty in reaching thick segments and many open ends of thin segments are typically found near thick ones. Notably, this feature is reproduced in our numerical model (see Figures 2 and 3), and the increase of length as a function of segment width is in fact observed in the statistical plot of Figure 4B. The reason for the difficulty of thin segments to reach thicker ones in our model (and probably also in actual leaves) is the following. A given vein segment relaxes mechanical stresses in some neighborhood of it. The size of this relaxed zone increases with the vein width. When a thin vein is approaching a thick one, it enters a region where elastic stresses have diminished, and in many cases this relaxation is sufficient to stop the advance of the thin vein before it actually hits the thicker one. In case of approaching veins of approximately the same thickness this tendency is lower, and it does not seem to be strong enough to stop the vein advance before contact. Figure 4. Histograms of the average length of the vein segments of width w. (A) Actual leaves. Each curve is the histogram of a given dycotiledon leaf: Gloeospermum sphaerocarpum (square symbols), Amphirrhox longifolia (full triangles), and Rinorca amapensis (open circles). Inset: the same quantity, but averaged over more than 1,200,000 segments of eight different leaves. Note that thicker veins tend to be slightly larger than thinner ones. (B) Numerical leaves. Histograms for three different realizations (size: 1024×1024). Inset: Histogram of 30,000 segments obtained in twelve realizations for η = 3.6 and three different sizes (512×512, 768×768, and 1024×1024). Moving to the description of the results of Figure 5 for the number of vein segments with a given width, N(w), first of all we note the overall similarity of real and numerical curves. Also, a shoulder in N(w) is observed both in the numerical as in the real data for the region of thick segments. In our numerical leaves we relate this behavior with the way in which we seed the simulation. In our runs, the first generation of veins appears quite rapidly and generates a number of thick segments. We observed that such distribution of thick veins is quite constant during the evolution of the system, whereas the region of the curve fitted by a power decay appears in later stages of the growing. The evolution of N(w) can be observed in Figure 6, where we plot the histograms of widths for the four snapshots of Figure 2. Figure 5. Histograms of the number of vein segments of width w. (A) Actual leaves. Histograms for the same three leaves showed in the previous figure. For all the leaves analyzed, a power decay with an exponent close to 3 is observed. Inset: Average over four leaves. A shoulder for thick veins can be observed in both figures. (B) Numerical leaves. Histograms for three different realizations. In the region of intermediate values of thickness, a power decay with an exponent close to 2 is obtained. Inset: Average for the same realizations as in the previous figure, showing a shoulder for the region of thick veins. Figure 6. Evolution of the histograms of widths. Each curve corresponds to one of the four stages of growth shown in Figure 2 of this paper. Note that the distribution of thick veins is quite constant during the evolution. For intermediate values of thickness, the results of our model are compatible with a power decay of N(w), with an exponent close to 2 (see Figure 5B). This result is also obtained with the minimal model described in Text S1, showing that our model generates a hierarchical pattern along the lines we have already discussed. From the data of actual leaves of Figure 5A we see that N(w) can be fitted by a power law decay, and this is a nice indication that a hierarchical mechanism is at work in actual leaves. However, in this case the decay exponent of N(w) is larger than 2, rather close to 3. Although it is probably too ambitious to try to give an explanation of this discrepancy, we want to present the following argument. One of the implicit assumptions in our scaling method is that all distances measured over the leaf surface grow at the same rate during leaf growth. This is reasonable as long as the cellular layers involved are one-cell thick. However, once some cells have been committed to become a vein, they must give rise to a cylindrical object. The hypothesis of two-dimensionality does not work for veins. If, on biological grounds, we assume that the rate of cellular division is constant, and take it independent of the kind of cell, we arrive to the conclusion that vein width increases as square root of time, instead of linearly. If this fact is taken into account in a counting as we did in the model described in Text S1, the result is that N(w) gets an additional factor w−1, justifying a more rapid decay for N(w) in actual leaves than in our model, which assumes all distances measured in the leaf surface grow at the same rate. Finally, we analyze the behavior of the angles between vein segments at the points where three vein segments meet. As pointed out in , the values of the three angles of a node are directly related to the local hierarchy of the meeting vein sizes. The authors found that the relation between angles and radii (or widths) is a general property of all the leaves they studied. We analyze our patterns to see whether it is possible to find in the numerical leaves the kind of organizational law obtained in actual venation patterns. For each node, we measure the three angles obtained and relate them with the radii of the vein segments. Thus, αLS is the angle between the thickest and the thinnest segments, αLI is the angle between thick and intermediate segments, and αIS is the angle between intermediate and thin segments. We calculated the averages of the three angles and plot them as a function of the ratio between the radius of the thinnest (RS) and thickest (RL) segments. The configuration of radii is well defined with the parameter RS/RL because the segment of intermediate radius has usually a value close to RL. In Figure 7 we compare the numerical and the real data by adding our numerical results to the ones of Figure 14 of . A very good agreement is obtained. The behavior observed can be understood by analyzing the two limiting cases. For RS/RL close to one, all radii are almost equal and the three angles are near to 120 degrees. This describes a situation in which a vein has bifurcated into two. Since the three segments are then created almost simultaneously, the three radii are similar. On the other hand, RS/RL near to zero correspond to the case in which a thin vein reaches a thick one. In this case, the angle αLI between thick and intermediate segments tends to be 180 degrees, meaning that the thick vein is almost unperturbed by the thin one. A continuous and rather linear variation is observed between these two extreme situations. Although the overall coincidence of measured angles in our simulations and in actual leaves is encouraging, a full understanding of the origin of a general relation between angles and radii is not achieved yet. Figure 7. Comparison of angles. Angles between veins as a function of the ratio between the radius of the thinnest (RS) and thickest (RL) segments. The angle between thin and intermediate radius is labeled αIS. The angle between thin and thick segments is αLS, whereas the angle between thick and intermediate segments is αLI. Isolated symbols are data obtained from actual leaves, and were taken from Figure 14 of . Colored lines with small symbols are our numerical results. In our model, the free energy of a vein can be conceived as a interface energy between the two sectors into which the vein divides the leaf. In the case that all veins are of the same width, the minimization of this interface energy would give rise to a foam-like pattern with 120 degrees angles. However, irreversibility gives rise to the formation of veins of different thickness and free energy minimization produces angles whose values are correlated with the veins' age. The ‘force model’ proposed in shows that if a force is assigned to each vein segment, pointing along the segment direction and with an intensity proportional to the vein radius, the angles between segments correspond to the situation in which the three forces emerging from each node are in equilibrium. The applicability of the force model to our numerical results could be justified by the following argument. Assuming that three segments of given radii have to meet, our modeling prescribes that the structure they form must have the minimum accessible free energy. If we assume that a rough measure of the free energy is given by the area covered by the veins, a line tension can be associated with each vein, which is proportional to its radius, and from here the prediction of the force model follows immediately. In any case, this is a point that deserves further study. In this paper we have set up a model to study leaf venation, which is based on the idea that venation patterns are strongly influenced by mechanical instabilities of the leaf, when the cellular layers of epidermis and mesophyll grow at different rates. We took a model that had been successfully applied to study phase separation process in alloys, added the interaction with a substrate, and made also the appropriate changes necessary to study the crucial effect of leaf growth. We claim that the properties of biological growth added to the characteristics of the model, explains the formation of a hierarchical structure with well defined statistical properties for different quantities. The results of the statistical analysis are in good agreement with results obtained in actual leaves. Our model explains the existence of abundant closed loops in venation patterns in a natural way. Moreover, some statistical features can be understood analyzing a very simple model of hierarchical division (see Text S1). Our analysis has concentrated in the high order structure of the venation pattern, where it appears isotropic and statistically independent on the particular species that is being studied, and where closed loops are dominant. A further step of investigation would require considering also the first stages of venation growth, where characteristic features of different species appear, and where the existence of closed loops is less universal. We think that it is at this stage where the role of auxin will be critical. In a recent work, Scarpella and collaborators suggested that pre-procambial cells cannot be distinguished by their shape from intact cells at a very early stage of growth. This fact seems to be contrary to the mechanism suggested in this paper, but it is worth emphasizing that our numerically generated patterns have to be interpreted as an indication of the places where the stress is high enough to generate collapsed cells that will eventually differentiate into veins. A complete and realistic modeling also requires taking into account non-uniform and anisotropic growth, and probably genetic factors . While this is a challenging prospect for future investigation, in its present form our model has some salient interesting features: it provides good statistical agreement of predicted patterns with real ones, and gives a natural explanation for some characteristics of venation patterns, namely the presence of ubiquitous closed loops, which can be accounted for by other models only through the use of very specific hypothesis. However, it must be stressed that the existence of a instability is an assumption of our modeling, as we do not yet have a confirmation of its existence from a biological point of view. An in situ investigation of this collapse transition along the lines of the experiment made in could help to shed light on the vein pattern formation mechanisms. Our main assumption is that vein formation is triggered by the elastic collapse of cells of the mesophyll, growing at a larger rate than the (assumed rigid) epidermis to which they are attached. An appropriate approach would be to describe the mesophyll as an elastic layer with a highly non-linear behavior modeling an irreversible local collapse. The natural way to theoretically describe the behavior of an elastic layer is by constructing a free energy in terms of the elastic displacement field, u. Two main contributions to the free energy should be considered: the elastic interaction between the inner cells and the epidermis, and the energy of the deformed cells that can have two possible internal configurations associated to the intact and collapsed states (see the schematic representation of Figure 8). When this problem is studied in two dimensions the fundamental variable u is a two-dimensional vector field. To avoid some technical difficulties that otherwise could appear, instead of studying a non-linear elasticity model directly in terms of u, we choose an algorithm in which the elasticity of the cells is assumed to be linear, the non-linear behavior is introduced through an additional field Φ, which is coupled with the elasticity field through a term of the form Φ∇u. The coupling generates the non-linear behavior of the mesophyll in an effective way. This kind of models was successfully used to study phase separation processes in alloys –. They are described by continuum (differential) equations, and thus the cellular structure of the biological tissues is not considered in detail. (A) Mechanical analogy. Elastic stresses are accounted for by the springs indicated. Horizontal springs represent the cells of the mesophyll, and its deviation from its equilibrium length is a measure of the deformation energy of the cell. Vertical interlayer springs account for the interaction between mesophyll and epidermis. We suppose that the epidermis grows at a lower rate than the mesophyll, and thus the mismatch between layers will increase with time. A collapsed cell in this schema is represented by a horizontal spring suffering a stress higher than its elastic limit. Once this threshold is reached, the spring has a permanent deformation. (B) Representation of the mesophyll layer with a group of cells in the collapsed state. Note that the initial three-dimensional problem was reduced to two dimensions, as we only describe the intermediate plane where horizontal springs lie. A free energy in terms of the elastic displacement field u in the plane of the leaf and the additional phase field Φ, is introduced in the form: (1)Here, f0 is a Ginzburg-Landau local free energy for Φ that has two different minima, representing the intact and collapsed states: A regularization term proportional to |∇Φ|2 is included to obtain smooth profiles of the fields by penalizing rapid spatial variations of Φ. It is introduced to make the behavior of the system almost isotropic and independent of the underlying numerical lattice. This term is also useful because allows the simulation of a continuous growth through the rescaling of the parameters, as will be explained later. The parameter α is a measure of the coupling between the fields Φ and u. The term fel is the usual elastic free energy density in the reference state in which Φ = 0, expressed in terms of the bulk and shear moduli, K and μ, and the displacement field u: We consider the bulk modulus K as constant. However, in order to obtain collapsed regions that can be tentatively associated to growing veins it has to be assumed that the elastic properties of collapsed cells correspond to a lower volume and lower shear modulus than the intact cells (see the morphologies observed in ). Thus, the shear modulus μ will depend on whether the medium is in the collapsed or intact state: (2)As we said, due to the f0 term, the field Φ has two preferred values Φ± = ±(r0/s0)1/2. When these values are introduced in Equations 1 and 2 they define two different elastic states with different density and shear modulus, representing the intact and collapsed states of the cells in our model. The fact that the variable Φ is continuous, however, guarantees the possibility of a smooth transition between these states. The only difference between these expressions and those in the works ,, is the presence, in our model, of a term proportional to γ giving a perfectly harmonic, elastic interaction to a rigid layer that represents the epidermis. Although there are actually two epidermis layers, we suppose their roles are equivalent and thus a single substrate layer is considered in the model. As the growing rate of mesophyll is assumed to be larger than the growing rate of the epidermis, compressive stresses into the mesophyll appear to produce the collapse of some parts of it. This situation corresponds formally to an elastic layer expanding with respect to a rigid substrate, a situation that has been recently studied by one of us . A formal transformation in the model should be made before implementation in the computer. If in the free energy of Equation 1 we were able to integrate out the field Φ, we should end up with a non-linear elastic model written completely in terms of the displacement field u. However, the approach we follow is the inverse. Through a well documented procedure ,, the elastic field u is integrated out of the model to first order in μ1, and an effective model in terms of Φ is obtained. The new model is non-linear and non-local in Φ, describing in an effective way the non-linear elastic behavior of the system. The free energy takes the form: where Xij = ∂i∂j−(δij/2) ∇2, gE = μ1 α2/L02, gL = γ/L0, L0 = K+μ0 in 2D, Aij = 〈∇j ui〉, and At this point, all the information is encoded in the field Φ. In particular, different values of Φ in different spatial positions will tell whether that portion of the system is in the intact state, or in the collapsed state. The temporal evolution is governed by an equation compatible with a non-conserved order parameter, i.e., dΦ/dt = −δF/δΦ. In this way the system tries to adapt dynamically to the external conditions in order to minimize the value of F. The main external condition that drives the evolution of the system is the fact that the leaf is growing. The natural way to model the growth (which mimics most closely the real situation) is to assume that, although the parameters of the model do not change upon growing, the linear dimension of the system L(t) increases in time. We suppose the growth is sufficiently slow that at each moment the system is in mechanical equilibrium. The initial condition for the minimization at time t+Δt should be the result of the minimization at time t, but stretched by a factor L(t+Δt)/L(t). This approach is quite difficult to implement in the simulation, because of the problems that appear in changing the size of the system under temporal evolution. Technically more simple, but fully equivalent to the previous procedure, is to keep the size over which we integrate the equations of the model, but change its parameters in such a way that the same numerical mesh simulates progressively a larger system. This is like saying that we ‘zoom out’ with the system growth. The scaling parameter that will do such rescaling is called η, and the growing process is implemented in terms of changes in the parameters as follows. If in Equation 1 we formally change from r to ηr, the only parameters that are rescaled (in addition of an unimportant global rescaling of the free energy) are C and γ, which become C/η2 and γη2. This means that changing C and γ in this fashion is precisely the way in which the growing process can be simulated. We start the runs with a value of η = 1, and increase it progressively during the simulation. Note the scaling effect in the simulations: Decreasing C will produce a sharper interface between intact and collapsed region, which is a reasonable effect as we zoom out with the system growth. In addition, the increase of the substrate interaction will produce the effective increase of compressive stresses in the active layer, and this will trigger the appearance of new collapsed sectors in order to relieve the accumulated elastic energy. Our modeling is compatible with the hypothesis that when a new vein has been nucleated in an actual leaf, it will continue to grow at the same pace than the rest of the leaf. In particular its thickness should increase with time. In our modeling, due to our zooming out procedure this means that veins must preserve its width during the evolution and newer veins are progressively thinner than older ones. In order to achieve this, we have to avoid that the older (thicker) veins become thinner as the spatial scale in the system is changed. As we said, this implies a kind of irreversibility condition that guarantees that when a new vein was created, it is committed to grow at a fixed rate. The implementation of the irreversibility condition in the model is as follows. We include the condition that Φ (x,y) in the time step t+dt can not be in the relaxed phase if its value in the previous time step corresponds to the collapsed phase. This is done by defining a threshold value Φ0, namely, if at a certain stage of the simulation some point has a value Φ (x,y)>Φ0, then this point is forced to remain with a value of Φ at least as large as Φ0. Our numerical results indicate that the final patterns are reasonably independent on the value of the threshold we use to define each phase. Irreversibility is what stabilizes the existence of thick veins, as can be observed in Figure 9, where we show a typical profile of Φ for a fixed value of x at two different stages of the growth. In this plot, values of Φ close to 2 represent the section of a vein, whereas negative values of Φ are intact sectors. These results where obtained by using a value Φ0 = 2. Note in the bottom panel how the interface sharpness is greater (because of the increase in the effective C) and how the new nucleated veins are significantly thinner. Figure 9. Profile of the field Φ. Values of Φ vs. y for a fixed value of x, in two stages of growth. The values of the growing parameter are η = 1.2 (A) and η = 2.4 (B). Positive values of Φ correspond to veins, whereas negatives values are associated to intact tissue. It is worth emphasizing the effect that the term that was used to generate irreversibility has on the simulations. In the absence of this term, the same parameters which lead to the snapshots of Figures 2 and 3, produce now patterns like that in Figure 10. A lateral wandering and thinning of veins during evolution is clearly observed. As a consequence, the hierarchical structure is completely lost. Note that in actual leaves a mechanism generating a similar kind of irreversibility can be claimed to be present. In fact, once the germ of a vein has been nucleated, all daughter cells are committed to become part of the vein. This is why older veins are thicker and it is an additional ingredient on top of mechanical energy minimization. Figure 10. Patterns without irreversibility. Result of a simulation with the same parameters as in Figures 2A and 3A, but without the irreversibility condition. Note the lateral wandering and thinning of the veins with respect to the initial condition (shown in a different color). The numerical lattice has 512×512 nodes. We also include in our model a stochastic noise of small amplitude that helps to nucleate new veins. The evolution equation becomes dΦ/dt = −δF/δΦ+fT, where fT is a stochastic force with the properties 〈fiT〉 = 0 and 〈fiT(t) fjT(t')〉 = 2 kB T δ(t–t') δij. The existence of random noisy effects on the growing of an actual leaf cannot be denied, and then our inclusion of a stochastic term in the evolution equation could be ultimately justified. However, we emphasize that we do not intend to model any precise physical process with this. We only want to include in a simple form the fact that there is some randomness in the nucleation events, which eventually make individual leaves of the same species to differ from one another. In order to be sure that the stochastic term does not introduce systematic spurious effects, we have explored the effect of the noise by applying it in three different ways: 1) a ‘static version’ in which the noisy term is included only in the initial condition, 2) a dynamic noise as described in the previous paragraph, and 3) an intermediate version, in which a fixed noisy landscape affect the leaf during its evolution. 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2019-04-25T20:32:19Z

https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000055

The Master's lair. Collin is tossing stones into the pool. He takes a few more from the Master's hand. Darla comes into the lair. Master: Zachary didn't return from the hunt last night. Master: Zachary was strong, and he was careful. And still the Slayer takes him... as she has taken so many of my family. (takes a breath) It wears thin. Collin, what would you do about it? Darla: (makes her way down) Let me do it, Master. Let me kill her for you. Master: You have a personal interest in this. Darla: (disappointed) I don't get to have any fun. Master: I will send The Three. Cut to an alley. Three tough guys are lighting up cigarettes. The Three come around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men see them coming and leave. Cut to The Bronze. A cockroach is being chased along the floor. Boy: Get it! Go get it, right there! She holds the roach up to the bartender and drops it into his jar. The bartender nods his head and goes to get the drink. Willow: Ah, the fumigation party. Cut to Buffy and Willow sitting at a table. Willow: It's an annual tradition. The closing of The Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches? Buffy: (not paying attention) Oh. Willow: It's a lot of fun... What's it like where *you* are? Willow: So, we're talking about a guy? Buffy: Not exactly a guy. For us to have a conversation about a guy, there'd have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence? Willow: (smiles) You lack a guy. Willow: He's not around much, it's true. Buffy: (looks dreamily) When he is around... it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys? Xander is on the dance floor, making a fool of himself. He dances up to a girl. Xander: Hey, Annie! (sees her boyfriend) Dino, just leaving! He backs away and bumps into Cordelia. Cordelia: Ouch! Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred- dollar shoes! Cordelia: ...getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega's boyfriend squashes you like a bug? Xander: Oh, so you noticed. Xander: Yeah, Thanks for being so understanding. He leaves the dance floor and goes over to Buffy and Willow. Xander: Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. What are you vixens up to? Buffy lifts her eyes to see and then turns them back down. Xander: Whoa, well, let's stop this crazy whirligig of fun! I'm dizzy! Xander: Uh, yeah! It's early! We could, um, dance! Xander lets out a breath. Willow holds her shoe up to him. Willow: Want a free drink? Buffy makes her way out of The Bronze looking bummed. She passes the stairs. Angel is watching her go. Buffy senses something and turns to look. Angel is gone. She continues out. Cut to the street. Buffy is walking home. She senses something and stops to look behind her. Nothing. She continues and walks past an alley. She hears a breath and stops. Buffy: It's late, I'm tired, and I don't wanna play games. Show yourself. One of The Three roars and drops down to the sidewalk behind her. She reaches into her coat, pulls out a stake and quickly spins around to stake the vampire. Another of The Three grabs her arm as she swings. The third member comes up on her other side and grabs her other arm. They pull her into the alley and up against a fence. The first one approaches her. Buffy: Okay, okay... Look, I really don't wanna fight all three of you... unless I have to. She snap kicks him in the crotch, elbows the third, and tries to punch the second. He blocks her swing and thrusts his knee into her gut, slamming her into the fence. The other two recover and grab her again. The second one slowly approaches her with death in his eyes. Buffy is terrified and struggles to get away. In the alley. The vampire comes up to Buffy, grabs her head and moves in to bite. Angel comes up behind him, grabs him by the hair and pulls him off of her. Angel: Good dogs don't... (punches the vampire) ...*bite*! Buffy is surprised, but quickly regains her head. Using the support of the two vampires holding onto her arms, she kicks up with both feet and hits them both in the face with a straddle kick. One of them grabs her again and holds her against the fence. Angel continues to fight the other two, punching one and snap kicking the second. One of them pulls a piece of iron bar off of a window. Angel turns around, only to be sliced in the chest with the bar. Buffy shoves an open palm into her assailant's chin, pushing him off of her, punches him once in the gut and then slams both fists into his head. Angel is bent over in pain and is about to be stabbed again. Buffy quickly side kicks his attacker in the face, and he falls back away from Angel. She helps Angel up. They come running out of the alley. The Three get up and give chase. Cut to Buffy's street. She and Angel jump over the bushes in front of her house and run onto the porch. The Three are hot on their trail. Buffy gets the front door open. She rushes inside. Angel is right behind her. Buffy slams the door on one of the vampire's hands. He struggles a moment, but pulls his hand back out. She slams the door shut and locks it. The vampire looks in through the glass. Another one looks in through the window. Angel: It's alright. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited. just... take your jacket and your shirt off. She heads into the kitchen. Angel looks out the window one last time and follows her. He takes off his jacket and his T-shirt. Buffy looks at him from behind and sees his tattoo of a griffin straddling a large "A" below his right shoulder. She brings over the first aid kit. Angel: I live nearby. I was just out walking. Buffy: So, you weren't following me? I just had this feeling you were. Angel: (smiles) Why would I do that? Angel: Maybe I like you. They smile at each other. Buffy hears the door open and quickly goes to intercept her mom. She's also worried about The Three outside. She pulls her mom into the house and closes the door. Joyce: Hi! What are you doing? Joyce starts toward the kitchen. Buffy comes after her. Buffy: ...I just feel better with you safe and sound inside. You must be beat. Buffy: (interrupts) Well, then why don't you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea? Joyce: That's sweet! (suspiciously) What'd you do? Buffy: Can't a daughter just be concerned about her mother? Angel comes into the living room behind Buffy. Joyce sees him. Buffy: Oh! Okay... Um... Angel, uh, this is my mom. Mom, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home. Angel: Nice to meet you. Joyce: What do you do, Angel? Buffy: He's a student. (her mother gives her a disbelieving look) Uh, first year community college. Angel's been helping me with my history, you know I've been toiling there. Buffy: I'll say good night and do the same! Joyce looks back down at her daughter and nods. Joyce: (to Angel) It was nice to meet you. Cut to Buffy at the front door holding it open. Buffy: Good night! We'll hook up soon and do that study thing! She closes the door. Angel is still there behind it. They go up the stairs and into her room. She closes the door quietly. Angel: I'll take the floor. Angel: (reassuringly) Oh, believe me, I've had worse. Buffy: Okay. Um, then why don't you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change? Angel goes over to the window to have a look. Buffy goes to her closet and changes. Angel: I don't see them. Buffy: Y'know, I'm the Chosen One, it's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse? Angel: Uh, somebody has to. Buffy: Well, what does your family think of your career choice? She has finished changing and comes over to him. Angel: (faces her) I-it was. Angel: It was a long while ago. Buffy: So, this is a vengeance gig for you. Angel: (pauses) Y-you even look pretty when you go to sleep. Buffy: Well, when I wake up it's an entirely different story. They go over to her bed. She hands him the comforter from it. He lays the comforter down on the floor next to her bed. She gets into her bed and he lies on the comforter. Angel: I don't know. It's been a long time since anybody's been in a position to let me know. He turns his head to look at her. She smiles and settles in to sleep. Cut to the library the next day. Xander: He spent the night? In your room? In your bed? Buffy: Not *in* my bed, *by* my bed. Xander: Buffy, c'mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book. Buffy: What? Saving my life? Getting slashed in the ribs? Giles: (coming to the table) Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening? (Buffy sits down) You left The Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. (puts a book in front of her) Did they look like this? Buffy: Yeah. What's with the uniforms? Giles: It seems you encountered The Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong. Willow: (to Giles) How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on. Giles: Well, you weren't here from midnight until six researching it. Willow: No, I was sleeping. Giles: Uh, o-obviously you're hurting the Master very much. He, he wouldn't send the, The Three for just anyone. We must step up our training with weapons. Xander: Buffy, you should stay at my house until these Samurai guys are history. Buffy: (turns to him) What? Xander: Ah-ah-ah, don't worry about Angel, Willow can run to your house and tell him to get out of town fast. Giles: Angel and Buffy are, are not in any immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send someone else, but in the mean time The Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance. Cut to the Master's lair. Vampire: We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you. He hands the Master a spear. The Master passes it to Darla. She starts to walk around behind The Three as the Master goes over to Collin. Master: Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn. (crouches beside him) With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life -- I'm not talking about humans, of course -- is a serious matter. One of The Three raises his head in hope. Master: Hmm. (gets up) I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy. The Master begins to walk away, and Collin follows. Darla watches them go and smiles. She lifts the spear and dispatches the first of The Three. The Master stops and turns to Collin. Master: Of course, sometimes a little is enough. He looks over at Darla as she kills the next one, then continues away. Cut to the school. Cut to the library door. Giles sets out a sign that reads 'Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.' Cut inside. Buffy is checking out the weapons cabinet. Buffy: Cool! Crossbow! (lifts it out, sees the bolts) Huh. Check out these babies. (takes out a bolt) Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot? Giles: Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later. He takes the crossbow from her and goes to put it back. Buffy is disappointed. Giles: You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting. (puts on his head pads) And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. (grabs his staff) Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we'll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads. Buffy: (laughs) I'm not gonna need pads to fight you. Giles: Well, we'll see about that. En garde! He makes several thrusts and she parries them all. She takes the offensive, pushes his staff to the floor and punches him in the face. She comes around with the staff into his back, and again to knock his legs out from under him. He falls onto his back. She stands over him. Giles: (stunned) Good. Let's move on to the crossbow. Cut to the Summers house at night. Cut to Buffy coming into her room. She closes the door and looks around. She turns on her desk lamp. Buffy: Brought you some dinner. It's a little plateless, sorry. She hands him a plastic bag full of food that she pilfered from dinner. He accepts it and looks at it. Buffy: So! What'd you do all day? Angel: Uh, I read a little. Buffy looks over to her diary. It's out of place. Buffy: My diary? You read my diary? (goes to put it in a drawer) That is *not* okay! A diary is like a person's most private place! (comes back to him) I... You don't even know what I was writing about! 'Hunk' can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that your eyes are 'penetrating', I meant to write 'bulging'. Angel: Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn't read it, I swear. Buffy: Oh! (looks down, realizing what she just said) Oh. Angel: When I am all I can ever think about is how badly I want to kiss you. Buffy: ...over the dam... (looks up at him) Kiss me? Angel: I'm older than you, and this can't ever... I better go. They kiss. They kiss again. They kiss passionately. She puts her arm around him. The kiss goes on for several moments. Angel suddenly pulls back and looks away. Buffy: What? What is it? What's wrong? He turns to face her and growls. She sees he has his game face on and screams. He takes a last look at her and jumps out of the window. He slides down the roof and off onto the ground. Buffy goes to the window and watches him run away. Her mother comes running into the room. She backs away from the window. Her mom takes her by the shoulders. She looks at her mom and shakes her head. Buffy: Uh, nothing. I saw a shadow. They both look out the window. The next morning at Sunnydale High. The team is walking up the steps from the street toward the building. Buffy: I can't believe this is happening. One minute we were kissing, and the next minute... (to Giles) Can a vampire ever be a good person? Couldn't it happen? Giles: A vampire isn't a person at all. (clears his throat) It may have the movements, the, the memories, even the personality of the person that it took over, but i-it's still a demon at the core, there is no halfway. Willow: So that'd be a no, huh? Buffy: Well, then what was he doing? Why was he good to me? Was it all some part of the Master's plan? It doesn't make sense! They've reached a bench where Willow and Buffy sit. Buffy doesn't react, so Xander looks up to Giles for support. Xander: I-I know you have feelings for this guy, but it's not like you're in love with him, right? Xander: You're in love with a vampire?! What, are you outta your mind?! He looks at Cordelia. She's looking somewhere else, but turns to him. Xander: (to Cordelia) Not vampire... (to Buffy) How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates 'em! Cordelia looks back at another girl wearing the same dress she is. Cordelia: Where did you get that dress? (pursues her) This is a one-of- a-kind Todd Oldham. Do you know how much this dress cost? Is this a knockoff? (checks the label) This is a knockoff, isn't it?! Some cheesy knockoff! This is exactly what happens when you sign these free trade agreements! The two girls disappear into the building. Cut to the hall outside Angel's apartment. He comes through the door and goes to his apartment door. He unlocks it and goes in. Cut inside. There are a bunch of old books stacked along the wall. He closes the door and goes over to turn on a lamp. When he straightens back up he senses a presence. He quickly faces the voice. Darla comes out of the shadows wearing a Catholic schoolgirl uniform. Darla: Hi. It's been a while. Darla: Or two, but who's counting? Angel: What's with the Catholic schoolgirl look? Last time I saw you it was kimonos. Darla: And last time I saw you it wasn't high school girls. (flares the skirt) Don't cha like? (approaches Angel) Remember Budapest? Turn of the century? You were such a bad boy during that earthquake. Angel: You did some damage yourself. Darla: Is there anything better than a natural disaster? (walks away) The panic. The people lost in the streets. It's like picking fruit off the vine. (reaches the bed) Nice! You're living above ground, like one of them. You and your new friend are attacking us, like one of them. (walks to the window) But guess what, precious? You're not one of them. She draws the window blinds open, letting in a stream of sunlight. Angel is blinded, and he stumbles backward to get out of the light. Angel: No. But I'm not exactly one of you either. Darla: (walks to the fridge) Is that what you tell yourself these days? She opens the refrigerator and sees the bags and bottles of human blood. Darla: You're not exactly living off quiche. (closes the fridge) You and I both know what you hunger for. (goes over to him) What you need. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's who we are. It's what makes eternal life worth living. (smiles and touches him) Mm. You can only suppress your real nature for so long. You can feel it brewing inside of you. I hope I'm around when it explodes. Angel: Maybe you don't wanna be. Darla: I'm not afraid of you. I bet she is, though. (starts to leave) Or maybe I'm underestimating her. Talk to her. Tell her about the curse. Maybe she'll come around. And if she still doesn't trust you, you know where I'll be. She exits the apartment, leaving an angry Angel behind. Cut to the library. Buffy is looking through a book. So are Willow and Xander. Giles comes up behind Xander and startles him. Giles: Here's something at last. Xander: Can you please warn us before you do that? Giles: There's nothing about Angel in the texts, but it suddenly occurred to me that it's been ages since I've read the diaries of any of the watchers before me. Willow: (to Buffy) That musta been so embarrassing when you thought he had read your diary, but then it turned out he hadn't, but then he felt the same way... (Xander gives her a look) I'm listening. Giles: There's mention some two hundred years ago in Ireland of, of Angelus, the one with the angelic face. Buffy: They got that right. Xander: (clears his throat) I'm not saying anything, I have nothing to say. Giles: Does this, uh, Angel have, um, a tattoo behind his right shoulder? Buffy: Yeah, it's a, it's a bird or something. Xander: Now I'm sayin' something. You saw him naked? Willow: So, Angel's been around for a while. Giles: Not long for a vampire. Uh, two hundred and forty years or so. Buffy: Huh! Two hundred and forty. Well, he said he was older. Giles: (sits and looks through the diary) Angelus leaves Ireland, uh, wreaks havoc in, in Europe for, uh, several decades, and then, um, about eighty years ago, the most curious thing happens. He, he comes to, uh, to America, um, shuns other vampires, and, and lives alone. There's, there's no, no record of him hunting here. Willow: So he *is* a good vampire! I mean, on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who's killing and maiming every night, and one being someone who's... not. Giles: I say that there's no record, but, uh, vampires hunt and kill. It's, it's what they do. Xander: Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly. Buffy: He could've fed on me. He didn't. Xander: Question: a hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then? Giles: Uh, like all of them. Uh, a vicious, violent animal. Darla: Don't think I'm not grateful, you letting me kill The Three. Master: How can my children learn if I do everything for them? Darla: But you've gotta let me take care of the Slayer. Master: Oh! You're giving me orders now! Darla: (walks away) Okay, then, we'll just do nothing while she takes us out one by one. Darla: (walks back) Angel kills her and comes back to the fold. Master: Angel! He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him. Master: (considers) Why would he kill her if he feels for her? Darla: To keep her from killing him. Master: Hmm. (to Collin) You see how we all work together for the common good? That's how a family is supposed to function! Cut to the school at night. Willow: Okay, so let's review. Cut to the library. Buffy and Willow are studying. Willow: Reconstruction began when? (looks up) Buffy? Buffy: Huh? (comes back to earth) Oh! Um, reconstruction... Uh, reconstruction began after the... construction, which was... shoddy, so they had to reconstruct. Willow: After the destruction of the Civil War. Willow: Are we gonna talk about boys, or are we gonna help you pass history? Buffy looks up at Willow. She closes the book. Buffy: You want Xander, you've gotta speak up, girl! Willow: No, no, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms. Darla peeks out from behind the stacks. Willow: Okay, so here's something I gotta know. When Angel kissed you... I mean before he turned into... how was it? Darla continues to watch and listen. Willow: Wow! And it is kinda novel how he'll stay young and handsome forever, although you'll still get wrinkly and die, and... Oh, and what about the children? (Buffy looks at her) I'll be quiet now. Buffy: Like Xander said, I'm the Slayer, and he's a... vampire. God, I can't! He's never done anything to hurt me... (collects herself) Okay, no, I need to stop thinking about this. Okay, let's give another half an hour and maybe something will sink in. And then I'm going home for some major moping. Darla smiles and backs away. Cut to the Summers house. Cut inside to the kitchen where Joyce is doing her taxes and having coffee. She hears creaking on the porch outside and gets up to investigate. She looks out the door window and sees nothing. She opens the door a bit and still there's nothing. She closes the door and heads to the front. Darla looks in, sporting her game face. Joyce walks slowly through the living room and hears a knocking on the door. She looks out, sees Darla in her human guise and opens the door. Darla: Hi! I'm Darla? A friend of Buffy's? Joyce: Oh! (exhales) Nice to meet you. Darla: (exhales) She didn't mention anything about me coming over for a study date, did she? Joyce: No, I thought she was studying with Willow at the library. Darla: She is. Willow's the Civil War expert, but then I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kinda goes back to those days. Joyce: Well, I, I know she's supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait? Darla: (follows) Yes, I would! She looks at Joyce's neck. Cut to the kitchen. Joyce: Let's see what we have. Do you feel like something little or something big? Darla: (vamped out) Something big! Cut outside. Angel comes walking up to the house. He almost knocks, but then decides to leave. As he goes he hears Joyce scream. He runs around to the back door and kicks it in. He sees Darla biting Joyce. Darla: I just had a little, there's plenty more. Aren't you hungry for something warm after all this time? Come on, Angel. Just say 'Yes'! She shoves Joyce into Angel's arms so he can see the bite and smell the blood. He struggles with himself and looks away from the bite. Darla watches with a big smile. Angel looks up at her again with his game face on. She walks around them and leaves the house. Angel continues to struggle with himself. Buffy comes in from the dining room, and Angel looks up. She turns toward him and freezes with fear. Angel bares his fangs and growls. The Summers house. Cut to the living room window. Angel flies through it and tumbles over the porch, through the bushes and onto the lawn. Buffy comes over to the broken window and looks out at him as he gets up. Buffy: You're not welcome here. You come near us and I'll kill you. Angel just looks at her. She goes back inside. He turns to leave. Cut inside. Buffy grabs the phone, dials 911 and goes over to kneel by her mother. Buffy: Mom! Mom, can you hear me?! (the operator answers) Yes, I need an ambulance, 1630 Revello Drive! My mother cut herself, she lost a lot of blood! Please, please hurry! (drops the phone) Mom! She looks up to see Xander and Willow come in through the kitchen door. Cut to the hospital. Giles rushes down the corridor trying to find Joyce's room. Buffy: Do you remember anything, Mom? Joyce: I guess I slipped and cut my neck on... The doctor said it looked like a barbecue fork. (looks at Buffy) We don't have a barbecue fork. (looks at Giles) Are you another doctor? Buffy: (looks to see) Oh! Um... No, Mom, this is Mr. Giles. Joyce: Oh, the librarian from your school! (confused) What's he doing here? Giles: Uh, I-I just came to pay my respects, wish you a speedy recovery. Joyce: Boy, the teachers really *do* care in this town. Buffy: Get some rest now. She gives her mom a kiss, and they all go outside the room. Cut to the hall. Giles: ...a little low. It presents itself like mild anemia. Uh, you, you were, uh, lucky you got to her as soon as you did. Xander: Buff, it's not your fault. Buffy: No? I invited him into my home. Even after I knew who he was, what he was, and I didn't do anything about it... 'cause I had feelings for him, because I cared about him. Xander: Uh, we'll keep an eye on your mom. Buffy: You can't stop me. The Three found me near The Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby. Giles: This is no ordinary vampire. (whispers) If there is such a thing. Now, he knows you, he, he's faced The Three! I think this is gonna take more than a simple stake. Cut to the armory in the library. Buffy loads the crossbow with bolts. Darla: She's out hunting you right now. Darla: She wants to kill you. Darla: What did you think? Did you think she would understand? That she would look at your face... your true face... and give you a kiss? Cut to Buffy in the library. She takes a practice shot at an anti-smoking poster and nails the guy in the heart. Darla: For a hundred years you've not (Buffy lowers the bow) had a moment's peace because you will not (cut to the apartment) accept who you are. That's all you have to do. Accept it. Don't let her hunt you down. Don't whimper and mewl like a mangy human. Kill! Feed! Live! She has pushed Angel to the limit. He jumps up and shoves her against the wall with her arms pinned up. Darla: What do you want? Angel: I want it finished! Darla: That's good. You're hurting me. (smiles) That's good, too. Cut to outside The Bronze. Buffy has the crossbow held ready. She comes through a hole in a fence and goes toward the entrance. She hears glass breaking above her and turns to the noise. She looks around as she goes to the wall where there's a ladder. She starts to climb. Joyce: She talks about you all the time. Cut to the hospital room. Joyce: It's important to have teachers who make an impression. Giles: She makes quite an impression herself. Joyce: I-I know she's having trouble with history. I-is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself? Joyce: She's studying with Willow, she's studying with Darla, I-I mean, she is trying. Joyce: Her friend, the one who came over tonight. Giles: Darla came to your house tonight? Sh-she's the friend that you mentioned earlier? Joyce: Poor thing, I must've frightened her half to death when I fainted. Someone should really check and make sure she's alright. Joyce: That school is amazing! Cut to the hall. He walks with Willow and Xander. Giles: We have a problem. Cut to The Bronze. Buffy comes down the stairs. When she gets to the bottom she quickly turns to have a look around. Angel backs into the shadows. Buffy hears a noise and pivots toward it. Buffy: I know you're there. And I know what you are. Angel: I'm just an animal, right? Buffy: You're not an animal. Animals I like. She keeps looking around her. He growls and comes out of the shadows to face her. She trains the crossbow on him. Angel: Let's get it done! He growls and begins to run. He jumps onto a pool table. Buffy follows him with her aim and shoots, but misses. Angel jumps up onto the catwalk above. Buffy can't see him in the shadows. He swings down and kicks her in the back, knocking her onto a pool table. She does a standing back kick at him behind her and sends him into the wall. She runs around the table and dives for the crossbow. She rolls onto her back and takes aim at him. He slowly gets up and growls. The Bronze. Angel is in his game face and Buffy has her crossbow trained on him. Angel morphs back into his human form. Angel: C'mon! Don't go soft on me now! Buffy launches the bolt. It hits the wall next to him. Buffy: Why? (gets up) Why didn't you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it a joke? To make me feel for you and then... I've killed a lot of vampires. I've never hated one before. everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart. Angel: When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but it doesn't get your soul. That's gone! No conscience, no remorse... It's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done... and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day. Buffy: So you started with my mom? Angel: I didn't bite her. Buffy: Then why didn't you say something? Angel: But I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight. Buffy looks at her bow and back at Angel. She puts the bow down on the floor and approaches him. She offers her neck. He just looks at her in silence. Buffy: Not as easy as it looks. They turn toward the voice and see Darla coming out of the shadows. Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander are walking down a street. Willow: We're near The Bronze. What now? Giles: Keep looking for her. Xander: I have a question: what if we find her and she's fighting Angel and some of his friends? What the heck are we gonna do about it? Darla: Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is? Buffy: Bad hair on top of that outfit? Darla: To love someone who used to love you. Buffy: (looks at Angel) You guys were involved? Buffy: Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex's. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes. Darla: (smiles) I made him. There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her die. (smiles) You don't think I came alone, do you? Buffy: I know I didn't. She kicks the bow up into her hands and aims it at Darla. She produces two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand. She shoots Angel. He staggers back onto a post. Buffy retreats. Darla starts shooting at her. Buffy does a diving shoulder roll over a pool table and takes cover behind it. Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander hear the shots from inside The Bronze. They run to find a way in. Cut inside. Buffy reloads the crossbow. Darla: So many body parts, so few bullets. Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them. She caps off a few more rounds, and the pool table takes a few hits. Buffy pops up with the crossbow and takes a shot at Darla. She doubles over when it hits her in the abdomen. Buffy watches as she straightens back up again. Darla: Close, but no heart. She grabs the bolt, pulls it out and tosses it aside. Cut to Giles, Willow and Xander crawling along the floor. Xander: We need to distract her, fast! Willow: (calls out) Buffy, it wasn't Angel who attacked your mom, it was Darla! Darla turns toward the voice and lets loose a hail of bullets as they hug the floor for cover. Angel pulls the bolt from the wall. Darla turns her attention back on Buffy and hops up onto the pool table. Buffy jumps up, grabs the edge of the table and pulls, knocking Darla onto her back. She pushes the table away and starts to run for cover. Darla fires off a few rounds as she rides the table across the floor. Buffy leaps for cover over a glass case in a dive roll as bullets break it all around her. The pool table has stopped sliding, and Darla gets up to look for Buffy. She hops off of it and advances on the counter while shooting. Giles gets up and messes with the lighting system controls. The strobes come on. Darla looks up at him and stops shooting. Buffy takes the opportunity to change position. Darla sees her move and lets loose another volley. Darla: C'mon, Buffy. Take it like a man! Angel comes up behind her, roars and plunges the bolt into her back. She is surprised and cries out in pain. She turns to look at her attacker. She falls to the floor and bursts into ashes. Buffy rises up to see. Angel looks up from Darla's ashes at Buffy. She comes out from behind the counter. He looks at her a moment longer and then turns and leaves. Buffy is speechless and just watches him go. Cut to the Master's lair. He screams as he wields a tall candleholder and smashes it in anger. He flails out with his arms and knocks other things over. Finally he sinks to the ground in grief. Collin comes over to him. Collin: She was weak. You don't need her. I'll bring you the Slayer. Collin: They're all against you. But soon you shall rise. And when you do... (puts a hand on the Master's shoulder) ...we kill them all. The Master smiles at him and gets up. Collin takes his hand and leads him away. Cut to later at The Bronze. Xander: Ah, the post-fumigation party. Buffy: Okay, so what's the difference between this and the pre- fumigation party? Willow: So, no word from Angel? Buffy: Nah. It's weird, though. In his way I feel like he's still watching me. Willow: Well, in a way he sort of is. In the way of that he's right over there. Buffy looks over where Willow is looking and sees Angel. She briefly looks back at Willow and then heads over to him. Xander: I don't need to watch because I'm not threatened. Just gonna look this way. He and Willow sit at a table with him facing away from Buffy and Angel. Willow watches as Buffy makes her way over to Angel. The crowd is slow dancing to "I'll remember you", by Sophie Zelmani. Buffy and Angel reach each other. Angel: I just wanted to see if you were okay. And your mother. Buffy: We're both good. You? Buffy: ...ever be anything. I know. For one thing, you're, like, two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am. Angel: I just gotta... I gotta walk away from this. Buffy: (nods) I know. Me, too. (whispers) One of us has to go here. They look at each other a moment longer and then close in to kiss. Their kiss becomes passionate. Buffy reaches her hands up to Angel's neck. Cut to Willow and Xander. Xander: Well, as long as they're not kissing. Willow just watches and says nothing. Cut to Angel and Buffy. Buffy: ...painful. I know. See you around? Buffy walks away. Angel watches her go. The camera pans down to his chest where her cross has left a deep burn.

2019-04-21T06:52:34Z

http://www.tangofic.com/tribute/episodes/angelep.htm

Buildium coupon number August 2018 The male has actually always attempted to make the things much easier and friendlier. In the race of making things easy, the computer system is one the most revolutionary points took place to the human beings. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Building business has constantly been just one of one of the most concerned departments of human beings. Each individual tries to grab the residential or commercial property. Estate agency business, some years ago, was a tiring company and also it’s burdensome to stay upgraded with all the occupants as well as the buildings in the surroundings. Some efforts have actually been made to make the points easier. There are computer programs which can be useful while taking care of all the residential or commercial properties and also managing the estate organisation. There was large demand of dependable property management software to make things easier. What isBuildium coupon number August 2018 ?? 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General ledger and all other monetary details could be seen here. Costs, payment standing, and various other financial records can be videotaped. For this purpose, we just need to click on Record Bills after that go into the needed details as well as conserve it. In the jobs section, we could see the to-do-lists, rental owner requests and resident demands. All the info could be sorted conveniently with the aid of the header buttons of each list. To include any demand, click ‘Add persisting task’, go into the needed information and afterwards create the task by clicking Create switch. To-do listings are necessary for a smooth flow of arranged regular and prompt payment and other points. This section allows both parties to connect more quickly. Interaction is necessary in the offers as well as company stuff. 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There was large requirement of dependable property management software to make the points simpler. During the last years, several efforts have actually been made to simplify the entire residential property business. Buildium Software is a result of such efforts. Buildium Property Management Software is among the most appealing property management software application out there. Buildium Property Management is American based software application, founded by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is locateded in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a truly effective tool for a much better management of all the residential or commercial properties and lessees. It offers a great deal of ease to the customer as well as is actually valuable. It provides the cloud-based and actual estate software program options to the individuals. Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was very straightforward as well as didn’t provide several features. Prior to the production of these software programs, it was truly a migraine for the home supervisors to control numerous buildings as well as take care of lots of tenants. All these features make Buildium as leading property management software. It is being used by a large number of home managers. This function of Buildium allows the individuals to produce attractive and remarkable sites utilizing particular devices. Users could choose a logo design, transform the user interface and also use various themes to the site in order to give the info to their clients. The far better the web site, the much easier it is to supply optimal details at one place. Customers can produce sites according to their own will with the help of Buildium. With the increasing variety of residential properties, it comes to be hard to keep the track of leases, financials, and also all the various other points. With the aid of Buildium, a user can recognize which leases are going to end in following 30 to 90 days. This special attribute of Buildium permits both the residential or commercial property supervisors and also the proprietors to create a record of every little thing. Thorough records can be made knowing regarding financials, leases, as well as all other relevant things. Report generating is crucial to creating a smooth connection in between two parties Buildium coupon number August 2018. It ends up being busy for the residential property manager when the occupants as well as proprietors, to get any type of info, call him repeatedly. Buildium is smart as well as provides the occupants with their very own interface which enables them to get any related day from their very own user interface. It actually streamlines numerous points. All the attributes of Buildium are very special and give the building supervisors as well as owners with simplified services and their own user interfaces. A shortcut bar exists near the bottom which permits the users to access the frequently made use of features like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a single touch. In this section, a customer can see all the information about the residential property leases, tenants, rental owners, listings etc. By clicking on any specific property, its images as well as all information could be checked out. General ledger and also all various other monetary information could be watched right here. Costs, repayment status, and other financial records could be tape-recorded. For this objective, we just have to click on Record Bills then get in the needed details and also conserve it. All the info could be arranged quickly with the help of the header buttons of each listing. To add any type of request, click on ‘Add repeating task’, enter the required details as well as then create the job by clicking on Create switch. This area permits both parties to interact more easily. Interaction is vital in the offers and organisation stuff. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer system program in building company field and is considered the finest remedy to the stressful routine of the building managers. Buildium sees to it that the managers don’t obtain tired of their job as well as have a pleasurable experience while dealing with the customers and owners. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The guy has actually always tried to make the points simpler as well as friendlier. In the race of making things easy, the computer system is one the most revolutionary things happened to the human beings. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Property business has constantly been among the most worried departments of humans. 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Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was very basic as well as didn’t give lots of features. Before the creation of these software programs, it was actually a migraine for the home supervisors to control many properties and take care of numerous occupants. This feature of Buildium enables the customers to create attractive and remarkable sites making use of particular devices. Users could select a logo, alter the interface and also use various motifs to the web site in order to give the information to their customers. The far better the internet site, the simpler it is to offer optimal details at one area. Individuals could develop sites according to their own will with the aid of Buildium. With the enhancing number of buildings, it comes to be challenging to keep the track of leases, financials, and also all the other points. With the help of Buildium, a user could know which leases are mosting likely to run out in following 30 to 90 days. 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A shortcut bar is present at the base which allows the individuals to access the typically made use of functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list etc. in a single touch. In this area, an individual could check out all the information concerning the residential property leases, renters, rental owners, listings and so on. By clicking on any kind of certain residential property, its images and also all info can be viewed. General journal as well as all various other economic info could be viewed below. Costs, repayment status, and also various other economic records can be videotaped. For this purpose, we just need to click on Record Bills after that get in the needed info and save it. All the info could be arranged conveniently with the assistance of the header switches of each checklist. To add any kind of demand, click on ‘Add repeating task’, get in the required details and also after that create the task by clicking on Create switch. This section enables both parties to communicate more conveniently. Interaction is essential in the offers and business stuff. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software is the leading computer program in residential or commercial property company area as well as is considered as the finest solution to the hectic routine of the building supervisors. Buildium makes certain that the supervisors don’t obtain tired of their job as well as have a pleasant experience while dealing with the customers as well as proprietors. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The guy has always aimed to make things easier and also friendlier. This thirst for making things easier has actually constantly advised male to think large and from the box. The trick to a whole lot of more recent innovations has actually been the never settling nature of the guy. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making points straightforward, the computer system is one one of the most cutting edge things happened to the human beings. Computers have completely transformed the face of the globe and have paced everything which needs any calculations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Residential or commercial property organisation has actually always been one of one of the most worried divisions of people. Every various other individual aims to get the residential or commercial property. Estate company company, some years earlier, was a strenuous business and it’s difficult to stay updated with all the tenants as well as the properties in the surroundings. Some efforts have been made to make the things simpler. 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Prior to the production of these software application programs, it was actually a headache for the home supervisors to control numerous homes as well as manage many renters. Property management software programs have actually actually made the life simpler. All these features make Buildium as top property management software. It is being utilized by a huge number of residential property supervisors. This feature of Buildium allows the individuals to develop appealing as well as fascinating web sites using certain tools. Customers can create sites according to their own will certainly with the aid of Buildium. With the enhancing variety of buildings, it becomes hard to keep the track of leases, financials, as well as all the various other things. With the aid of Buildium, a user could know which leases are mosting likely to run out in next 30 to 90 days. This distinct feature of Buildium allows both the home managers and also the proprietors to produce a record of every little thing. Comprehensive records can be made having info concerning financials, leases, and all other associated stuff. Report creating is vital to developing a smooth relation in between two celebrations Buildium coupon number August 2018. It ends up being hectic for the residential property manager when the occupants and proprietors, to get any type of details, get in touch with him continuously. Buildium is clever and gives the occupants with their own user interface which allows them to obtain any kind of associated date from their very own user interface. It really streamlines several things. All the functions of Buildium are extremely one-of-a-kind as well as offer the property managers and also proprietors with simplified remedies and also their very own user interfaces. A shortcut bar is present near the bottom which enables the users to access the commonly used functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a single touch. In this area, a customer can watch all the info regarding the home leases, occupants, rental proprietors, listings and so on. By clicking any type of certain property, its pictures as well as all info could be seen. General ledger as well as all other financial info could be checked out here. Bills, payment standing, as well as various other monetary records can be recorded. For this objective, we simply need to click on Record Bills then get in the needed information as well as wait. All the information could be sorted easily with the help of the header buttons of each list. To add any demand, click on ‘Add persisting task’, get in the needed information as well as after that develop the job by clicking on Create switch. This section allows both parties to communicate even more conveniently. Interaction is vital in the bargains and organisation things. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer system program in residential or commercial property organisation area and also is considered as the finest service to the hectic regimen of the residential or commercial property managers. Buildium makes certain that the supervisors don’t get tired of their job as well as have a positive experience while managing the clients and owners. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The man has actually always attempted to make things less complicated and also friendlier. This crave making things simpler has actually always prompted male to assume huge and also out of the box. The secret to a whole great deal of newer innovations has been the never ever clearing up nature of the man. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making things simple, the computer is one one of the most cutting edge points happened to the people. Computer systems have actually completely transformed the face of the globe and have paced everything which requires any type of estimations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Estate firm company, some years back, was a strenuous organisation as well as it’s troublesome Buildium coupon number August 2018 to remain upgraded with all the renters and also the residential or commercial properties in the surroundings. There are computer programs which could be useful while taking care of all the properties as well as managing the estate business. There was sheer demand of dependable property management software to make the things simpler. During throughout last decades, many several have been made to simplify streamline whole entire businessOrganisation Buildium Property Management Software is one of the most encouraging property management software programs out there. It is headquartered in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is an actually effective tool for a better monitoring of all the properties as well as renters. Until 2008, Buildium Property Management software was really easy and also really did not supply numerous functions. Nowadays, it has a whole lot more features and is a full guide to supply remedies to its individuals. Prior to the creation of these software programs, it was really a frustration for the residential or commercial property supervisors to control numerous buildings as well as take care of numerous occupants. Property management software application have truly made the life simpler. This attribute of Buildium permits the users to create attractive as well as interesting sites utilizing particular devices. Customers can choose a logo design, change the interface and use different styles to the website in order to provide the details to their customers. The much better the site, the easier it is to give optimal details at one place. Individuals could create web sites according to their very own will with the assistance of Buildium. With the enhancing variety of residential or commercial properties, it ends up being tough to maintain the track of leases, financials, as well as all the various other things. With the assistance of Buildium, a user can know which leases are mosting likely to end in next 30 to 90 days. This special attribute of Buildium allows both the home managers and also the owners to develop a record of whatever. Thorough records could be made having information regarding financials, leases, as well as all various other related stuff. Report producing is crucial to producing a smooth connection between two celebrations Buildium coupon number August 2018. It becomes hectic for the home supervisor when the tenants and also owners, in order to obtain any details, contact him repeatedly. Buildium is smart as well as gives the renters with their very own interface which enables them to obtain any related day from their own user interface. It actually simplifies numerous things. All the attributes of Buildium are really special and also provide the residential or commercial property managers and proprietors with simplified services and also their own interfaces. A shortcut bar exists near the bottom which permits the individuals to access the generally used functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list etc. in a solitary touch. In this section, an individual could watch all the info regarding the property leases, renters, rental proprietors, listings etc. By clicking on any certain residential or commercial property, its images as well as all information could be watched. General ledger and all various other economic information could be viewed here. Costs, repayment status, and various other financial records can be tape-recorded. For this objective, we simply need to click Record Bills after that enter the required info as well as wait. In the jobs area, we could check out the to-do-lists, rental owner requests and also resident requests. All the info can be arranged quickly with the help of the header switches of each listing. To include any kind of request, click ‘Add repeating job’, enter the needed info and afterwards develop the job by clicking on Create button. Order of business are very important for a smooth circulation of set up regular as well as timely payment and various other things. This section permits both parties to interact even more easily. Interaction is important in the deals as well as service stuff. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer program in residential property organisation field and also is regarded as the finest service to the frantic regimen of the home managers. Buildium sees to it that the managers do not obtain tired of their work and also have a positive experience while handling the clients as well as proprietors. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The male has always attempted to make the important things less complicated and also friendlier. This crave making things less complicated has actually always prompted male to think large and out of the box. The key to a whole great deal of newer inventions has been the never settling nature of the male. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making things basic, the computer is one the most advanced points took place to the humans. Computer systems have entirely altered the face of the world as well as have paced whatever which requires any kind of computations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Estate agency business, some years ago, was an exhausting company and also it’s difficult Buildium coupon number August 2018 to stay updated with all the tenants and the properties in the environments. There are computer programs which can be useful while taking care of all the properties and also controlling the estate service. There was large demand of trusted property management software to make the things easier. Exactly What isBuildium coupon number August 2018 ?? During the last decades, many efforts have been made to simplify the entire property service. Buildium Software is a result of such initiatives. Buildium Property Management Software is just one of one of the most encouraging property management software programs around. Buildium Property Management is American based software, founded by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is locateded in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a truly effective tool for a better administration of all the residential properties and also occupants. It offers a great deal of convenience to the individual and is actually practical. It offers the cloud-based as well as real estate software application solutions to the customers. Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was very basic as well as didn’t offer lots of attributes. Nowadays, it has a lot even more features and is a total guide to supply solutions to its individuals. Prior to the production of these software application, it was truly a migraine for the building managers to regulate numerous buildings and take care of numerous occupants. Property management software programs have truly made the life simpler. All these functions make Buildium as leading property management software. It is being made use of by a huge number of building managers. This attribute of Buildium enables the users to develop appealing as well as fascinating web sites making use of certain tools. Customers can create web sites according to their own will certainly with the help of Buildium. With the enhancing variety of residential or commercial properties, it ends up being difficult to keep the track of leases, financials, and all the various other things. With the aid of Buildium, an individual can understand which leases are going to expire in next 30 to 90 days. This unique function of Buildium enables both the building managers and the owners to develop a document of whatever. Comprehensive records could be made having details concerning financials, leases, and all other associated stuff. Record producing is vital to creating a smooth connection between two parties Buildium coupon number August 2018. It comes to be frantic for the residential or commercial property manager when the renters as well as proprietors, so as to get any information, get in touch with him continuously. Buildium is clever as well as gives the occupants with their very own user interface which allows them to obtain any type of relevant day from their own user interface. It really simplifies lots of things. All the features of Buildium are very unique and also offer the residential property managers and also proprietors with simplified options and also their own user interfaces. A shortcut bar exists at the bottom which allows the individuals to access the frequently utilized features like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a solitary touch. In this area, an individual can check out all the details regarding the residential or commercial property leases, renters, rental owners, listings etc. By clicking on any type of specific residential property, its pictures as well as all info could be seen. General ledger and all other economic info could be seen right here. Costs, payment status, and also other financial records could be recorded. For this purpose, we simply need to click on Record Bills then go into the needed info and also wait. In the tasks area, we can check out the to-do-lists, rental proprietor demands as well as resident demands. All the details can be sorted conveniently with the aid of the header buttons of each list. To include any type of demand, click ‘Add repeating job’, go into the called for info and after that produce the task by clicking on Create switch. Order of business are necessary for a smooth flow of scheduled regular and timely settlement as well as other points. This area permits both parties to connect more quickly. Communication is necessary in the deals as well as service things. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer program in building service field and is considered as the finest solution to the hectic routine of the residential property supervisors. Buildium sees to it that the supervisors don’t obtain tired of their work and have a positive experience while dealing with the customers and owners. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The male has actually constantly attempted to make the important things easier and friendlier. This crave making points much easier has actually constantly advised male to think huge and also from package. The key to a lot of newer creations has been the never ever working out nature of the male. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making things straightforward, the computer is one one of the most advanced things occurred to the human beings. Computers have actually totally altered the face of the world and have actually paced everything which calls for any type of estimations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Property company has actually constantly been just one of one of the most worried divisions of human beings. Each individual attempts to grab the building. Estate agency service, some years earlier, was a tedious service and also it’s challenging to stay updated with all the lessees and the homes in the surroundings. Some efforts have been made to make the points simpler. There are computer system programs which can be helpful while taking care of all the residential or commercial properties and managing the estate company. There was large requirement of trusted property management software to make the important things less complicated. Just What is Buildium Property Management Software ?? During the last decades, many several initiatives been made to simplify streamline whole entire residential or commercial propertyService Buildium Property Management Software is one of the most promising property management software programs out there. It is headquartered in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a really powerful device for a much better monitoring of all the residential or commercial properties and also tenants. Until 2008, Buildium Property Management software was really simple as well as didn’t supply many attributes. Nowadays, it has a whole lot more features as well as is a full overview to provide solutions to its customers. Before the creation of these software application, it was actually a headache for the home supervisors to regulate many residential or commercial properties as well as take care of many occupants. Property management software programs have actually really made the life much easier. This attribute of Buildium permits the customers to create attractive and fascinating websites utilizing specific devices. Users can develop web sites according to their own will with the help of Buildium. With the enhancing variety of residential properties, it becomes challenging to maintain the track of leases, financials, as well as all the other points. With the aid of Buildium, a user could recognize which leases are mosting likely to end in next 30 to 90 days. This one-of-a-kind feature of Buildium enables both the home managers as well as the proprietors to produce a document of whatever. Thorough reports could be made having details about financials, leases, and also all other relevant stuff. Report producing is crucial to creating a smooth relationship in between two events Buildium coupon number August 2018. It comes to be stressful for the building manager when the renters as well as owners, in order to get any info, get in touch with him continuously. Buildium is wise as well as supplies the occupants with their very own user interface which allows them to get any type of related date from their very own user interface. It truly simplifies lots of points. All the features of Buildium are very special and supply the home managers and owners with simplified remedies as well as their very own user interfaces. A shortcut bar exists at the bottom which permits the individuals to access the typically made use of functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a single touch. In this area, a customer can watch all the info regarding the residential or commercial property leases, tenants, rental owners, listings etc. By clicking any type of specific property, its pictures and all info could be watched. General journal as well as all various other monetary details can be watched below. Bills, repayment standing, and other economic records can be tape-recorded. For this objective, we just have to click Record Bills then go into the required information as well as wait. All the info can be sorted conveniently with the aid of the header buttons of each listing. To add any kind of demand, click on ‘Add reoccuring job’, get in the called for details and then develop the task by clicking on Create switch. This section permits both parties to communicate more easily. Communication is necessary in the bargains as well as service things. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software is the leading computer system program in property service area and also is considered the finest option to the frantic routine of the building supervisors. Buildium ensures that the supervisors don’t obtain tired of their job as well as have a pleasurable experience while dealing with the customers and also proprietors. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The male has actually constantly attempted to make the important things easier as well as friendlier. This crave making points less complicated has actually always urged male to think big and from the box. The secret to a lot of newer inventions has actually been the never ever working out nature of the man. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making points basic, the computer system is one the most advanced points happened to the humans. Computer systems have completely altered the face of the globe and have paced everything which requires any computations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Estate company organisation, some years earlier, was an exhausting business as well as it’s challenging Buildium coupon number August 2018 to stay upgraded with all the lessees as well as the homes in the surroundings. There are computer system programs which can be helpful while managing all the residential or commercial properties as well as controlling the estate service. There was sheer requirement of dependable property management software to make the things less complicated. During the last decades, many initiatives have actually been made to streamline the entire home service. Buildium Software is a result of such efforts. Buildium Property Management Software is just one of the most promising property management software programs available. Buildium Property Management is American based software application, started by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is locateded in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a truly effective device for a much better administration of all the buildings and lessees. It gives a great deal of ease to the individual and also is actually practical. It supplies the cloud-based and realty software application remedies to the individuals. Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was extremely simple and didn’t provide many functions. Before the production of these software programs, it was really a frustration for the property managers to control many residential properties and manage numerous occupants. All these functions make Buildium as leading property management software. It is being utilized by a huge number of home managers. This feature of Buildium allows the users to develop appealing and also remarkable internet sites making use of specific tools. Customers could create internet sites according to their very own will with the help of Buildium. With the boosting variety of homes, it becomes hard to keep the track of leases, financials, as well as all the various other points. With the aid of Buildium, a user can recognize which leases are going to end in next 30 to 90 days. This special feature of Buildium permits both the residential property supervisors and the proprietors to create a document of whatever. Thorough records could be made knowing regarding financials, leases, and all other relevant stuff. Report producing is essential to creating a smooth connection in between two celebrations Buildium coupon number August 2018. It becomes busy for the residential or commercial property manager when the renters and owners, in order to get any information, contact him continuously. Buildium is clever and provides the lessees with their own user interface which enables them to get any type of associated date from their very own interface. It actually streamlines several points. All the functions of Buildium are really unique and supply the property supervisors and proprietors with simplified options and also their very own user interfaces. A faster way bar exists at the base which permits the users to access the generally utilized functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a single touch. In this section, a user could watch all the info regarding the residential property leases, renters, rental owners, listings and so on. By clicking on any kind of certain residential or commercial property, its pictures and also all information could be viewed. General journal and also all various other economic information can be checked out right here. Bills, settlement status, and also various other economic reports can be taped. For this function, we just have to click Record Bills then get in the needed details as well as wait. In the jobs area, we could check out the to-do-lists, rental owner requests and resident demands. All the details can be arranged easily with the aid of the header switches of each listing. To include any kind of request, click ‘Add persisting job’, enter the called for info and after that develop the job by clicking on Create switch. Order of business are essential for a smooth flow of arranged regular and timely payment and various other points. This section permits both parties to connect more quickly. Communication is very important in the bargains and service stuff. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software is the leading computer system program in home business field as well as is considered the finest service to the stressful routine of the property managers. Buildium makes certain that the managers don’t obtain tired of their job as well as have a pleasurable experience while handling the customers as well as owners. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The man has actually constantly attempted to make the points much easier as well as friendlier. In the race of making things easy, the computer is one the most revolutionary things took place to the human beings. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Estate firm organisation, some years earlier, was a tedious service and also it’s challenging Buildium coupon number August 2018 to stay upgraded with all the tenants as well as the residential properties in the environments. There are computer programs which can be helpful while taking care of all the homes as well as managing the estate organisation. There was large need of dependable property management software to make the points less complicated. During the last years, numerous efforts have been made to simplify the entire residential or commercial property organisation. Buildium Software is a result of such efforts. Buildium Property Management Software is among the most appealing property management software programs out there. Buildium Property Management is American based software application, started by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is headquartered in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is an actually effective tool for a much better monitoring of all the buildings and tenants. It offers a great deal of ease to the individual and also is truly valuable. It provides the cloud-based and property software services to the individuals. Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was really straightforward and didn’t provide numerous features. Nowadays, it has a great deal more attributes as well as is a complete overview of use services to its users. Before the creation of these software application, it was actually a headache for the residential or commercial property managers to manage several homes and also handle numerous occupants. Property management software programs have actually truly made the life less complicated. This attribute of Buildium enables the users to produce appealing and also remarkable sites using specific tools. Customers can select a logo design, change the interface and use different themes to the internet site in order to provide the info to their clients. The far better the internet site, the much easier it is to supply optimal details at one location. Users can create internet sites according to their very own will certainly with the help of Buildium. With the raising number of residential properties, it comes to be difficult to maintain the track of leases, financials, as well as all the other points. With the aid of Buildium, a customer can know which leases are going to expire in next 30 to 90 days. This distinct function of Buildium permits both the home supervisors and also the proprietors to create a record of whatever. Comprehensive records could be made having info regarding financials, leases, and all various other relevant things. Record creating is essential to producing a smooth relation in between two celebrations Buildium coupon number August 2018. It becomes chaotic for the property supervisor when the tenants and proprietors, in order to obtain any kind of details, contact him consistently. Buildium is wise and provides the tenants with their very own user interface which enables them to obtain any kind of related date from their very own interface. It truly streamlines numerous things. All the attributes of Buildium are extremely special as well as offer the residential property supervisors and proprietors with streamlined remedies and also their own interfaces. A faster way bar exists at the base which permits the customers to access the frequently made use of features like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list and so on in a solitary touch. In this area, a user can view all the information concerning the residential property leases, tenants, rental proprietors, listings and so on. By clicking any particular building, its pictures as well as all info could be watched. General ledger and all various other economic details could be seen right here. Costs, settlement condition, and other monetary records could be taped. For this function, we simply have to click Record Bills then enter the needed information and conserve it. In the tasks area, we can see the to-do-lists, rental proprietor demands and also resident requests. All the details could be sorted quickly with the aid of the header buttons of each list. To add any demand, click on ‘Add reoccuring job’, get in the required info and afterwards develop the task by clicking on Create switch. To-do lists are very important for a smooth circulation of scheduled routine and also timely settlement and other things. This section enables both parties to communicate even more easily. Communication is very important in the deals as well as service stuff. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer program in residential or commercial property organisation area and is considered the finest solution to the stressful routine of the building managers. Buildium makes certain that the managers don’t obtain tired of their job as well as have an enjoyable experience while handling the clients and also owners. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The male has constantly attempted to make the points less complicated and friendlier. In the race of making things easy, the computer is one the most revolutionary things occurred to the human beings. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Building company has constantly been just one of one of the most concerned departments of human beings. Every other individual tries to order the property. Estate company business, some years back, was a strenuous business and it’s troublesome to stay upgraded with all the lessees and also the properties in the surroundings. Some efforts have actually been made to make the points easier. There are computer programs which can be convenient while taking care of all the residential properties and also managing the estate service. There was sheer demand of dependable property management software to earn the important things easier. During the last decades, many efforts have been made to simplify the entire property service. Buildium Software is an outcome of such efforts. Buildium Property Management Software is one of the most encouraging property management software programs available. Buildium Property Management is American based software program, started by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is headquartered in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a really effective tool for a better administration of all the homes and occupants. It offers a lot of convenience to the individual as well as is really helpful. It offers the cloud-based and real estate software program options to the users. Up till 2008, Buildium Property Management software was extremely basic as well as didn’t give lots of features. Before the development of these software application programs, it was actually a frustration for the residential property managers to manage several properties as well as manage numerous renters. This attribute of Buildium enables the customers to create appealing and also interesting websites utilizing certain tools. Users could produce websites according to their very own will certainly with the aid of Buildium. With the enhancing variety of buildings, it becomes challenging to keep the track of leases, financials, as well as all the other things. With the aid of Buildium, a user can recognize which leases are going to expire in next 30 to 90 days. This unique attribute of Buildium enables both the building managers and the owners to develop a record of every little thing. Detailed records could be made knowing about financials, leases, and also all other relevant things. Record creating is essential to developing a smooth relationship between 2 events Buildium coupon number August 2018. It ends up being busy for the residential property manager when the tenants and also proprietors, to get any info, call him consistently. Buildium is smart as well as gives the lessees with their very own interface which enables them to get any related date from their own user interface. It truly streamlines numerous things. All the functions of Buildium are extremely one-of-a-kind and supply the property managers and also owners with simplified solutions and also their very own user interfaces. A shortcut bar exists at the bottom which enables the customers to access the typically used features like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list etc. in a single touch. In this section, a customer can view all the details concerning the property leases, occupants, rental proprietors, listings etc. By clicking on any certain building, its images and also all info can be checked out. General journal and all various other monetary information could be checked out below. Bills, settlement condition, and also various other economic reports could be videotaped. For this function, we just have to click on Record Bills then enter the called for details and conserve it. All the info can be sorted easily with the aid of the header buttons of each list. To add any kind of demand, click on ‘Add repeating job’, enter the needed info as well as then develop the job by clicking on Create button. This section allows both parties to communicate more conveniently. Communication is important in the bargains as well as business things. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software program is the leading computer program in home company field as well as is considered as the finest service to the chaotic regimen of the home managers. Buildium makes certain that the supervisors don’t get tired of their job and have an enjoyable experience while dealing with the customers and also proprietors. Buildium coupon number August 2018 The man has constantly attempted to make things less complicated and friendlier. This crave making things much easier has actually always prompted man to think large as well as out of the box. The trick to a lot of more recent developments has been the never clearing up nature of the guy. Buildium coupon number August 2018 In the race of making points simple, the computer is one one of the most revolutionary points occurred to the humans. Computers have totally transformed the face of the globe and have actually paced every little thing which calls for any kind of calculations or logarithms. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Property company has always been just one of one of the most worried departments of humans. Each person attempts to grab the property. Estate agency organisation, some years back, was a tiring organisation as well as it’s troublesome to stay upgraded with all the renters and the buildings in the surroundings. Nevertheless, some initiatives have been made making the things simpler. There are computer programs which could be helpful while handling all the residential properties and also controlling the estate service. There was large demand of trustworthy property management software to make the points less complicated. During the last years, lots of efforts have actually been made to simplify the entire building business. Buildium Software is a result of such efforts. Buildium Property Management Software is just one of the most encouraging property management software application out there. Buildium Property Management is American based software, established by Michael Monteiro & Dimitris Georgakopoulos in 2004. It is headquartered in Houston … Buildium Property Management software is a truly powerful tool for a much better management of all the properties and also renters. It gives a lot of simplicity to the customer and is actually valuable. It provides the cloud-based and realty software solutions to the users. Until 2008, Buildium Property Management software was very basic and really did not offer numerous functions. Nowadays, it has a whole lot more features and also is a complete overview to supply remedies to its users. Before the development of these software program programs, it was truly a headache for the residential or commercial property supervisors to regulate lots of homes and take care of many renters. Property management software programs have actually truly made the life less complicated. All these features make Buildium as leading property management software. It is being used by a big number of home supervisors. This attribute of Buildium enables the customers to produce enticing as well as fascinating websites making use of specific tools. Individuals can create websites according to their own will with the help of Buildium. With the enhancing number of buildings, it comes to be challenging to maintain the track of leases, financials, and all the other things. With the help of Buildium, a customer could know which leases are going to expire in following 30 to 90 days. This unique function of Buildium permits both the residential property managers and also the proprietors to develop a record of whatever. Detailed records can be made knowing concerning financials, leases, as well as all various other related stuff. Record producing is critical to creating a smooth relation in between two celebrations Buildium coupon number August 2018. It ends up being frantic for the property manager when the tenants and proprietors, to get any kind of details, contact him continuously. Buildium is wise as well as offers the occupants with their own interface which enables them to obtain any type of relevant date from their very own interface. It really streamlines numerous things. All the attributes of Buildium are extremely special and provide the property managers and also proprietors with streamlined solutions as well as their very own interfaces. A shortcut bar exists near the bottom which allows the users to access the frequently utilized functions like Add Tenants, Move-in Owners, Record Bills, Add Contact Request, Add to-do-list etc. in a single touch. In this area, an individual could view all the info concerning the residential or commercial property leases, occupants, rental owners, listings etc. By clicking any type of certain residential property, its photos as well as all info can be seen. General journal and also all various other monetary details could be viewed here. Expenses, settlement standing, as well as other economic records could be tape-recorded. For this purpose, we simply need to click Record Bills after that get in the needed info and also conserve it. In the tasks section, we could view the to-do-lists, rental proprietor requests as well as resident requests. All the details can be arranged quickly with the help of the header buttons of each checklist. To add any request, click ‘Add persisting job’, get in the required details as well as after that develop the task by clicking on Create switch. Order of business are vital for a smooth flow of arranged routine and prompt repayment as well as various other things. This area allows both parties to interact more quickly. Communication is very important in the deals and also service things. Buildium coupon number August 2018 Buildium software application is the leading computer system program in residential or commercial property company area and is considered as the finest remedy to the stressful regimen of the residential property managers. Buildium ensures that the managers don’t get tired of their work and also have a positive experience while managing the customers as well as owners.

2019-04-20T19:04:02Z

https://www.thegalleriesdowntown.com/buildium-coupon-number-august-2018/

Journalists, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. Ward newsletter editors, please include in your newsletters parts of the first paragraph and mention that there are classes for everyone. Email me, if you need further information. Thanks. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 10 Jan 2009, from 9 am until noon IN THE EDGEWOOD/RIVERSIDE LDS CHAPEL, 3511 North 180 East, Provo, Utah. NOTE THE CHANGE IN LOCATION. This LDS chapel is within one mile of the old location and is behind the Jamestown shopping plaza on the east side of University Avenue in the "River Bottoms" part of Provo. You get to it by going on 3700 North east from University Avenue and then south on 180 East. See the map showing the new and old locations on our website given below. The main presentation will be by Michael Ritchey on THE FAMILYSEARCH WIKI: HOW IT CAN HELP NOW AND HOW IT WILL GROW THIS YEAR. The FamilySearch wiki at https://wiki.familysearch.org is a free website designed to allow the genealogical community to provide advice on the best strategies and records to use in finding ancestors. The site is free to everyone, but you must register to add or edit information. This community authoring approach enables the creation of objective advice, rapid revision and translation, and coverage of more places worldwide. In 2009 contributors will be working together on a series of "barn raisings" -- short, intensive community efforts to provide information regarding the best sources, methodologies, and strategies for doing genealogical research in a specific location such as a state in the U.S. or a county in England. This talk will preview what the barn raisings are and show some quick and easy ways you can contribute to this great worldwide project. Everyone is invited to log onto the Wiki and sample the types of information you can find there. Michael Ritchey is a former Family History Center Director in Provo, Ward Family History Consultant, and professional genealogist. He has worked for the Family History Department of the LDS Church since 2000 as a U.S. Reference Consultant at the Family History Library, as manager of the Research Support team, and most recently, as community and content coordinator of FamilySearch wiki on the Community Services team. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are: (1) Clearing Names for the Temple in 2009, by Duane Dudley; (2) Keeping Your PC Healthy, by Jerry Castillo; (3) Q&A on the Family Search Wiki, by Michael Ritchey; (4) Video of November's Main Presentation on WorldConnect at RootsWeb, by Gerhard Ruf; (5) Ancestral Quest 12.1, by Paul Johnson; (6) RootsMagic 3, by Bruce Buzbee; and (7) Legacy 7, by Dean Bennett. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Don Snow, 1st VP; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Beth Ann Wiseman, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Lynne Shumway, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD and Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, answer questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org and the press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. of events. Ward newsletter editors, please include in your newsletters parts of the first paragraph and mention that there are classes for everyone. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 8 Nov 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Gerhad Ruf on USING WORLDCONNECT AT ROOTSWEB FOR PUBLISHING AND BACKUP. The presentation will describe the advantages in using the WorldConnect database to publish your genealogical data online and to use it as a backup for that data. There are many options for controlling your data and these will be detailed in the presentation. Gerhard Ruf has worked with various aspects of computers and technology over the past 25 years and since 1995 he has served in the leadership of the Utah Valley PAF Users Group. He has been its President for many years. Gerhard has been presenting classes on genealogical software for at least 10 years and his topics have included many aspects of using computers and the Internet to enhance your family history research. He has spoken at local, regional, and national genealogical conferences and workshops, and is currently employed at MyFamily.com as a Community Operations Specialist at The Generations Network, the parent company of Ancestry, RootsWeb and other genealogical web sites. He develops and teaches classes to the staff on the application of genealogical principles. Gerhard was born in West Germany, grew up in Utah, and graduated from BYU with a degree in Physics. He and his wife, Deon, reside in Orem, Utah. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) Using Google in Genealogy, by Lila Sowards; (2) Free Look-Ups and Free Web Sites, by Laurie Castillo; (3) Q&A on Using WorldConnect by Gerhard Ruf; (4) Individual Mentoring, including a mini-class on using HeritageQuest Online, by Rae Lee Steinacker; (5) Video: (Last month's main presentation) A Practical Guide for Family History Consultants, by DearMYRTLE; (6) Legacy 7, by Joel Graham; (7) An Introduction to RootsMagic 4, by Sue Maxwell; and (8) Ancestral Quest 12, by Gaylon Findlay. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Lynne Shumway, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD & Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, answer questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org and the past press releases are at http://blog.uvpafug.org/. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 11 Oct 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by DearMYRTLE (Pat Richley) on A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR FAMILY HISTORY CONSULTANTS. The role of Family History Consultants is crucial to an active FH program in any ward and stake and especially during the much anticipated change-over to new FamilySearch. Many wonder what we can be doing while our long awaited "official" FH manual is still awaiting final signatures? Myrt offers suggestions to build interest among non-genealogists in wards, tackle organization challenges, teach correct research principles even for class participants with diverse ancestral backgrounds, and coordinate with other consultants in the ward and stake. DearMYRTLE is the nom de plume of Pat Richley, a retired post-secondary computer instructor. An active genea-blogger, Myrt is author of DearMYRTLE's Joy of Genealogy (2006), and The Everything Online Genealogy Book (2000), instructor at DearMYRTLE's Salt Lake Study Group, hostess of DearMYRTLE's Family History Hour and the Family History Expos genealogy podcasts, author of the Teach Genealogy Blog, and coordinator for UGG (The Union of Genealogy Groups in Second Life). She recently presented classes at BYU's 2008 Computerized Genealogy Conference, the National Genealogical Society, the Utah Genealogical Association 2008 Fall Conference and will serve as the dinner speaker at UGA's 2009 Salt Lake Institute. Myrt last presented at a Utah Valley PAF Users Group meeting in 2006, where she spoke about "Getting from the Index to the Original". Her website is www.DearMYRTLE.com. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) New FamilySearch, by John Blake; (2) Using WorldVitalRecords, by Robert Raymond; (3) Family Pursuit, by Michael Martineau; (4) Q & A: A Practical Guide for FHCons., by DearMyrtle; (5) Individual Mentoring in the FHC; (6) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay (author of AQ); (7) Legacy, by Dean Bennett; and (8) RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee (author of RM). The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 9 Aug 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Laurie Werner Castillo on FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH AT BYU: THE OTHER FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY. BYU's Harold B. Lee Library (HBLL) is a major university library with 5 levels of books, manuscript collections, periodicals, maps and gazetteers, photographs, and displays. Additionally, it provides an Interlibrary Loan service for patrons to see books from other libraries. The HBLL website contains a wealth of valuable digital collections with many items of interest to family historians. The family history section of the HBLL was recently designated as a Family History Library, so it is no longer a Family History Center, but a branch of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. This presentation will show some of the family history items available at the HBLL, as well as on its website. Laurie Werner Castillo is a mother and grandmother first, and then a professional genealogy researcher, speaker, and free-lance writer. She has served at the BYU Family History Center for many years as a Consultant, Teacher, and Family History Missionary Trainer. She has also served as a Ward Family History Consultant, Stake Family Records Extraction Coordinator, President of the Utah Valley Chapter of the Utah Genealogical Association, and Vice-President and Member of the Board of Directors of the Utah Genealogical Association. Currently, she serves with the Utah Valley PAF Users Group teaching many classes there. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) FamilySearch Indexing and RecordSearch, by Duane Dudley; (2) LDS Databases, by Pat Andrus; (3) Mentoring and a New England mini-class, by Becky Roberts and Lynne Shumway in the FHC; (4) Q&A on the BYU Family History Library, by Laurie Castillo; (5) Video of last month's main presentation on Digital Photography for Family History, by Marlo Schuldt; (6) Legacy 7, by Joel Graham; (7) RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee; and (8) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Lynne Shumway, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD & Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org. For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. Journalists, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. Ward newsletter editors, please include in your newsletters parts of the first paragraph and mention that there are classes for everyone. Email me if you need further information. Thanks. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 12 Jul 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Marlo Schuldt on DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN FAMILY HISTORY. He will discuss things to look for in buying a digital camera, including the lens and a digital card reader. He will also discuss using your camera including fill-in flashes in the shade, candid photos, creating natural frames, getting clear pictures, panoramas, optical vs digital zoom, indexing your photos with GPS coordinates, getting in the picture yourself, shooting both stills and video with your digital camera, and using your camera to photograph documents that are too big to scan. Marlo Schuldt is President of LifeStory Productions, Inc., an Orem, Utah based company that develops family history software and provides assistance to individuals desiring to gather, prepare, print and share family history. He earned both BS and MS degrees from Brigham Young University in Communications. Mr. Schuldt is married with five children and 12 grandchildren and recently received a patent on Heritage Collector Software - see http://heritagecollector.com/ . Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) PAF 5 - Advanced Search, Custom Lists, Global Search & Replace, by Duane Dudley; (2) Mentoring: (mini class on British Research), by Vivian Brown; (3) LDS Databases, by Pat Andrus; (4) Video of last month's main presentation: Self Publish the Easy and Free Way, by Matt Misbach; (5) Ancestral Quest 12, by Gaylon Findlay; (6) Exploring Legacy 7, by Joel Graham; and (7) RootsMagic 3, by Bruce Buzbee. President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 14 Jun 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Matt Misbach on SELF-PUBLISH THE EASY AND FREE WAY. With recent advancements in technology in the publishing industry self-publishing is easier than ever, and is gaining tremendous popularity. This presentation will show you how to self-publish your book for FREE. The process is simple enough that anyone can do it. Matt Misbach is President of Misbach Enterprises, a genealogy company specializing in charting and publishing for over 40 years. Matt has developed several genealogy software programs, designed numerous pedigree and descendant charts, and has published the following books: The Griffiths Story, Jacob Persinger, The Van Der Kemp Collection, Jacob the Indian, and Misbachs In Mongolia. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) Documenting Sources in PAF and New Family Search, by Duane Dudley; (2) Using Footnote and Other FamilySearch Affiliates in Family History Centers, by Robert Raymond; (3) Stuck? Tips for Getting Unstuck, by Laurie Castillo; (4) Q&A on Self-Publish the Easy and Free Way, by Matt Misbach; (5) Individual Mentoring (and mini-class on Using Census Records at Heritage Quest for Free), by Larine Mortensen and RaeLee Steinacker; (6) Video - newFamilySearch Synchronization with Ancestral Quest, Family Insight, and RootsMagic by Gaylon Findlay, John Vilburn, & Bruce Buzbee; (7) Legacy 7: Charting, by Dean Bennett; and (8) RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Eileen Phelps and Lynne Shumway, PAFology Editors; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill and Marie Andersen working with the DVD & Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org . For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. Journalists, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. Ward newsletter editors, please include in your newsletters parts of the first paragraph and mention that everyone is invited. Email me if you need further information. Thanks. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 10 May 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation this time will be NEW FAMILYSEARCH SYCHRONIZATION WITH ANCESTRAL QUEST (Gaylon Findlay), FAMILY INSIGHT (John Vilburn), AND ROOTSMAGIC (Bruce Buzbee) . These presenters are the primary authors of these programs and as such will be able to give us a really good overview of how their programs will work with New FamilySearch (NFS) which the LDS Church is releasing a few LDS Temple Districts at a time. It is presently in operation in over 50 of the more than 125 Temple Districts of the Church and will be in more, if not all, by the end of 2008. NFS is designed to fulfill President Gordon B. Hinckley's concern of how to make temple names submission simpler, while still avoiding duplication. It is a massive effort by the LDS Church and has been many years in the planning and programming. The LDS Church has encouraged private ventures to work on making their genealogy programs capable of synchronizing (communicating) with New FamilySearch. In the case of Family Insight (new name for PAF Insight), the program allows PAF (Personal Ancestral File) databases to communicate with New FamilySearch. This synchronization allows editing of New FamilySearch data, e.g. searching and combining names in NFS, as well as downloading data from NFS databases to update the patrons' personal genealogy database. These are programs that Gordon J. Clarke referred to in his presentation when he mentioned third-party products to work with New FamilySearch as he spoke to the Utah Valley PAF Users Group a few months ago. These presentations and questions and answers by the authors will take the entire time of this meeting, so there will be no classes this time. Other programs to synchronize with NFS besides these three will undoubtedly be announced later, but these are the first. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Lynne Shumway, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Eileen Phelps, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD & Video Library, will all be there. They will help with membership, questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org . For further information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. Journalists, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. Ward newsletter editors, this Sunday is General Conference, so most of you won't be having newsletters, but if you do, please include in them parts of the first paragraph and mention that there are classes for everyone. Email me if you need further information. Thanks. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 12 Apr 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Prof. Larry EchoHawk on SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS FROM KNOWING MY NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTORS. He will describe his journey in searching for his Native-American ancestors, preparing their names for temple ordinances, and gaining a deeper appreciation of his Native American heritage. All of this involved many avenues of research including the Internet and the Family History Library. His wife Terry is also an avid genealogist and helped with this research. There is a good article about Professor EchoHawk in Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_EchoHawk . He was born in Cody, Wyoming, raised in Farmington, New Mexico, and attended Brigham Young University on a football scholarship, then received his Juris Doctor degree in 1973 from the University of Utah. He practiced law in Salt Lake City and in 1977 became the General Legal Counsel for the Fort Hall, Idaho-based, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. He is a member of the Pawnee Tribe and was the first Native American elected to a constitutional statewide office, serving as Attorney General of Idaho from 1991 to 1995. Currently he is a Professor of Criminal Law at BYU's J Reuben Clark Law School and presides over the BYU 7th Stake. He resides in Orem with his wife, Terry, and they are the parents of 6 children with 20 grandchildren. On 7 Aug 2007 he gave the BYU Devotional talk about his conversion and his heritage and a copy of that talk is posted online at the Journal of Book of Mormon Studies at http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=jbms&id=435 . You can also listen to that devotional at http://ldsfiles.com/newforums/ldsfiles-com-talk-repository/4598-byu-devotional-unexpected-gift.html . Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) PAF5: Using Preferences, by Lila Sowards; (2) Using Google in Genealogy, by Duane Dudley; (3) Managing Genealogy Information Using PHPGedView (class 3 of 3), by John Finlay; (4) Q&A on his presentation by Larry EchoHawk; (5) Individual Mentoring by Pat Andrus & Claudia Benson (including a German Internet Research mini class); (6) Video of last month's main presentation on The Future of Family History Centers, by Don Anderson; (7) Legacy, by Joel Graham; (8) Ancestral Quest, by Gaylon Findlay; and (9) RootsMagic, by Bruce Buzbee. All meetings of the Users Group are open to the public whether members of the Group or not. The Users Group has the goal of helping individuals use technology to further their family history and there are usually 100-125 attending the monthly meetings on the second Saturdays. Several of the officers will be there, including Gerhard Ruf, President; Brian Cooper, 2nd VP; Lynne Shumway, PAFology Editor; Kay Baker and Gerry Eliason working with finances and membership; and Bruce Merrill, Eileen Phelps, and Marie Andersen, working with the DVD & Video Library. They will help with membership, questions, distribute the current issue of the monthly newsletter PAFology, and check out DVD's and videos of past presentations and classes to members of the group. Information about the Users Group, main presentations, classes, and class notes are available on the Group's website http://uvpafug.org and on their blog at http://blog.uvpafug.org/ . For additional information contact President Gerhard Ruf at pres@uvpafug.org (801-225-6106), VP1 Elder Don Snow at snowd@math.byu.edu, or VP2 Brian Cooper at vp2@uvpafug.org. Journalists, please run this as a news item and/or in your calendar of events. Ward newsletter editors, please include in your newsletters parts of the first paragraph and mention that there are classes for everyone. Call or email me if you need further information. Thanks. The next regular, second-Saturday-of-the-month meeting of the Utah Valley PAF (Personal Ancestral File) Users Group will be on Saturday, 8 Mar 2008, from 9 am until noon in the LDS "Red" Chapel at 4000 North Timpview Drive (650 East), in Provo. The main presentation will be by Don Anderson on THE FUTURE OF FAMILY HISTORY CENTERS. Will the number of FHC's stay the same or will there be fewer or more in the future? With all the microfilms digitized and online what will be the purpose of FHC's? Or will all the films be online? What about the ones the Church doesn't have the copyright permission to post? Will everyone have a computer at home and know how to use it? Will there be a "Computer Specialist" called in each ward to help those with no computers or computer expertise? Who will teach the Church members how to do genealogy research when their lines get past the easy-to-find names? Will the purpose of FHC's shift? These are some of the questions we hope to hear considered by our speaker, Don Anderson at this meeting. Don R. Anderson is the Director of the Worldwide Support Services Division of the Family and Church History Department of the LDS Church. In this role Don has responsibility to provide help to individuals searching for their ancestors using family history department software and services as well as support for family history centers and priesthood leaders worldwide. Prior to his employment with the Department, Don was the Vice-President of Operations in Technical Support Services for the Convergys Customer Management Group. Don studied Business Administration at Weber State University. He is married to the former Anne Russell and they are the parents of two boys. Following the main presentation there will be several classes taught concerning technology and family history. As usual, there will be something for everyone at all levels of expertise. The classes currently scheduled for this meeting are the following: (1) Searching for Completed Ordinances in the Internet IGI and in New FamilySearch, by Duane Dudley; (2) Internet Q & A, by Laurie Castillo; (3) Administering a PHPGedView Web Site, by John Finlay; (4) Individual Mentoring in the FHC by Claudia Benson and a mini-class there on Improve Your Census Searches, by Rae Lee Steinacker; (5) Q&A on the Future of FHC's, by Don Anderson; (6) Video of last month's main presentation on FamilySearch Web Services and 3rd Party Applications, by Gordon Clarke; (7) Legacy, by Joel Graham. There will be NO Ancestral Quest nor RootsMagic classes this month. You can request a PDF of the Presentation and related materials by email to: bj57barry@msn.com, subject line: Digital Photography. This will include about a 200 page document about photography and scanning. There is a combination between the two and we bring them together. The same principles I use in photography I also use in scanning. -Full rolls of film to expose before you can see any of the pictures. -Film expiration dates to worry about. -Necessity of protective film bags when passing through airport security. -You have to reload the film camera. -Take the exposed film to be developed. -Pick it up and hope you have the pictures you wanted. We all used film. I don’t know about you but my slide collection I am proud of it. Its in boxes and boxes. There is color film that you like and you try to bring the slide up to the light so you can see what you got. When you are trying to find that image of your four year old from 1974 and you have to go Umm, which of these slides is that. When you get down into film cameras there is still a need for them, my daughter still uses them, she is an art major. She still uses slides quite heavily in presenting portfolios. In all candor I haven’t used a $1,500 film camera in about 10 years. I extensively use my digital camera when working with it. -Record and store photos on some sort of removable media card. -Allows you to shoot numerous photos. -Easily download them to a computer. -Clear the card to be used again. -You can look at the picture as soon as you snap. -Decide whether it’s good enough to keep. -If not, you can retake them; before you leave the library or cemetery. -Create opportunities for example, visit relatives and have them pull out their old photo albums and take photos of them on the spot. When you think about digital images you can use it in all light conditions. You can take that image and put it in a photo editor, i.e. PhotoShop Elements or whatever you choose to use. I can take what would be normally a very horrible picture with film and I can pop it up, brighten it up. I can do all kinds of things. It is the most forgiving form of media. -Selling for $350 to $500. -Automatic and manual exposure controls or scenes. -Ability to shoot multiple formats. (JPEG, TIFF, RAW). -Lens cover that closes automatically when the camera is turned off. -4” or closer macro resolution and quality controls. -Minimum 3X zoom on playback. Today when you are looking for a camera this is not a big deal. When you start looking at them off the shelf they are 10 megapixels. For those of you with an existing digital camera, .that want to use it for genealogy it’s really, really critical that you have at least a four megapixel camera. The real short reason you are going to need for when you start to use a camera for documents. When I go to a library and I come across a book I want, it’s 200 or 300 pages of something that I want, i.e. a family history or something of that nature, rather than photocopying it I will take a photo of it. When I have that image up on my screen if I have less than a four megapixel and I start to enlarge that I loose the image. Where if I have a four megapixel and above I really get down into detail. There has been times when I photocopy the document and I got have my magnifying glass out trying to figure out if that is an “A, B or a C”, what is that? When I bring that image up on a screen I can blow that image up to the point that there is no question in my mind that it’s a C or a B. I can blow that image up to 4 or 5 or a 1000 percent larger than what it is. Sometimes you need to do that depending on what you gather. As far a costs of cameras you can get real exotic, you can get into $400-$500. My camera that I brought with me today I spent $800 on it four years ago. Today you can buy that same camera for $50 to $100 on the used market. It’s a great camera and it is still a great camera. If you are looking to find that kind of a camera to do the extra work with. On of the things that will be critical for going genealogy work is a one that allows you to screw on a lens. I also have the ability to zoom something else into it, I can put a barrel on the front of it and then put on a slide adapter. I can get better images taking photo of slides this way than I can using my scanner. I can do 100 slides in about an hour. With your scanner you can’t do that. 1. Best quality for master copy. 2. Image format is a commonly readable file that is recognized by nearly every image-editing program. 3. Some cameras allow you to save the data as .tif files which are much larger than .jpg files and require more storage space. 4. These files require more time to open or save. 1. Smallest files size for email and websites. 2. Higher quality JPEG format is usually good. 3. This file format compresses the actual data from your camera records and reduces the file size, without a noticeable change in image quality. In my camera I have the ability to define whether if it is a TIFF or multiple levels of a JPEG, a low end, a middle end, or a high end JPEG. There are sometimes that I want a TIFF image. Often times when I am doing scanning for archival purposes, i.e. photo or those types of materials, I will scan it at TIFF at 400dpi. The bottom line is that the TIFF is like your original negative. If you think about the original negative you had with your film or can do multiple versions off that and no degradation. If you take the picture and start making copies off that picture it is not the same. There is always a little bit of differentiations off like taking a photocopy of a photocopy. The TIFF is jam packing all that information that you have into that picture. When you blow up an image you can start to see the depth into an apple. That’s why you need the megapixel so you can get the crispness of the image. TIFF (*.tif) 8 x10 Photo – 18,620 KB (18.6 Meg) 54 times larger than JPEG version. When I started doing scanning I was really concerned about my hard drive space. My hard drive space was 25 megabytes. The first computer I bought was a Macintosh in 1981, I paid for 5 megabytes $3,500. 5 Megs is a JPEG image. Today buying hard drives is not bad. I have a terabyte of disk space at home that is a thousand gigabytes. I am not afraid of disk space you are spending about $1.00 or less a gigabyte now. One of the better places I have found to shop is PC Club in Orem. I like PC Club very simply because its high end hardware and their support and management make it great to deal with. In your camera is you will just make sure that you are on the high end JPEG, if you have the option to choose between JPEG or TIF the high end JPEG will work for you in 95% of the cases. Once in a while when I am working with slides and doing copy legwork and I come across one that is really, really important to me I cherish it and it’s really critical I will take a TIF image of that slide. That is how I make my choices in that area. Your camera will connect to the computer by a cable special docking station. Docking stations are usually proprietary and only work with a camera make and model. Requires the memory card to be removed from the camera and places in the card reader that connects to your computer. Card readers are available for each type of memory (storage) card or stick. As far as your camera and your computer we all have issues with docking. I just plug a cord into my camera and download. One of the secrets when you start working with images is it is important to make sure before you start downloading to make sure your batteries don’t run out – otherwise you will loose all your images. It’s really, really critical when you are starting to do work that you have that extra set of batteries. It’s a beautiful photograph but do you know WHY it’s beautiful? Before we get into the heart and soul of using the camera in genealogy there is this whole concept of composition. I remember when I was taking photography from my teacher back in college. Rick Knight from Knight Photography in Orem was my professor. I learned a lot from Rick. When we first got into cameras he said it was all about composition. I asked when are we going to take pictures? After I got into that I realized the importance of composition. What makes a picture look good? What makes it important? It’s the common force we go do genealogy work we find the land that our ancestors lived on, what do we do, we jump out of the car we stand at the fence line and we take a picture of the land. We are feeling it. When we bring it home we put it in a family history book and we say, just look at the land, and they turn page. Why, because it is not interesting. When we think about composition it’s all about the ability to think about what you are doing. The principles I am talking about right now, whether you are doing a simple page in a book or microfilm these principles hold true and some level. The first issue is to get close. I can’t tell you how important that is. When you see the Japanese groups on vacation as you travel around what do they all do? Whatever object they might be, if it is a statue we all have to stand in front of it and take a picture. We I see them coming I stand aside because I am going to have to take 25 pictures with different cameras of them standing in front of a palm tree. What happens is they stand right in front of the picture and they stand up tall. How many of you have pictures like that. It’s like the grand canyon beautiful picture I’m at the grand canyon take my picture of me standing in front of the grand canyon. Well where is the grand canyon – well I’m in the middle of it. If you want me then get close. The whole idea is get close up on it. If you think about the face of a jaguar, the face of the monkey or even the coins, getting up close there is a different feel and excitement that comes with it. When we think about close we think about faces. There is the whole idea about getting up to close to faces that we are going to miss the hair. Me I don’t care if they get up close there is nothing on the side or the top that I care about. It’s a beautiful photograph, but do you know WHY it’s beautiful? This is the most important principle I want you to understand. -The rule of thirds is a guideline for when you have vertical and horizontal lines in your image. -the “Golden Mean” says that the main subject of an image should be placed at the interesting points. Just remember tick-tack-toe – divides the screen up in thirds either horizontally or vertically. Then we have the junction points, the target or the bull’s eye. When you are thinking about a picture you say – I like those pictures. The land is on the lower third, the sky is on the upper third, when you learn to work with that it will make a large difference. There is something about the image and where it sits on the page that makes all the difference in how something feels and looks with that. -By placing objects in your composition along strong diagonal lines that create a triangle, you’ll add strength to your image. -Another way to use triangles is to draw a line diagonally from one corner to the other of your frame, then draw another line in from either of the remaining corners so that it meets your first line at a 90 degree angle. Simple rules of composition will help you in doing genealogy photography into absolute magic. If you are taking photos of grandfather’s home or your doing your scanning you are doing the same principles. When I am taking pictures I will actually frame the shot with my hands to see what is a good picture. On my ancestors land I framed the picture with a tree and fence post. You can still see the land but it gives it more interest. When you are working with open land if you have the ability to frame at any level do that or at least take one picture of it framed and then open and when you get back home you can make the choice of what you like and what you don’t like. -Roads and footpaths are a great way to use leading lines to your advantage and draw your viewer into your photograph. You are getting lower to the space, whether a face line, road or space, and your letting the line lead your eyes. I could stand up and take a picture of the road or I could crotch down just a little bit and let the road lead my eyes. You can see how the railroad tracks or a path how that works to help out. -The circle (breaks the Golden Mean) can be used effectively when composing a photograph, if the subject is right. -“The Circle” is a tricky element to use in photography effectively, but when done well, makes for an outstanding photograph. This is really a fantastic shot – the moody lighting adds a gritty, realistic feel. One of the toughest things to photograph is circles. How do you work with a circle? I finally decided the best way to work with a circle is straight on. If find if I am dead on center on top that seems to make it just a little bit easier to work with. This comes into play when you are working with artifacts, i.e. a cosmetic case or watch face. -This is a way to use repetition of form and shape in an image to create interest. One place that is really, really fun is the cemeteries; you will get a rhythm to the headstones. One of the common rhythms we will see with the headstone is like with Arlington Cemetery. I often find that when we are doing family history you find a rhythm in the fence line that is in front of the ancestor’s home. You find a rhythm in the trees near the home. There is a sense of feel that comes with them. -Negative space is a term used in photography that implies only a tiny fraction of the frame is taken up by the actual subject. -Negative space is usually used to make the subject seem very small, or to give the impression of the subject being in a wide-open space. So you don’t have a tree your family is from Nebraska. When I was doing some genealogy work in Otis, Kansas, it is smack in the middle of that state and the closes Wal-Mart is a 150 miles away. There weren’t any trees. One of the things you can use is negative space. You are putting off in the picture one element to one side of the frame. If you are using negative space, one way is to have that element point towards where you want the eyes to go. In the materials I will send to you is a list of what to take with you on a genealogy trip, to the extra battery, film or cards. When I am out doing genealogy on the road for about 2-3 weeks plus and every day is a rush to get something done I was taking 3-4,000 pictures a day. Especially when you are in a library setting and you’ve got a lot of books. There is only one book in the archive and need to get it. When I am doing really heavy work and a JPEG is a meg and half in size I will take a gig or two gigs or four gig backup. In my camera bag I may take up to 10 gigs of cards. Why do I have so many gigs, well over a period of time I didn’t bring enough gig with me and I happened to collect them along the way. He shows a chart of how many pictures you can take per megapixels. 4MP will fit 724-800 images on a 1GB memory card. 5MP – 565-625 images, 6MP – 452-500 images, 8MP 301-333. You are probably saying 8MP that has to be good, yes, but you don’t need it all. 5MP is just fine, it is not really necessary to go much beyond that. -Be prepared. Gather everything you’ll need, such as a tripod; extra batteries, and any props you’ll use. -Hold your camera steady. Camera movement causes most of the blurry pictures you see. -Get closer. Try to get within two to four feet of your subject. Ideal photo composition is 90% subject and 10% background. -Cut the clutter. Nothing ruins a photo like stray objects that detract form your composition. When I went to Otis, Kansas there was a Lutheran cemetery and a Methodist cemetery. I had family in both cemeteries. I got through the Lutheran but my batteries died before I got to the Methodists. Talk about a mad side of the family. It took me three years before I was able to go back and finish the photography work in that cemetery. A camera battery literally was and 1 ½ drive to the nearest Wal-Mart. Holding your camera steady a simple trick that will save you a lot of effort in jittery pictures, in some cameras it may take a second or two before it clicks and takes the picture and it’s jittery. It’s especially true in low light. If you don’t have a tripod then use palm of your hand. Put the camera on the face of your hand and that becomes your tripod. Before you take the picture either breathe out or breathe in and just hold it. That will make you steady now. If your fortunate to have a tripod that’s great too. The idea about clutter, there is people and bushes and all types of things behind your image. The cleaner you can make your image the better off you are. I remember in the photo lab spending to much time trying to get the things out that I didn’t want. If you can do that before you ever get to your editing software you can make images clean and it will save you a lot of work. -Don’t say cheese. Sometimes you want a perfectly posed picture, such as a portrait of the kids with their grandparents. -Avoid the bull’s-eye effect. There’s nothing wrong with placing your subject in the exact center of the frame, but there’s nothing particularly interesting about it either. People don’t always have to be smiling. Sometimes I will sit back at family reunions over in the corner looking for people and faces. I’ve got pictures where we all stand in a row and say cheese. But I have also found like in the girl, a simple face that is just as good too. The famous picture of the granddaughter sitting on the couch, I get tired of seeing the lower portion. Get closer in on the person. You can take a larger picture but then in your editing software you can get in closer. There are many times when I have been scanning that I have gotten 3 or 4 pictures out of one image. I’ve done a save as and then cropped portions out and I’ve been able to make these multiple images that are important to me. -For best results, mount your camera on a tripod. -Mount your adapter to the camera. -Place the camera in front of light source that will provide constant steady light. -Insert memory card. Suggest 256 meg or higher. -Insert the first slide/film and click the shutter button. -If you are unable to secure an adapter for your camera: Strongly suggest using scanner equipped for slides and film. Provides desired tools to photograph documents indoors. I will use PhotoShop in-a-box when I am in a library with very dark scenarios. You will see that the lights are on the side. Libraries will allow me in about 80% of the times to set up the box with the lights on the side and the book on the bottom and they will let me start taking pictures. When I am taking pictures of slides I will face the light and let it come in as I take the picture. Not only does it have a slide attachment it will also let you take the microfilm with all your family on it. If you have ever used the scanners at the FHL trying to scan about 400-500 images and just about the time you get going someone’s tapping you on the shoulder – my turn. The images aren’t that great. I have just ordered the films to my local FHC, taken the attachment, slide it along and take a picture of it. It’s a full image like if I had it printed. On those microfilms I have been able to take about 100-200 pictures and put them on CDs and sharing them out with the family to help with the indexing of them. Not everyone has to go to the FHC anymore. I don’t have to worry about the copier being down or giving me bad images. There is also a picture mount that comes with it so I can put the colored film through it. For all those items, it’s a simple tool, it cost me about $100 for the barrel, about $100 PhotoShop in-a-box. It has saved me hundred of hours if not thousands of dollars in effort. -Other places where documents and pictures are. -Land and buildings where family members once lived, worked or worshipped. -Many outdoor shots are of historical consequences, but not of genealogical substance. Why do I use my digital camera versus photocopying? When I first started using it was simply about time. I was at the state library in Kansas and the photocopier went down. I am back the next day and sorry he won’t be here to fix it until Tuesday. I had a plan that leaves in five hours and I’ve already spent a $1,000 to get here so I am going to use my camera. I went through the books. All of a sudden I found when I got home that magic had happened. The images I had were better than the photocopies. Even if they were dark I could take them in my photo editing software and just do auto correct and take a yellow page and turn it bright white. All those types of things became very clear. -Use flash less than 10% of the time. --Natural lighting (e.g., near a window). --Light stands with diffusion screen and lights. --Self-contained photo studio includes: tripod, diffusion lights and screen, and copy stand. -Shooting documents with flash indoors usually creates a “Hot Spot” caused by using flash too close. -When you have no choice but a flash; use it sparingly like in a group setting or for a gravestone that is in shaded area. -Many libraries and research facilities prohibit flash photography. -Come prepared to shoot without flash. The first problem you will always face is lighting. He shows examples of cemetery headstones in morning sun, mid-day sun, sunset and an overcast day. The best light outdoors for cemeteries in an overcast day. In the information he will send to you is a whole section on how to work with headstones. Simple ticks on using a water bottle and spraying the face you want to cover on a white stone. It will darken it up enough to give you a darker image. -Mount your camera on its stand, in shooting postion. -Use a white sheet of paper, or the white painted cookie sheet. --Set the pre-set white balance on your camera. --Choose auto white balance if your camera doesn’t have a pre-set option. -Place your document in position and anchor it with magnets. -Select the camera’s macro mode if necessary. Take a new cookie sheet and on the back cover it with white contact paper. Use magnets the best are the ones you get from the insurance guys and cut them up into strips. It’s a nice way to get a clean flat surface to take you photos. -Zoom in so document is properly framed. -Make sure the focus is clear and sharp. -Set the camera’s self-timer, and press the shutter. -View the picture on the LCD; zoom in and check for the proper focus, and exposure (brightness and contrast). Can you easily read the text? -If the focus and/or exposure are incorrect, make the camera corrections, and re-shoot the document. Books can be a problem, because the pages seldom lay completely flat when the book is opened to a normal reading position. -Shoot book pages with the cover held up at the 80-degree angle. -Rotate the book so spine is facing the back of the copy stand. -Open the book to the first page you want to shoot. --Make sure there are no shadows falling on the page. --Hold the front, or back cover and the pages preceding the one you are shooting. In one of my trips I came across a clue that said that there was a women that donated some documents to the library of Virginia. I kept trying to call this archive for multiple days saying I don’t have time to come out but would you please photocopy them. I finally got a hold of him and he said Mr. Ewell we can’t do that for you. Guys money isn’t the issue I don’t have time to come out, I’ve been in the field 10 days and my plane goes back tomorrow. Barry you don’t understand there are a hundred volumes here. I said I will be right up. Thinking that I still have a 6 hour drive to the airport and the things I need to do. I drive back up the other way. When I get there I see these volumes and something magically happens. I set up my items there and I am taking photos. My wife was going to come in and we were going to spend a few days together and I’m saying I can’t leave I gotta get this stuff. Her plane lands and I am still four hours out from Washington. She calls and says sweetheart I am looking for you. I’m here. Where? In Virginia, four hours away. I said I would be right there but ½ an hour later I am still taking pictures. As I left the University there’s a strong spirit that says this is why I sent you to Virginia. I realized that the work is just more than photos but it was capturing the work that would be done for this women that had spent 25 years capturing pictures and documentation. This was a live, live document. I made that decision on the way to pick my wife up that I would extend my trip for an extra 2 ½ weeks. I came back to the University about a week later and set up for four days just taking these 100 volumes of information. There was this whole idea if I going, am I only capturing my own family? That is the beauty of the camera you can capture a lot more than just what you are looking for. It’s frustrating to think that you have a photocopy of something and then it says refer back to page 452. Not good if you only have page 453. -Set the timer and press the shutter button halfway down and hold in position for a few seconds to give the camera time to adjust the automatic focus and exposure settings. -Check to make sure the focus is correct before pressing the button all the way down so the timer releases the shutter. -Before photographing the next pages, place the opposite cover down on the table. What is nice about the camera is that I can capture two pages at a time. If I need to split the pages I can do it in my photo editing software. If I take pictures right side up or upside down I don’t care I can turn it in the software. Even if my image is crooked I can set it up in the imaging software. Digital photography without the digital editing software is kinda hard to work with. -Slide the book back into position so that it is under the camera, with the spine of the book next to the stands. Note: if the page is upside down, that’s ok. You can fix that during your editing. -Repeat for each page, turning the book around each time. -Need to turn into a Word Text File to use in family history, website, etc. -Naturally speaking (Speaking and Editing) 2 Min 23 Sec. -Data Entry into Word (Typing and Editing) 6 min 45 Sec. I went down to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and in the index I found 75 histories of both sides of my family. I am taking 500 pictures and we say I would like to get that in a text format. Well, I don’t want to be typing 500 pages again. What I do have is a digital recorder and I use a software, Dragon Naturally Speaking, I can speak into the headset and it will type it automatically for me. I spent 10 hours over a period of weeks and I had a transcript that I read into the digital recorder. I put it into the jacket and I synced it up into the software in about and hours time I had 400 pages of script that I never had to put my fingers on. You give commands to the software so it knows what to do with it. For me it’s about 98% correct. -Set up your stand, and adjust your camera. -Adjust the camera and take photos. I was in one of the libraries and I came across this map 18” x 24” and I had my camera up. I wasn’t able to get the whole document so I got up a little higher on the chair. Next thing you know I am standing on the table. I look down and there is a librarian looking up. What are you doing? I’m sorry, I got down and I said I got to work this out. This isn’t going to work. -Rotate the book/paper as needed. Like most genealogist it is exciting to gather but it might be a few months or years before we are able to get back to the materials we gathered. When I am able to take this document and reassemble it I know how it fits together. It makes it really simply to work with. -Photos are tucked away in trunk, glued in albums, etc. -Access to the photos requires owner to be there with you. -Sometimes photos are already in book or magazine. -Photographs are captured best with scanner. -When scanner is not available, digital camera is next best thing. -Tintypes and sepia toned portraits. -Cut out from/printed in newspaper. I had that opportunity to sit in at an aunt’s home and scan photos. I was there all day and I only had one day to do it. As the day was drawing near I didn’t have time to finish the scanning. I made sure I did all the photographs but then when it came to paper documents I used my camera. Sometimes that is all that you have the ability to work with. You found that photo in a library and that’s the only image you have seen available. That camera is going to give you the ability to bring home and you are going to have that picture of that relative, it’s not going to be a photocopy, it’s going to be a good solid image. With a few little tricks you can make it almost as good as the original. -Mount your camera on it’s stand, in shooting position. -Use a white sheet of paper/copy stand. -Place your photo in position and anchor it with magnets if desired. -Zoom in so photo is properly framed. -Make sure the focus is clear and sharp. Set the camera’s self-timer, and press the shutter. -View the picture on the LCD; zoom in, check for the proper focus, exposure (brightness and contrast). --Make sure you don’t see any reflections, hot spots, etc. -Hold the camera up next to the lens. Or place your camera on a tripod located in front of the reader screen. -Place a white paper (or other color) on the read surface as the target area for shooting. -Adjust the camera/tripod position so the information you want to copy fills the LCD frame, not the viewfinder. -Focus and or set the macro mode if necessary. This will depend on your camera model and how far away it is from the microfilm reader. -Make sure the flash is turned off. Set the camera’s self-timer if needed. -Gently press the shutter button halfway to lock the exposure and focus. -Press the button completely down. If using the tripod; move away from the camera and wait for the self-time to trip the shutter. -Take several shots. Consider using the “best shot selection” and/or auto bracketing your shots if your camera has these features or manual bracketing if it doesn’t. -Take close “tight” photos of your subject. Make picture-taking a part of your everyday life with children. Children are always climbing, building, exploring, and trying out new things. -Lets kids record their world. -Consider the direction the building is facing. Take a sequence of pictures that convey the main point of the project – tearing down a wall, digging a hole, showing a horse, taking a trip, walking in the steps of ancestors. Include all the steps. -Start with a “before” shot. -Take photos of the cemetery entrance, sign, book of records, and church. -Large headstones need a close-up of inscriptions. -Family grave plots need group and individual photos of each headstone. -Consider taking photos of all headstones in small community cemetery. -Look at the base, top, sides, and back of headstones. -Take the time to clear grass and other foliage away from inscription. -Use a little chalk for the hard to read old headstones. -Tilt your camera to the angle of the headstones. -Black and gray polished marble shoot at angle. -Try using flash on shady headstones on cloudy days. -Try soft brush or natural sponge and water to remove surface soil. -Never use hard objects or stiff brushes to clean the stone. -Removing lichens with sharp objects most often destroys surface. -Map of the cemetery with stones numbered. --When photographed (time, date, and frame number). In closing: The same principles I talked about with using the camera apply to the scanner. He showed how he was able to use his imaging software to clean up some photos. This presentation is available on DVDs #132 for UVPAFUG members to borrow or purchase.

2019-04-26T14:34:17Z

http://blog.uvtagg.org/2008/

It is with great gratitude and admiration that we celebrate the 2017 Jury Members. This year we were fortunate to have 54 individual Jury Members across 15 countries, divided into teams of three or four, dedicated to each of our 14 categories. Without their commitment, expertise, and enthusiasm for design, our program would not be possible. Lola Sheppard received her B.Arch from McGill University and M.Arch from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo. Together with Mason White, she founded Lateral Office in 2003. Lateral Office is an architecture practice that operates at the intersection of architecture, landscape, and urbanism. The studio describes its practice process as a commitment to design as a research vehicle to pose and respond to complex, urgent questions in the built environment, engaging in the wider context and climate of a project– social, ecological, or political. Lateral Office have been pursuing research and design work on the role of architecture in remote regions, particularly the North, for the past seven years. Lateral’s work tests the potential for architecture and infrastructure to be culturally responsive, geographically scalable, environmentally adaptable, and multi-purpose in its programmability. The office’s work has been exhibited and lectured extensively across the USA, Canada and Europe. Lateral Office was awarded a Special Mention at the 2014 Venice Biennale for Architecture, a PA award in 2013 and the Holcim Gold for Sustainable Construction for North America, for their project Arctic Food Network. They received the Emerging Voices from the Architectural League of New York in 2011, and the 2010 Professional Prix de Rome from the Canada Council for the Arts. Lateral Office are the authors of the upcoming book Many Norths: Spatial Practice in a Polar Territory (Actar 2017) and of Pamphlet Architecture 30, COUPLING: Strategies for Infrastructural Opportunism, published by Princeton Architectural Press (2011). Sheppard and White are also co-editors of the journal Bracket. Eva Franch is a New York based architect, curator, educator and lecturer of experimental forms of art and architectural practice. In 2004, she founded her solo practice OOAA (Office of Architectural Affairs) and since 2010 is the Chief Curator and Executive Director of Storefront for Art and Architecture in New York. Franch specializes in the making of alternative architecture histories and futures. Franch has lectured internationally on art, architecture, and the importance of alternative practices in the construction and understanding of public life at educational and cultural institutions including the Royal college of Art and the Architecture Association in London, Arts Club of Chicago, Cooper Union in New York, Hong Kong University, IAAC in Barcelona, Izolatsia in Kiev, Kuwait University, SVA in New York, San Francisco Art Institute, Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam, University of Manitoba, UT Sidney, Oslo School of Architecture, Princeton University, SCI-Arc in Los Angeles , and Yale University among others. In 2014 Franch, with the project OfficeUS, was selected by the US State Department to represent the United States Pavilion at the XIV Venice Architecture Biennale. Franch has taught at Columbia University GSAPP, the IUAV University of Venice, SUNY Buffalo, and Rice University School of Architecture. Recent publications by Franch include Agenda (Lars Muller, 2014) and Atlas (Lars Muller, 2015) both as part of OfficeUS. An upcoming publication, the OfficeUS Manual will be published in 2017. 5468796 architecture is a Winnipeg-based studio established in 2007 by Johanna Hurme and Sasa Radulovic and joined shorty by the third partner Colin Neufeld. In the past [nearly] ten years the firm has achieved national and international recognition and its work has been published in over 200 books and publications. Project specific awards include Progressive Architecture Awards; Awards for Emerging Architecture & Future Project Award from from Architectural Review; Governor General Medals in Architecture and Awards of Excellence from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, as well as recognition as a finalist of IIT’s emerging MCHAP award on two consecutive years, to name a few. Firm recognitions include the 2014 Rice Design Alliance Spotlight Award, the RAIC Emerging Architectural Practice Award, WAN 21 for 21, as well as the Architectural League of NY Emerging Voices lecture series and the Design Vanguard issue of Architectural Record. 5468796 makes design advocacy an ongoing pursuit through critical practice, professorships at the Universities of Manitoba, Toronto and Montreal; and through numerous public engagements. In 2012 5468796 represented Canada at the Venice Biennale in Architecture and in 2013 they were selected as recipient of the 2013 Prix de Rome Award in Architecture for Canada by the Canada Council for the Arts. In addition to practice Johanna + Sasa are activists and advocates. They are passionate about making architecture an integral part of broader culture by spearheading ventures like Table for 12 + 1200, Chair Your Idea and Design Quarter Winnipeg. Sasa is a member of the University of Manitoba Partner’s Program Executive Board and currently serves on the Presidential Advisory Committee for the selection of the Dean at the University of Manitoba. Sheila Kennedy is an American architect, innovator and educator. She is a founding Principal of KVA Matx, an interdisciplinary practice that designs architecture, urbanism and resilient infrastructure for emerging public needs www.kvarch.net. Designated as one of Fast Company’s emerging Masters of Design, Kennedy is described as an “insightful and original thinker who is designing new ways of working, learning, leading and innovating”. Kennedy is the 2015 recipient of the Rupp Prize, the 2014 Design Innovator Award and is the 2016 recipient with SELCO India of an Inventing Green grant from the Lemulson Foundation. Kennedy is Professor of the Practice of Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Kennedy directs KVA’s material research division MATx which works with industry leaders, universities and public agencies to explore new applications for natural and emerging materials. Kennedy’s work focuses on the design of public space and next generation resilient infrastructure in networked cities and urbanizing regions. MATx has developed designs for Dupont, Siemens, Osram, Herman Miller, 3M, The North Face, the United States Department of Energy, Volkswagen “Think Blue” and the green Electrical Utility Company of Portugal in Brazil. The KVA MATx Portable Light Project, a non-profit global initiative to create energy harvesting textiles in the developing world has been recognized with a 2012 Energy Globe Award, a 2009 US Congressional Recognition Award, the 2009 and 2012 Energy Globe Awards and a 2008 Tech Museum Laureate Award for technology that benefits humanity. Thomas O'Connor is an awarded Industrial Design consultant who thrives at the intersection of business, technology and user-centered design. He began consulting for PDT in 2010 where he's led multi-disciplinary teams ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. PDT is a Chicago based product development consultancy specializing in fast moving, regulated and complex industries ranging from medical devices, aerospace, consumer electronics, laboratory equipment and tactical communication devices. Thomas has consulted for clients including AbbVie, Hospira, Smiths Medical, Harris, Thermofisher, Siemens, Bosch, 3M, Weber, McDonalds and Intel. Most recently Thomas spent 4 months working in Shanghai as a consultant for Sinowell. Thomas led research and product development to help bring innovation to the commercial horticulture and hydroponics industry. Sinowell is a manufacturer and wholesaler of horticulture and hydroponics equipment. Thomas is active in the Chicago start-up community, serves as a judge in Chicago's Tech Week Launch Competition and is an Industrial Design mentor at University of Illinois at Chicago. Thomas grew up in the Motor City and received his BFA in Industrial Design from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Aimee Franco is an independent design consultant based in Brooklyn, NY. She studied industrial design at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan and currently works on projects that span the physical and digital product realms. Passionate about designing for impact, Aimee has spent most of her career working in the healthcare space. Early on, she worked with Fortune 500 medical technology companies as an industrial designer at​ ​Tekna​. Later, she collaborated with​ ​iDE Cambodia​ on healthcare-focused international development projects, and she began designing digital experiences. More recently, as Product Design Lead at Caremerge, she worked on designing a care coordination platform for older adults, and has since become an independent consultant. Aimee has also taught as an adjunct instructor for Startup Institute’s web design program. Brian Case is a Senior Director of Research and Development for Fresenius Kabi's Medical Device Division. Brian has over twenty years of experience in developing products from conceptualization to market launch. He has spent the last ten years focusing on the development of apheresis technology. The latest example is Fresenius Kabi’s AmiCORE® Advanced Platelet Apheresis System. Prior to joining Fresenius Kabi, Brian led the advanced research team at Cook Medical focusing on the development of stents and tissue engineered valves. Brian helped Cook launch their first self-expanding stent Zilver®. In addition, Brian has extensive experience in user interface design and usability evaluations. Brian is a prolific inventor and has over 70 patents. Brian has a master's degree in Engineering Management from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a bachelor's degree in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Illinois. He is a licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer and a certified Project Management Professional. Mesve Vardar is the Director of Industrial Design at Humanscale. With a decade of Humanscale experience behind her, Mesve Vardar has been a key contributor to a number of celebrated Humanscale products, including the Red Dot award-winning T7 Mobile Technology Cart. She joined the company in 2006 as a designer after earning a Master of Arts in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute. Before accepting the role of Design Director, Vardar worked as a Senior Industrial Designer and Researcher. In this capacity she worked on product development and research across categories, including seating, monitor arms, healthcare and lighting. Having conducted dedicated research into the future workplace, she is motivated by front-end thinking and the broad impact Humanscale can have on the changing office. Ian Ferguson (born USA 1977) studied Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he received a B.Science in Architectural Design in 2000. In 2007, he received his MA Design Products at the Royal College of Art. Along with Martin Postler, he is a founder and director of PostlerFerguson, an industrial design office creating products for a meaningful future. PostlerFerguson works with clients to design and develop products combining bold creative vision with refined technical solutions. In 2011, he also co-founded PostlerFerguson’s sister company in Hong Kong, Papafoxtrot, a lifestyle and wood toy company. They produce a range of wood toys based on modern industrial marvels and the Staeckler shoe display systems. Their products have received accolades and awards including nominations for the Designs of the Year by London’s Design Museum, and Space.com’s Space Age Award. He has worked extensively as an architect, for firms including Testa + Weiser (Los Angeles), Hideto Horiike + Urtopia (Tokyo), and Ove Arup (London). He has taught architecture and design at the Southern California Institute of Architects, University of California Los Angeles, Aarhus University and the Istituto Europeo di Design, and co-directed the first year architecture course at London Metropolitan University, and ran Platform 17 in the Royal College of Arts Design Products department from 2011 - 2015. Martin Postler (born Germany 1977) studied Industrial Design at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design, graduating with a Diplom (MA aequivalent) in 2004. He received his MA Design Products in 2007 from the Royal College of Art and Kyoto University of Arts. Martin worked for diverse design agencies in Hamburg, Hong Kong and London for clients including Boeing, Lufthansa, Airbus, Nokia and Deutsche Telekom and received numerous awards including the Raymond Loewy Foundation Award, Red Dot, IF Design, DAAD and Invent Scholarship from the German Ministry of Education. From 2011 - 2015 he taught at the Royal College of Art Design Products Departement. Along with Ian Ferguson, he is a founder and director of PostlerFerguson, an industrial design office creating products for a meaningful future. PostlerFerguson works with clients to design and develop products combining bold creative vision with refined technical solutions. With offices in London and Hamburg, they have an international roster of clients including LG Electronics, Nike, Acoustic Research, Nudeaudio, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Victoria and Albert Museum. He is currently a Professor of product systems and production processes at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design. As SVP of Design and User Experience at HTC, Scott led the team that launched several acclaimed phones including the Evo, Incredible, and HTC One M7 and M8. Before that Scott was a principal at One + Co, an award-winning lifestyle design firm, which was acquired by HTC in 2008. Benjamin Hubert is an award-winning British design entrepreneur, and founder of creative agency, LAYER. The new agency is the evolution of Benjamin Hubert Ltd. and is focused on experience-driven design for both the physical and digital worlds. LAYER launched in September 2015, with a focus on creating meaningful experiences based on extensive research and human behaviours. The new holistic design practice incorporates a more diverse creative toolbox, including industrial design, mechanical and electrical engineering, user experience design, user interaction design, branding, and human-centred research. Benjamin has received a number of awards, including the RedDot Design Award, iF Design Award, and London Design Museum’s Designs of the Year. Jakob Kristoffersen, by formal title; as Concept & Design Manager for B&O PLAY by Bang & Olufsen, doesn’t really say much. His craft is creative direction, but he sees the essence of his role in designing and nurturing EXPERIENCES, ideas – concepts. a Storyteller. Spending time understanding the unarticulated drivers of urban creative individuals. Curating design strategies and philosophies down to products answering those needs. Directing the creative process of concepts to realize these in luxuriously simple beautiful designs in tune with tones and styles in the time. Packs a background in start-ups in Silicon Valley, educated in Global Business Engineering and Innovation Management from Denmark, Business Administration and Design at Harvard Business School and Harvard University in Boston, business development in China, and a detour to management consulting. A fan of emotional- and rational passion. Speaks Chinese. Coat size 48. Max Fraser works as a design commentator across the media of books, magazines, exhibitions, video, and events to broaden the conversation around contemporary design. He delivers content and strategy for a variety of public and private bodies in the UK and abroad. He is the author of several design books including DESIGN UK and DESIGNERS ON DESIGN, which he co-wrote with Sir Terence Conran. He owns Spotlight Press, a publishing imprint, recent titles include LONDON DESIGN GUIDE and DEZEEN BOOK OF IDEAS. As a journalist, he writes for publications including Newsweek International, Financial Times, CNN Style and Blueprint. Previously, he worked as the Deputy Director of the London Design Festival from 2012-2015. Peter Bristol's work blends form with function in uniquely appropriate ways making products that are inherently recognizable. His designs have been recognized across multiple genres with a broad array of patents and awards. Peter is currently director of industrial design at virtual reality company Oculus. Parallel to Oculus, Peter partners with design focused companies to create furniture, lighting and other goods. Petrula Vrontikis is a leading influence in graphic design. Her current work includes research, writing, consulting, creating brand communication strategies, training, and coaching. She received an AIGA Fellows Award honoring her as an essential voice raising the understanding of design within the industry and among the business and cultural communities. She served as a national advisory board member of the AIGA and is frequently asked to serve on numerous local, national, and international design juries. She is creative director and owner of Vrontikis Design Office (@vrontikis and 35k.com) and a professor at Art Center College of Design, teaching graphic design, career development, and professional practice courses. Her professional practice gives her role as a teacher an important authenticity. She encourages students to explore their potential as designers and as a catalyst for change in the larger creative community. Petrula is an avid traveler and visual translator. It’s not unusual to find her scuba diving with giant manta rays, climbing a steep and rocky slope, or twisting her body like a pretzel in a yoga class. Jeremy Mende is a visual artist and designer from San Francisco, California. In 2000 he founded MendeDesign, a creative practice that balances commercial projects with strategic design work for socially oriented non-profits. The studio has been recognized internationally for its work and currently has pieces in several collections including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Jeremy is a professor of design at California College of the Arts. Phil Hamlett is the Director of the School of Graphic Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, the largest private art and design school in the country. In this setting, he teaches classes, develops curriculum, recruits and manages instructors, advises students, manages the graduate thesis development process, conducts outreach and establishes the strategic agenda for the School. His students emerge as advanced design practitioners and go on to acquire positions at leading firms around the world. Phil joined the Academy in 2004 and served for thirteen years as the Graduate Director for the School of Graphic Design, building the nascent MFA program from scratch. Prior to becoming a design educator, Phil led design studios on both coasts, creating award-winning work for clients large and small. His extensive professional experience provides him with the perspective necessary to prepare students for the challenges of the real world. Capable of playing a wide variety of design, communication and managerial roles, he is adept at identifying creative challenges, distilling core objectives, formulating a plan of attack, and managing the team that will then fix everything. Phil recently completed his term as president of the AIGA San Francisco chapter, for which he continues to serve ex officio. He is also a former AIGA national board member, founder of Compostmodern and co-author of the Living Principles for Design — the means by which he guides the development of sustainable business practice within the design community As a charter member of the Winterhouse Institute Founder’s Circle, he helps articulate the value of design education for social impact. In his off time, he can usually be found chasing around his two adorable children (photos available upon request). Roshi Givechi is a Partner and Executive Design Director at IDEO, a global design consulting firm. Having called many of IDEO's US and Asia offices home, Roshi channels her global exposure to amplify creativity and culture – cultivating opportunities for designers, clients, and an extended creative network to inspire and challenge each other in service of making a difference in the world. This exposure also means she spots patterns and edges across region as well as industry, enabling her to help shape good design. As a designer inspired by choreography, Roshi loves dissecting the many parts that come together to make a greater whole—whether designing for cities, products, services, or shaping stories themselves. Her years at IDEO have given her an intimate view of the changing nature of design’s role, and what it means to envision and define products and systems that bring disproportionate impact to the world. Roshi’s clients include Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bank of America, the Kaufman Foundation, Medtronic, NASA, Nokia, Ritz-Carlton, Steelcase, Timberland, and YouTube. Joe Speicher is the Executive Director of the Autodesk Foundation. Under his leadership, the Foundation supports the people and organizations designing and engineering high-impact solutions to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Prior to joining Autodesk, Speicher was on the founding team of Living Goods, where he spent six years leading operations for the global health organization. He began his career in the banking and finance sector, working with Deutsche Bank and Cambridge Associates. He then spent three years in the Peace Corps in the Philippines and has worked as a consultant for the Economist Intelligence Unit, the World Bank and Google.org. He earned a Masters degree in Development Economics from Columbia University and holds a Bachelors of Science degree from Washington and Lee University. Deanna is the co-founder of Designing Justice Designing Spaces, a nonprofit harnessing the power of design and development to transform people and communities. After starting her first company in 2011 she became a national leader in formulating and advocating for restorative justice centers, a radical transformation of justice architecture. Her passion for exploring the intersection of design and culture has been fueled by her work as a design lead on urban design, institutional and education projects in the bay area, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Recent projects with DJDS include the Syracuse Peacemaking Center in New York and Restore, a multi-use hub for restorative justice and work force development in east Oakland. Deanna is currently conducting the first design studios with incarcerated students, and is a recent awardee of the Rauschenberg Artist as Activist grant to develop a prototype mobile resource village. Deanna received her BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia, M. Arch from Columbia University and is an alumnus of the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Fabio Sergio is Vice President of Design at frog, the global design and innovation firm. He works across a wide spectrum of industries and sectors, with global leaders such as Vodafone, GE, HP, LGE, BBC, J&J, Swisscom, Novartis, Merck, UNICEF, The Red Cross and the World Economic Forum. Fabio is part of frog's global Design Leadership team, the head of frog's Social Impact Design practice, one of the firm's healthcare experts and one of its User Experience Strategy leads. He helps to advance frog's capabilities, processes and methodologies. Fabio is passionate about exploring areas at the intersection of design, technology and human aspirations, wrapping business scenarios around people's desires and dreams. He often speaks at worldwide events, including The Economist Technology Frontiers, The Guardian Mobile Summit, The Aspen Design Summit, SXSW, The Unicef Innovation Summit, Stanford Mobile Health, NEXT Berlin, LIFT Geneva. He is a professor at Politecnico di Milano, and a guest lecturer at Domus Academy, Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design and SUPSI's Master of Advanced Studies in Interaction Design. Heather Fleming is the CEO and co-founder of Catapult Design, a product and service design firm with an expertise in human-centered design for marginalized communities. Catapult partners with organizations to develop sustainable solutions that address technology and social issues such as: rural electrification, water purification and transport, food security, and improved health. Before starting Catapult, Heather was a product design consultant in Silicon Valley, designing products for a diverse range of corporate clients and an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University and California Academy of the Arts. In 2005, she co-founded and led a volunteer group, the Appropriate Technology Design Team (ATDT), focused on social impact design work through a professional chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in San Francisco. Heather was named a Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader for her work with EWB and Catapult Design. She is also a Board member for the Navajo Chamber of Commerce and serves on ASME’s Engineering and Global Development committee, chairing an initiative to create standardized evaluation metrics and design guidelines for products distributed in impoverished communities. new technologies and services, such as the Nike Fuel Band. She received her MFA degree from Goldsmiths, University of London, where her research focused on the tension between sound, space and visual elements, and also the subtle experience between the technology synthesised and the reality. Most of her works attempt to represent pseudo-natural, material sensory environment, yet with characteristics of the computational and digital at its heart. Her works has been exhibited 2015 London design week at Victoria & Albert Museum, UK. Ben Hughes is a designer, educator and author who has worked for consultancies in UK, Australia and Taiwan. From 1999 to 2011 he was the Director of Postgraduate Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins. In 2011 he relocated to Beijing where was Professor of Industrial Design at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) until 2016. He continues to run his own design studio, A4, in CaoChangDi, Beijing. When Danny Kuo designs his objects, he is not only concerned about playful flexibility but also about enhanced usability. Eric's work has earned him two ADDYs and Webby Honorees, and has appeared in Communication Arts, AIGA's annual Year in Design, PRINT Magazine and HOW Magazine. Before design, he studied public policy and worked in various levels of government and for several campaigns and political organizations. Kelsey Snook is Creative Director at Second Story experiential design studios. For over 15 years Kelsey has been creating participatory environments where people can connect. She has worked internationally, creating projects that span product, furniture, exhibition and large scale public interactive environments - as artistic pieces and for clients in cultural, commercial and public sectors. Kelsey holds an MA with distinction in Creative Practice for Narrative Environments from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London, and a BA in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. His work includes the multi award winning VR experience for the global launch campaign for Volvo XC90, Husqvarna Limberjack on SteamVR and ‘The Loop’ for OnePlus. Woojin received her BFA degree in Crafts from Kookmin University (Seoul) and her MS in Communications Design from Pratt Institute (New York). He has worked internationally as design engineer for architectural projects of a variety of scales and also as a Product Development Engineer at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. James deploys a diverse set of fabrication equipment, industrial robots, and custom made machinery with which he makes things, breaks things, and invents things with varying levels of success and sophistication. Nadya Peek is a postdoctoral associate at the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, a group at the intersection of the physical and the digital. Nadya Peek works on unconventional digital fabrication tools, small scale automation, networked control systems, and advanced manufacturing, and is currently teaching the MIT class How to make something that makes (almost) anything. Nadya Peek is an active member of the global fablab community, working on making digital fabrication more accessible with better CAD/CAM tools and developing open source (hardware) machines and control systems. Previously, Nadya Peek was an editor at Mediamatic in Amsterdam. Since founding Chase Design Group in 1986, Margo’s vision has provided the fuel for Chase Design Group’s growth and achievement. Recognized worldwide for her skill with custom typography and identity development, Margo is dedicated to creating client success through high-quality, intelligent creative. Over the past 30 years, Chase’s landmark identity design has gained international recognition. Building on early successes in the music business designing packaging for artists Madonna, Cher, Prince, Bonnie Raitt and others, Chase Design Group is now a bi-coastal creative agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Their award winning branding, packaging and design strategy has earned them a long roster of prestigious clients including Sun America, Belkin, The CW Network, Bolthouse Farms, Califia Farms, CVS/pharmacy, Discovery Communications, Mattel, Nestlé, Nike, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Quaker, Starbucks, Stila Cosmetics and Target. Margo was a 2009 recipient of the AIGA Fellows Award for her contributions to the field of Design. In a recent Graphic Design USA reader’s poll, Margo was one of only two designers to make the top ten in both “Most Influential Graphic Designers of the Era” and “Most Influential Graphic Designers Today”. Chase Design Group also was voted in the top ten “Most Influential Design Firms of the Era”. Among numerous other awards, Chase was selected as one of I.D. Magazine’s “I.D. Forty”. She was recently featured in the celebrated show “Women Designers in the USA, 1900-2000: Diversity and Difference” on exhibition in New York City. She has taught the highest level typography classes at Art Center College of Design and California Institute of the Arts. Outside of the office, you will find her flying upside down. She competes nationally in aerobatics and is the 2014 western regional champion in the advanced division. Kim Baer, principal of Los Angeles-based design studio KBDA is a strong believer in the power of design as a strategic tool. Her firm has created research-driven work for for-profit clients as diverse as Hyatt, and Nike, as well as nonprofits such as The Getty, the Hammer Museum, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and the LA Phil. KBDA specializes in helping organizations hone their positioning. Once that messaging has been crafted, KBDA is well known for its focus on audience experience, whether it’s experienced online, in print or in an environment. Consistently honored by every major design organization in the country, KBDA has produced work that has been featured in the Library of Congress and regularly published in design anthologies. Premiere design magazines such as Communication Arts and HOW have regularly showcased the firm’s work and methodology. Kim Baer served on the national board of the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) and received the Fellows Award from the Los Angeles chapter of AIGA in honor of lifetime achievement. She is the author of Information Design Workbook from Rockport Publishers, an in-depth look at best practices in information design from around the world. She is also on the Advisory Board for Art Center’s MFA Graduate Graphic Design program. Lawrence Azerrad is a Los Angeles based Graphic Designer and Creative Director. Azerrad founded LADdesign, a graphic design studio dedicated to elevating our cultural experience through design excellence. Since 2001 LADdesign has created graphic design and comprehensive visual identity systems for clients such as Sting, Universal Music Group, UC San Diego, The Silversun Pickups, Esperanza Spalding, The Skirball Cultural Center, The Beach Boys, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Red Bull Sound Select, and over an Eighteen-year client relationship, spanning seven album packages for award-winning American alternative rock band, Wilco. Azerrad is the author of a Supersonic: Design and Lifestyle of Concorde, a design history of the aircraft to be published 2017. Azerrad is the chair for AIGA’s Design+Music program, a national initiative to explore how design thinking can can make a positive impact on the music industry and American culture at large through innovation and creative excellence. Maria is the Executive Creative Director and Partner at Creable, a strategic brand design agency with offices in Culver City, Bogota and Cincinnati. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Maria’s career started in advertising as she worked at Procesos Creativos / Euro RSCG, Bogota where she led the design department for many years. After gaining recognition by winning first place on the Premios Nacionales de Cultura 1996, she decided to follow her design career abroad and attend the prestigious Art Center College of Design where she graduated with Honors. Maria is also the mother of two awesome boys and splits her time between Los Angeles and Bogota. She speaks regularly about design, innovation (aka making things better) and entrepreneurialism (aka taking risks on making things happen). Always wanting to share stories and learnings, Buzz teaches at many of the leading design schools in the UK and Europe, and is a regular public speaker. Boss One of @NormallyStudio. Founder of live|work, Service Design Pioneer. Nicolas leads projects at the intersection of innovation, branding and transformation, with deep expertise in both design and business strategy. Over the past 15 years, he has designed a wide range of products, services, and environments. At SYPartners, he’s helped IBM, AARP and Johnson & Johnson bring to life new visions for their businesses and brands; imagined customer experiences for Old Navy, Blue Shield, and Target; and designed exhibits for Nike and IBM. Nicolas served as creative director on IBM’s award-winning THINK exhibit, an immersive multimedia experience that commemorated the company’s centennial. The exhibit is now a permanent installation at Epcot. Prior to joining SYPartners, Nicolas was a product designer in France, where he worked on innovation projects with Alstom, Coca-Cola, France Telecom, and Umae, a fair-trade company specializing in handicraft products. Nicolas holds an MFA in industrial design from ENSCI, and an MBA from ESSEC Business School. Since 2013 Emanuela Frattini Magnusson is Global Head of Design of Bloomberg LP, a global data and news company headquartered in New York, where she is responsible for the design strategy of the company’s real estate portfolio consisting of more than 180 locations. Prior to joining Bloomberg she founded and led EFM Design, an international award-winning multidisciplinary practice that spans architecture, interiors, product design, brand development, and graphics. In addition, she is founder and principal designer of Articolo, a collection of high-quality European-produced furniture, distributed exclusively through the company’s website and creative director of Spinneybeck Leather, producer of accessories and architectural products. Her Propeller Collection of tables for Knoll has been a bestseller since its introduction in 1994 and has won numerous awards, including the ,IDEA Award in Business Week and her collection of accessories is licensed exclusively to the Museum of Modern Art for sale and distribution in the United States. She has served as a visiting faculty member at Parsons School of Design and Yale University School of Architecture. She began her professional career in Milan collaborating with her father, world-renowned architect Gianfranco Frattini. Her architectural and design work has been widely published, including articles inThe NewYorkTimes, Metropolis, ID Magazine, and Metropolitan Home and numerous books. She holds an MA in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. A Registered Architect in the American Institute of Architects as well as the Ordine degli Architetti di Milano in Italy, she is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional. For more than a decade, Eric has worked at the intersection of change management, brand strategy and marketing activation. Guided by the belief that individuals and institutions do their best work when aligned around ethical stories, Eric is committed to building brands and organizations that genuinely serve people. Among his most prominent clients are IBM, Alibaba, NVIDIA, Chanel, Cole Haan, BP and Target. Eric recently founded and leads the Designing Change practice at VSA Partners, where he and a team of business strategists, creatives and facilitators help transformation leaders in Fortune 1000 companies to design their futures. Prior to his current role, Eric launched and led the Strategy Practice at VSA. To tackle the multifaceted challenges faced by multinational brands today, he built a team of strategists with expertise in branding, design thinking, technology, market and user research, and advertising. During this time, Eric also worked closely with his partners at VSA to transform the company’s New York office from a regional, boutique design firm into a full service branding and technology shop. With a BA in Comparative Literature and Philosophy from NYU and an MA from the University of Chicago, Eric’s background in philosophy and literature form the foundation of his approach to problem solving and opportunity creation. An Entrepreneurship Coach at NYU’s Leslie eLab, Eric is also a guest lecturer in Design Thinking at NYU’s Stern School of Business. Richard is a principal strategy director at frog with a focus on data, systems intelligence, innovation, and organizational change. In his role, he helps leaders explore the frontiers of human-centered approaches to intelligent systems. Richard has a long consulting background with innovation leaders like Doblin, Monitor, and SYPartners where he as worked on large scale foresight, innovation, and transformation programs across industries including healthcare, information technology, consumer products, urban systems, humanitarian affairs, international development, and national security. Richard in on the faculty at School of Visual Arts Products of Design Master’s program and has conducted projects throughout the world in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and the Middle East. Select clients include: BNY Mellon, IBM, Google, Microsoft, SK Telecom, The United Nations, and the US Department of Defense. Born in Taiwan and growing up in Argentina and Spain, Jackie moved to the United Stated in 1998 after being accepted by the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California. He graduated in 2001 with BS in Transportation Design. Ken holds a Bachelor of Science from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and has been a senior lecturer at the California College of Arts in San Francisco. Born and raised in Chicago, Norio studied at the Institute of Design. At the heart of it all, Norio is an artist. When he isn’t designing, he is either professionally illustrating or hanging his paintings in better art galleries around San Francisco. Norio has also been a semi-professional tumbler, and is a fully-professional fish monger. Selen co-founded Karbon in 2005. Since then she's been working at Karbon as a designer and consultant. Karbon is a multi-disciplinary design studio providing creative solutions and consultancy in concept design, branding, communication design & strategy, architectural design and interior design. Karbon team is a hybrid combination of graphic designers, communication designers and architects. The company established a reputation through their work specifically in overall concept designs for café&restaurants, packaging design and branding. She is a member of GMK, Turkish Graphic Designers Association since 2006. He is currently working at Atipus Barcelona as a senior graphic designer. Perniclas Bedow is the founder and creative director of Stockholm based design studio Bedow. The studio mainly works with branding, packaging and book design and for the last decade their work has been widely acknowledged around the world through books, lectures and exhibitions. Perniclas’ work has been awarded by Art Directors Club, Cannes Lions, D&AD and Epica Awards, to mention a few.

2019-04-21T18:11:02Z

https://designawards.core77.com/2017/jury

Regeneration responses in animals are widespread across phyla. To identify molecular players that confer regenerative capacities to non-regenerative species is of key relevance for basic research and translational approaches. Here, we report a differential response in retinal regeneration between medaka (Oryzias latipes) and zebrafish (Danio rerio). In contrast to zebrafish, medaka Müller glia (olMG) cells behave like progenitors and exhibit a restricted capacity to regenerate the retina. After injury, olMG cells proliferate but fail to self-renew and ultimately only restore photoreceptors. In our injury paradigm, we observed that in contrast to zebrafish, proliferating olMG cells do not maintain sox2 expression. Sustained sox2 expression in olMG cells confers regenerative responses similar to those of zebrafish MG (drMG) cells. We show that a single, cell-autonomous factor reprograms olMG cells and establishes a regeneration-like mode. Our results position medaka as an attractive model to delineate key regeneration factors with translational potential. All animals have at least some ability to repair their bodies after injury. But certain species can regenerate entire body parts and even internal organs. Salamanders, for example, can regrow their tail and limbs, as well as their eyes and heart. Many species of fish can also regenerate organs and tissues. In comparison, mammals have only limited regenerative capacity. Why does regeneration vary between species, and is it possible to convert a non-regenerating system into a regenerating one? Laboratory studies of regeneration often use the model organism, zebrafish. Zebrafish can restore their sight after an eye injury by regenerating the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. They are able to do this thanks to cells in the retina called Müller glial cells. These behave like stem cells. They divide to produce identical copies of themselves, which then transform into all of the different cell types necessary to produce a new retina. Lust and Wittbrodt now show that a distant relative of the zebrafish, the Japanese ricefish ‘medaka’, lacks these regenerative skills. Although Müller glial cells in medaka also divide after injury, they give rise to only a single type of retinal cell. This means that these fish cannot regenerate an entire retina. Lust and Wittbrodt demonstrate that in medaka, but not zebrafish, levels of a protein called Sox2 fall after eye injury. As Sox2 has been shown to be important for regeneration in zebrafish Müller glial cells, the loss of Sox2 may be preventing regeneration in medaka. Consistent with this, restoring Sox2 levels in medaka Müller glial cells enabled them to turn into several different types of retinal cell. Sox2 is also present in the Müller glial cells of other species with backbones, including chickens, mice, and humans. Future experiments should test whether loss of Sox2 after injury contributes to the lack of regeneration in these species. If it does, the next question will be whether restoring Sox2 can drive a regenerative response. The ability to regenerate individual cells, lost organs or even the structure of the entire body is widespread in the animal kingdom. The means by which certain species achieve remarkable feats of regeneration, whereas others have restricted or no capacity to do so is poorly understood. Teleost fishes are widely used models to study development, growth and regeneration of the visual system (Centanin et al., 2011; Raymond et al., 1988, 2006; Rembold et al., 2006). The retina of these fish undergoes lifelong neurogenesis, and the range of retinal cell types is generated from two sources. The first are the cells of the ciliary marginal zone (CMZ), which include retinal stem cells that give rise to progenitor cells and ultimately differentiated cell types of the growing neural retina (Centanin et al., 2011, 2014; Raymond et al., 2006). A second source for new retinal cells are Müller glia (MG) cells, which generate new cell types during homeostasis and regeneration (Bernardos et al., 2007). Some teleost species, including goldfish (Carassius auratus) and zebrafish (Danio rerio), have been analyzed with respect to their ability to regenerate the retina and recover visual function after injuries (Bernardos et al., 2007; Braisted and Raymond, 1992; Raymond et al., 1988; Sherpa et al., 2008). Among these, zebrafish is the best-studied and has been shown to contain multipotent MG cells which can self-renew and regenerate all retinal neuronal and glial cell types after injuries. It is currently assumed that other teleost species possess the same regenerative capacities; however, detailed analyses have been lacking. To investigate MG cell-mediated retina regeneration in a distantly related teleost, we chose the Japanese ricefish medaka (Oryzias latipes), which is a well-established model organism that shared its last common ancestor with zebrafish between 200 and 300 million years ago (Schartl et al., 2013). Few regeneration studies have been carried out in medaka, but the literature reveals some interesting differences to zebrafish. Whereas fins can be fully regenerated in adult medaka (Nakatani et al., 2007), the heart has no regenerative capacity (Ito et al., 2014; Lai et al., 2017). The development and growth of the neural retina of medaka has been studied (Centanin et al., 2011, 2014; Martinez-Morales et al., 2009), but regeneration studies are missing. After injuries, multipotent MG cells of the zebrafish retina have been shown to upregulate the expression of pluripotency factors including lin-28, oct-4, c-myc and sox2 (Ramachandran et al., 2010). Sox2 is well known for its role in maintaining the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (Masui et al., 2007) and is one of the four original Yamanaka factors required for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (Takahashi et al., 2007). Sox2 has been frequently used in reprogramming studies, such as the conversion of mouse and human fibroblasts directly into induced neural stem cells (Ring et al., 2012), or the transformation of NG2 glia into functional neurons following stab lesions in the adult mouse cerebral cortex (Heinrich et al., 2014). In the regenerating zebrafish retina, sox2 expression is upregulated 2 days post injury (dpi) and is necessary and sufficient for the MG proliferation associated with regeneration (Ramachandran et al., 2010; Gorsuch et al., 2017). In the present study, we find that medaka MG (olMG) cells display a restricted regenerative potential after injury and only generate photoreceptors (PRCs). We observed that olMG cells can re-enter the cell cycle after injures but fail to divide asymmetrically or generate neurogenic clusters, two steps which are essential to full regeneration. Using in vivo imaging, two-photon mediated specific cell ablations and lineage tracing, we find that olMG cells react preferentially to injuries of PRCs and are only able to regenerate this cell type. We demonstrate that sox2 is expressed in olMG cells in the absence of injury but, in contrast to zebrafish, is not maintained in proliferating olMG cells after injury. We show that inducing targeted expression of sox2 in olMG cells is sufficient to shift olMG cells into a regenerative mode reminiscent of zebrafish, where they self-renew and regenerate multiple retinal cell types. In contrast to zebrafish and goldfish, where MG cells are described as the source of rod PRCs that gradually accumulate during the early larval period (Bernardos et al., 2007; Nelson et al., 2008), it has been shown previously that olMG cells are quiescent at a comparable developmental stage in the hatchling (8 dpf) retina (Lust et al., 2016). While the zebrafish retina massively increases its rod PRC number during post-embryonic growth (Figure 1—figure supplement 1A–B''') via the proliferation of MG cells (Bernardos et al., 2007), the medaka retina maintains its rod PRC layer from embryonic to adult stages (Figure 1—figure supplement 1C–D''') and rod PRCs are born from the CMZ (Figure 1—figure supplement 2). In order to address the regenerative abilities of olMG cells we used the rx2::H2B-eGFP transgenic line that labels the CMZ, olMG cells and cone PRCs but no rods in hatchling (8dpf) and adult medaka (Martinez-Morales et al., 2009; Reinhardt et al., 2015) (Figure 1—figure supplement 3). To investigate the reaction of olMG cells and the retina upon injury, we performed needle injuries on rx2::H2B-eGFP transgenic fish. To label cells re-entering the cell cycle we subsequently analyzed the fish either by immunohistochemistry for the mitotic marker phospho-histone H3 (PH3) at 3 dpi or incubated them in BrdU for 3 days to label cells in S-phase. We detected proliferating cells in the central retina, on the basis of both labels PH3 (Figure 1A–1A’’) and BrdU (Figure 1B–1B’’) 3 days after a needle injury. These proliferating cells were also positive for rx2-driven H2B-eGFP, showing that the olMG cells had re-entered the cell cycle. These results demonstrate that olMG cells in hatchling medaka are quiescent in an uninjured background (Lust et al., 2016), but begin to proliferate upon injury. olMG cells re-enter the cell cycle after injury but do not generate neurogenic clusters. (A–A’’) Cryosection of a needle-injured hatchling medaka retina of the transgenic line rx2::H2B-eGFP. PH3 stainings (magenta) on the hatchling medaka retinae 3 days post needle injury show mitotic cells present in the central retina (arrowhead), co-localizing with the rx2 nuclear reporter expression (green). (n = 4 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). (B–B’’) Cryosection of a needle-injured hatchling medaka retina of the transgenic line rx2::H2B-eGFP. A 3-day pulse of BrdU marks proliferating cells in the central retina after needle injury (arrowheads). BrdU staining (magenta) co-localizes with rx2 nuclear reporter expression (green), indicating that olMG cells re-entered the cell cycle. (n = 6 fish, data obtained from three independent experiments). (C, C') Cryosection of a needle-injured hatchling medaka retina. BrdU-positive (magenta) single cells are present in the INL and ONL. (n = 6 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). (D, D') Cryosection of a needle-injured zebrafish retina. BrdU-positive (magenta) neurogenic clusters are present in the INL. Additionally, BrdU-positive proliferating cells can be detected in the ONL (n = 3 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). Scale bars are 10 μm. The onset of MG proliferation in zebrafish has been observed between 1 and 2 dpi (Fausett and Goldman, 2006). To understand if olMG cells show a similar mode of activation, we performed BrdU incorporation experiments and analyzed time-points after injury ranging from 1 dpi until 3 dpi. At 1 dpi, no BrdU-positive cells were detected in the retina (data not shown). At 2 dpi, the first BrdU-positive cells were detected in the inner nuclear layer (INL) and the outer nuclear layer (ONL) of the central retina (Figure 1—figure supplement 4A–B'''). Co-localization with GFP showed that these cells are olMG cells or olMG-derived cells (Figure 1—figure supplement 4A–B'''). In response to injury olMG cells initiate DNA synthesis and divide maximally once as indicated by the appearance of single or a maximum of two BrdU-positive cells next to each other in the INL at both 2 dpi and 3 dpi (Figure 1C and C'). In contrast, the injury response of zebrafish MG (drMG) cells at comparable stages (4dpf) is characterized by the formation of large nuclear, neurogenic clusters in the INL (Figure 1D and D'). This is consistent with the response of adult drMG cells to injury in which a single asymmetric division produces a MG cell and a progenitor cell that divides rapidly to generate neurogenic clusters (Nagashima et al., 2013). These results show that olMG cells start re-entering the cell cycle between 1 and 2 dpi but do not generate neurogenic clusters. For proper regeneration to occur, the appropriate cell types must be produced. This requires not only the regulation of the proliferation of stem or progenitor cells, but also the proper control of lineage decisions in the progenitors. If and when fate decisions are made by the MG cells or proliferating progenitors during regeneration is largely unknown. To study whether different injury sites (PRC or retinal ganglion cell (RGC) injury) result in a differential response of olMG cells, we used two-photon mediated ablations and consecutive imaging (Figure 2—figure supplement 1A–D) and addressed their behavior in immediate (up to 30 hours post injury (hpi)) and late (until 6 dpi) response to injury. We induced PRC injuries in medaka and observed that olMG nuclei below the wound site started migrating apically at 17 hpi (Figure 2A–2A''', see also Figure 2—video 1). These migrations were not coordinated between individual cells. Some nuclei migrated into the ONL, whereas others stayed at the apical part of the INL. Nuclei farther from the wound site did not migrate in response to the injuries. In contrast, after RGC injuries, there was no migration of olMG nuclei, either apically or basally toward the wound, within the first 30 hpi (Figure 2B–2B''', see also Figure 2—video 1). olMG cells react preferentially to PRC injuries by apical migration. (A–B’’’) In vivo imaging of hatchling rx2::H2B-eGFP medaka retinae which were either injured in the ONL or the ganglion cell layer (GCL) (asterisks) using a two-photon laser and imaged consecutively until 30 hpi (n > 10 fish each, data obtained from >10 independent experiments each). (A–A’’’) After PRC injuries olMG nuclei (arrowheads) start migrating apically towards the ONL layer from 17 hpi on. The migration is not coordinated among different migrating nuclei. (B–B’’’) After RGC injuries no migration of olMG nuclei can be detected until 30 hpi. Scale bars are 10 μm. (C–D’’) In vivo imaging of hatchling rx2::H2B-eGFP medaka retinae which were either injured in the ONL or the GCL (asterisks) using a two-photon laser and imaged every second day after injury (n > 10 fish each, data obtained from >10 independent experiments each). (C–C’’) PRC injuries result in an apical migration of olMG nuclei into the injury site. The following days until 6 dpi the nuclei do not migrate back toward the INL resulting in a gap of olMG nuclei in the INL. (D–D’’) After RGC injuries no migration of olMG nuclei can be detected until 6 dpi. Scale bars are 10 μm. To investigate whether olMG nuclei migrate back at later time-points after PRC injuries or show any migratory behavior after RGC injuries, we re-imaged the injury site at 2-day intervals to follow an injured retina up to 6 dpi. At 2 dpi, retinae with PRC injuries showed a gap in the INL below the injury site, at a position where olMG nuclei are normally found, reflecting the migration of olMG nuclei towards the ONL from this location (Figure 2C–2C''). The gap in the INL persisted until 6 dpi (Figure 2C''). The reaction of olMG cells in retinae with RGC injuries differed. Here, we neither observed an apical nor basal migration of olMG nuclei (Figure 2D–2D'') and in fact no migration of olMG nuclei was observed at all until 6 dpi. To rule out that this is due to too little damage in the RGC layer we increased the injury size. This led to swelling and secondary cell death of PRCs and activated olMG nuclei to migrate apically (Figure 2—figure supplement 2A–B), indicating further that their preferential reaction is toward PRC injuries. Taken together, these results show that olMG nuclei migrate toward PRC injury sites within 24 hpi and remain in this location up until 6 days, whereas they display no discernible reaction toward RGC injuries. This indicates a clear preferential reaction of olMG nuclei to refill the injured PRC layer. Long-term in vivo imaging of fish that were injured in the ONL made it apparent that olMG nuclei migrate apically into the wound site but remain there which might indicate a complete remodeling of the soma of these neuroepithelial cells. To understand whether cell bodies of the olMG cells remain intact during this nuclear migration, we analyzed nuclear movements (transgenic line rx2::H2B-eGFP) in the context of the olMG cell body (transgenic line rx2::lifeact-eGFP). We imaged the double transgenic animals at 2-day intervals following ONL injuries. As previously observed, olMG nuclei migrated out of the INL into the wound site (Figure 3A–3A''). The rx2::lifeact-eGFP labeled cell bodies of the olMG cells spanning the entire apico-basal distance remained intact until 6 dpi in the absence of an apparent (labeled) nucleus in the INL (Figure 3A''). The earlier position of the nucleus was still recognizable by a slight enlargement of the soma. olMG nuclei are depleted after PRC injuries without cell body loss. (A–A’’) In vivo imaging of a hatchling rx2::H2B-eGFP, rx2::lifeact-eGFP medaka retina which was injured in the ONL (asterisk) and imaged every second day after injury. Close to the injury site an olMG cell body without a nucleus can be detected at 2 dpi (A, empty arrowhead). The empty process remains until 6 dpi (A”) (n = 3 fish, data obtained from three independent experiments). Scale bar is 10 μm. (B–B’’’’) Maximum projection (B) and single planes of a cryosection of the injured hatchling medaka retina of the transgenic line rx2::lifeact-eGFP. The fish were injured, incubated in BrdU for 3 days and fixed at 3 dpi. Both GFP-positive cell bodies (green) which contain (arrowheads) and do not contain (empty arrowheads) a nucleus anymore are present. (n = 6 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). Scale bar is 10 μm. (C–C’’) Maximum projection of a cryosection of the injured hatchling medaka retina of the transgenic line rx2::H2B-eGFP. The fish were injured in the ONL (asterisk), incubated in BrdU for 3 days and fixed at 10 dpi. Many GFP-positive nuclei (green) are located in the ONL, some co-localizing with BrdU (magenta). In the INL few GFP-positive nuclei are present. Many GS-positive (cyan) olMG cell bodies below the injury site do not contain a GFP-positive nucleus (empty arrowheads). Next to the empty cell bodies GFP-positive nuclei can be detected within GS-positive cell bodies (arrowheads) (n = 4 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). Scale bar is 20 μm. Additionally, to extend the range of analysis, we performed immunohistochemistry on injured fish at 3 and 10 dpi. After injury, incubation in BrdU for 3 days and direct fixation at 3 dpi we found that at the site of injury the GFP-positive cell bodies, labeled by rx2::lifeact-eGFP, did not contain a nucleus anymore while the neighboring, more distant GFP-positive cell bodies contained elongated olMG nuclei (Figure 3B–B'''', see also Figure 3—video 1). After incubation in BrdU for 3 days and fixation at 10 dpi, we observed similar results (Figure 3C–3C''). Here, we used immunohistochemistry to detect the olMG cell bodies via a GS-staining (Figure 3C). BrdU-positive cells in the ONL mark the site of the injury (Figure 3C''). In the region directly underneath the site of injury, the majority of olMG nuclei, which had been labeled by rx2::H2B-eGFP, were absent from the INL (Figure 3C''). GS-positive cell bodies remained spanning the entire apico-basal height, but without the apparent presence of nuclei. In contrast, unaffected GS-positive olMG cells located on either side of the wound site still contained their nuclei, as easily detected by the large size of the soma. This data shows that the cell bodies of injury-activated olMG cells are still intact despite the migration of their nuclei into the ONL. Since the injury response of olMG cells apparently does not involve self-renewal of olMG cells we wondered about the position and orientation of the cell division plane, a factor which has been associated with cell fate in various systems. We first addressed the apico-basal position of dividing olMG cells by PH3 immunohistochemistry after injury. We detected PH3-positive cells only in the INL (Figure 4A–4A''). Some dividing cells were located more apically (Figure 4A–4A''), while others were located more basally (Figure 4—figure supplement 1A–B). This is in contrast to findings in zebrafish where, in a light injury paradigm, PH3-positive drMG cells can be found in the ONL 2 days after injury (Nagashima et al., 2013). olMG cells divide in the INL with an apico-basal spindle orientation. (A–A’’) Cryosection of an injured hatchling medaka retina of the transgenic line rx2::H2B-eGFP. PH3 stainings (magenta) on hatchling medaka retinae 3 days post PRC injury show mitotic olMG cells present in the INL (arrowhead), co-localizing with the rx2 nuclear reporter expression (green) (n = 4 fish, data obtained from three independent experiments). (B–B’’’) In vivo imaging of hatchling rx2::H2B-eGFP medaka retinae which were injured in the ONL and imaged starting at 44 hpi. OlMG nuclei which start to condense their chromatin can be detected in the INL (arrowheads). The divisions occur in an apico-basal manner (n = 6 fish, data obtained from six independent experiments, 5 out of 6 imaged divisions were apico-basal). Scale bars are 10 μm. To address the cleavage plane of dividing olMG cells, we employed in vivo imaging of rx2::H2B-eGFP fish, which permits visualizing the separation of chromatin and thus gives a measurement of the orientation of division. The first injury-triggered olMG divisions were observed at 44 hpi (Figure 4B–4B''', see also Figure 4—video 1). They occurred in the INL, both in the center and close to the ONL (Figure 4—figure supplement 1C–C'''). The mode of division was preferentially apico-basal (5 out of 6 divisions in 5 out of 6 animals), while only a single horizontal division was observed (1 out of 6 divisions in 1 out of 6 animals). In contrast, drMG cells are reported to predominantly divide with a horizontal division plane (Lahne et al., 2015). These results show that injury-induced olMG cell divisions occur in different positions in the INL and have a strong preference to occur apico-basally. In zebrafish, drMG cells are able to regenerate all neuronal cell types and self-renew after injury (Nagashima et al., 2013; Powell et al., 2016). We followed a BrdU-based lineage-tracing approach successfully applied in zebrafish (Fausett and Goldman, 2006; Powell et al., 2016) to address the potency of olMG cells. Transgenic rx2::H2B-eGFP fish retinae were injured either by two-photon laser ablation of PRCs or RGCs specifically or using a needle ablating all cell types. The injured fish were incubated in BrdU for 3 days to label proliferating cells. This allows to efficiently detect all injury-triggered S-phase entry of olMG cells (Figure 5—figure supplement 1A–D). For lineaging, fish were grown until 14 dpi to allow a regeneration response and subsequently analyzed for BrdU-positive cells in the different retinal layers (Figure 5A). PRC injuries led to the detection of 97% of all BrdU-positive cells in the ONL, mostly in the rod nuclear layer, indicative for PRC fate (Figure 5B and E). No BrdU-positive cells could be detected in the INL. Additionally, we found that the INL below the injury site was devoid of olMG cell nuclei, both consistently arguing for the absence of injury-triggered olMG self-renewal. Strikingly, RGC injuries did not trigger BrdU-uptake in olMG cells or any other differentiated cell type (data not shown). Needle injuries affecting all retinal cell types triggered the same response as the specific lesions in the PRC layer. 97% of all BrdU-positive cells were present in the ONL, and only a single BrdU-positive olMG cell was found in 1 of 10 fish (Figure 5C and E). Also later application of BrdU after injury (4 to 7 dpi) did not result in BrdU-positive olMG cells (Figure 5—figure supplement 2A–C). Importantly, BrdU-positive nuclei were not positive for GS, indicating that they were not olMG cells anymore (Figure 5D), but were positive for Recoverin, a PRC marker (Figure 5E). These results demonstrate that olMG cells do not self-renew and rather function as mono-potent repair system restricted to the generation of PRCs, most of which belong to the rod lineage. Lineage tracing after injuries reveals the preferential regeneration of PRCs. (A) Scheme outlining the experimental procedure. Hatchling medaka were injured in the retina with a two-photon laser ablating either PRCs or RGCs or with a needle ablating all cell types. The fish were incubated in BrdU for 3 days and analyzed at 14 dpi. (B–C) PRC injuries result in BrdU-positive cells in the ONL, mostly in the rod layer. No BrdU-positive olMG cells are present and fewer GFP-positive olMG cells are found in the INL (n = 4 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). Needle injuries result in BrdU-positive cells in the ONL, mostly in the rod layer. Except for 1 BrdU-positive olMG cell in one fish, no BrdU-positive olMG cells are detected. GFP-positive olMG nuclei are largely depleted from the INL (n = 10 fish, data obtained from three independent experiments). (D–D'') After needle injuries BrdU-positive cells (magenta) in the ONL are not co-labeled with GS (cyan), indicating that they are not olMG cells (n = 8 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). (E–E'') After needle injuries BrdU-positive cells (magenta) in the ONL are co-labeled with Recoverin (cyan), indicating that they are PRCs (n = 5 fish, data obtained from one experiment). Scale bars are 10 μm. (F) Quantification of the location of BrdU-positive cells reveals that in all injury types BrdU-positive cells are predominantly located in the ONL (PRC injury: 54 cells in four retinae, needle injury: 550 cells in 10 retinae). ****p<0.0001. Box plots: median, 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers show maximum and minimum data points. The previous results show that olMG cells re-enter the cell cycle after injuries introduced by needle to the complete retina or by two-photon ablation to the PRC layer. They regenerate PRCs but do not undergo self-renewal. This suggests that olMG cells lack intrinsic factors that trigger self-renewal and multipotency upon injury. One transcription factor which is well known for its involvement in the self-renewal of stem cells – particularly neural stem cells – is Sox2 (Sarkar and Hochedlinger, 2013). It has been shown that cells expressing sox2 are capable of both self-renewal and the production of a range of differentiated neuronal cell types (Sarkar and Hochedlinger, 2013). Data from zebrafish have shown that a ubiquitous gain of sox2 expression triggers a proliferative response of drMGs in the absence of injury (Gorsuch et al., 2017). To investigate the expression of sox2 in MG cells, we performed immunohistochemistry on uninjured retinae in medaka and zebrafish. In the medaka retina, Sox2 protein is detected in amacrine cells (ACs) and olMG cells in the central retina (Figure 6A–6A'''). In zebrafish, the pattern is similar: Sox2 protein is present in ACs and drMG cells in the central retina (Figure 6B–6B'''). This data is consistent with data from other vertebrates including human, whose MG cells also maintain sox2 expression (Gallina et al., 2014). Sox2 is present in MG cells of the hatchling medaka and zebrafish retina but not maintained after injury in medaka. (A–A’’’) Cryosection of an uninjured hatchling medaka retina. Sox2 (green) labeled cells with round nuclei are present in the INL and the GCL. Sox2-labeled cells with round nuclei are ACs present in the INL and the GCL (asterisks). Sox2-positive cells with elongated nuclei are present in the INL (arrowheads). Co-labeling with GS (magenta) proves that cells with elongated nuclei are olMG cells. Additional staining, which is likely unspecific staining since sox2 mRNA cannot be detected there (Reinhardt et al., 2015), can be detected in the ONL. (B–B’’’) Cryosection of an uninjured zebrafish retina at 9 dpf. Sox2 (green)-positive cells with round nuclei are present in the INL and the GCL. Sox2-labeled cells with round nuclei are ACs present in the INL and the GCL (asterisks). Sox2-positive cells with elongated nuclei are present in the INL (arrowheads). Co-labeling with GS (magenta) proves that cells with elongated nuclei are drMG cells. Scale bars are 20 μm. (C–C’’) Cryosection of an injured hatchling medaka retina at 3 dpi. BrdU (magenta, arrowheads) labeled cells are not co-labeled with Sox2 (green, arrowheads). Sox2-positive cells with elongated nuclei, indicating non-proliferative olMG cells, are found in the INL (open arrowheads). Sox2-positive cells with round nuclei are ACs present in the INL and the GCL (asterisks) (n = 3 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). (D) Quantification of the amount of Sox2-positive and negative proliferating cells of BrdU-positive cells at 3 dpi in medaka (74 cells in 3 retinae). ****p<0.0001. Box plots: median, 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers show maximum and minimum data points. (E–E’’) Cryosection of an injured zebrafish retina at 3 dpi. BrdU-(magenta) and Sox2-(green) double positive cells can be detected in the INL (arrowheads). BrdU-positive Sox2-negative cells can rarely be detected (open arrowhead). Sox2-labeled cells with round nuclei are ACs present in the INL and the GCL (asterisks) (n = 3 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). Scale bars are 10 μm. (F) Quantification of the amount of Sox-positive and negative proliferating cells of BrdU-positive cells at 3 dpi in zebrafish (68 cells in 3 retinae). ****p<0.0001. Box plots: median, 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers show maximum and minimum data points. To investigate the expression of sox2 in the olMG and drMG cells responding to injury by proliferation, we performed needle injuries, incubated the fish in BrdU and fixed them at 3 dpi. We could detect BrdU-positive MG cells both in medaka and zebrafish. The vast majority of proliferating olMG cells did not express sox2 anymore at 3 dpi (Figure 6C–6D, 6% of all BrdU-positive cells were Sox2-positive). We saw a similar scenario in response to either PRC or RGC injury, where 9% and 10% respectively of all BrdU-positive cells were Sox2-positive. Conversely, in zebrafish, sox2 expression was still detected after 3 days in drMG cells that proliferated in response to needle injury (Figure 6E–6F, 84% of all BrdU-positive cells were Sox2-positive). These findings strongly argue that the downregulation of sox2 expression in proliferating olMG cells restricts their regenerative properties. The results presented above indicate that after injury, olMG cells and olMG-derived progenitors do not maintain the expression of sox2, in contrast to the situation in zebrafish. We hypothesize that the prolonged sox2 expression facilitates drMG cells to undergo self-renewal and to generate neurogenic clusters and ultimately all cell types necessary to regenerate a functional retina. To test this hypothesis, we chose the inducible LexPR transactivation system (Emelyanov and Parinov, 2008) targeted to olMG cells (rx2::LexPR OP::sox2, OP::H2B-eGFP) to sustain sox2 expression. In mifepristone-treated retinae, we detected increased levels of Sox2 protein in induced olMG cells (Figure 7A–B''). To address the proliferative behavior of Sox2-sustaining olMG cells in response to injury, we treated fish with mifepristone and BrdU for 2 days, performed a needle injury, maintained the fish in mifepristone and BrdU until 3 dpi and analyzed immediately (Figure 7C). We observed increased formation of proliferating clusters as well as the distribution of BrdU-positive cells in all layers of the retina after needle injury (4 out of 6 fish) (Figure 7D–E'). To address the long-term potential of Sox2-induced olMG cells, we ablated all retinal cell types by needle injury and performed BrdU-mediated lineage tracing as described above. We induced sox2 expression for 2 days and provided BrdU in parallel, performed a needle injury and maintained the expression of sox2 until 3 dpi. After a chase until 14 dpi, the retinae and regenerated cell types were analyzed (Figure 8A and B). In needle-injured wild-type fish which were also treated with mifepristone as well as in transgenic fish (rx2::LexPR OP::sox2, OP::H2B-eGFP) which were not treated with mifepristone, olMG cells did not self-renew and gave predominantly rise to PRCs, mostly rod PRCs (Figure 8F). In contrast, olMG cells experiencing persistent expression of sox2 showed self-renewal and differentiation into different cell types in the ONL and INL as indicated by BrdU lineage tracing. In particular, the olMG cells maintaining sox2 expression after injury regenerated olMG cells (Figure 8C–C'' and F) and exhibited a significant increase in regenerated ACs and RGCs, which were positive for HuC/D (Figure 7D–E'' and 8F). Furthermore, a slight increase in cone PRCs and a decrease in rod PRCs was observed after sox2 induction (Figure 8C–F). These data indicate that a targeted maintenance of sox2 expression after injury is sufficient to induce self-renewal and increase potency in olMG cells in the medaka retina turning a mono-potent repair system into a regeneration system with increased potency. Expression of sox2 via the LexPR system increases Sox2 protein levels in olMG cells and triggers proliferating cluster formation after injury in medaka. (A) Genetic construct used for sox2 induction. (B–B'') Cryosection of a retina of a mifepristone-induced rx2::LexPR OP::sox2, OP::H2B-eGFP transgenic fish at 5 days after induction. Nuclear-localized GFP (green) labels positively induced cells, which contain an increased amount of Sox2 protein (magenta, arrowheads) in comparison to non-induced cells (asterisks) (n = 6 fish, data obtained from two independent experiments). (C) Induction scheme for sox2 induction. (D–E') Cryosections of mifepristone-induced rx2::LexPR OP::sox2, OP::H2B-eGFP transgenic fish at 3 days after needle injury. BrdU-positive (magenta) cells can be detected in all retinal layers and some BrdU-positive clusters are present in the INL and between INL and GCL (n = 4 fish, data obtained from one experiment). Scale bars are 10 μm. Sox2 induces a regeneration response in olMG cells. (A–B) Induction scheme and construct (B) used for sox2 induction. (C–C’’) Cryosection of a sox2-induced hatchling medaka retina. BrdU-positive (magenta) olMG cells, which are labeled by GS (cyan) can be detected in the INL (arrowhead). Additional BrdU-positive cells are located in the ONL, in the location of both rods and cones (open arrowheads). (D–E'') Cryosections of sox2-induced hatchling medaka retinae. BrdU-positive (magenta) ACs, which are labeled by HuC/D (cyan) can be detected in the INL (D-D'', arrowheads) and GCL (E-E'', arrowheads). Additional BrdU-positive cells are located in the ONL, in the location of both rods and cones (open arrowheads) (n = 7 sox2 OE fish and n = 8 control fish, data obtained from two independent experiments each). Scale bars are 10 μm. (F) Quantification of the location of BrdU-positive cells in sox2-induced fish (607 cells in 14 retinae) versus wild-type control fish treated with mifepristone (341 cells in eight retinae) and transgenic rx2::LexPR OP::sox2, OP::H2B-eGFP fish not treated with mifepristone (218 cells in four retinae) reveals an increase in BrdU-positive olMG cells, ACs and RGCs as well as a decrease in rod PRCs in sox2-induced fish. Wild-type control vs Sox2 OE: Rod PRC **p=0.0031, Cone PRC ns p=0.678, AC *p=0.0434, RGC *p=0.0445, MG **p=0.0083. Non-treated transgenic vs Sox2 OE: Rod PRC ***p=0.0004, Cone PRC ns p=0.528, AC *p=0.0445, RGC *p=0.0445, MG **p=0.0061. Box plots: median, 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers show maximum and minimum data points. (G) olMG cells respond to injuries by proliferation without self-renewal and restriction toward PRC fate. Targeted expression of sox2 induces self-renewal and increased potency of olMG cells. Here, we have characterized a differential regenerative response between two teleost fish and used it as a framework to address the molecular determinants of regeneration during evolution. By using a combination of in vivo imaging, targeted cell type ablation and lineage tracing, we investigated the dynamics of the injury response in the medaka retina. We focused on MG cells, which play a prominent role in zebrafish retinal regeneration. While upon injury olMG cells re-enter the cell cycle, they fail to undergo self-renewal. Furthermore, olMG cells do not generate the neurogenic clusters which arise in zebrafish, nor do they produce all neuronal cell types in the retina. We traced this effect prominently to Sox2, the expression of which is maintained in proliferating drMG cells after injury, but not in olMG cells. We demonstrated that the sustained expression of sox2 is sufficient to convert an olMG into a dr-like MG cell. The fact that this response is acquired cell-autonomously and in the context of a non-regenerative retina can be relevant for putative translational approaches. Since olMG cells do not self-renew after injuries and only have the capacity to regenerate PRCs, olMG cells are not true multipotent retinal stem cells. Instead, olMG cells should be considered lineage-restricted progenitors. They re-enter the cell cycle between 1 and 2 dpi, similar to the re-entry observed in zebrafish. This indicates that the signals that are essential for cell cycle re-entry are present in medaka and are activated in a window of time similar to that in zebrafish. After retinal injures olMG nuclei migrate into the PRC layer; the cell bodies of nucleus-depleted olMG cells are maintained in the retina. This could be important since MG cell bodies play a crucial role in mechanical stability of the retina (MacDonald et al., 2015) as well as light guiding through the retina (Franze et al., 2007). After retinal injures, olMG cell bodies were maintained in the absence of a nucleus in the INL reflecting the necessity to preserve this structural and optical element. In the uninjured retina, olMG cells express sox2, as is the case for many other vertebrates, including humans. However, sox2 expression in olMG cells is downregulated in response to injury, in contrast to the injury response of drMG cells, which upregulate sox2 (Gorsuch et al., 2017). We speculate that this upregulation is due to epigenetic modifications of the sox2 locus. A recent study in the mouse retina showed that the expression of oct4 is upregulated shortly after injury and then downregulated at 24 hpi (Reyes-Aguirre and Lamas, 2016). This correlates with a decrease in the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3b and its subsequent upregulation at 24 hpi, triggering a decrease in methylation and subsequent re-methylation of oct4. Furthermore, a recent study on zebrafish regeneration discovered the existence of so-called tissue regeneration enhancer elements (TREEs) (Kang et al., 2016). One TREE was associated with leptin b, which is expressed in response to injuries of the fin and heart. This TREE acquires open chromatin marks after injury, can be divided into tissue-specific modules and can drive injury-dependent expression in mouse tissue. This raises the possibility that the sox2 locus in olMG cells experiences epigenetic modifications after injury which differ from modifications in zebrafish. The fact that sox2 expression is detected in all vertebrate MG cells analyzed to date in the absence of injury raises the question whether a decrease in sox2 expression after injury might be a common feature of non-regenerative species like chicken, mouse and even humans. Data from a conditional sox2 knockout in mouse shows that Sox2 is necessary for maintenance of MG morphology and quiescence (Surzenko et al., 2013). While its expression is maintained in response to the injection of growth factors after retinal damage (Karl et al., 2008) its regulation in response to injury alone has not been described. Data obtained in cultures of human MG cells (Bhatia et al., 2011) provide additional important insights. Strikingly similar to medaka, silencing the expression of sox2 caused MG cells to lose stem and progenitor cell markers and adopt a neural phenotype (Bhatia et al., 2011). These findings align well with the results from medaka presented here und suggest that olMG cells and their behavior as progenitor cells can serve as a model for mammalian and in particular human MG cells. The results shown here may provoke an evolutionary question: is retinal regeneration an ancestral or derived feature within the infraclass of teleosts? The question might be resolved by investigations of this capacity in other fish species more closely related to medaka, such as Xiphophorus maculatus, whose last common ancestor with medaka lived around 120 million years ago (Schartl et al., 2013). Additionally, species like the spotted gar, whose lineage diverged from teleosts before teleost genome duplication (Braasch et al., 2016), might provide insights about the ancestral mode of retinal regeneration. Recently, the retinal architecture of the spotted gar has been analyzed (Sukeena et al., 2016). There, proliferative cells have been detected in the central retina likely representing proliferating MG cells, which generate rod PRCs during homeostasis as seen in zebrafish, suggesting that regeneration is indeed an ancestral feature in the ray-finned fish lineage. Additionally, one wonders whether the ability of MG cells to regenerate injured retinal cells is directly related to their involvement in rod genesis during post-embryonic growth and conversely whether the lack of regenerative abilities of MG cells is a result of the lack of rod genesis? The differences in rod layer increase in zebrafish and medaka as well as the differences in rod genesis by MG cells might be due to the natural habitats and photic environment of the fish. While larval zebrafish live near the water surface, adults live in deeper waters where rods become more important for visual function (Lenkowski and Raymond, 2014). Medaka on the other hand are surface fish their entire life, since they live in shallow waters like rice paddies (Kirchmaier et al., 2015) which decreases the need for a massive increase in rods. With a potential translational perspective, regenerating and non-regenerating systems can now be systematically compared to delineate the underlying factors and mechanisms. To date, our cumulative results show that the regenerative potential of olMG cells in the context of homeostasis and injury in medaka resemble that of mammals and birds more than zebrafish. We propose that this provides an added value to medaka as a model species for regeneration studies that bridge the differences between zebrafish and mammals. Studies of heart regeneration that have compared zebrafish and medaka lend additional support to this statement (Ito et al., 2014; Lai et al., 2017). As reprogrammable multipotent retinal stem cells, MG cells harbor a great potential for treating degenerative retinal diseases. Our work indicates that the addition of a single reprogramming factor facilitates a regeneration-like response mediated by olMG cells. Their multiple resemblances of features of mammalian and human MG cells position them as an ideal model for the development of new treatments preventing the degeneration and initiating the regeneration of the retina. Medaka (Oryzias latipes) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) used in this study were kept as closed stocks in accordance to Tierschutzgesetz 111, Abs. 1, Nr. 1 and with European Union animal welfare guidelines. Fish were maintained in a constant recirculating system at 28°C on a 14 hr light/10 hr dark cycle (Tierschutzgesetz 111, Abs. 1, Nr. 1, Haltungserlaubnis AZ35–9185.64 and AZ35–9185.64/BH KIT). The following stocks and transgenic lines were used: wild-type Cabs, rx2::H2B-eGFP, rx2::lifeact-eGFP, rx2::H2B-eGFP QuiH, rx2::LexPR OP::sox2 OP::H2B-eGFP cmlc2::CFP, rx2::CreERT2, GaudíRSG (Reinhardt et al., 2015), AB zebrafish and Albino zebrafish. All transgenic lines were created by microinjection with Meganuclease (I-SceI) in medaka embryos at the one-cell stage, as previously described (Thermes et al., 2002). For BrdU incorporation, fish were incubated in 2.5 mM BrdU diluted in 1x Embryo Rearing Medium (ERM) or 1x Zebrafish Medium for respective amounts of time. For induction of the LexPR system, fish were induced by bathing them in a 5 µM to 10 µM mifepristone solution in 1x ERM for respective times. For induction of the Cre/lox system, fish were treated with a 5 µM tamoxifen solution in 1x ERM over night. For in vivo imaging fish in a Cab background were kept in 5x 1-phenyl-2-thiourea (PTU) in 1x ERM from 1 dpf until imaging to block pigmentation. Fish in a QuiH background could be imaged without any treatment. Fish were anesthetized in 1x Tricaine diluted in 1x ERM and mounted in glass-bottomed Petri dishes (MatTek Corporation, Ashland, MA) in 1% Low Melting Agarose. The specimens were oriented lateral, facing down, so that the right eye was touching the cover-slip at the bottom of the dish. Imaging and laser ablations were performed on a Leica (Germany) SP5 equipped with a Spectra Physics (Santa Clara, California, USA) Mai Tai HP DeepSee Ti:Sapphire laser, tunable from 690 to 1040 nm and Leica Hybrid Detectors. A wound was introduced using the bleach point function or the region of interest function, together with the high-energy two-photon laser tuned to 880 nm. The wound size was defined between 40 and 60 µm diameter for medium-sized wounds. Wounds bigger than 60 µm diameter were defined as large wounds. Rx2::H2B-eGFP or rx2::lifeact-eGFP fish were used for the ablations. Since rx2 is expressed during retinal development residual GFP could be visualized in rod PRCs as well as in RGCs when increasing the gain of the Hybrid Detectors. Follow-up imaging was performed using same laser at 880 nm and a 40x objective. Larvae (zebrafish 5 dpf, medaka 8 dpf) were anesthetized in 1x Tricaine in 1x ERM and placed on a wet tissue. Under microscopic visualization, the right retina was stabbed multiple times in the dorsal part with a glass needle (0.05 mm diameter). Left retinae were used as controls. Fish were euthanized using Tricaine and fixed over night in 4% PFA, 1x PTW at 4°C. After fixation samples were washed with 1x PTW and cryoprotected in 30% sucrose in 1x PTW. To improve section quality, the samples were incubated in a half/half mixture of 30% sucrose and Tissue Freezing Medium (Leica) for at least 3 days. 16-µM-thick serial sections were obtained on a Leica cryostat. Sections were rehydrated in 1x PTW for 30 min at room temperature. Blocking was performed for 1–2 hr with 10% NGS (normal goat serum) in 1x PTW at room temperature. The respective primary antibodies were applied diluted in 1% NGS o/n at 4˚C. The secondary antibody was applied in 1% NGS together with DAPI (1:500 dilution in 1xPTW of 5 mg/ml stock) for 2–3 hr at 37˚C. Slides were mounted with 60% glycerol and kept at 4°C until imaging. BrdU antibody staining was performed with an antigen retrieval step. After all antibody stainings and DAPI staining, except for BrdU, were complete, a fixation for 30 min was performed with 4% PFA. Slides were incubated for 1 hr at 37°C in 2 N HCl solution, and pH was recovered by washing with a 40% Borax solution before incubation with the primary BrdU antibody. TUNEL stainings on cryosections were performed after all other antibody stainings were completed using the In Situ Cell Death Detection Kit TMR Red by Roche. Stainings were performed according to the manufacturers protocol with the following modifications. Washes were performed with 1x PTW instead of PBS. All immunohistochemistry images were acquired by confocal microscopy at a Leica TCS SPE with either a 20x water objective or a 40x oil objective. Images were processed via Fiji image processing software. Statistical analysis and graphical representation of the data were performed using the Prism software package (GraphPad). Box plots show the median, 25th and 75th percentiles; whiskers show maximum and minimum data points. Unpaired t-tests were performed to determine the statistical significances. The p-value p<0.05 was considered significant and p-values are given in the figure legends. Sample size (n) and number of independent experiments are mentioned in every figure legend. No statistical methods were used to predetermine sample sizes, but our sample sizes are similar to those generally used in the field. The experimental groups were allocated randomly, and no blinding was done during allocation. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science 52:136–145. The Journal of Neuroscience 35:15612–15634. Progress in retinal and eye research 40:94–123. Development, Growth & Differentiation 49:145–154. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution 326:403–421. Thank you for submitting your article "Activating the regenerative potential of Müller glia cells in a regeneration-deficient retina" for consideration by eLife. Your article has been reviewed by two peer reviewers, and the evaluation has been overseen by a Reviewing Editor and Diethard Tautz as the Senior Editor. The following individuals involved in review of your submission have agreed to reveal their identity: Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado (Reviewer #1) Pamela A Raymond (Reviewer #3). This paper investigates whether medaka and zebrafish have the same capacity for retina regeneration. The authors find that in contrast to zebrafish, medaka (Oryzias latipes) has limited regeneration capacity. They also show that Sox2 expression is not maintained to the same extent in medaka Müller glia (MG) as in zebrafish. Forced expression of Sox2 grants medaka MG cells traits, which are more similar to injury responses observed in zebrafish. In general this is a well-executed study with highly advanced and beautiful imaging. 1)Subsection “olMG cells reenter the cell cycle after injury but do not generate neurogenic clusters!” – The statement that medaka Müller glia are quiescent in juveniles cites a previous study (Lust et al., 2016) dealing with embryonic and larval stages, not juvenile fish. The present study also appears to use larval fish (8 days post-fertilization), as stated in the Materials and methods section. The authors need to clarify the stages being used for the reported experiments. For example, the layer of rod nuclei in the ONL in the larval medaka retina (e.g., Figure 1A,B) is a scant one-cell thick, whereas in adult medaka retinas, there are 2-3 rows of rod nuclei (e.g. Imanishi et al., 2007,). During this early larval period, as in all species of teleost fish studied, rod photoreceptors accumulate gradually, and they are generated by rare stem cell divisions of Müller glia and the rapidly dividing rod progenitors they produce, which migrate apically into the ONL and differentiate into rods. Addressing this concern, therefore, is important. 2) Subsection “olMG nuclei but not their cell bodies are depleted after PRC injuries” and Discussion section – The statement that after photoreceptor injury medaka Müller glial "nuclei migrate apically into the wound site but remain there" and that "cell bodies are maintained at 10 days after injury in the absence of a nucleus in the INL" whereas radial glial fibers remain intact is not entirely justified. The only marker used for cell nuclei (in Figure 3) is the transgenic rx2:H2B-eGFP reporter; another possible interpretation of the results is that this reporter is no longer expressed in Müller glia that responded to the injury. This possibility is supported by the in vivo image in Figure 3A,A',A'', in which the arrowhead points to a Müller glial radial fiber labeled with rx2:lifeact-GFP cytoplasmic reporter. careful examination shows a 'hole' of reduced fluorescence in the soma, which likely corresponds to the nucleus in the inner nuclear layer (INL). In Figure 3B, the injury site in the ONL is not apparent, and co-localization of BrdU and GFP is not readily apparent. 3) Subsection “olMG cells divide in the INL with an apico-basal distribution” – The data measuring cleavage plane of dividing Müller glia are not robust (only 6 cells were examined). In the example shown (Figure 4B), there is no obvious damage in the photoreceptor layer. How do the authors exclude the possibility that these dividing cells could be neuronal progenitors in the rod lineage, reflecting normal development, not regeneration? The PH3 labeled cell (Figure 4A) and the mitotic cell (Figure 4B) could both represent rod progenitors. Note that the mitotic cell in Figure 4B is slightly above and in front of a Müller glial nucleus with a distinctive glial shape (elongated, polygonal), which could indicate that the mitotic cell may be a Müller-derived, early progenitor in the rod lineage. 4) Subsection “Sox2 expression is not maintained in proliferating olMG cells after injury” – The authors find that proliferating cells in medaka do not sustain Sox 2 expression and don't form neurogenic clusters. Based on these data they assign a role to Sox2 in MG cells. Nevertheless, there are a fairly large number of Sox 2 expressing cells in medaka after injury (Figure 6). Thus, a major role of Sox2 might be sustaining proliferation in the cycling progeny of MG cells rather than only determining MG cell fate. Along the same line, it would be important to quantify Sox2 expression after the different injury models rather than just carrying out comparisons between the two species in the same injury model. More importantly: one wonders what is the percentage of Sox 2 expressing cells that are BrdU+? This is the counting that would support the conclusion reached rather than the percentage of BrdU+ cells that are Sox2+. This is insufficient information: how many cells were counted and from how many retinas? 5) Subsection “Sustained Sox2 expression restores olMG driven regeneration” – Figure 7. No evidence is provided for induced expression of Sox2 in Müller glia. The effect of overexpression of Sox2 on 'regeneration' is very small, and only a single marker (HuC/D) was used to identify retinal cells. The co-localization of HuC/D and BrdU is not convincing in the absence of a panel showing HuC/D only. The quantification data are incomplete; only percentages shown, no information on number of cells counted and number of retinas. Several experiments would strengthen the conclusions in Figure 7. Please show that more MG cells express Sox 2 for example with double staining with GS. Please comment on whether MG progeny form proliferating clusters after sustained Sox 2 expression. A movie (of similar kind that is shown earlier) would be a very nice illustration to demonstrate the increased regenerative response by MG. Wildtype animals treated with mifepristone were used as control. Would be also necessary to show the control with the transgenic line without drug. 6) Discussion section – No evidence is provided for depletion of the medaka Müller glia or for "symmetric division into two differentiating cells, depleting the olMG pool". In fact, Figure 3B, B' shows that in the region designated as a photoreceptor lesion at 2, 4, and 6 days after injury, labeling with the glial antibody glutamine synthetase (GS) shows that radial fibers of Müller glia persist at densities equivalent to the flanking, uninjured regions. These results are contrary to the conclusion that Müller glia are converted into photoreceptors by a symmetric division. 1) Subsection “olMG cells reenter the cell cycle after injury but do not generate neurogenic clusters!” – The statement that medaka Müller glia are quiescent in juveniles cites a previous study (Lust et al., 2016) dealing with embryonic and larval stages, not juvenile fish. The present study also appears to use larval fish (8 days post-fertilization), as stated in the Materials and methods section. The authors need to clarify the stages being used for the reported experiments. For example, the layer of rod nuclei in the ONL in the larval medaka retina (e.g., Figure 1A,B) is a scant one-cell thick, whereas in adult medaka retinas, there are 2-3 rows of rod nuclei (e.g. Imanishi et al., 2007,). During this early larval period, as in all species of teleost fish studied, rod photoreceptors accumulate gradually, and they are generated by rare stem cell divisions of Müller glia and the rapidly dividing rod progenitors they produce, which migrate apically into the ONL and differentiate into rods. Addressing this concern, therefore, is important. We agree with the reviewers that the stages used (hatchling fish, 8dpf) need to be clarified and we have changed it accordingly throughout the text. We are now referring to the fish as hatchlings, which is the same stage we used in our previous studies. Since the referees had pointed out that in Figure 1A, B the ONL of medaka is only one-cell thick and thicker in adult medaka of the mentioned study (Imanishi et al., 2007) we additionally provide now a new figure (new Figure 1—figure supplement 1) highlighting the differences in photoreceptor compositions in uninjured medaka and zebrafish both at 8dpf and in adults using immunohistochemistry for markers of rods and cones and DAPI. While zebrafish have one layer of rod PRCs at 8dpf and at least three layers of rods in adults, medaka basically maintain the rod layer from embryonic to adult stages. Those data clearly explain the difference in rod-production. While medaka rods are born by progenitors after the exit from the CMZ, which we show by Cre/lox-mediated lineage tracing (new Figure S2), rods in zebrafish are derived from drMG cells, explaining the difference between the two species. We have introduced a new paragraph into the Results section highlighting this important point at the beginning of the manuscript. In our experience, GFP is best stabilized in a conformation where it is fused to histones. In Figure 3A-A'' we used a double transgenic line: rx2::lifeact-eGFP, rx2::H2B-eGFP, where the same regulatory element drives H2B-eGFP as well as lifeact-eGFP. The fact that the MG fiber is still visible indicates that rx2-driven lifeact-eGFP is still expressed. Additionally, H2B-GFP is a highly stable fluorophore, which is present long after its transcription had been downregulated. Together these findings argue against a loss of GFP due to inactivity of the corresponding regulatory element and rather support an alternative scenario, the loss of the H2BeGFP expressing nuclei. To make this point clearer, we adjusted the text describing these results and also the figure, clearly indicating that a double transgenic fish line had been used. To illustrate the absence of nuclei in olMG fibers forming in response to injury we added another panel to Figure 3 (Figure 3B-B'''') showing DAPI and GFP stainings at 3 dpf in rx2::lifeact-eGFP retinae. To make the injury site and the GFP and BrdU co-localization more apparent we adjusted the former Panel 3B (now 3C) to clearly show the overlap of GFP and BrdU. We could only observe PH3 positive cells in the INL in injured fish. Given that, together with the fact that MG cells in medaka are quiescent at the stage examined and as outlined above and in contrast to zebrafish do not generate rod PRCs, we believe that these PH3-positve cells are injury-responsive MG cells. We followed the advice of the referees and have also quantified the number of Sox2+ MG cells after PRC and RGC injury, where we see a very similar trend as in the needle injuries and included this data now in the text. With respect to the percentage of Sox2 expressing cells that are dividing cells we are a bit confused by the request of the referees. What we focus on in the manuscript is the response of olMG cells to injury and more specifically the question: is sox2 maintained in injury responding cells? Since in medaka only injury-responsive olMG cells are BrdU+, we find that it is necessary to analyze how many of these BrdU+ cells still express sox2 and how many do not. Apparently, we have not been able to state that clearly in the submitted version of the manuscript. We have therefore adjusted the text describing this experiment with a more detailed description. Additionally, a large number of Sox2-expresing cells presented in the figure are not olMG cells but rather Amacrine cells, which also express Sox2 in homeostatic conditions and can be distinguished from MG cells due to their position and nuclear shape. We clarified those points in the revised version of the manuscript in both, text as well as in the figures. Moreover, we have now included the numbers of cells counted and the numbers of retinae used in the figure legends. We have addressed all of the points raised by the referees here and have extended existing figures and introduced data from new experiments. To show that Sox2 is expressed in mifepristone induced MG cells of the transgenic rx2::LexPR OP::sox2 OP::H2B-eGFP line we performed additional experiments and have introduced a new Figure 7, which shows the increased amounts of Sox2 protein in induced olMG cells. To address the formation of proliferating clusters after sustained Sox2 expression we have performed additional experiments. As an alternative to the suggested life imaging over extended period of time, we now present additional data of fixed retinae, which were analyzed 3 days after injury. Sustained expression of Sox2 triggers cluster formation as an injury response. We detected the formation of BrdU+ clusters of proliferating cells as well as the distribution of BrdU+ cell intro all layers of the retina indicating the enhanced potential of the olMG cells in presence of sustained Sox2 levels. We have included this data in the new Figure 7 of the revised manuscript. To better visualize the co-localization of BrdU and HuC/D, we have changed the previous Figure 7 (Figure 8 in the revised manuscript), so that the HuC/D label is shown alone. Additionally, we have extended the figure legends now stating all the numbers of cells counted and the numbers of retinae used. Finally, as requested, we have now included data for the transgenic fish, which were not induced with mifepristone, but underwent the same injury, BrdU pulse and chase timeline. We see the same results as in the wildtype control fish, which were treated with mifepristone and the data is now included in the quantifications in the revised Figure 8. We agree to the point raised by the referees and have rephrased the Discussion section of the revised manuscript accordingly. We agree that we had presented limited mechanistic insight related to the mode of division of olMG cells and have therefore omitted this part of the discussion. We have clarified the discussion of the cell bodies of olMG cells losing their nucleus in response to injury. As outlined above (Point 2) the fibers persist and we now only discuss the depletion of the olMG nucleus and the putative role of the olMG cell bodies which are likely not functionally equivalent to normal olMG cells. Animal experimentation: Animal experimentation: Medaka (Oryzias latipes) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) stocks were maintained as closed stocks in a fish facility built according to the local animal welfare standards (Tierschutzgesetz 111, Abs. 1, Nr. 1), and animal experiments were performed in accordance with European Union animal welfare guidelines. The facility is under the supervision of the local representative of the animal welfare agency. Fish were maintained in a constant recirculating system at 28°C with a 14 h light/10 h dark cycle (Tierschutzgesetz 111, Abs. 8 1, Nr. 1, Haltungserlaubnis AZ35-9185.64 and AZ35-9185.64/BH KIT). © 2018, Lust et al.

2019-04-20T18:31:31Z

https://elifesciences.org/articles/32319

As an introduction to Volume I of the Guide, this chapter addresses UK and US law regarding two critical concepts that a corporate facing an investigation in either or both jurisdictions will need to consider at the outset: corporate criminal liability and double jeopardy. This chapter also sets forth in summary the priorities and challenges corporations face at each stage of an investigation – topics that are explored in more detail in the chapters that follow. One topic not explored, but likely to affect chapters in this guide with a European dimension, is the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union, scheduled for 29 March 2019. Considerable uncertainty remains surrounding the consequences, legal and otherwise, of that decision, which we hope will have become clearer by the next edition. When corporate misconduct that potentially implicates multiple jurisdictions is uncovered, a critical preliminary question is: what is the test, in each jurisdiction, for corporate criminal liability? Not all countries have corporate criminal liability, but for those jurisdictions that do, it typically rests on the premise that the acts of certain employees can be attributed to the corporation. However, the category of employees that can trigger corporate liability differs between jurisdictions – in some, it is limited to those with management responsibilities, whereas in others the category of employees who can trigger corporate liability is much broader. Generally speaking, the act triggering corporate liability must occur within the scope of the employee’s employment activities. The act must also generally be done in the interest of, or for the benefit of, the corporation. The difference between theories of liability across jurisdictions inevitably poses challenges and complicates a company’s strategy for dealing with a global investigation, and in some instances can determine the outcome. In the United Kingdom, there are two main techniques to attribute to a corporate the acts and states of mind of the individuals it employs. Where a limited company is the employer difficult questions do arise in a wide variety of circumstances in deciding which of its officers or servants is to be identified with the company so that his guilt is the guilt of the company. I must start by considering the nature of the personality which by a fiction the law attributes to a corporation. A living person has a mind which can have knowledge or intention or be negligent and he has hands to carry out his intentions. A corporation has none of these: it must act through living persons, though not always one or the same person. Then the person who acts is not speaking or acting for the company. He is acting as the company and his mind which directs his acts is the mind of the company. There is no question of the company being vicariously liable. He is not acting as a servant, representative, agent or delegate. He is an embodiment of the company or, one could say, he hears and speaks through the persona of the company, within his appropriate sphere, and his mind is the mind of the company. If it is a guilty mind then that guilt is the guilt of the company. It must be a question of law whether, once the facts have been ascertained, a person in doing particular things is to be regarded as the company or merely as the company’s servant or agent. It is for the judge to decide, as a matter of law, whether there is evidence on which a jury could be sure that a particular individual was a ‘directing mind’ within the Tesco principles; and, if there is such evidence, the jury must then be sure that the particular individual was in fact a directing mind for the purposes of his or her particular actions. A directing mind is not necessarily limited to board directors; it may also be found in a delegate who has full discretion to act independently of instructions from the directors. In short, under the identification principle, before a corporate can be found guilty of a criminal offence, someone who represents its directing mind and will must also be found guilty. There cannot be an aggregation of acts or omissions to attribute the company with criminal conduct; rather, the criminal act or omission must be performed by a single person who can be identified with the corporate for it to be liable. The second technique of attributing liability to a corporate under English law is that of vicarious liability. Although, in general, in the United Kingdom a corporate entity may not be convicted for the criminal acts of its inferior employees or agents, there are some exceptions, the most important of which concerns statutory offences that impose an absolute duty on the employer, even where the employer has not authorised or consented to the criminal act. Most significantly, statutory developments in the United Kingdom, starting with the offence of corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007, but more significantly the introduction of the Bribery Act 2010 and more recently Part 3 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 (which came into force on 30 September 2017), represent a policy shift by introducing the strict liability offences of failure to prevent by an ‘associated person’ committed on behalf of the corporate, unless the corporate can demonstrate that it had adequate (or reasonable) procedures in place to prevent such an offence occurring. These statutes have broad jurisdictional reach. Under the Bribery Act for example, a corporate, falling within the definition of a commercial organisation under the Bribery Act, could be guilty even where no conduct occurred in, and where the associated person has no connection with, the United Kingdom. The policy of the legislation to improve corporate governance is clear: Ministry of Justice guidance for the Bribery Act refers to the need for a corporate to create an ‘anti-bribery culture’. Similarly, a corporate is guilty of the offence of corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007 if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a person’s death where a duty of care was owed. Guidance issued for the corporate offences of failure to prevent the criminal facilitation of tax evasion, which closely mirrors the Bribery Act guidance, also refers to the culture of the organisation. For example, top level commitment should foster ‘a culture within the relevant body in which activity intended to facilitate tax evasion is never acceptable’. Each piece of legislation and accompanying guidance invites consideration of the corporate’s culture – its attitudes, policies, systems and practices. The test for liability is closer to the test in the regulatory context where liability is based on broad principles and considers governance, and systems and controls. In respect of the new tax offences, the UK government has stated that it expects ‘rapid implementation’ with companies expected to have a clear time frame and implementation plan in place by the time the offences came into force. It may be that this model of corporate criminal liability expands, in due course, to all economic crimes; on 13 January 2017 the government issued a Call for Evidence (which ran until the end of March 2017) to examine whether the law on corporate criminal liability in the United Kingdom needs reform. The government said that it was seeking to establish whether there is evidence of corporate crime going unpunished because of the current impediments presented by the identification doctrine, as well as evidence on the costs and benefits of further reform, bearing in mind the significant changes made in certain sectors to tackle misconduct. This, it indicated, would inform government decisions over whether to make further reforms. It set out five options for reform: amendment of the identification doctrine; a strict (vicarious) liability doctrine; a strict (direct) liability offence – effectively a widening of the current offence under section 7 of the UK Bribery Act (section 7 offence); incorporation of the failure-to-prevent wording into substantive offences, but with the burden on the prosecution to establish that the corporate had not taken adequate steps to prevent the unlawful conduct; and possible sector-by-sector regulatory reform (in the form of implementation in other sectors of similar arrangements to the new individual accountability regimes introduced for financial services in the United Kingdom). It is yet to be seen what impact political uncertainty in the United Kingdom will have on this thinking. In the deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) context, the current high threshold for establishing corporate criminal liability in the United Kingdom is a problem inherent in the DPA regime: to enter into a DPA, a prosecutor must satisfy the evidential test, which requires either that the evidential stage of the Full Code Test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors is satisfied or, that ‘there is at least a reasonable suspicion based upon some admissible evidence that [the corporate] has committed the offence, and there are reasonable grounds for believing that a continued investigation would provide further admissible evidence within a reasonable period of time, so that all the evidence together would be capable of establishing a realistic prospect of conviction in accordance with the Full Code Test’. For that reason many expected DPAs to be used principally for section 7 offences, where the identification principle does not present an obstacle to satisfying the evidential test. The prospect for DPAs to be used for the proposed failure to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion offence is specifically laid out in the government’s guidance. Both the first two DPAs in the United Kingdom were for section 7 offences, although XYZ Ltd – anonymised because of ongoing criminal proceedings against individuals – also accepted misconduct in relation to conspiracies to corrupt and to bribe. However, XYZ Ltd was a small company and, as Sir Brian Leveson, President of the Queen’s Bench Division, found, ‘there is no question but that XYZ spiralled into criminality as a result of the conduct of a small number of senior executives bending to the will of agents’. In other words, the identification principle did not, in that case, present a problem. However, in Rolls-Royce, the DPA spanned three decades, and dealt with conduct much of which predated the introduction of the Bribery Act 2010 and which formed the basis of seven counts of conspiracy to corrupt and false accounting. The remaining five counts related to section 7 offences. We can conclude that in that case, despite being considerably larger than XYZ Ltd, the identification principle did not present evidential hurdles in reaching a settlement. At the time of writing, no individual has been charged. The Call for Evidence recognises that ‘the effectiveness of the DPA as an alternative disposal is dependent on there being a realistic threat of prosecution’, which, they conclude, ‘lends weight to the suggestion that the “failure to prevent” model would offer a more realistic threat of successful prosecution than a case built on the application of the identification doctrine.’ The failure-to-prevent model as enacted in the Bribery Act and now the Criminal Finances Act is described in the Call for Evidence as having ‘some clear advantages’. Apart from being readily applicable to offending by organisations of any size, the government is explicit in the power of the model to effect corporate cultural change by acting as ‘an incentive to companies to include the prevention of economic crime as an integral part of corporate governance and, should it afford a more realistic threat of prosecution, it might enhance the effectiveness of DPAs as an alternative to criminal prosecution’. The United States has long recognised principles of corporate liability based on common law and statutory bases. The application of these concepts, however, has evolved over time and was most recently shaped by the global financial crisis of 2007–2008, where the spectre of industry and market collapse loomed large. Today, increasing emphasis on individual liability and corporate culture continues to shape and refine this area of law. In the United States, the common law of agency plays an important role. Specifically, under principles of respondeat superior, a company may be held vicariously liable for the illegal acts of any of its agents (including employees and contract personnel) so long as those actions were within the scope of the agents’ duties and were intended, even if only in part, to benefit the corporation. An act is considered ‘within the scope of an agent’s employment’ if the individual commits the act as part of his or her general line of work and with at least the partial intent to benefit the corporation. The corporation need not receive an actual benefit and may be liable for these offences even if it directs its agent not to commit the offence. Moreover, even where no single employee has the requisite intent or knowledge to satisfy the scienter element of a crime, courts have recognised a ‘collective knowledge doctrine’ – where several employees collectively know enough to satisfy the intent or knowledge requirement, courts can impute this collective intent and knowledge to the corporation. While historically courts have used the doctrine to establish knowledge on the part of a corporation, in recent years the doctrine has also been used to establish a corporation’s intent (i.e., to establish whether the corporation acted wilfully). This doctrine is not universally accepted and some courts have limited it to circumstances where the company was flagrantly indifferent to the offences being committed. Additionally, beyond the common law principle of respondeat superior, some legislation imposes criminal liability for companies, including in the fields of environmental and antitrust law. Such statutes have the dual effects of forcing companies to internalise the costs of their wrongdoing and of increasing the deterrent effect of the law or regulation. For example, in a field such as environmental law, where misconduct can have tremendous collateral and long-term consequences, the imposition of liability on the company acts as a strong incentive for corporate monitoring of employees and thorough due diligence and risk assessment. Although corporate criminal liability has been a feature of US law since the nineteenth century, the criminal prosecution of corporations slowed abruptly and significantly – although temporarily – following the ill-fated prosecution of Arthur Andersen in 2002; the conviction (subsequently overturned by the US Supreme Court) resulted in the firm’s collapse and job losses for many thousands of innocent employees. In the aftermath of the Arthur Andersen case, prosecutors became far more hesitant to unleash the brute force of criminal charges against companies. Although limited prosecutions continued following Arthur Andersen, they were further reduced in number when, in the wake of the financial meltdown of 2007–2008, many feared that prosecuting big banks and large employers might lead to further economic turmoil. This idea, that an entity might be ‘too big to fail’, is now widely rejected by both prosecutors and the public, and there has since been a marked uptick in prosecutions. Today, prosecutors are generally less willing to accept the prospect of dire collateral consequences as justification for not pursuing criminal charges against corporations and have required guilty pleas from large corporations, previously considered ‘too big to jail’. As corporations survive – and even thrive – in the wake of guilty pleas, the spectre of the Arthur Andersen case recedes and the rigour with which prosecutors pursue companies continues to increase. In recent years, the United States has increasingly placed emphasis on an organisation’s compliance culture and internal controls. The result is that self-reporting, full acceptance of responsibility and the disclosure of all relevant facts concerning culpable individuals (regardless of seniority) now form the basis on which the government awards co-operation credit. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Justice Manual, the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Seaboard factors, US Sentencing Guidelines and the ‘Yates Memorandum’, each of which is discussed in detail in later chapters, all reflect this pronounced shift in enforcement priorities. As a recent example, in late 2017 the DOJ introduced the Corporate Enforcement Policy, which creates a rebuttable presumption that the DOJ will grant a declination to a company in regard to Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) violations where the company satisfies the requirements for voluntary self-disclosure, co-operation and remediation. The DOJ has also announced that it will use the Policy as non-binding guidance in criminal cases outside the FCPA context. Although the price of attaining corporate co-operation credit is often painfully high, most companies have no choice but to tolerate it; co-operation typically provides the best prospect for a company to prevent a criminal charge, minimise financial penalties and avoid other harsh collateral consequences, such as the imposition of a monitor. Still, co-operation is not for the faint of heart, and any company operating in the United States or subject to US jurisdiction should carefully consider the far-reaching consequences – both good and bad – of setting off down the often treacherous path of co-operation. Once a company voluntarily discloses misconduct to the government, the ability to defend the case and control the process is effectively relinquished, and a company will find it very difficult to withhold sensitive, embarrassing or even harmful information. Given the highly uncertain alternative to co-operation, however, most companies accept and embrace this new reality from the start of an internal investigation and understand that factual findings far more often than not – if they involve potential criminal misconduct – will be presented to law enforcement. Another key question in any global investigation – where misconduct crosses borders and where more than one enforcement authority may seek to assert jurisdiction – is the extent to which different authorities can sanction the same or similar conduct. While domestic constitutional provisions on double jeopardy are similar between nation states, no universally accepted international norm exists and the protection afforded by the laws in one country may offer no protection in another. This can present a major difficulty to achieving a satisfactory global settlement for a client. The doctrine of double jeopardy is that a person should not be tried twice for the same offence. Its underlying objective is to bring finality to criminal proceedings against individuals and companies in specific circumstances. Double jeopardy applies to criminal proceedings, but has been held by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to encompass an administrative penalty, in circumstances where that penalty was classified as a criminal penalty because of the nature of the charges and the severity of the punishment. In the United Kingdom, there are two essential conditions for the doctrine to apply. First, the case must be ‘finally disposed of’ and second, any penalty imposed must actually have been enforced or be in the process of being enforced. The rationale for the doctrine is that it confers protection on the person (individual or corporate) from the risk of repeated prosecution by the State with its greater resources. Reflecting similar concerns, the concept of double jeopardy in the United States is rooted in the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution, which reads in relevant part: ‘nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb’. These twenty words have generated tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of pages of case law and are worthy of a treatise in themselves. Distilled to its essence, however, double jeopardy in the United States applies to prohibit subsequent prosecution or multiple punishments of an individual or corporation for the same conduct. Nevertheless, the doctrine of double jeopardy is complicated by the question of dual sovereignty, which holds that double jeopardy’s bar against successive prosecution for the same conduct does not apply when the prior prosecution was brought by a separate sovereign, for example, the US government is not barred from bringing a case where a state or another country has already prosecuted the defendant for the same conduct or vice versa. (2) following a trial for any offence which was founded on ‘the same or substantially the same facts’, where the court would normally consider it right to stay the prosecution as an abuse of process and/or unless the prosecution can show ‘special circumstances’ why another trial should take place. The Divisional Court referred expressly to the United Kingdom’s adoption of Article 54 of the Schengen Convention and its underlying rationale. This is particularly important, as Article 54 states that a person (or company) whose case has been ‘finally disposed of’ by one Contracting Party may not be prosecuted by another for the ‘same acts’, provided that any penalty imposed has been enforced or is in the process of being enforced. Throughout the judgment, the Court stressed the need to look at the under­lying acts behind each charge, rather than the label of the charge itself. In the event, the Court stayed the extradition proceedings on the basis that, although the extradition offence specified in the warrant was not based exactly, or solely, on the same facts as those charged in the UK indictment, there was such significant overlap between them as to require the proceedings to be stayed. In the case of DePuy International Limited, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) applied the double jeopardy principle and confirmed that it will likely arise where there is or has been an investigation into the defendant’s conduct by another authority overseas and the essence of a criminal offence in England and Wales is the same offence for which the defendant already faces trial, or has been acquitted or convicted. DePuy was a UK subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, a US company that self-reported to the DOJ and the SEC bribery of foreign officials by DePuy, as well as other offences that did not involve the company, under the FCPA. Johnson & Johnson agreed to a DPA with the DOJ covering the FCPA violations and a civil sanction with the SEC that encompassed criminal and civil fines amounting to US$70 million. The DOJ informed the SFO of the criminal conduct and the SFO commenced an investigation into DePuy and Mr Dougall, the company’s marketing manager. The SFO took the view that the DPA agreed by the parent company with the DOJ had the legal character of a formally concluded prosecution that punished the same conduct that had formed the basis of the SFO investigation. It determined that the rule against double jeopardy prevented any further criminal sanction being applied in the United Kingdom and instead pursued the company using a civil route to obtain the proceeds of crime. The civil sum obtained by the SFO took into account the global settlement in the United States, including the civil fines paid and recovered of £4.8 million. Whether a DPA under the United Kingdom’s regime would qualify for double jeopardy protection remains an open question. Although entry into a DPA does not constitute a criminal conviction, it does become the final disposal of specific intended criminal proceedings on its expiry and is almost certain to include the enforcement of a fine against the corporate subject. Furthermore, prosecution may follow in the event of a breach of the DPA. As noted above, the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution contains a double jeopardy clause. Generally speaking, the double jeopardy clause prohibits the US federal government, or any individual state, from twice prosecuting someone for the same conduct if that person has already been acquitted or convicted (or after certain mistrials once a jury has been empanelled and ‘jeopardy has attached’). It also prohibits courts from imposing multiple punishments for the same conduct, which may be covered in multiple charges in an indictment. The double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment – unlike its privilege against self-incrimination – applies to both individuals and corporations. The US Supreme Court, however, has recognised a significant exception to the double jeopardy clause, known as the ‘dual sovereignty’ doctrine. Pursuant to this doctrine, double jeopardy does not prohibit the federal government from prosecuting a person previously convicted or acquitted by a state, or vice versa, or one state from prosecuting a person convicted or acquitted by another. In other words, under this doctrine the US federal government can prosecute individuals and entities for the exact same conduct that they have previously been tried for in one of the states, regardless of whether they were convicted or acquitted in that prior case. To blunt the potentially harsh impact of the dual sovereignty exception, the DOJ has adopted a policy that precludes the initiation of federal prosecution following a prior state (or federal) prosecution based on substantially the same facts. The Dual and Successive Prosecution Policy (the Petite Policy) seeks ‘to vindicate substantial federal interests through appropriate federal prosecutions, to protect persons charged with criminal conduct from the burdens associated with multiple prosecutions and punishments for substantially the same act(s) or transaction(s), to promote efficient utilization of Department resources, and to promote coordination and cooperation between federal and state prosecutors’. To overcome this policy, federal prosecutors must not only comply with the standards applicable for commencing any federal prosecution (i.e., that the defendant’s conduct constitutes a federal offence and that the admissible evidence probably will be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction by an unbiased trier of fact), but they must also obtain the approval of the appropriate Assistant Attorney General and establish that (1) the matter involves a substantial federal interest; and (2) the prior prosecution left that federal interest ‘demonstrably unvindicated’. It is the second of these two factors that provides the greatest protection against successive prosecutions, as, under this policy, the DOJ ‘will presume that a prior prosecution, regardless of result, has vindicated the relevant federal interest’. While this presumption can, of course, be overcome (and the policy lists the factors relevant to make such an assessment), federal prosecutors traditionally reserve such challenges for those cases where it perceives the preceding result to have been manifestly unjust. Notably, the Petite Policy does not expressly preclude the DOJ from bringing criminal charges based on the same conduct previously prosecuted by a foreign sovereign. Nevertheless, similar, if not identical, principles are at play whether the prior prosecution was brought by a state or federal government, or a foreign sovereign. Counsel endeavouring to persuade the DOJ to defer to the foreign result certainly should be prepared to demonstrate why a successive prosecution would contravene that policy. The DOJ will, of course, consider if US interests have been sufficiently redressed by the foreign prosecution. And, in the cases of corporate criminal activity, it is likely that the DOJ will seek to extract a penalty based on the harm to its interests. Still, if a prior prosecution by a foreign sovereign has resulted in adequate penalties proportionate to the conduct, the DOJ may well decline or defer the prosecution or, perhaps, offset any US fines or penalties by the amounts paid abroad, particularly in the corporate context. This is particularly likely in the wake of the DOJ’s new policy, announced in May 2018 and since incorporated into the DOJ’s Justice Manual, to discourage the ‘piling on’ of multiple penalties by the DOJ and foreign and domestic agencies when they are investigating the same corporate misconduct. The policy articulates certain factors to be used when determining whether the imposition of multiple penalties would nevertheless serve the interest of justice, and therefore there is no certainty that prior prosecution by a foreign sovereign will result in no or lenient punishment by the United States. The double jeopardy clause generally does not restrict the ability of the US government to pursue successive criminal and administrative remedies for the same conduct. Indeed, while it is more common for administrative investigations to run in parallel with DOJ investigations, double jeopardy is not offended when a criminal prosecution follows the imposition of an administrative sanction (or vice versa). As the Supreme Court held in Hudson v. United States, the double jeopardy clause does not apply to non-criminal penalties. Though the Court in Hudson recognised that criminal charges following in the wake of stinging administrative penalties could potentially implicate double jeopardy concerns, a defendant mounting such a challenge must establish by the ‘clearest proof’ that the administrative penalty was so punitive as to render it criminal for double jeopardy purposes – a very high hurdle indeed. Increased focus on combating overseas corruption following the signing of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, has resulted in a rise in multiple prosecutions. A person or company engaging in overseas corruption faces the prospect of prosecution in any signatory country where he, she or the company may have sufficient involvement, either by citizenship or place of incorporation, or as a place where relevant acts took place. The picture is evolving on both the supranational and national levels, and this is discussed below. The double jeopardy principle is set out in Article 54 of the 1985 Schengen Agreement. On 29 May 2000 the United Kingdom adopted Article 54 of the Schengen Convention and so it presently forms part of the United Kingdom’s domestic law. The rationale for the application of the principle across the European Union was made clear in R v. Gozutok and Brugge, as permitting finality in criminal proceedings and also engendering mutual trust in national criminal justice systems by requiring that each Member State recognise the criminal laws in force in the others even when the outcome would be different if its own national law had been applied. The Council Framework Decision 2009 on the prevention and settlement of conflicts of exercise of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings (the EU Framework Decision) sets out measures to prevent situations where the same person is subject to parallel criminal proceedings in different Member States in respect of the same facts that might lead to the final disposal of those proceedings in two or more Member States. The EU Framework Decision is constitutionally binding on the United Kingdom as a Member State and as such must be taken into account by the SFO in its decision whether to open a criminal investigation. The double jeopardy principle is not a bar to a criminal investigation however, and the SFO has very wide discretion in deciding whether to carry out an investigation. Article 4 of Protocol 7 to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) specifically recognises the double jeopardy principle. The importance of the principle was emphasised in the ECtHR’s Chamber judgment in the case of Grande Stevens and Others v. Italy. Here, the applicants received an administrative penalty from Consob, the Italian Companies and Stock Exchange Commission, in respect of providing false or misleading information concerning financial instruments. The penalty took the form of substantial fines and various banning orders. Subsequently, the applicants were committed for trial before the Turin District Court in respect of criminal allegations of market abuse arising out of the same facts. The applicants argued before the ECtHR that the subsequent criminal proceedings were in breach of Article 4 as the applicants had already been subject to a penalty that was akin to a criminal penalty, even though it was imposed as an administrative penalty. The court accepted their argument and ruled that the administrative penalty should be considered a criminal penalty for the purposes of the ECHR and that Article 4 prevented the criminal proceedings from taking place on the grounds of double jeopardy. 2018 saw three further cases arising in Italy where the principle of double jeopardy was considered, again in relation to administrative penalties imposed by Consob which were severe enough to be considered criminal in nature. All these cases were referred to the CJEU by Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation for a preliminary ruling considering Article 50 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and Article 4, Protocol 7 ECHR. In the Ricucci matter, the defendant had been fined €10.2 million by Consob, as well as being convicted in criminal proceedings resulting in a sentence of four years’ imprisonment for alleged market manipulation. The Rome District Court subsequently pardoned Ricucci in a final judgment. Ricucci challenged Consob’s fine in Rome’s Court of Appeal, which reduced it to €5 million in 2009. He then took his appeal to Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation, where he argued that his 2008 criminal conviction and subsequent pardon should negate any Consob proceedings. The Court of Appeal asked the CJEU whether the ne bis in idem principle in Article 50 gives individuals a direct right that can be applied to negate dual proceedings. The Court also asked the CJEU whether the ne bis in idem principle precludes Italy’s law allowing administrative proceedings to be brought for market manipulation after a defendant has been finally convicted. The CJEU held that dual proceedings can be pursued if they meet ‘an objective of general interest’ – in this case, to protect the European Union’s financial interests. However, the national legislation must also ensure that proceedings and the severity of penalties are limited to ‘what is strictly necessary’ where dual proceedings are to be pursued. Italy’s market manipulation law did not respect the principle of proportionality, and the CJEU ruled that, if a criminal penalty already punishes misconduct in an ‘effective, proportionate and dissuasive manner’, administrative proceedings of a criminal nature are gratuitous and so go beyond ‘what is strictly necessary’. In two other cases, Di Puma and Zecca, appeals were made against Consob fines, with the defendants arguing that they should not face administrative charges for insider trading when a criminal court had found no misconduct. The appeals court asked the CJEU whether, in light of ne bis in idem, a court would violate an EU directive that requires Member States to provide ‘effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties’ for insider trading if it did not bring administrative sanctions after a criminal court found no wrongdoing. The CJEU determined in its preliminary ruling that not bringing administrative sanctions after a criminal court has found no misconduct is in accordance with EU law because of the principle of res judicata. It ruled that a defendant who is cleared of a criminal charge, should not be the subject of administrative proceedings for the same matter. The CJEU has considered the application of the double jeopardy principle to the Schengen Agreement in the context of an individual under investigation in Poland and Germany for allegations of extortion. In this case it upheld the German prosecutor’s decision that the double jeopardy principle did not apply. The matter had not been finally disposed of as no detailed investigation had taken place. On 15 November 2016, the CJEU rejected an appeal brought by two applicants who were penalised by the Norwegian Tax Authority for failing to pay tax in 2008 and then convicted of aggravated tax fraud in 2009 by the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic Crime. The applicants claimed they were being prosecuted twice for the same misconduct in violation of double jeopardy rules. Rejecting the application, the court held that ECHR double jeopardy rules are not violated where the contracting party could satisfy the court that dual proceedings are sufficiently connected in time and space so as to represent a coherent whole, rather than two sets of proceedings. Recent developments in France continue to warrant a special mention as the issue of double jeopardy and its application has come before the courts on a number of occasions recently. The appellate courts have recently considered the extent to which domestic law will recognise convictions in the United States as a bar to prosecution, as well as the status of US DPAs in domestic proceedings. On 18 June 2015 a criminal court in Paris acquitted four French corporates that were accused of paying bribes in connection with the United Nations’ Oil-for-Food Programme on the grounds that they (or their corporate parents) had already signed DPAs with the DOJ. The rationale given was that it was inconsistent with French international obligations to prosecute the companies for a second time on what the Court found to be the same facts. The prosecutor’s appeal against the acquittal was successful and in February 2016 a Paris court fined Total SA €750,000 for corrupting foreign officials. At the time of writing, criminal proceedings in France against Total are being pursued in relation to separate Iranian corruption conduct that allegedly occurred in 2013. In relation to the same matters, Total entered into a US$245.2 million, three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ and disgorged US$153 million in an SEC cease-and-desist order. The DPA expired in November 2016. On 26 February 2018, the Court of Cassation in Paris upheld a decision to fine Swiss energy company Vitol €300,000 for making corrupt payments to the Iraq government as part of the United Nations Oil-For-Food programme. The Court rejected Vitol’s argument that it was protected from criminal proceedings in France because it had already been punished in the US. The Court found that double jeopardy did not apply because the company had pleaded guilty to a different charge in US proceedings and stated that France must maintain its right to punish companies that break French law. In its ruling, the Court of Cassation considered double jeopardy protections enshrined in both France’s Penal Code and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It concluded that both those protections fail to immunise a company from being prosecuted twice if part of the offence occurred within France and if the misconduct is prosecuted by a country that is not bound by French or EU law, such as the United States. This significantly weakens the double jeopardy defence, in circumstances where some of the misconduct occurred in France. These cases demonstrate the potential unfairness to a corporate that has effectively admitted the offence in another jurisdiction to obtain a DPA and then finds those admissions being used against it in a jurisdiction that does not recognise the DPA under the double jeopardy doctrine. At first sight, the doctrine of double jeopardy appears to be a substantial protection against repeated prosecution in respect of the same conduct. However, although the doctrine may in some circumstances protect against a similar prosecution within the state, or member group such as the European Union, it may well fail to protect against a prosecution brought by a separate state. France’s decision not to apply the principle in circumstances where part of the offence occurred within its sovereign territory is a significant restriction on its scope. As many countries do not recognise a foreign conviction for the purposes of double jeopardy, it is not possible to reassure a corporate client that a criminal settlement in one jurisdiction will qualify as a settlement in others as well. Further, entering into a DPA in one jurisdiction may risk damaging the client’s interests in another if the DPA is not recognised as a bar to prosecution, but the admissions it made to secure the DPA are admissible against it in other jurisdictions. Should there be international recognition of criminal convictions for the purposes of double jeopardy, to encourage global settlements? Should DPAs be given the status of a criminal conviction for the purposes of double jeopardy? Should regulatory sanctions qualify for the purposes of double jeopardy? Until these issues are resolved, a corporate client will only be able to place very limited reliance on the double jeopardy principle as a bar to further prosecution in respect of the same conduct. At present, the only safe course will be to seek to negotiate a global settlement with all the states most likely to take an interest in the conduct, before admitting guilt in any state. Whether this is practicable will vary from case to case. In relation to individuals, an issue of note was recently referred to the CJEU stemming from a dispute between Hungary and Croatia in the case of AY. The Croatian court had sought a preliminary ruling on whether the double jeopardy principle under EU law means Member States may refuse to enforce European arrest warrant (EAW) requests in cases where its investigations treated individuals as witnesses and not suspects. Specifically, Croatia asked whether Hungary could refuse to enforce two EAW requests it issued for an individual, named only as AY to prevent damage to reputation, after AY was treated as a witness rather than a suspect in an investigation conducted by the Hungarian prosecutor’s office. In its judgment of July 2018, the CJEU stated that execution of an EAW cannot be refused on the ground that a prosecutor had closed a criminal investigation where during that investigation, the requested person was interviewed as a witness only. The Court stated that the judicial authorities of the Member States must adopt a decision on any EAW communicated to them. Issues that at first glance may appear to be isolated or technical can quickly spread across borders and escalate into multifaceted threats to businesses, reputations and careers. Even within jurisdictions, different enforcement authorities operate within their own, often complex, legal and technical frameworks. Any investigation, whether an internal fact-finding inquiry aimed at establishing the size and nature of a problem or one commenced by an enforcement authority, is inevitably a dynamic process. There can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and the scope of an investigation can change significantly as it progresses. Nonetheless, it is possible to identify three broad, and often overlapping, phases to an investigation, namely the commencement, information-gathering and disposal phases. Particular challenges arise, and sometimes recur, at each of these. Conducting and handling investigations, limiting the damage they cause and bringing them to as swift and efficient a conclusion as possible is an art rather than a science. It requires advisers to anticipate, balance and respond to a wide variety of challenges, and to appreciate the potential ramifications of every interaction with a diverse cast of characters. When deciding whether or how to commence an investigation, or how best to respond to one already commenced by an enforcement authority, it is axiomatic that the very first task to be carried out must be to establish as precisely as possible the size and shape of the problem. Which corporate entities and individuals are regarded as subjects of the investigation? Which offences are they thought to have committed, and which regulatory provisions might they have infringed? Are any other local or foreign agencies investigating (or likely to investigate) this misconduct? In some cases (typically those involving alleged breaches of regulatory requirements), the answers will be self-evident from notices confirming the commencement of an investigation or the appointment of investigators, and there may be opportunities to seek to establish more detail through scoping discussions. However, in other cases (typically those involving alleged criminal misconduct), the investigators will not necessarily provide details or opportunities for discussions. In some cases, the first indication an individual or entity receives of an investigation by an enforcement authority will be a requirement to attend an interview or provide documents, or, worse still, a knock at the door from investigating officers. In all cases – whether or not enforcement authorities are already aware of alleged misconduct – steps must be taken immediately upon discovery of the alleged misconduct to preserve and to avoid the destruction or deletion (inadvertent or otherwise) of documents that are, or could become, relevant. In large multinational organisations, identifying the custodians of these documents, drafting and disseminating appropriately inclusive document-retention notices, gathering the material and suspending automatic deletion policies is a substantial undertaking in itself. Where authorities are not already aware of apparent misconduct, considering whether, when and how to disclose matters to them will be an immediate priority. In some cases, specific regulatory obligations will require disclosures. In others, it may be appropriate to voluntarily report matters to maximise the prospects of a consensual resolution on favourable terms. Both types of disclosures require careful handling. Consideration must be given to potential consequences, both for those individuals or corporates already implicated in alleged misconduct, and for those that may become so. Where information is disclosed voluntarily, wider considerations about whether co-operation will be appropriate and would be likely to encourage the relevant enforcement authority to curtail its investigation (and on which terms) should be borne in mind. Identifying the potential risks and benefits will typically involve assessing the enforcement policy and posture of each agency involved (and often of individual investigators) and its ability and propensity to pass information to other investigating or prosecuting authorities (both within and between jurisdictions). Should an initial notification be made before a full internal investigation has been undertaken? What should be disclosed at the end of the internal investigation and to whom? Should information be disclosed to the authorities orally rather than in writing? Will investigators regard anything less than unfettered access to witnesses’ first accounts and other underlying documents as true co-operation enabling them to contemplate a negotiated outcome? Is it feasible to maintain claims to legal professional privilege or challenge investigators’ actions or demands while still seeking to claim that the subjects of the investigation are co-operating? Choices made at this stage about how much information and control to relinquish over the investigative process and the robustness of the line to be taken with investigators in relation to issues such as privilege can be crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the investigation, and any proceedings that flow from it. Since the second edition of this text, the Court of Appeal has allowed ENRC’s appeal against the first instance decision, upholding its claim to litigation privilege over the disputed documents, including notes of witness interviews. Under the leadership of the new Director of the SFO, Lisa Osofsky, the SFO decided not to appeal that decision. Given the importance of privilege in the context of global investigations, the decision has been welcomed by lawyers across the globe – the Court of Appeal’s judgment aligns the law more closely with the law of privilege in the United States and its clear articulation of the applicability of litigation privilege in the context of a criminal investigation is likely to mean that the SFO will be less aggressive in making assertions that privilege claims by companies over documents created during the course of internal investigations are ill-founded. However, it is unlikely that the SFO will be any less willing to request waivers of privilege, particularly since the Court of Appeal judgment was clear that its decision should not ‘impact adversely’ on the deferred prosecution regime in the United Kingdom, and emphasising the relevance of waiver to an assessment of a corporate’s co-operation in reaching resolutions. Therefore, decisions as to the approach taken by a company to privilege, regardless of whether privilege can properly be asserted or not, will continue to be crucial decisions that set the tone and, possibly, direction of an investigation. In cases involving allegations made by or against directors or employees, early determinations need to be made as to whether any specific whistleblower protection legislation or rules have been engaged and whether action should be taken to suspend or dismiss those individuals. Once the scope of an investigation has been determined, the process of gathering and analysing relevant information, whether in documentary or electronic form or in the form of witnesses’ accounts, commences. Since the advent of the European investigation order (introduced in England and Wales from 31 July 2017), the process of gathering information across borders will be a much simpler and quicker process for enforcement authorities in Europe. In substantial cross-border investigations, the task of collating relevant material, ascertaining whether it is responsive to requirements to produce documents or provide information (or whether it should otherwise be produced to demonstrate a co-operative stance), and filtering it to remove material exempt from disclosure is time- and resource-intensive. It often requires specialist technical input and expertise. Information should not be treated as a readily portable commodity, and careful consideration should be given to applicable data protection and other confidentiality constraints before information is transferred between jurisdictions or produced to investigating authorities. Witness interviews during internal investigations raise no fewer questions. When should interviews take place? Who should be present? What material and questions is it appropriate to put to them during such interviews? Should they be represented (and, if so, at whose expense)? Taking a wider view across all jurisdictions in which action could be taken, and from the individual’s perspective, is it in the interests of subjects of the investigation to provide information voluntarily, or should they insist on being compelled to do so? Of course, where investigations by the authorities have already begun, investigating authorities will be keen to interview individuals who are suspects. Depending on the nature of the investigation and the allegations against them, it may be open to individuals to remain silent in response to questions (although this course of action may limit their options in any proceedings flowing from the investigation). Conversely, it may serve such individuals’ interests to proactively volunteer information to secure more lenient treatment by authorities, or ultimately the courts. As the information gathering progresses, and evidence is assimilated and understood, a decision will need to be reached as to whether this may be resolved through negotiation, or whether the individual or corporate disputes the allegations entirely or is unprepared to reach any resolution or enter into any settlement that requires admissions of misconduct. Where settlement is an option, from economic, commercial and reputational standpoints, settling with as many investigating authorities as quickly and on the most favourable terms possible is likely to be preferable. Particularly in regulatory enforcement investigations involving corporates, it is often clear from the commencement phase that this will be the most likely outcome, and dialogue throughout the investigation will have to be directed towards this outcome. It should not be assumed that the process leading to a negotiated disposal is a smooth or simple one. Even in cases involving only one enforcement authority, the legislation and rules governing settlement and the calculation of penalties are complex. Although the discounts available for early settlement are potentially significant, the processes leading to them can involve successive rounds of proposals, counterproposals, representations and negotiations. In criminal investigations, in jurisdictions where it is possible to achieve negotiated outcomes as an alternative to prosecution, although the degree of scrutiny varies depending on which jurisdiction is concerned, such settlements will also be examined by a judge. Complexity is multiplied where multiple authorities or jurisdictions are involved, or where it is possible that a finding, even if it does not involve any admission of liability, may fuel subsequent litigation from third parties such as erstwhile customers, employees or shareholders. Although major investigations are unlikely to have progressed to the disposal stage without attracting at least some publicity, it is at this stage that press and political interest will peak. Enforcement authorities usually must make the outcomes of investigations public (and indeed corporate entities themselves may be obliged to do so if their securities are listed). Other difficult questions arise with negotiated disposals. What will be the size of the fines, if any? For individuals, is there the prospect of imprisonment or other career-threatening penalties? Will it be possible to settle with all interested investigating authorities? For the corporate to bring matters to a close, will it be necessary to assist authorities in their pursuit of individuals? Will the disposal of the investigations mark the end of the matter, or simply the start of a new phase of litigation or the commencement of a long process of reporting to a monitor and heightened levels of regulatory scrutiny or supervision? What can be said publicly by the subjects of the investigations? With these themes in mind, we turn now to a detailed consideration of each stage in the chapters that follow. 1 Judith Seddon and Ama A Adams are partners at Ropes & Gray International LLP; Christopher J Morvillo and Luke Tolaini are partners, and Tara McGrath is a senior associate, at Clifford Chance; Eleanor Davison is a barrister at Fountain Court Chambers; and Michael Bowes QC is a barrister at Outer Temple Chambers. 3 These statutory offences are referred by Rose LJ in Attorney General’s Reference (No. 2 of 1999) 2 Cr App R 207 at 217-218, at footnote 2. 4 Ministry of Justice Guidance on the Bribery Act 2010, issued pursuant to section 9 of the Bribery Act 2010. 5 Tackling tax evasion: Government guidance for the corporate offence of failure to prevent the criminal facilitation of tax evasion, 1 September 2017, at page 25. 6 Ministry of Justice, Corporate Liability for Economic Crime: Call for Evidence, Consultation Document, at p. 4. 7 Namely that prosecutors must be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each suspect on each charge. They must consider what the defence case may be, and how it is likely to affect the prospects of conviction. A case that does not pass the evidential stage must not proceed, no matter how serious or sensitive it may be. 8 DPA Code of Practice, at para. 1.2(i)(b) (https://www.sfo.gov.uk/publications/guidance-policy-and-protocols/deferred-prosecution-agreements/). 9 Government Guidance, at p. 13. See footnote 5, above. 10 SFO v. XYZ Ltd Case No. U20150856, (Preliminary Redacted) Approved Judgment, dated 8 July 2016, at para. 34. 11 Ministry of Justice, Corporate Liability for Economic Crime: Call for Evidence, Consultation Document, at p. 23. 12 Ibid. at p. 21. 13 Charles Doyle, Congressional Research Service, Corporate Criminal Liability: An Overview of Federal Law 1 (2013). 14 Jones v. Federated Fin. Reserve Corp., 144 F.3d 961, 965 (6th Cir. 1998). See also Hamilton v. Carell, 243 F.3d 992, 1001 (6th Cir. 2001). 15 United States v. Singh, 518 F.3d 236, 249 (4th Cir. 2008) (citing United States v. Automated Med. Labs., 770 F. 2d 399, 406–47 (4th Cir. 1985)). 16 Automated Med. Labs., 770 F.2d at 407. 17 United States v. Sci. Applications Int’l Corp., 555 F. Supp. 2d 40, 55–56 (D.C. Cir. 2008). See also United States v. Bank of New England, N.A., 821 F.2d 844, 856 (1st Cir. 1987); United States v. T.I.M.E.-D.C., Inc., 381 F. Supp. 730, 738–39 (W.D. Va. 1974). 18 See United States v. Pac. Gas & Elec. Co., No 14-CR-00175-TEH, 2015 WL 9460313 (N.D. Cal. 23 December 2015). There, a grand jury charged the Pacific Gas & Electric Company with violating the Pipeline Safety Act after a gas line erupted causing several deaths and injuries. The company moved to dismiss on the basis that the grand jury received incorrect instructions on, inter alia, collective intent. In denying the motion to dismiss, the court held that the collective knowledge of the corporation’s employees demonstrated that they wilfully disregarded their legal duty to abide by the safety standards outlined in the Act. Id. at *3. Following a jury conviction on five counts, the company sought to have the case set aside; however, the court held that a reasonable juror could have found wilfulness beyond a reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented. United States v. Pac. Gas & Elec. Co., No. 14-CR-00175-TEH, 2016 WL 6804575, at *3 (N.D. Cal. 17 November 2016). See also United States v. FedEx Corp., 2016 U.S. Dist LEXIS 52438 (N.D. Cal. 18 April 2016) (denying FedEx’s motion to dismiss, which was premised on the ground that the jury received incorrect instructions on collective intent and collective knowledge). 19 T.I.M.E.-D.C., Inc., 381 F. Supp. at 740. 20 See, e.g., United States v. Hopkins, 53 F.3d 533 (2d Cir. 1995) (imposing a strict liability standard for a violation of the Clean Water Act); United States v. Weitzenhhoff, 35 F.3d 1275 (9th Cir. 1993). Contra United States v. Ahmad, 101 F.3d 386 (5th Cir. 1996) (suggesting that there is a mens rea requirement for violations of the Clean Water Act). See also James Swann and Alex Ruoff, Self-Referral Law Seen as Barrier to New Provider Agreements, Bloomberg BNA (5 May 2016), http://www.bna.com/selfreferral-law-seen-n57982070764/ (discussing the physician self-referral law’s imposition of strict liability). 21 For a discussion of the history and development of corporate criminal liability in the United States, see Kathleen F. Brickey, Corporate Criminal Accountability: A Brief History and an Observation, 60 Wash. U. L.Q. 393, 404–15 (1982). 22 Arthur Andersen LLP v. United States, 544 U.S. 696 (2005). For a complete history of Arthur Andersen LLP, see Susan E. Squires et al., Inside Arthur Andersen: Shifting Values, Unexpected Consequences (2003). 23 See Gabriel Markoff, Arthur Andersen and the Myth of the Corporate Death Penalty: Corporate Criminal Convictions in the Twenty-First Century, 15 U. Pa. J. Bus. L. 797, 805–07 (2013). 24 See Gretchen Morgenson & Louise Story, Behind the Gentler Approach to Banks by US, N.Y Times, 7 July 2011, at A1. 26 U.S. Dep’t of Justice, Justice Manual 9-28.700 (2015). 27 The ne bis in idem or double jeopardy principle is well established both in EU law and under the European Convention on Human Rights. The phrase is derived from the Roman law maxim nemo debet bis vexari pro una et eadem causa (a man shall not be twice vexed or tried for the same cause). 28 Grande Stevens and Others v. Italy (4 March 2014) Application Nos. 18640/10, 18647/10, 18668/10 and 18698/10. The judgment is not final. 29 The protection is not absolute. A second trial is permitted in defined circumstances. In the United Kingdom, a prosecutor will seek a retrial if a jury has been unable to reach a verdict in the initial trial. A further trial in murder cases may also be permitted in circumstances where compelling new evidence comes to light. 30 U.S. Const. amend. V. 31 See generally Ernest H. Schopler, Annotation, Supreme Court’s Views of Fifth Amendment’s Double Jeopardy Clause Pertinent to or Applied in Federal Criminal Cases, 50 L. Ed. 2d 830 (2012). 32 EWHC 744 (Admin), Judgment, at para. 18. 33 Id. at para. 14. 34 In the United Kingdom, the decision to leave the EU adds further uncertainty to the recognition of double jeopardy principle in its application to convictions in other Member States. 35 Fofana, Judgment, at para. 29. See footnote 32, above. 36 See U.S. Const. amend. V; Martinez v. Illinois, 134 S. Ct. 2070, 2074. 37 See Breed v. Jones, 421 U.S. 519, 528 (1975). 38 See United States v. Martin Linen Supply Co., 430 U.S. 564 (1977) (applying double jeopardy to corporate defendants without discussing their status as corporations); United States v. Sec. Nat’l Bank, 546 F.2d 492, 494 (2d Cir. 1976). 39 United States v. Lanza, 260 U.S. 377, 385 (1922). 40 Notably, the Supreme Court very recently declined to extend the dual sovereignty doctrine to successive prosecutions by Puerto Rico and the United States, concluding that the question of separate sovereignty requires an assessment of the source of the power to punish. Puerto Rico v. Sanchez Valle, 136 S. Ct. 1863 (2016). There, the Court held that successive prosecutions may be brought only where two prosecuting authorities derive their power to punish from independent sources; if those authorities draw their power from the same ultimate source, successive prosecutions are prohibited. 41 U.S. Dep’t of Justice, Justice Manual 9-2.031 (1999). 44 See Thompson v. United States, 444 U.S. 248, 248 (1980) (noting that there is an exception to the Petite Policy where US prosecution would serve ‘compelling interests of federal law enforcement’). 46 See Hudson v. United States, 522 U.S. 93, 96 (1997). 50 2000/365/EC: Council Decision of 29 May 2000 concerning the request of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take part in some of the provisions of the Schengen acquis. 53 Section 1(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1987; ‘The Director may investigate any suspected offence which appears to him on reasonable grounds to involve serious or complex fraud.’ See also R (Corner House) v. Director of the SFO EWHC 714 (Admin), at para. 51. 55 Grande Stevens and Others v. Italy (4 March 2014) Application Nos. 18640/10, 18647/10, 18668/10 and 18698/10. The judgment is not final. 56 In March 2015, France’s Constitutional Court ruled that Airbus executives could not be prosecuted for insider trading because they had been cleared over similar administrative charges by France’s Financial Markets Authority, the AMF. In reaching its decision the Court gave considerable weight to the decision of the ECtHR in the Grande Stevens case. 58 Joined Cases C-596/16 and C-597/16, Di Puma and Zecca. 59 Case C-486/14, Kossowski, 29 June 2016. 60 Case of A and B v. Norway (Applications nos. 24130/11 and 29758/11) 15 November 2016, lovdata.no/static/EMDN/emd-2011-024130.pdf. 62 The fine was in addition to a US$17.5 million sanction Vitol received in the United States in 2007 as part of a plea agreement entered to resolve identical allegations. 63 The company pleaded guilty to a single count of grand larceny in the New York State Supreme Court and paid a US$17.5 million fine, US$4.5 million of which was donated to the state of New York. Vitol admitted in the US plea deal that corrupt payments were made through its employees in France. In total, the company said it paid US$13 million to Iraqi officials between 2001 and 2002 hidden in oil contracts awarded to the company as part of the Oil-For-Food programme. 64 Note that as France is a civil law jurisdiction, lower courts are not strictly bound to follow the Court of Cassation’s decision. 65 Judgment in Case C-268/17 AY (Arrest warrant — witness). The Court analysed whether any of the grounds for optional non-execution provided for in Article 4(3) of the framework decision applied in the AY case and concluded they did not. Those grounds relate to: (1) the decision of the executing judicial authority not to prosecute for the offence on which the European arrest warrant is based; (2) the fact that, in the executing Member State, the judicial authorities have decided to halt proceedings in respect of the offence on which the warrant is based; and (3) the fact that a final judgment has been passed on the requested person in a Member State, in respect of the same acts, which prevents further proceedings. The Court determined the first and third grounds were irrelevant in the case. The Court concluded that an interpretation according to which the execution of a European arrest warrant could be refused where that warrant concerns the same acts as those that have already been the subject of a previous decision, without the identity of the person against whom criminal proceedings are brought being considered relevant, would be manifestly too broad and would entail a risk that the obligation to execute the warrant could be circumvented. As that ground for non-execution constitutes an exception, it must be interpreted strictly and in the light of the need to promote the prevention of crime. The investigation by the Hungarian authorities was conducted, not against AY, but against an unknown person, and the decision that closed that investigation was not taken in respect of AY. The Court concludes from this that the second ground for non-execution does not apply either. See also https://globalinvestigationsreview.com/article/1166589/croatian-case-to-clarify-eaw-double-jeopardy-rules. 66 SFO v. ENRC 2018 EWCA Civ 2006. 68 See Criminal Justice (European Investigation Order) Regulations 2017. There are at the time of writing proposals for European production and preservation orders that would, respectively, allow electronic evidence to be requested directly from a service provider in the European Union or oblige a service provider to preserve specific data. In the United Kingdom, the Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Bill is making its way through Parliament, which would, if enacted, allow a UK court, subject to certain requirements, on the application of an appropriate officer (which would include, among others, a police officer, a member of the SFO or a person appointed by the FCA) and provided that an international co-operation agreement were in place, to make an order against a person in that jurisdiction. 69 Recent developments in the United Kingdom and United States are relevant. In the United Kingdom, a decision by the Administrative Court in September 2018 R (on the Application of KBR Inc) v. The Director of the Serious Fraud Office EWHC 2368 (Admin) extended section 2 notices, served in the United Kingdom, extraterritorially to foreign companies in respect of documents held outside the jurisdiction when there is a sufficient connection between the company and the jurisdiction. In the United States, following the successful appeal by Microsoft of orders holding it in contempt for failure to comply with a warrant requiring it to produce the contents of a customer’s email account stored on a server outside the United States, Congress enacted on 23 March 2018 the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (CLOUD Act), providing expressly for extraterritorial application and thereafter the United States obtained a fresh warrant against Microsoft.

2019-04-25T11:49:46Z

https://globalinvestigationsreview.com/benchmarking/the-practitioner%E2%80%99s-guide-to-global-investigations-third-edition/1178580/introduction

Benedetto "Bettino" Craxi (Itawian: [betˈtiːno ˈkraksi], Siciwian: [ˈkɾaʃʃɪ]; 24 February 1934 – 19 January 2000) was an Itawian powitician, weader of de Itawian Sociawist Party from 1976 to 1993 and Prime Minister of Itawy from 1983 to 1987. He was de first member of de PSI to howd de office and de dird Prime Minister from a sociawist party. He wed de dird-wongest government in de Itawian Repubwic and he is considered one of de most powerfuw and prominent powiticians of de so-cawwed First Repubwic. Craxi was invowved in investigations conducted by Mani Puwite judges in Miwan, eventuawwy being convicted for corruption and iwwicit financing of de PSI. He awways rejected de charges of corruption whiwe admitting to de iwwegaw funding which permitted costwy powiticaw activity, de PSI being wess financiawwy powerfuw dan de two warger parties, Christian Democracy and de Communists. Craxi's government and party were awso supported by future Prime Minister Siwvio Berwusconi, a media magnate and personaw friend of Craxi. Craxi maintained strong winks wif many weaders of de European weft, incwuding François Mitterrand, Fewipe Gonzáwez, Andreas Papandreou and Mário Soares and was one of de main representatives of Mediterranean or Souf European sociawism. Craxi's supporters especiawwy praised his foreign powicy, which was assertive and often wed to confrontations wif de United States, on issues such as Pawestine, terrorism and Craxi's cwose rewations wif Arab sociawist governments. Craxi was often nicknamed by his detractors iw Cinghiawone ("The Big Boar") due to his physicaw size. This name was given him by his wong-time awwy and opponent at de same time, Christian Democratic weader Giuwio Andreotti. Craxi was born in Miwan on 24 February 1934. His fader Vittorio Craxi was a Siciwian wawyer and anti-fascist who was persecuted by de regime of Benito Mussowini whiwe his moder Maria Ferrari was a housewife from Sant'Angewo Lodigiano. During Worwd War II, de young Craxi was sent to de Cadowic cowwege Edmondo De Amicis due to his unruwy character and to protect him from fascist viowence in retawiation for his fader's anti-fascist activities. After de war Vittorio Craxi assumed de rowe of vice-prefect in Miwan and den de prefect in Como, where he moved wif his famiwy in 1945. A few monds water Bettino returned to de cowwege, first in Como and den in Cantù, where he dought to start de seminary. Vittorio Craxi stood in de 1948 generaw ewection for de Popuwar Democratic Front, a powiticaw awwiance between Sociawists and Communists. Bettino campaigned for his fader and water joined de Itawian Sociawist Party at de age of 17. Craxi was precocious and ascended to many wevews of pubwic office at an earwy age. Meanwhiwe, attended de facuwty of Law in University of Miwan and den de one of Powiticaw Science in Urbino, Craxi founded de "Sociawist University Nucweus" joining de "New University" group and adhering to de CUDI (Itawian Democratic University Centre), de student group dat supported de weft-wing forces. In dis period he hewd de first pubwic speaking, organizing conferences, debates, fiwm screenings, and in 1956 became part of de PSI Provinciaw Committee in Miwan, and weader of de Sociawist Youf Federation, uh-hah-hah-hah. In 1956, fowwowing de Soviet invasion of Hungary, Craxi wif a group of woyawists committed himsewf to de detachment of de Sociawist Party by de pro-Communist powicy, but he faiwed: his proposed output of de Sociawist Youf Movement by de Internationaw Organisation of Democratic Youf was rejected. In November 1956 he was ewected town counciwor in Sant'Angewo Lodigiano (birdpwace of his moder) from, and in 1957 he was ewected to de Centraw Committee of de PSI representing de autonomist current Pietro Nenni. In 1958 de party sent him to Sesto San Giovanni as a responsibwe of de organization; in November 1960 he was ewected city counciwor in Miwan wif more dan 1,000 preferences and became assessor in de junta of Gino Cassinis. In 1961 he was excwuded from de Centraw Committee of de Sociawist Party by de new Secretary Francesco De Martino. In 1963 he was appointed weader of de Miwan Provinciaw Secretariat of de PSI and in 1965 Craxi became a member of de Nationaw Leadership. Meanwhiwe, in November 1964, he was re-ewected city counciwor in Miwan, continuing his pubwic commitment as assessor for Charity and Assistance in de counciw of Pietro Bucawossi. In 1966, wif de formation of de Unified Sociawist Party, a powiticaw awwiance between de Sociawist Party and de Sociaw Democratic Party, Craxi became provinciaw secretary of de PSU in Miwan, awong wif by de sociaw democrat Enrico Rizzi and Renzo Peruzzotti. In 1968 generaw ewection Craxi was ewected for de first time at de Chamber of Deputies wif 23,788 votes, in de constituency of Miwan–Pavia. New 1970 after de end of de PSU awwiance, Craxi became Vice Secretary of de PSI, as proposed by Giacomo Mancini. During dis period he was a strong supporters of de Organic Centre-weft coawition, between de Christian Democrats of Awdo Moro and Amintore Fanfani, de Sociawists of Pietro Nenni, de Sociaw Democrats of Giuseppe Saragat and de Repubwicans of Ugo La Mawfa. In 1972 wif de re-ewection of Francesco De Martino as Nationaw Secretary of de Sociawist Party during de Genoa Congress, Craxi was confirmed wif Giovanni Mosca in de rowe of Deputy Secretary, receiving de commission to treat de internationaw rewations of de party. As representative of PSI at de Sociawist Internationaw, Craxi formed ties wif some of de main European future weaders, wike Wiwwy Brandt, Fewipe Gonzáwez, François Mitterrand, Mário Soares, Michew Rocard and Andreas Papandreou. As responsibwe of de PSI foreign powicy he supported, awso financiawwy, some sociawist parties banned by de dictatorships of deir respective countries, incwuding de Spanish Sociawist Workers Party, de Panhewwenic Sociawist Movement and de Chiwean Sociawist Party of Sawvador Awwende, of whom Craxi was a personaw friend. In 1976 de Secretary Francesco De Martino wrote an articwe in de Sociawist newspaper Avanti! dat caused de faww of de government Awdo Moro and de subseqwent snap ewection, which saw an impressive growf of de Itawian Communist Party wed by a young weader, Enrico Berwinguer, whiwe de Christian Democracy managed to remain de majority party on just a few votes. Instead for de PSI dose ewections were a crushing defeat: de votes went down under de dreshowd of 10%. De Martino, pointing to a new awwiance wif de Communists, was forced to resign and opened a serious crisis widin de party. Bettino Craxi was appointed to de vacant position of Nationaw Secretary of de party, ending years of factionaw fighting widin de PSI. Ironicawwy, de "owd guard" saw him as short-wived weader, awwowing each faction time to regroup. However, he was abwe to consowidate power and impwement his powicies. In particuwar, he sought and managed to distance de party from de Communists, bringing it into an awwiance wif Christian Democracy and oder centrist parties, whiwe maintaining a weftist and reformist profiwe. Craxi awways opposed de Historic Compromise powicy of Moro and Berwinguer, a powiticaw awwiance and an accommodation between de Christian Democrats and de Communists; de awwiance wouwd inevitabwy made it powiticawwy irrewevant de Sociawists. He outwined for a wine of awternation between de DC and de weft-wing, represented by his party, due to de cwose rewations between de PCI and de Soviet Union. On de morning of 16 March 1978, de day on which de new cabinet wed by Giuwio Andreotti was supposed to have undergone a confidence vote in de Itawian Parwiament, de car of Awdo Moro, former prime minister and den president of DC was assauwted by a group of Red Brigades terrorists in Via Fani in Rome. Firing automatic weapons, de terrorists kiwwed Moro's bodyguards and kidnapped him. Craxi was de onwy powiticaw weader, togeder wif Amintore Fanfani and Marco Pannewwa, to decware himsewf avaiwabwe to a "humanitarian sowution" dat wouwd awwow de wiberation of Christian Democrat statesman, drawing heavy criticism on de so-cawwed "party of firmness", primariwy driven by de Communists. On 9 May 1978 Moro's body was found in de trunk of a Renauwt 4 in Via Caetani after 55 days of imprisonment, during which Moro was submitted to a powiticaw triaw by de so-cawwed "peopwe's court" set up by de Brigate Rosse and de Itawian government was asked for an exchange of prisoners. In 1978 Craxi decided to change de party wogo. He chose a red carnation to represent de new course of de party, in honour of de Carnation Revowution in Portugaw. The party shrank de size of de owd hammer and sickwe in de wower part of de symbow. It was eventuawwy ewiminated awtogeder in 1985. In Juwy 1978, fowwowing de resignation of President Giovanni Leone, after a wengdy parwiamentary battwe, Craxi was abwe to bring togeder a warge number of votes, ewecting Sandro Pertini, as new President; Pertini was de first Sociawist to howd dis position, uh-hah-hah-hah. Pertini was awso supported by de Communists, which considered de owd Sociawist partisan not conducive to de "new course" of Craxi. Craxi, on de one hand expwicitwy distanced himsewf from Leninism referring to forms of audoritarian sociawism, and on de oder he showed supports to de civiw society movements and to de battwes for civiw rights, mainwy proposed by de Radicaw Party, he oversaw its image drough de media. As weader of PSI, he tried to undermine de Communist Party, which untiw den had been continuouswy increasing its votes in ewections, and to consowidate de PSI as a modern, strongwy pro-European reformist sociaw-democratic party, wif deep roots in de democratic weft-wing. This strategy cawwed for ending most of de party's historicaw traditions as a working-cwass trade union based party and attempting to gain new support among white-cowwar and pubwic sector empwoyees. At de same time, de PSI increased its presence in de big state-owned enterprises, and became heaviwy invowved in corruption and iwwegaw party funding which wouwd eventuawwy resuwt in de Mani puwite investigations. Even if de PSI never became a serious ewectoraw chawwenger eider to de PCI or de Christian Democrats, its pivotaw position in de powiticaw arena awwowed it to cwaim de post of Prime Minister for Craxi after de 1983 generaw ewection. The ewectoraw support for de Christian Democrats was significantwy weakened, weaving it wif 32.9% of de vote, compared to de 38.3% it gained in 1979. The PSI, dat had obtained onwy 11%, dreatened to weave de parwiamentary majority unwess Craxi was made Prime Minister. The Christian Democrats accepted dis compromise to avoid a new ewection, uh-hah-hah-hah. Craxi became de first Sociawist in de history of de Itawian Repubwic to be appointed Prime Minister. Bettino Craxi wed de dird wongest-wived government of Itawy during de repubwican era (after de II and IV Siwvio Berwusconi cabinets) and had strong infwuence in Itawian powitics droughout de 1980s; for a time, he was a cwose awwy of two key figures of Christian Democracy, Giuwio Andreotti and Arnawdo Forwani, in a woose cross-party awwiance often dubbed CAF (from de first wetter of de surname Craxi-Andreotti-Forwani). Craxi had a firm grasp on a party previouswy troubwed by factionawism, and tried to distance it from de Communists and to bring it cwoser to Christian Democrats and oder parties; his objective was to create an Itawian version of European reformist sociawist parties, wike de German SPD or de French Sociawist Party. The Itawian Sociawist Party reached its post-war apex when it increased its share of votes in de generaw ewection of 1987. However, de Itawian Sociawist Party never outgrew de much warger Itawian Communist Party, whose highwy charismatic weader, Enrico Berwinguer, was a fierce adversary of Craxi's powicies drough de years. The main dynamic of Itawian post-war powitics was to find a way to keep de Itawian Communist Party out of power. This wed to de constant formation of powiticaw awwiances between parties keen on keeping de Communists at bay. Things were furder compwicated by de fact dat many parties had internaw currents dat wouwd have wewcomed de Communists in de governing coawition, in particuwar, widin Christian Democracy, de wargest party in Itawy from 1945 untiw de end of de First Repubwic. During Craxi's tenure as Prime Minister, Itawy became de fiff wargest industriaw nation and gained entry into de G7 Group of most industriawised nations. However, infwation was often in de doubwe digits. Against trade union resistance, de Craxi government reacted by abowishing wage-price indexation (a mechanism known as scawa mobiwe or "escawator"), under which wages had been increased automaticawwy in wine wif infwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Abowishing de escawator system did hewp reduce infwation, which was awso fawwing in oder major countries, but in de wong term it inevitabwy increased industriaw action as workers had to bargain for better sawaries. In any event, de victory of de "No" campaign in de referendum cawwed by de Itawian Communist Party was a major victory for Craxi. During his premiership de Sociawist Party gained popuwarity. He successfuwwy boosted de country's GNP and controwwed infwation. In domestic powicy, a number of reforms were initiated during Craxi's time in office. In 1984, sowidarity contracts (work-sharing arrangements to avoid redundancies) were introduced, whiwe restrictions on part-time empwoyment were rewaxed. In de fiewd of famiwy wewfare, wegiswation was enacted in 1984 and 1986 dat changed de famiwy awwowance system "so dat peopwe most in need received warger amounts and coverage was progressivewy reduced to de point of termination once certain income wevews were exceeded." As a resuwt of his spending powicies, de Itawian nationaw debt skyrocketed during de Craxi era, passing 100% of gross nationaw product. The wevew of pubwic debt remains in excess of 100% of GDP today. In 1984, Craxi signed an agreement wif de Vatican City dat revised de Lateran Treaty. Among oder dings, bof sides decwared: "The principwe of de Cadowic rewigion as de sowe rewigion of de Itawian State, originawwy referred to by de Lateran Pacts, shaww be considered to be no wonger in force". The Church's position as de sowe state-supported rewigion of Itawy was awso ended, repwacing de state financing wif a personaw income tax cawwed de otto per miwwe, to which oder rewigious groups, Christian and non-Christian, awso have access. The revised concordat reguwated de conditions under which civiw effects are accorded to church marriages and to eccwesiasticaw decwarations of nuwwity of marriages. Abowished articwes incwuded dose concerning state recognition of knighdoods and titwes of nobiwity conferred by de Howy See, de undertaking by de Howy See to confer eccwesiasticaw honours on dose audorized to perform rewigious functions at de reqwest of de State or de Royaw Househowd, and de obwigation of de Howy See to enabwe de Itawian government to present powiticaw objections to de proposed appointment of diocesan bishops. In de internationaw arena, Craxi hewped dissidents and Sociawist parties droughout de worwd to organise and become independent. Notabwe recipients of his wogisticaw hewp were de Spanish Sociawist Workers' Party (PSOE) during Francisco Franco's dictatorship and dramatist Jiři Pewikan, in de former Czechoswovakia. Rare footage of Craxi trying to way fwowers at de tomb of Sawvador Awwende has been unearded from RAI's (Radiotewevisione Itawiana) archives. There is awso evidence dat part of Craxi's iwwegawwy earned money was given in secret to weftist powiticaw opposition in Uruguay during de miwitary dictatorship, to Sowidarity in de period of Jaruzewski ruwe in Powand and to Yasser Arafat and his Pawestine Liberation Organization because of Craxi's sympady for de Pawestinian cause. He awso pwayed a rowe in de 1987 seizure of power in Tunisia by Zine ew Abidine Ben Awi. Internationawwy, Craxi is perhaps best remembered for an incident in October 1985, when he refused de reqwest of US President Ronawd Reagan to extradite de hijackers of de cruise ship Achiwwe Lauro. After protracted negotiations, de hijackers were given safe passage to Egypt by pwane. Three United States Navy F-14's forced de pwane down to de United States Navaw Air Faciwity (NAF) of Sigonewwa. According to de version of powiticaw circwes in Washington, Craxi first gave de United States Forces permission to detain de terrorists, but he water reneged on de deaw. He ordered Itawian troops to surround de US Forces protecting de pwane. This move was supposedwy dictated bof by security concerns about terrorists targeting Itawy if de United States had had it deir way and by de Itawian tradition of dipwomacy wif de Arab worwd. Craxi's decisive character may have been rewevant in dis resowution, uh-hah-hah-hah. Though de Americans demanded dat de Itawian audorities extradite Abu Abbas of de PLO, Craxi stood firm on de grounds dat de crime had been perpetrated on Itawian soiw, over which de Itawian Repubwic had sowe jurisdiction, uh-hah-hah-hah. Craxi rejected de US extradition order and wet Abu Abbas – chief of de hijackers, present on de pwane – fwee to Yugoswavia; de four hijackers were water found guiwty, and sentenced to prison terms for hijacking and de murder of a Jewish American citizen, Leon Kwinghoffer. Abbas was water awso convicted in Itawy in absentia and eventuawwy died of "naturaw causes", shortwy after being taken prisoner by American forces in de aftermaf of de 2003 invasion of Iraq. This episode earned Craxi an articwe in The Economist titwed "Europe's strong man" and a standing ovation in de Senate of de Repubwic, which incwuded his Communist opponents. According to Giuwio Andreotti, Itawy's foreign minister at de time (and 42nd Prime Minister of Itawy) and Abdew Rahman Shawgham (Libya's Foreign Minister from 2000 untiw 2009), Craxi was de person who tewephoned Libyan weader Muammar aw-Gaddafi to warn him of de impending American Operation Ew Dorado Canyon retawiatory air-strikes against Libya on 15 Apriw 1986. This permitted Gaddafi and his famiwy to evacuate deir residence in de Bab aw-Azizia compound moments before de bombs dropped. Shawgham's statement was awso confirmed by Margherita Boniver, foreign affairs chief of Craxi's Sociawist Party at de time. For de Libyan attack, Craxi's government denied de United States any rights of miwitary overfwight, as did France and Spain, uh-hah-hah-hah. For de United States, dis precwuded de use of European continentaw bases, forcing de US Air Force component to be fwown around France and Spain, over Portugaw and drough de Straits of Gibrawtar, adding 1,300 miwes (2,100 km) each way and reqwiring muwtipwe aeriaw refuewings. In Apriw 1987, de Secretary of de Christian Democracy Ciriaco De Mita decided to drop his support for Craxi's government. This caused de immediate faww of de cabinet and de formation of a new government wed by de wong-time Christian Democratic powitician Amintore Fanfani. Even dough Fanfani was a cwose friend and awwy of Craxi, he did not participate in de swearing in ceremony, sending de Undersecretary to de Presidency of de Counciw Giuwiano Amato. In de 1987 generaw ewection de PSI won 14.3% of de vote, a good resuwt but wess good dan what Craxi hoped, and dis time it was de Christian Democrats' turn to govern, uh-hah-hah-hah. From 1987 to 1992 de PSI participated in four governments, awwowing Giuwio Andreotti to take power in 1989 and to govern untiw 1992. The Sociawists hewd a strong bawance of power, which made dem more powerfuw dan de Christian Democrats, who had to depend on it to form a majority in Parwiament. The PSI kept tight controw of dis advantage. The awternative which Craxi had wanted so much was taking shape: de idea of a "Sociaw Unity" wif de oder weft-wing powiticaw parties, incwuding de PCI, proposed by Craxi in 1989 after de faww of communism. He bewieved dat de cowwapse of communism in eastern Europe had undermined de PCI and made Sociaw Unity inevitabwe. In fact de PSI was in wine to become de Itawy's second wargest party and to become de dominant force of a new weft-wing coawition opposed to a Christian Democrat-wed one. This did not actuawwy happen because of de rise of Lega Nord and de Tangentopowi scandaws. The wast main turning point of Craxi's career began in February 1992, when Sociawist MP Mario Chiesa was arrested by powice whiwe taking a 7 miwwion wira bribe from a cweaning service firm. Chiesa sought Craxi's protection for nearwy a monf; but Craxi accused him of casting a shadow on de "most honest party in Itawy." Feewing marginawised and unjustwy singwed-out, Chiesa divuwged everyding he knew to de prosecutors. His revewations brought hawf of de Miwan Sociawists and Industriawists under investigation; even Paowo Piwwitteri, Craxi's own broder-in-waw and mayor of Miwan, was investigated despite his parwiamentary immunity. As a conseqwence, a team of Miwanese judges began investigating specificawwy de party's financing system. In Juwy 1992, Craxi finawwy reawised de situation was serious and dat he himsewf was going to be hit by de unfowding scandaw. He made an appeaw before de Chamber of Deputies in which he cwaimed dat everyone knew of de widespread irreguwarities in de pubwic financing of Itawian parties, accused de deputies of hypocrisy and cowardice, and cawwed for aww MPs to protect de Sociawists from prosecution as a show of sowidarity. However, his caww was ignored. Craxi received his first prosecution notice in December 1992. More fowwowed in January and February, at which point de Court of Miwan expwicitwy asked Parwiament to audorise Craxi's prosecution for bribery and corruption (at de time, Itawian MPs were immune from prosecution unwess audorised by Parwiament). The audorisation was denied on 29 Apriw 1993 after Craxi gave an emotionaw speech. However, upon coming out of de Roman Raphaew Hotew, where he wived, received a sawvo of coins dat members coming from Democratic Party of de Left rawwy and de rightists Itawian Sociaw Movement, in Piazza Navona drew to him as a sign of deir disgust. They started to jump and sing: "He, who does not jump is a Sociawist!" (from a traditionaw stadium chant). Some of de students waved 1,000-wire biwws, singing Bettino, do you want dese too? (Bettino, vuoi pure qweste?) to de tune of Guantanamera. In December 1993, after his prosecution was finawwy audorised, Craxi was cawwed to testify awongside Democrazia Cristiana party secretary Arnawdo Forwani before Justice Antonio Di Pietro. Questions were asked about de so-cawwed ENIMONT 'super-bribe' which de PSI and DC had jointwy received and democraticawwy shared. Forwani evasivewy asked what a bribe was whiwe Craxi, after admitting to de charges brought against himsewf and oder parties, stated dat de bribes were "de cost of powitics." Craxi, noting dat de wegaw process had accewerated in his case, cwaimed dat his prosecution was powiticawwy motivated. In May 1994 he fwed to Tunis in order to escape jaiw. His powiticaw career ended in wess dan two years. Itawy's entire powiticaw cwass, incwuding peopwe wike Andreotti and Forwani, was to fowwow suit soon, uh-hah-hah-hah. The CAF (de Craxi-Andreotti-Forwani axis), which had made a pact to revive de Pentapartito (an awwiance of five parties: DC, PSI, Itawian Repubwican Party, Itawian Liberaw Party, Itawian Democratic Sociawist Party) of de 1980s and appwy it to de 1990s, was doomed to be crushed by de popuwar vote as weww as by de judges. The set of anti-corruption investigations carried out by de Miwan judges came to be cowwectivewy cawwed Mani puwite (cwean hands). No party was spared, but in some parties corruption had become more endemic dan ewsewhere (eider because of more opportunity or internaw edics). To dis day, some peopwe (especiawwy dose who were cwose to Craxi) argue dat some parties (such as de Itawian Communist Party) were weft untouched, whiwe de weaders of den ruwing coawition (and in particuwar Bettino Craxi) were wiped off de powiticaw map. The judges in Miwan were put under scrutiny severaw times by different governments (especiawwy Siwvio Berwusconi's first government in 1994), but no evidence of any misconduct was ever found. Furdermore, pubwic opinion was much wess concerned about foreign financing dan about de misappropriation of deir money by corrupt powiticians. In de end, de Sociawist party went from 14% of de vote to a virtuaw niw. An ironic note was dat de disgraced remnant of de party was excwuded from Parwiament by de minimum 4% dreshowd introduced by Bettino Craxi himsewf during one of his previous governments. As mentioned before, during de "Mani puwite" period Craxi tried to use a daring defence tactic: he maintained dat aww parties needed and took money iwwegawwy, however dey couwd get it, to finance deir activities. His defence was derefore not to decware himsewf innocent, but everybody guiwty. Whiwe dis was basicawwy de truf, most citizens distrusted powiticians, and Craxi's defence got no sympady by de citizens and may have even served to enrage dem furder. It shouwd be noted, besides, dat some bribes didn't go to de parties at aww. They went to de personaw wawwets of de powitician who happened to take dem. In 2012, Di Pietro admitted dat Craxi was right when during de process Enimont he accused Itawian Communist Party to have received iwwegaw funding from de Soviet Union. Craxi's sentences seemed to him "criminawwy rewevant", but Di Pietro omitted to investigate dat crime. Craxi's wifestywe was perceived to be inappropriate for de secretary of a party wif so many awweged financiaw probwems: he wived in de Raphaew, an expensive hotew in Rome's centre, and had a warge viwwa in Hammamet, Tunisia. As de Mani Puwite investigations were to uncover in de 1990s, personaw corruption was endemic in Itawian society; whiwe many powiticians, incwuding Craxi, wouwd justify corruption wif de necessities of a democracy, powiticaw weaders at many wevews enjoyed a wifestywe dat shouwd have been weww out of deir reach, whiwe most parties continued having financiaw probwems. Rino Formica, a prominent member of de Sociawist Party in dose years, wittiwy said dat "de convent is poor, but de friars are rich". Furdermore, Craxi's arrogant character won him many enemies; one of his most condemned actions was bwaming corruption in de sociawist party on treasurer Vincenzo Bawzamo, just after de watter's deaf, in order to cwear himsewf of any accusation, uh-hah-hah-hah. He awso had controversiaw friends, such as Siad Barre, dictator of Somawia, Yasser Arafat, weader of PLO, and Ben Awi, dictator of Tunisia. The watter provided protection to Craxi when he escaped from Itawy. Craxi's entourage was famouswy criticised by Formica as a "court of midgets and dancers" (corte di nani e bawwerine), indicating de often wudicrous and immoraw traits of a system based on personaw acqwaintance rader dan merit. Among de friends of Craxi's to receive smawwer and warger favours, Siwvio Berwusconi is perhaps de most known: he received many favours, especiawwy regarding his media empire, and had a decree named after him ("Decreto Berwusconi") wong before he entered powitics. Oder figures were Craxi's mistresses Ania Pieroni, who owned a TV station in de Rome area, and Sandra Miwo, who had a skyrocketing career in de state-owned TV channews RAI. Craxi was awso known for never apowogising, as a matter of principwe; most Itawians expected an apowogy after de corrupt system had been exposed. Craxi never apowogised, stating he had done noding dat everybody ewse had not been doing, and dat he was being unjustwy singwed out and persecuted. Aww dree appeaws by Craxi to Strasbourg Court compwained dat his defense was not abwe to refute in court de accusations made by various defendants of rewated crimes, in viowation of de adversariaw principwe procwaimed in articwe 6 paragraph 3 wetter d of de European Convention of Human Rights. The European Court ruwed in his favor once, in de case of wiretapped conversations iwwegawwy made pubwic. Bettino Craxi resigned as party Secretary in February 1993. Between 1992 and 1993, most members of de party weft powitics and dree Sociawist deputies committed suicide. Craxi was succeeded by two Sociawist trade-unionists, first Giorgio Benvenuto and den by Ottaviano Dew Turco. In de December 1993 provinciaw and municipaw ewections de PSI was virtuawwy wiped out, receiving around 3% of de vote. In Miwan, where de PSI had won 20% in 1990, de PSI received a mere 2%, which was not even enough to ewect a counciwwor. Dew Turco tried in vain to regain credibiwity for de party. In de 1994 generaw ewection, what was weft of PSI awwied itsewf to de Awwiance of Progressives dominated by de post-communist incarnation of de PCI, de Democratic Party of de Left (PDS). Dew Turco had qwickwy changed de party symbow to reinforce de idea of innovation, uh-hah-hah-hah. However, dis did not stop de PSI gaining onwy 2.2% of de votes compared to 13.6% in 1992. The PSI got 16 deputies and 14 senators ewected, down from 92 deputies and 49 senators of 1992. Most of dem came from de weft-wing of de party, as Dew Turco himsewf did. Most Sociawists joined oder powiticaw forces, mainwy Forza Itawia, de new party wed by Siwvio Berwusconi, de Patto Segni and Democratic Awwiance. The party was disbanded on 13 November 1994 after two years of agony, in which awmost aww of its wongtime weaders, especiawwy Bettino Craxi, were invowved in Tangentopowi and decided to weave powitics. The 100-year-owd party cwosed down, partiawwy danks to its weaders for deir personawisation of de PSI. Craxism (ita: Craxismo) was and is according to some extant, an Itawian powiticaw ideowogy based on Craxi's dought. It was informaw ideowogy of de Sociawist Party from 1976 to 1994. Craxism, awdough de term is considered derogatory today, was based on a syndesis of sociaw democracy, sociawism and sociaw wiberawism. In fact, if on one side de PSI under Craxi is reqwired wif a strong dird-worwdism, Pro-Arabianism, environmentawism and a modern wewfare state system (typicaw of de modern weft), on de oder hand was strongwy pro-Atwanticist and pro-europeanist and pwaced on a strong defense of territoriaw sovereignty (e.g. "Sigonewwa crisis" American armed forces) and on conservative powicies on issues such as abortion and war on drugs. Under Craxi, PSI moved from weft-wing to centre-weft, much to awwy wif de Christian Democracy and oder moderate parties dat formed a coawition cawwed Pentapartito, which ensured a stabwe majority to govern, uh-hah-hah-hah. Today, Craxism is often considered a derogatory term describing a corrupt powitician, awdough some wewcome him in a favourabwe manner: dis is de case of dose who, fowwowing de dissowution of de PSI, joined de newwy formed Forza Itawia of Siwvio Berwusconi (centre-right), but awso a part of dose who formed de Itawian Sociawists, smaww party adhering to de Awwiance of progressives of Achiwwe Occhetto (centre-weft). Finawwy, Craxism has wed to de change of de whowe of European sociawism, togeder wif Fewipe Gonzáwez (PSOE), François Mitterrand (PS), and Hewmut Schmidt (SPD), during aww of de 1980s; In addition, awong wif dese oder figures, inspired de overhauw and de powicies of Tony Bwair's Labour Party, de José Zapatero's PSOE and de Andreas Papandreou's PASOK. In Itawy, de main critics of Craxism as weww as de figure of Craxi are de former Communists (incwuding most members of de Democratic Party) and some media weft-wing press (Iw Fatto Quotidiano, iw manifesto, L'Espresso and wa Repubbwica) whiwe de biggest supporters are de Itawian Sociawist Party of Riccardo Nencini and various powiticians of The Peopwe of Freedom and de centre-right as Siwvio Berwusconi (awso ex-Sociawist), Renato Brunetta, Maurizio Sacconi, Stefano Cawdoro and Stefania Craxi, Bettino's daughter. Aww dis resuwted in him being considered de symbow of powiticaw corruption. Bettino Craxi escaped de waws he had once contributed to make, by fweeing to Hammamet, Tunisia, in 1994, and remained a fugitive dere, protected by Ben Awi's government, who was a personaw friend of Craxi. He repeatedwy decwared himsewf innocent, but never returned to Itawy where he had been sentenced to 27 years in jaiw because of his corruption crimes (of dese, 9 years and 8 monds were uphewd on appeaw). Craxi died on 19 January 2000, at de age of 65, from compwications of diabetes. The den Prime Minister and Democrats of de Left weader, Massimo D'Awema, proposed a state funeraw, but his proposaw was not accepted by Craxi's own famiwy, who accused de den government of preventing Craxi to return to Itawy to undergo a dewicate surgery at de San Raffaewe Hospitaw in Miwan, uh-hah-hah-hah. Craxi's funeraw took pwace at de Cadedraw of St. Vincent de Pauw in Tunis and saw a warge participation of de indigenous popuwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Former PSI miwitants and oder Itawians arrived in Tunisia to make de wast greetings to deir weaders. His supporters came outside de Tunisian cadedraw and targeted by insuwts and a waunch of coins de representatives of de Itawian government, Lamberto Dini and Marco Minniti. Craxi's tomb is in de smaww Christian cemetery in Hammamet; according to some sources it is oriented towards Itawy, but, fowwowing a 2017 survey, dis has reveawed to be erroneous. ^ "Craxi". Dizionario d'Ortografia e di Pronuncia. ^ Craxi, iw ricordo di Berwusconi: "Mi manca, simbowo di dignità" ^ La powitica estera di Bettino Craxi new Mediterraneo: dawwa segreteria aw governo. ^ Le wettere inedite di Craxi, così pregavano "iw Cinghiawone" ^ A new band of broders. The Economist (London, Engwand), Saturday, 18 October 1980; pg. 47; Issue 7155. ^ Acqwaviva, Gennaro, and Luigi Covatta. Moro-Craxi: fermezza e trattativa trent'anni dopo / a cura di Gennaro Acqwaviva e Luigi Covatta ; prefazione di Piero Craveri. n, uh-hah-hah-hah.p.: Venezia : Marsiwio, 2009. ^ Fasanewwa, Giovanni; Giuseppe Roca (2003). The Mysterious Intermediary. Igor Markevitch and de Moro affair. Einaudi. ^ Craxi aw congresso dew PSOE: "Obiettivo unità sociawista" ^ "Itawy hewped "save" Gaddafi by warning of US air raid". Monsters and Critics. Rome. 30 October 2008. Archived from de originaw on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2011. ^ Andreotti e iw ministro wibico confermano "Craxi avvertì Gheddafi dew bombardamento Usa" ^ Iw PSI contro Andreotti: "Ci vuowe strangoware" ^ Corriereweb. "Su Napowitano aveva ragione Craxi" (in Itawian). Archived from de originaw on 21 February 2013. ^ Iw Giornawe. "Di Pietro ora dà ragione a Craxi" (in Itawian). ^ They were Giuseppe Awbertini, Enrico Bosewwi, Carwo Carwi, Ottaviano Dew Turco, Fabio Di Capua, Vittorio Emiwiani, Mario Gatto, Luigi Giacco, Gino Giugni, Awberto La Vowpe, Vincenzo Mattina, Vawerio Mignone, Rosario Owivo, Corrado Paowoni, Giuseppe Pericu and Vawdo Spini. ^ They were Paowo Bagnowi, Orietta Bawdewwi, Francesco Barra, Luigi Biscardi, Guido De Martino, Gianni Fardin, Carwo Gubbini, Maria Rosaria Manieri, Cesare Marini, Maria Antonia Modowo, Michewe Sewwitti, Giancarwo Tapparo, Antonino Vawwetta and Antonio Vozzi. ^ "Craxi: Fawwen kingpin". BBC News. 20 January 2000. Retrieved 13 Apriw 2013. Wikimedia Commons has media rewated to Bettino Craxi. This page was wast edited on 28 March 2019, at 21:02 (UTC).

2019-04-25T17:24:46Z

http://wikien4.appspot.com/wiki/Bettino_Craxi

This book presents abundance of indications from archaeological data, genetic studies, legends, myths and tales that Sundaland, a bio-geographical region of Southeastern Asia that was exposed during the Last Glacial period, is the cradle of human civilizations. Sundaland is a bio-geographical region of Southeastern Asia which encompasses the Sunda shelf, the part of the Asian continental shelf that was exposed during the last Ice Age. The last glacial period, popularly known as the Ice Age, was the most recent glacial period within the current Ice Age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 12,000 years ago. It included the Malay Peninsula on the Asian mainland, as well as the large islands of Kalimantan, Java, and Sumatera and their surrounding islands. The eastern boundary of Sundaland is the Wallace Line, identified by Alfred Russel Wallace as the eastern boundary of the range of Asia’s land mammal fauna, and thus the boundary of the Indomalaya and Australasia ecozones. The islands east of the Wallace line are known as Wallacea, and are considered part of Australasia. It is worth noting that it is now generally accepted that South East Asia was probably the entry point of modern humans from Africa. The name “Sundaland” was first proposed by van Bemmelen in 1949, followed by Katili (1975), Hamilton (1979) and Hutchison (1989), to describe the continental core of Southeast Asia forming the southern part of the Eurasian plate. Sundaland is bordered to the west, south and east by tectonically active region characterized by intense seismicity and volcanic activity. The tectonically active zone is effectively a mountain belt in the process of formation, and contain many of the features typically thought to be associated with accretionary orogens: there is active subduction, transfer of material at plate boundaries, examples of collision with buoyant feature on oceanic plates, arcs and continents, and abundant magmatism. The present orogenic belt is situated at the junction of three major plates: the Eurasian, Indian, Australian and Pacific-Philippine Sea plates. It surrounds Sundaland and stretches from Sumatera to The Philippines via eastern Indonesia. It changes character and width from west to east and is composed of different segments or sutures with different character. The South China Sea and adjoining landmasses had been investigated by scientists such as Molengraaff and Umbgrove, who had postulated ancient, now submerged drainage systems. These were mapped by Tjia in 1980 and described in greater detail by Emmel and Curray in 1982 complete with river deltas, floodplains and back swamps. The ecology of the exposed Sunda Shelf has been investigated by analyzing cores drilled into the ocean bed. The pollens found in the cores have revealed a complex ecosystem that changed over time. The flooding of Sundaland separated species that had once shared the same environment such as the river threadfin (Polydactylus macrophthalmus, Bleeker 1858; Polynemus borneensis, Vaillant 1893) that had once thrived in a river system now called “North Sunda River” or “Molengraaff River”. The fish is now found in the Kapuas River on the island of Kalimantan, and in the Musi and Batanghari rivers in Sumatera. The last glacial period, popularly known as the Ice Age, was the most recent glacial period within the current ice age occurring during the last years of the Pleistocene, from approximately 110,000 to 11,600 years BP. The most extensive glaciation in the last glacial period was about 21,000 years ago. Scientists consider this Ice Age to be merely the latest glaciation event in a much larger ice age, one that dates back over two million years and has seen multiple glaciations. During this period, there were several changes between glacier advance and retreat. The maximum extent of glaciation within this last glacial period was approximately 22,000 years BP. While the general pattern of global cooling and glacier advance was similar, local differences in the development of glacier advance and retreat makes it difficult to compare the details from continent to continent. From the point of view of human archaeology, it falls in the Paleolithic and Mesolithic periods. When the glaciation event started, Homo sapiens were confined to Africa and used tools comparable to those used by Neanderthals in Europe and the Levant and by Homo erectus in Asia. Near the end of the event, Homo sapiens spread into Europe, Asia, and Australia. The retreat of the glaciers allowed groups of Asians to migrate to the Americas and populate them. The Younger Dryas stadial, also referred to as the Big Freeze, was a geologically brief (1,300 ± 70 years) period of cold climatic conditions and drought which occurred between approximately 12,800 and 11,600 years BP. The Younger Dryas stadial is thought to have been caused by the collapse of the North American ice sheets, although rival theories have been proposed. It followed the Bølling-Allerød interstadial (warm period) at the end of the Pleistocene and preceded the preboreal of the early Holocene. It is named after an indicator genus, the alpine-tundra wildflower Dryas Octopetala. The Dryas stadials were cold periods which interrupted the warming trend since the Last Glacial Maximum 21,000 years BP. The Older Dryas occurred approximately 1,000 years before the Younger Dryas and lasted about 400 years. The Oldest Dryas is dated between approximately 18,000 and 14,700 BP. Figure 5 – A map showing the Sundaland around the Last Glacial period (21,000 years BP) generated by the author from the GTOPO30 elevation grids published by USGS. The sea water level was around 120 meter below the present-day sea water level. The flow pattern of the rivers below the present-day sea water level is generated using the same grids and approximations of sea sedimentation, littoral drift, delta formation, meandering, river regime change and river bed movement. The present-day inland rivers are combined. The colors other than blue represent the ground levels. The thin red lines are the present-day shorelines. Present-day topographic and bathymetric data covering the Sunda Shelf in geographic projection (latitude and longitude) are extracted from the GTOPO30 elevation grids published by USGS. GTOPO30 refers to 30-arc second (approximately 0.9 km near equator) horizontal latitude and longitude spatial resolution of digital elevation model (DEM) file format. Other similar grids like GEBCO_8 published by IHO and IOC/UNESCO, and ETOPO1 published by NOAA are also used as references. A color scheme is applied to the DEM in which areas below -120 m are represented by blue colors so that the Last Glacial Maximum coastlines can be easily identified. Several assumptions are made in the analytical procedures (Sathiamurthy et al, 2006). First, it is assumed that the current topography and bathymetry of the region approximate the physiography that existed during the span of time from 21,000 years BP to present. However, because sedimentation and scouring processes have affected the bathymetry of the Sunda Shelf over the last 21,000 years (Schimanski and Stattegger, 2005), we know that this is only an approximation. Thus, it should be emphasized that the depth and geometry of the Sunda Shelf and the existing present-day submerged depressions do not reflect past conditions precisely. Second, it is assumed that the present-day sea bed are likely to have existed during the Last Glacial Maximum and have not resulted from seabed scouring by currents, limestone solution, or tectonic movement-possibilities that were pointed out by Umbgrove (1949) as perhaps taking place during early post-Pleistocene transgression. In the case of tectonic movement, Geyh et al (1979) mentioned that the Sumatera Strait was tectonically stable at least during the Holocene. Furthermore, Tjia et al (1983), state that the Sunda Shelf has been largely tectonically stable since the beginning of the Tertiary. Nevertheless, Tjia et al (1983) indicated that sea level rise in this region may be attributed to a combination of actual sea level rise and vertical crust movement. Hill (1968) in reference to earlier work done by Umbgrove (1949), suggested the possibility of limestone solution as a mode of depression formation (as in the case of the Lumut pit off the coast of Perak, Malaysia), and gave an alternative explanation, which was of tectonic origin. Sea bed sedimentation data are rarely available but approximation of sedimentation process is made in generating the topographic and bathymetric regional map of Sundaland. In similar conditions, other processes like littoral drift, delta formation, meandering, river regime change and river bed movement are also approximated and incorporated on the maps. Ancient lakes are reconstructed from the DEM and any geological history that exist. Small and insignificant islands are removed. Along with the topographic and bathymetric map, shorelines at certain sea water levels, ground surface slope, river watersheds and flow pattern of rivers are also generated and place them in different layers. Figure 6 – A map showing the Sundaland major watersheds around the Last Glacial Maximum period (21,000 years BP) generated by the author using the same method as in the previous figures. River names are given referring to the sea, strait, gulf, island or present day river names occupied by the watersheds. Cannon et al (2009) have done research on the distribution of vegetation in Sundaland during the Last Glacial Maximum using explicit spatial model coupled with the evidence of geography, paleoclimatology and geology. The vegetation is divided into three types, namely coastal/swamp, lowland and highland evergreen rainforests. Coastal/swamp evergreen rainforests experienced the most dynamic biogeographic history of the 3 forest types examined. At the peak of the Last Glacial Maximum, when sea levels fell below the shelf margin, mangroves were restricted to a very narrow belt along coastlines. However, many coastal swamp taxa would have maintained widespread inland distributions on poorly drained interfluves on watershed or kerapah peats, and in kerangas vegetation, which share many taxa with coastal peat swamp forests. As the shelf began to flood, especially from 11,000 to 9,000 BP, the coastal/swamp evergreen rainforests would have experienced a dramatic but relatively brief expansion. Since about 8,000 BP, coastal forests have roughly remained in their present positions, with the extent of mangroves, freshwater alluvial and peatswamps being determined by the patterns of progradation of individual river deltas following the Holocene transgression. The coastal/swamp evergreen rainforests also experienced a sudden and complete geographic relocation over hundreds of kilometers during the flooding, as the coastline retreated quickly across the shelf, coupled with an equally dramatic change in core area from minimal at the Last Glacial Maximum to maximal at the time of the flooding of Sundaland. The total area and core area of the lowland evergreen rainforests were substantially greater than current conditions through the vast majority of the last glacial cycle, with the presence of an open corridor of seasonal forest having relatively little impact. The total area and core area of the highland evergreen rainforests experienced a gradual upward trend through the last glacial cycle, with a fairly dramatic peak at the Last Glacial Maximum. In general, the distribution of the highland evergreen rainforests was very sensitive to the interaction between temperature change and vegetation lapse rate. Figure 8 – Main active faults in Sundaland at the zone of convergence of the plates of Sunda, Eurasia, Philippines, India and Australia. Smaller plates of Timor and Banda Sea (part of Sunda), Maluku (part of Philippines) and Andaman (part of Eurasia) are also shown. Large arrows represent absolute motions of plates. Red triangles are the volcanoes. According to the previous theory, the ancestors of the modern day Austronesian populations of the Malay archipelago and adjacent regions are believed to have migrated southward, from the East Asia mainland to Taiwan, and then to the rest of Maritime Southeast Asia. However, recent finding points to the now-submerged Sundaland as the possible cradle of Asian population: thus the “Out of Sundaland” theory. Oppenheimer locates the origin of the Austronesians in Sundaland and its upper regions. Genetic research reported in 2008 indicates that the islands which are the remnants of Sundaland were likely populated as early as 50,000 years ago, contrary to a previous hypothesis (Bellwood and Dizon, 2005) that they were populated as late as 10,000 years ago from Taiwan. A study from Leeds University and published in Molecular Biology and Evolution in 2008, examining mitochondrial DNA lineages, suggested that humans had been occupying the islands of Southeast Asia for a longer period than previously believed. Population dispersals seem to have occurred at the same time as sea levels rose, which may have resulted in migrations from the Philippine Islands to as far north as Taiwan within the last 10,000 years. The population migrations were most likely to have been driven by climate change – the effects of the drowning of an ancient continent. Rising sea levels in three massive pulses may have caused flooding and the submerging of the Sunda continent, creating the Java and South China Seas and the thousands of islands that make up Indonesia and the Philippines today. The changing sea levels would have caused these humans to move away from their coastal homes and culture, and farther inland throughout Southeast Asia. This forced migration would have caused these humans to adapt to the new forest and mountainous environments, developing farms and domestication, and becoming the predecessors to future human populations in these regions. The 2009 research and study by the HUGO Pan-Asian SNP Consortium, conducted within and between the different populations in the Asia continent, showed that genetic ancestry was highly correlated with ethnic and linguistic groups. There was a clear increase in genetic diversity from northern to southern latitudes. The study also suggested that there was one major inflow of human migration into Asia arising from Southeast Asia, rather than multiple inflows from both southern and northern routes as proposed before. This indicates that Southeast Asia was the major geographic source of East Asian and North Asian populations. East Asians have mainly originated from South East Asian populations with minor contributions from Central-South Asian groups. The Taiwan aborigines are derived from Austronesian populations. This stands in contrast to the suggestion that this island served as the ancestral “homeland” for Austronesian speaking populations throughout the Indo-Pacific. In 2012, Stephen Oppenheimer pointed out that the genetic, climatic and archaeological evidence logically suggests a single southern exit of modern human from Africa to Sundaland. All non-African groups today are descended from this exit, with the exception of some autosomes (7% or less) apparently derived from admixture with several archaic non-African groups. Whether this exit predated the Toba eruption is currently unclear. A series of founding bottlenecks characterized rapid migration around the Indian Ocean coast to Borneo and Bali at the tip of the Sunda shelf. Then, a sea-level low stand permitted multiple colonizations of the Sahul, followed by prolonged isolation until the post-glacial period, during which maritime gene flow from island southeast Asia recommenced. These last migrations were limited into Australia and substantial into Melanesia. Climate and access to fresh water were crucial determinants of routes and dates for windows of opportunity. Watch the Jurney of Mankind by The Bradshaw Foundation. In 2012, Jinam et al determined 86 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) complete genome sequences in four indigenous Malaysian populations, together with a reanalysis of published autosomal single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data of Southeast Asians to test the plausibility and impact of those migration models. The three Austronesian groups (Bidayuh, Selatar, and Temuan) showed high frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups, which originated from the Asian mainland 30,000–10,000 BP, but low frequencies of “Out of Taiwan” markers. Principal component analysis and phylogenetic analysis using autosomal SNP data indicate a dichotomy between continental and island Austronesian groups. They argue that both the mtDNA and autosomal data suggest an “Early Train” migration originating from Indochina or South China around the late-Pleistocene to early-Holocene period, which predates, but may not necessarily exclude, the Austronesian expansion. Karafet et al (2014), through a study of Y-DNA supported the hypothesis of a Southeast Asian/Oceanian center for the diversification of Oceanian K-haplogroup lineages and underscore the potential importance of Southeast Asia as a source of genetic variation for Eurasian populations. The phylogenetic structure of haplogroup K-M526 shows consecutive branching events (M526, P331 and P295), which appear to have rapidly diversified. With the exception of P-P27, all of the descendant lineages are located today in Southeast Asia and Oceania: K-M526*, K-P402, K-P261 and NO are the lineages most closely related to haplogroup K-P331, K-P397 is the sister lineage of P-P295 and the P-P295* lineages are the closest relatives of haplogroup P-P27. This pattern leads to hypothesize a southeastern Asian origin for P-P295 and a later expansion of the ancestor of subhaplogroups R and Q into mainland Asia. Although K-M526 was previously characterized by a single polytomy of eight major branches, the phylogenetic structure of haplogroup K-M526 is now resolved into four major subclades (K2a–d). The largest of these subclades, K2b, is divided into two clusters: K2b1 and K2b2. K2b1 combines the previously known haplogroups M, S, K-P60 and K-P79, whereas K2b2 comprises haplogroups P and its subhaplogroups Q and R. Interestingly, the monophyletic group formed by haplogroups R and Q, which make up the majority of paternal lineages in Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, represents the only subclade with K2b that is not geographically restricted to Southeast Asia and Oceania. Estimates of the interval times for the branching events between M9 and P295 point to an initial rapid diversification process of K-M526 that likely occurred in Southeast Asia, with subsequent westward expansions of the ancestors of haplogroups R and Q. More interestingly, ancient DNA evidence suggests that haplogroup R1b – the current dominant lineage in western Europe – did not reach high frequencies until after the European Neolithic period as given in Lacan et al and Pinhasi et al. There has been a long-standing debate concerning the extent to which the spread of Neolithic ceramics and Malay-Polynesian languages in Island Southeast Asia (ISEA) were coupled to an agriculturally driven demic dispersal out of Taiwan 4,000 years ago. Brandão et al in a paper published by the Human Genetics in 2016 addressed this question using founder analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region sequences to identify major lineage clusters most likely to have dispersed from Taiwan into ISEA, proposing that the dispersal had a relatively minor impact on the extant genetic structure of ISEA, and that the role of agriculture in the expansion of the Austronesian languages was therefore likely to have been correspondingly minor. They showed that, in total, about 20% of mtDNA lineages in the modern ISEA pool result from the “Out-of-Taiwan” dispersal, with most of the remainder signifying earlier processes, mainly due to sea-level rises after the Last Glacial Maximum. Every one of these founder clusters previously entered Taiwan from China, 6,000 – 7,000 years ago, where rice farming originated, and remained distinct from the indigenous Taiwanese population until after the subsequent dispersal into ISEA. In 2016, Soares et al from the University of Minho in Portugal as published in the Human Genetics showed a series of much more complicated events. mtDNA and Y-chromosome found in the Pacific Islands have existed in the islands of Southeast Asia much earlier than 4,000 BC, which raises serious doubt on the theory of “Out-of-Taiwan”. They argue that the landscape and the changing sea level about 11,500 years ago led to a significant expansion from Indonesia 8,000 years ago. This expansion, which is the team’s discovery, showed that the population in the whole of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands share the same mtDNA and Y-chromosome. The results of the study by the team also showed minor wave of migration that may lead to the spread of Austronesian languages. Figure 18 – A map showing the locations of pre-historic remains, which may consist of human skeleton, potteries, metal works, cave painting, burial sites, stone tools, megalithic stones and step pyramids. Note that the remains are densely found in Java, Bali, southern Sumatera, southern Sulawesi and southern Kalimantan. No undersea remain has been investigated. A mass dispersal from Sundaland was happened around the Younger Dryas period (approximately 12,800 – 11,600 years ago), most probably the end of the period. It was caused by an unknown mega catastrophe as detected from the observation data, a sharp decline of the world population, emergence of many civilizations and the people memories (legends, myths, tales) around the world. The dispersal is also detected by the genetic studies. Ideal climatic conditions and natural resources for development were found in Sundaland. After migrating from the semi-deserted savannas of Africa, man first found a place where food was abundant and it was there that they invented farming, agriculture, trading and civilization, which made humanity first flourished. All this took place during the Last Glacial period, where the sea level was as low as 120 meters (400 feet) below the present value that caused a vast land of Sundaland to expose. The glaciers started to retreat and the sea levels continued to rise gradually from the peak levels around 19,000 to about 5,500 years ago. Cracks in the earth’s crust as the weight of the ice shifted to the seas set off catastrophic events. Rapid coastal population loss was compounded by super tsunami waves and super quakes on tropical coasts with flat continental shelves of Southeast Asia. The floods drowned the coastal cultures and all the flat continental shelves, and wiped out many populations. As the sea rolled in, there was a mass migration from the sinking continent at the end of the Younger Dryas period (approximately 11,600 years ago), one of the most well-known examples of such abrupt change. Recent genetic studies show that there has been a sharp decline in the population of the world beginning in the early Holocene, or the end of the Younger Dryas period, causing a bottle neck of human population. There were population turnovers from Southeast, East and South Asia to Europe, Near East and the Caucasus, suggesting that the end of the Younger Dryas period caused the refugium of those populations to migrate and establish new civilizations. From the archaeological data, the end of Younger Dryas was also marked by the emergence of many civilizations around the world. The Younger Dryas disasters are also documented as legends, myths or tales in almost every region on Earth, observable with tremendous similarities. They are common across a wide range of cultures, extending back into Bronze Age and Neolithic prehistory. The overwhelming consistency among legends and myths of flood and the repopulation of man from a flood hero similar to the Noah Flood are found in distant parts of the Earth. The myths similar to the Garden of Eden, Paradise or Divine Land echo among the populations around the world. Memories of their origin are documented in their legends, such as the stories of Atlantis, Neserser, Land of Punt, Land of Ophir, Gilgamesh, Kumari Kandam, Kangdez, Tollan and Taprobana. Those indicate that they were derived from a common origin. With a bulk of collected archaeological and genetic studies as well as legends, myths and tales, the author makes an attempt to reassemble the possible connections of the evidence to obtain the pattern of the population dispersal using a “Potsherd Model”, as shown on the figure below. Rivers supplied a continuous if not always dependable flow and supply of water for transportation, farming and human consumption. These rivers along with climate, vegetation, geography, and topography shaped the development of the early riverine civilizations. However, while people of these civilizations were dependent on the rivers, the rivers also inspired new technological, economic, institutional, and organizational innovations and developments. Riverine cultures were the cradle of maritime civilizations which later developed into Austronesian-speaking people. Large rivers with fertile lands existed in Sundaland during the Ice Age. It is logical that the civilizations developing in this region began at these riverines. Since the seas were inseparable from their lives, their development until fully developed must happen at the estuarines. Sea level rise and frequent floods or tsunamis caused some of them to move to higher ground, on mountains. Rivers are the only means of transportation existed at that time, so they moved along the rivers in the upstream direction. Ancient civilizations survive to this day have been observed and it turns out that they are living in regions upstream of major rivers. Ancient riverine cultures are evidenced by rock paintings spread allover the archipelago. Most of the paintings are estimated more than 10,000 years old. Some of the paintings depict boats. These suggest that they already had the technology from the very ancient time. The ones in Maros were carbon dated to about 40,000 years old. Recent studies have revealed the presence of several agricultural crops and animals domesticated in Sundaland and its surroundings and they are closely related to population distributions from Sundaland. However, these studies are limited to discoveries available at this time only. The domestications are inseparable from the water environments, either rivers or seas which met at the estuaries. Thus it can be assumed that the early civilizations were centered at the estuarines, as discussed before. However, most Ice Age estuarines in Sundaland are presently under the sea. We can presume that the evidence of the oldest domestications are not discovered due to their locations under the sea and those are discovered today are on higher grounds which are so much younger. Additionally, Sundaland has had frequent volcanic activities resulted in thick layers of volcanic ash, to become serious obstacles to discover such archaeological evidence. In the book Eden in the East (1998), Stephen Oppenheimer claims that the domestication of rice was not in China but in the Malay Peninsula, ca 9,000 years ago. Here grains of rice were found from the eras between 7,000 and 5,000 BC on the Malay Peninsula. This time period is several years older than the arrival of the Austronesian people from Taiwan who were thought to have brought farming technologies to Southeast Asia. There are four main varieties of rice: japonica, a short-grained rice grown in Japan, Korea, and eastern China; indica, a long-grained variety common in India, Pakistan, and most of Southeast Asia; aus, grown primarily in Bangladesh; and aromatic rice, which includes more exotic varieties such as India’s basmati and Thailand’s jasmine. Scientists have primarily focused on indica and japonica because archaeological findings suggest both have a long history of cultivation. Researchers generally agree that humans living in what is now southern China domesticated japonica between 8,200 and 13,500 years ago. The precise locale within southern China is still debated. Experts are still debating the origin of indica. Those claiming one domestication event believe indica emerged from crosses between japonica and wild species as rice cultivation spread through Asia. Those arguing for two separate domestication events generally agree that japonica emerged in southern China, but they contend that indica was independently domesticated in a region straddling India and western Indochina. The new analysis, from a group led by Terence Brown of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, adds a third and separate domestication locale, for aus, in a region stretching from central India to Bangladesh. However, research on the origins of rice cultivation is still ongoing. It can be presumed that the evidence of the oldest rice cultivation can not be found because it is located under the sea and the evidence available today are on higher lands which are so much younger. Evidence on the mainland are also not necessarily reflecting the real origins for Sundaland area is generally covered by very thick volcanic ash. Bananas (Musa spp) are believed to have originated more than 10,000 years ago and some scientists believe they may have been the world’s first fruit. The bananas we enjoy today are far better than the original wild fruit which contained many large, hard seeds and not much tasty pulp. There was a cross breeding of two varieties of wild bananas, the Musa acuminata and the Musa baalbisiana. From this process, some bananas became seedless and more like the bananas we eat today. The first bananas are thought to have grown in the region that includes the Malaya Peninsula, Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. From here, traders and travelers took them to India, Africa and Polynesia. There were references to bananas from 600 BC when Buddhist scriptures, known as the Pali Canon, noted Indian traders travelling through the Malaysian region had tasted the fruit and brought plants back with them. In 327 BC, when Alexander The Great and his army invaded India, he discovered banana crop in the Indian Valleys. After tasting this unusual fruit for the first time, he introduced this new discovery to the Western world. By 200 AD bananas had spread to China. According to the Chinese historian Yang Fu, bananas only ever grew in the southern region of China. They were never really popular until the 20th Century as they were considered to be a strange and exotic alien fruit. Bananas began to be developed in Africa about 650 AD. It is thought that traders from Arabia, Persia, India and Indonesia distributed banana suckers around coastal regions of the Indian Ocean (but not Australia) between the 5th and 15th centuries. Portuguese sailors discovered bananas in West Africa and established banana plantations in the 15th century off the coast, in the Canary lslands. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, suckers were traded in the Americas and plantations were established in Latin America and the Caribbean. Banana plants first arrived in Australia in the 1800s. The people of New Guinea were probably the first to domesticate sugarcane (Saccharum spp), sometime around 8,000 BC. However, the extraction and purifying technology techniques were developed by people who were living in India. After domestication, its cultivation spread rapidly to Southeast Asia and southern China. India, where the process of refining cane juice into granulated crystals was developed, was often visited by imperial convoys (such as those from China) to learn about cultivation and sugar refining. By the sixth century AD, sugarcane cultivation and processing had reached Persia; and, from there that knowledge was brought into the Mediterranean by the Arab expansion. Spanish and Portuguese exploration and conquest in the fifteenth century carried sugar south-west of Iberia. Henry the Navigator introduced cane to Madeira in 1425, while the Spanish, having eventually subdued the Canary Islands, introduced sugar cane to them. In 1493, on his second voyage, Christopher Columbus carried sugarcane seedlings to the New World, in particular Hispaniola. The most recent research shows that chili peppers (Capsicum spp) were domesticated more than 6,000 years ago in Mexico, in the region that extends across southern Puebla and northern Oaxaca to southeastern Veracruz, and were one of the first self-pollinating crops cultivated in Mexico, Central and parts of South America. However, chili peppers are mentioned in the Siva Purana and Vamana Purana, from India, dated to the sixth to eighth centuries CE (Banerji 1980). The Sanskrit name marichi-phalam was applied to both Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens (Nadkarni, 1914). The plant and its fruit are naturalistically pictured in stone carvings at a Shiva temple at Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu (Gupta, 1996). A very explicit rendering of chili pepper plants is found on a wall panel of a temple ruin in the garden at the temple at Prambanan, Java. The panel is at least a thousand years old. Research suggest that maize (Zea mays) was first domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mexico about 10,000 years ago. However, field investigations have discovered odd sorts of maize growing in Asia (especially Sikkim Primitive in the remote Himalaya and ‘waxy’ varieties from Myanmar all across China to the Korean peninsula), mostly away from coastal areas where 16th-century Iberian sailors are supposed to have first introduced maize. The characteristics and distribution of these grains cannot be explained in terms of post-Columbian introduction, because waxy varieties were not known in the Americas. Johannessen et al (1998a, 1989a) were the first to document extensively that maize ears were represented in sculptures of ears of corn – hundreds of them – on original temple walls in Karnataka State, southern India. This art usually dates from the 11th to the 13th centuries AD, but some representations are much older. Four Sanskrit words for maize have been recorded, while the Garuda Purana, as well as the Linga Purana texts of the 5th century AD refer to maize. From near Zhenghou, Henan province, China, comes a ceramic effigy of maize, dated about 2,000 BP, that was found in an excavation of an imperial tomb of the Han Dynasty. A bas-relief showing maize is found on a wall panel of a temple ruin in the garden at the temple at Prambanan, Java, next to the panel showing chili pepper plant, at least a thousand years old. The results from the ancient DNA analyses carried by Alice A Storey et al in 2012 of 48 archaeologically derived chicken bones provide support for archaeological hypotheses about the prehistoric human transport of chickens. Haplogroup E mtDNA signatures have been amplified from directly dated samples originating in Europe at 1,000 years ago and in the Pacific at 3,000 years ago indicating multiple prehistoric dispersals from a single Asian center. These two dispersal pathways converged in the Americas where chickens were introduced both by Polynesians and later by Europeans. Research conducted by Martin Johnson at the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Linköping University, Sweden in 2015 shows chickens were first domesticated from a wild form called red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), a bird that still runs wild in most of Southeast Asia, likely hybridized with the grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii). That occurred probably about 8,000 years ago. The research suggests there may have been multiple origins in distinct areas of South and Southeast Asia, including North and South China, Thailand, Burma and India. Research conducted by Matthias Oskarsson at the School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden in 2012 based on Y-chromosomal DNA sequence suggest that dogs in Asia south of Yangtze River has the highest genetic diversity and was founded from a large number of wolf founders. He emphasized that early dog dispersal is tightly coupled to human history with the dog brought along as a cultural item. He has for the first time investigated the dog dispersal into Polynesia and Australia and their data can be used as evidence for a more complex settlement of Polynesia than earlier indicated from archaeological and linguistic studies. Peter Savolainen of the KTH-Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and Ya-Ping Zhang of the Kunming Institute of Zoology in China in 2015 simultaneously suggest that humans first domesticated dogs in Southeast Asia 33,000 years ago, and that about 15,000 years ago a subset of dog ancestors began to migrate toward the Middle East and Africa. Their movement was likely inspired by that of their human companions, but it’s also possible that they began their journey independently. One possible motivating factor could have been melting glaciers, which started retreating approximately 19,000 years back. It wasn’t until 5,000 years after they first began spreading out from Southeast Asia that dogs are thought to have reached Europe. Before finally making their way to the Americas, one of these groups doubled-back to Asia where they interbred with dogs that had migrated to northern China. Archaeological evidence indicates that pigs were domesticated at least twice, once in China’s Mekong valley and once in Anatolia, the region in modern-day Turkey between the Black, Mediterranean, and Aegean seas. For another, a 2007 study of genetic material from 323 modern and 221 ancient pigs from western Eurasia suggests that pigs first came to Europe from the Near East, but that Europeans subsequently domesticated local wild boar, which seemed to replace those original pigs. Laurent Frantz, now a bioinformaticist at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, carried out sophisticated computer analyses of 103 whole genomes sequenced from wild boars and domesticated pig breeds from all over Europe and Asia, published in Nature Genetics in 2015, indicating that that pigs were indeed originated in those two places. But Europe’s modern pigs are mongrel mixes derived from multiple wild boar populations. Some of their genetic material does not match any wild boar DNA collected by the researchers, so they think that at least some ancestors came from either an extinct group or from another group in central Eurasia. This anomaly suggests that pigs were herded from place to place, where they mated with this “ghost” population. Moreover, at one point – most likely in the 1800s, when Europeans imported Chinese pigs to improve their commercial breeds – a little Asian pig blood entered the mix. The origin of Kalimantan elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis) is controversial. Two competing hypotheses argue that they are either indigenous, tracing back to the Pleistocene, or were introduced, descending from elephants imported in the 16th – 18th centuries. Taxonomically, they have either been classified as a unique subspecies or placed under the Indian or Sumatran subspecies. Prithviraj Fernando et al in 2003 have conducted research comparing DNA of Kalimantan elephants to that of elephants from across the range of the Asian elephant. They find that Kalimantan’s elephants are genetically distinct, with molecular divergence indicative of a Pleistocene colonization of Kalimantan and subsequent isolation about 300,000 years ago. When the sea level rise in the Last Glacial Age separated the Kalimantan Island from the Asian mainland, the elephants were isolated in the island from their cousins on mainland Asia and Sumatera and later evolved to become a distinct Asian elephant sub-species. The now extinct Javan elephants (Elephas maximus sondaicus) those once inhabited Java are identical to the Kalimantan elephants. Some authors have specifically claimed a clear link between Sundaland and Plato’s Atlantis. The Sunda Sub-Oceanic Plain is large enough to match Plato’s description of Atlantis. Its topography, climate, flora and fauna together with aspects of local mythologies, all permit a convincing case to be made to support this idea. Thomas Stamford Raffles who was the Lieutenant-Governor of British Java and the founder of Singapore was perhaps the first to suggest a link between Atlantis and Indonesia in his book, The History of Java, published in 1817. A prominent theosophist CW Leadbeater also suggested those link in his book, The Occult History of Java, published in 1951. Other investigators have written on the prehistory of the region of whom the best known is probably Stephen Oppenheimer, in 1998, who firmly locates the Garden of Eden in this region, although he makes little reference to Atlantis. More recently, Robert Schoch, in collaboration with Robert Aquinas McNally, wrote a book in 2003 in which they suggest that pyramid building may have had its origins in a civilization that flourished on parts of Sundaland that are now submerged. The first book to specifically identify Sundaland with Atlantis was written by Zia Abbas, in his book Atlantis: The Final Solution, published in 2002. However, prior to its publication the internet offered at least two sites that discussed in detail the case for Atlantis in Southeast Asia. William Lauritzen and the late Professor Arysio Nunes dos Santos developed extensive websites. Lauritzen has also written an e-book that is available from his site, while Santos developed his views on a Sundaland Atlantis in another recent book, Atlantis: The Lost Continent Finally Found, published in 2005. Sunil Prasannan has an interesting essay on Graham Hancock’s website. A more esoteric site also offers support for the Sundaland theory of Atlantis. Geologist Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, in his book Plato Never Lied, Atlantis is in Indonesia, published in 2013, written that Gunungpadang was apparently brought by people in pyramid form about 13,000 years ago, the adoption of Atlantis was in the greater of the present-day Indonesia located. Graham Hancock proposed a common origin for various architectural and artistic works in pre-cataclysmic Sundaland as the true location of Atlantis, in his book Magicians of the Gods, published in 2015. Further support for an Indonesian Atlantis is the publication of a book, Atlantis: The lost city is in Java Sea by Dhani Irwanto in April 2015, who endeavors to identify features of the lost city with details in Plato’s account with a site in the Java Sea off the coast of the island of Kalimantan. The work explains the source of the flood tales of the Middle East and India plus reference to China. It disputes the recently much publicised idea of tsunamis circling the globe caused by comet impact over North America. While this occurred and American legends can be seen as a description of the aftermath of the event, there were no large tsunamis sweeping across the oceans to foreign shores. Recent scientific work has denied that such an impact would create much of a wave, Tsunamis require the movement of the sea floor as a creating force. A second book on the same web page, ‘Measurements of the Gods’ details the development of the measurement systems in place across the ancient world and again, these are traced to Sundaland. In fact much of our modern mathematical learning methodologies can be said to have had an initial development at Sundaland. In this book chapters 17 and 18 reveal how the measures almost certainly were developed at Sundaland. However, the earlier sections of the work demonstrate the existence and relationships of the said measures which can be discovered by anyone with the ability to survey structures accurately or indeed work accurately with maps. Plato made much of the people of Atlantis, they were intelligent civilized folk lost at 9000 years before the time of his narrative. This date agrees with his description that used the term…before the Pillars of Hercules…The Pillars of Hercules to which he refers are associated not with Gibraltar or indeed anywhere else on Earth but with the constellation Hercules. The tale employed astronomy and knowledge of past events on Earth…as do the flood tales of India, The Bible, China and the Middle East generally. To state that Sundaland was the source of the Atlantis tale without explanation of the Pillars of Hercules that stand up to scrutiny is to ignore one of the most important part of Plato’s narrative. The details of the source of the flood stories and Plato’s Atlantis plus evidence leading to Sundaland as the source of much learning is to be found in various sections of both books. There is a bonus…the books and other related papers can be read on the web or downloaded free at the webpage indicated. Comments or queries to h.sivertsen@btinternet.com please.

2019-04-20T08:46:13Z

https://atlantisjavasea.com/2015/09/29/sundaland/

In October – November 2015 and February 2016 artist and researcher Georgios Papadopoulos stayed in a residency organised in collaboration with HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme. During the residency and afterwards he will took a critical look at Skills of Economy Sessions events and produced a text Politics as Art against the Art of Economics; Reflections on the Skills of Economy Sessions that is now finally published. Skills of Economy is a multidisciplinary research project extending across a variety of different media that brings into dialogue different artists’ responses to the post-2008 austerity paradigm. Combinations of some of these responses took the stage during three Sessions of the project that were organized thematically and presented in different theaters Helsinki in the autumn and winter of 2015–2016. The aim of this essay is to reflect on and analyze these events offering a critical perspective on the topic and to start a dialogue on the project, which remains ongoing. The accent is put on methodology and frames the project in the wider debate on the relevance and the efficacy of artistic research. In this essay, the author will describe the different capacities in which artistic practice provides useful ways to collectively and individually engage with economics and offer some thoughts about the criteria for evaluating such interventions from a methodological point of view. More importantly, the author would also like to put forward some ideas about the scope and limitations of artistic and curatorial interventions, where they attempt to leave the confines of the art world and aim to become political praxis. Addressing economic issues from an artist’s point of view can be a very fruitful yet challenging exercise. An important precondition of a successful engagement with the economy is that artists should recognize the same material constraints that market imposes on all social activities, including art; considerations of cost, efficiency, sustainability and rationality are always present in neoliberal societies. It is only if the artists abandon their supposedly privileged position and with it the ideological construction of art as a special and autonomous social practice, that they can recognize, thematize and uncover the economic consequences of austerity for society, including artistic practice. I will start by outlining the content of the three Sessions, which took place on three different Helsinki theater stages at the Theatre Academy, at the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art theater and at a suburban cultural center built as part of a social housing project. The sessions were titled Parasites, For the Love and Fear of Welfare, and Beginning from the End. Each session was self-contained with a clear thematic, but connections between them created an overarching? narrative about the contemporary condition of artistic production. Parasites was the first of the three session and took place on a cold and bright autumn Friday at Helsinki’s Theater Academy, in the traditionally working class neighborhood of Kallio, which is now undergoing a process of gentrification. The title of the session makes a direct reference to the precarious position of artist today, who often depends on grant funding, ad hoc employment and sometimes social welfare to support herself/ himself and their practice. The dependence of the artist on public money is a consequence of a paradigm shift in artistic practice, where the artist is not so much the creator of objects, but rather of situations, and a retreat of economic policies where increasing welfare leads to more public spending including spending on culture. In this new regime of enforced austerity, the artist needs to constantly justify their entitlement to state support, whether through subsidies or through welfare payments. Another interesting and only slightly less obvious reference could be drawn to the famous book by Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis, where Gregor Samsa, the ‘hero’ of the book, finds himself transformed into a large insect. Pointing out the similarities between Gregor and artists is by no means a novel idea (1) and the set-up of the first of the Sessions as a maze (the architecture of Gregor’s apartment, and especially the doors, are very important for following the book’s plot) and the display of live cockroaches by Karolina Kucia makes such references even more obvious. Nonetheless, what I find even more relevant in the awakening of Gregor in terms of the artistic condition in the post-2008 paradigm of austerity is the realization that artists that have been rendered obsolete in a system ruled by economic rationality, individualism and efficiency – principles that are in many ways foreign, even hostile, to the essence of artistic practice. The ‘awakening’ of the artist when they leaves the – more or less – protective environment of art school is one of alienation, an experience that is necessary for the constitution of their own subjectivity as an artist. The Parasites session tried to come in terms with the realization of an artist as an excluded figure in the new environment ruled by the market, by introducing new ways of understanding the position of the artist, and building relations of solidarity both within the art world and across different disciplines. Parasites was based on three theoretical contributions by Mikko Jakonen on precarity, Corina L. Apostol on Artists’ Strikes and Beverly Skeggs on reproduction. The discussion that ensued revolved around the struggles against precarity and the effectiveness or otherwise of such struggles, but also on issues of identity politics concerning the position of the artist in the context of workers’ struggles and the recognition of art as form of labor that is deserving of remuneration. The question of solidarity among artists, a solidarity that is based on the recognition of a common situation, shared life choices, and the collaborative nature of artistic practice, was raised along with the issue of solidarity with other subjectivities that are suppressed and excluded by the monolithic implementation of market logic. Next to theoretical arguments, the interventions by Freja Bäckman and the arrangement of the space through the installation of Karolina Kucia, addressed the issues of community, identity and solidarity in a non-discursive but direct fashion. During his intervention in the second session, themed For the Love and Fear of Welfare, Andres Kreuger argued that art is one of the few social fields where meritocracy is the rule rather than the exception. Art thrives on the ideals of autonomy, exceptionalism and creativity. Nonetheless, the setting of this session, which was housed in local social center located far from the center of Helsinki, raised issues of relevance, social responsibility and the participation of different audience(s), highlighting the tension between economic skills and art practice. In addition, the dimensions of economic sustainability and efficiency came to the foreground when the performance group Post Restante introduced money into the equation, adding a further layer of interrelationships and constraints. During this session, the rift between art and the economy became apparent, and the negotiation of this tension, which manifests itself in different degrees of intensity throughout the Skills of Economy, was the driving forces that made this specific Session so engaging. The session started with a very engaging lecture by Päivi Uljas that reminded us of the struggles that lead to the establishment of the Finnish social welfare model. Uljas convincingly argued that government benefits and social security provision are an entitlement that needs to be defended, rather than a form of charity that the state provides to the people. Teppo Eskelinen put forward a comprehensive critique of neoliberalism, debunking the mainstream arguments for austerity, effectively supporting Uljas historical argument for the support of the social welfare system. Maryan Abdulkarim followed up with an inspiring intervention against neo-colonialism and its racist expression in everyday life in Finland. Next to the theoretical analysis of the social welfare model and the performative interventions of Poste Restante on the subject, two films supplemented the program. The first was Time Passes, where Anne Hrjot Guttu, the director, follows a Roma girl in Norway who begs for a living. The film raises questions about solidarity, charity and inclusion from the point of view of the artist. At the other end of the spectrum, Nestori Syrjälä’s Raimo S. is a portrait of retired statesman attempting to make sense of his legacy in the face of impending ecological crisis. The session concluded with a discussion between Jussi Koitela and Katerina Tselou on the contemporary condition of art making, with a specific emphasis on the situation in Athens, where Tselou lives and works as part of the organizing team of Documenta 14, which also thematizes crisis in an attempt to ‘Learn from Athens’, a place where the politics of austerity and the neoliberal ideology find their most extreme expression on the European continent. The final session was the more speculative of the three and the one most distanced from the traditional economic discourse. Beginning from the End, organised at Helsinki’s KIASMA Museum of Contemporary Art theatre, presented alternative ways of facilitating artistic practice and more generally of organizing social life in the face of different kinds of constraints and addressing the question of finality head on. Hybridity and Sustainability were the two conceptual anchors of the event, and the discussion returned to those issues time and again. Especially the video works by Katja Novitskova (A Day in Life With Things I regret Buying) and Valentina Karaga (30 days in the garden/ 15 days on Mars) investigated the space between the two strategies of Hybridity and Sustainability. The event started with Can You Hear the Grasshoppers Sing? a sound piece by Joonas Siren that served as a constant reminder of the environmental foundations (and constraints) of cultural production and acted as a bridge connecting the different pieces as it was played in the intervals of the session. A series of works by Death Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (The Class I & II), Lauri Wuolio (Six Ways to Die), and Juuso Tervo (Death is all things we see awake; all we see asleep is sleep), opened the session raising the question of finality in a very direct but also humorous fashion. The remainder of the event took a creative approach to investigating different strategies to overcome such finalities, using technology, art and sociality. There were two more theoretical interventions in the session. Ville Lähde discussed sustainability in his intervention Conceptions of Natural Resources. The session concluded with the contribution Hybridize or Disappear by João Laia that opened up the discussion to the participants and the public. We can discern interesting connections between finality and hybridity, with the latter being one of the contemporary responses to the former. If we define hybridity as an attempt to combine elements from fundamentally distinct systems (material or symbolic), we can expect hybrids to constitute entirely new forces in the natural or cultural environment that challenge the stabilities of the categories that we use to make sense of our world. Technology has always been a force of progress that expands the limits of what is possible, but what defines our contemporary hybrid condition is that different social systems become immersed in new, technologically constituted assemblages, encapsulating the possibility of integrating all the distinctions in a new limitless digital system. Consequently, we could employ the technological potentialities at our disposal to challenge the finalities within our societies, our viewpoints and our bodies. Art and artistic research has the potential to pre-figure some of the coordinates for the emerging hybrid societies, raising important issues about culture and society, and Beginning from the End was indeed one of the venues where such questions were raised and discussed. The three Sessions were intended as independent and self-contained entities, but nonetheless there are important connections between the events that articulate a critique of the economic discourse from an artistic point of view, superseding the confines of traditional economic and social analysis. I think the overarching contribution of the Sessions was a constructive effort to develop a new system for representing economic problems, bringing to the foreground excluded and suppressed social, environmental and political elements. The ability of artistic practice to go beyond the limits of discourse through new, non-linguistic forms of representations, combined with the motivation to give voice and to account for the unrepresented in social antagonism, offers the opportunity to construct alternative narratives and to build new relations of sociality. The Skills of Economy Sessions offer a very interesting example of critical engagement with the economic system, built around artworks employing different media and combined with theoretical interventions from various disciplines in the social sciences. It is true that many other contemporary artists and curators have also addressed economic issues, like money, finance and consumption. However, what makes the Sessions so exciting is their success in bringing together so many art projects about the economy and the fact that despite – or perhaps precisely because of – the sheer number of and diversity among the individual contributions, the Sessions could also ultimately be perceived as a narrative compiled by the curator himself. Thanks to specific ways and media involved in the three Sessions, the curatorial practice produces active forms of engagement for the audience that is directed through the argument, but also encouraged to fill in the gaps and make their own associations. In this way, the artistic and the political, the aesthetic and the economic are brought into dialogue by the gaze of the viewer. The engaged and engaging style of curating is complementary to the thematic of economic criticism and allows for the cultivation of new political sensitivities and an enhanced sense of sharing and community with the participating artists and theorists. The socially-interventionist and politically engaged art as of the Sessions is by no means novel or provocative; it has been institutionalized in the mainstream, at least since Documenta X, which established criticism and education as important functions of contemporary art. In recent years, an increasing number of high profile art events have been conceived as opportunities for political intervention with view to producing new narratives of social organization, raising awareness among the ‘public’ and contributing to the development of a new aesthetic of the social and the economic as the Sessions attempted. Politically engaged art is establishing itself as the mainstream, somehow paradoxically, in a period when globalization, neoliberalism and the consumer society are rapidly expanding. The timing of the movement of contemporary art towards the political and against the market economy and its neoliberal foundations is by no means an accident. The advance of economic rationality as the dominant meta-narrative of social interaction was accompanied by a retreat of the traditional actors of political critique. The failure of social movements, trade-unions, and left-wing parties to act as agents of critique and transformation vacated a space in the political arena and allowed the arts to act as one of the available fields of critique. The experience of artists as the political avant-garde has greatly contributed to the re-politicization of artistic practices. Thus, radically democratic, counter-hegemonic, artistic interventions emerged, resulting in a proliferation of publications, talks and manifestos substituting traditional media of political critique. The appearance of a new “criticality” (Rogoff 2006, 1), the development of political discourse and the interest towards society and its pathologies represents a new condition for contemporary art that tries to compensate for the absence of real critique against the established order from within the appropriate political and economic institutions. Criticality refers to the ways in which artistic practice can introduce political ideas like the demand for a radical democracy, or refer to frameworks of political analysis like critical and queer theory, post-colonial and post Marxist ideas in art-making. Contemporary art represents yet another effort to perform the ideas of such discourses, usually in the protected space of art exhibitions, transforming cultural institutions into theatres of resistance against neoliberal ideology and its rationality. The turn of art towards politics can capitalize on social energies that are suppressed in the current free market system based on capital, allowing them to find possibilities for expression and giving them a voice and an audience (Kompatsiaris 2014, 89-90). The critique against the established order happens not only through artistic, but especially through educational and research practices – the goal being a more open society in the name of democratization of the arts and a challenge of the relationship between artists and audiences. The defining moment in the turn of contemporary art towards social research and criticism, motivated by a radical democratic ethos and involvement in politics was the the 10th edition of Documenta from 1997. Documenta X was distinctly different from the previous edition as well as from all other large-scale exhibitions. For Mónica Amor Documenta X adopted “the political project of the avant-garde and stood in opposition to the structure of the mega-show” (1997, 95), developing a critique of the market economy and its intensification through the processes of globalization and financialization. The transformative impact of Documenta X was enhanced by the next, eleventh, edition from 2002 that utilized the post-colonial literature as the backbone of its curatorial practice. The consequent shift in the orientation of producing and exhibiting was described by Jonas Ekeberg as “new institutionalism”, (2) referring to new ways of engaging institutions so as to be able to integrate contemporary art with criticism and research. New institutionalism was proposed and implemented by certain European curators since the late 1990s, like Catherine David, Charles Esche, Maria Lind, and Jonas Ekeberg himself, all of which were active in the biennial scene (Kompatsiaris 2014, 19). Exhibitions were conceived as events that developed beyond the presentation of artworks and that could be described as “part community center, part laboratory, part school, putting less emphasis on the showroom function that traditionally belonged to the art space” (Kolb and Flückiger 2013b, 27). The Skills of Economy Sessions combined new institutionalism and new criticality, subscribing to an alternative model for contemporary art, where artistic research and artistic production are aligned to develop a new discourse that can represent the people, their concerns and their desires against a presumably oppressive and unjust economic order. The Sessions follow the example of a much needed “re-politicisation able to undermine the hegemony of neoliberal, consumerist post-democracy and its multiple mechanisms of control (from enforcement technologies to commanded enjoyment)” Stavrakakis (2012, 109). The alienating effects of the consumer society, the unjust distribution of social production, the depletion of natural resources, the environmental crisis, the precarious position of the contemporary artist and the neo-colonial relations that inform the process of globalization, all these issues have been present in the unfolding of the project. To understand and evaluate the contribution of the Skills of Economy, one needs to first consider the nature of artistic research and artistic critique, their capacities for intervention and especially their distinct contribution to the perception of the social. The foundation of my analysis of artistic research is the ontological relativity of social reality, the fact that it is necessarily constructed by and mediated through representations. Social facts depend on shared representations, both linguistic and iconographic, and these representations substantiate the discursive constitution of the social (Searle 2010). Unmediated reality is “an ontological absolute”, a pure self-contained being. Unrepresented facts are unknowable, unreachable, outside the realms of language and symbolization, as the famous Lacanian statement explains: “The Real is what resists symbolization absolutely” (Lacan 1988, 66). Consequently, there is a distinction between reality and the Real, suggesting that representation is not a distortion or a mystification of reality, but rather the unavoidable medium for social constitution. Art operates in the intermediate space between language and reality informing the latter by producing new aesthetic representations of the environment parallel to the linguistic articulations of social significance. In order to truly make sense of artistic critiques put forward on social issues, we need to introduce an elementary philosophical distinction between the ontologies of social and natural facts. The main assumption is that social facts are dependent on human consciousness and representation, while only the natural world is ontologically objective. Discursive, performative and iconographic formations create a veil of meaning that is superimposed on the physical world and gives rise to human interaction and social reality. Meaning is the constitutive element of sociality, while the representations that we share about the world bring social facts into existence. The two-tiered ontology of the natural and the social allows for a non-deterministic analysis of social reality and opens the space for artistic practice and research as constitutive forces of social construction. Following Chantal Mouffe (2013), I argue that individual and collective representations, which give rise to social significance, are contingent because they are merely the outcome of social negotiations between different subjectivities that struggle to impose their own interpretations of social phenomena, effectively establishing their own beliefs and interests, not as just or as socially beneficial, but as objective. Social reality is a universalization of the perspective of a particular hegemonic subjectivity that imposes its will on the society. The process of social constitution is by no means linear or monolithic; there are constraints posed by the established socio-technological order, and by other actors, their interests and their beliefs. Social antagonism is not objective, but “reveals the limits of objectivity” (3) and is the outcome of the lack of a common, objective and unmediated social reality. The impossibility of accessing “things in themselves”, and the consequent lack of an objective articulation of social relations is the cause of conflict at the epistemic level, where the different articulations of the social are negotiated and synthesized simultaneously through argument and force. In the final analysis, antagonism is the ontological condition of the social. The hegemonic moment in the process of social constitution is the imposition of a particular articulation as universal. In the discursive construction of social reality, the problem is not its ideological character, but the pretence of universality, which is often disguised under a veil of rationality, naturalness, or efficiency. The role of critique, artistic or otherwise, is then to challenge the necessarily limited articulations of reality that are universalized as hegemonic, by expressing the unrepresented elements of the social. If no discursive formation can provide an objective and full representation of reality in its totality, the negotiation of social constitutions cannot be conclusive. The impossibility of an all-encompassing system of meaning is the guarantee that artistic interventions will always be able to find space for intervention in the gaps between the linguistic representations and their unaccounted-for remainder. Artistic practice can achieve this radical break; not to suspend momentarily the dominant ideology, but to overthrow it by producing different representations of sociality that go beyond the constitutive ideology and are capable of transcending even language. (4) The radical critique of social reality should aim to an affective reinvestment that can resist the pre-existing representations; an absolute de-territorialization of theoretical critique that can momentarily resist the fate of re-territorialization by the system of semiotic reproduction. Critically oriented artistic interventions often appropriate political narratives, inscribing them with new meaning(s), infecting the conditions of their social representation. Art is not constrained by the limits of theory or language in its efforts to account for the unrepresented elements of reality through aesthetic interventions, so artistic critique can create frictions in the circulation of ideology and ruptures in the layer of meaning that is superimposed on the world by it. Thus, challenges to the mainstream interpretations of reality emerge, contradicting ideology, and opening up space for new possibilities of social constitution. The limits of the established universalization are eventually manifested and their legitimacy is contested. The tension between hegemony and artistic intervention and the ability of the latter to uncover the limits of ideology and its tendency towards universalization is founded on the inconclusiveness of discursive constitutions. In this fashion, the Skills of Economy Sessions challenged the rupture between theory and practice by replacing it with a conversation between different media, different narratives and different disciplines, capitalizing on the capacity of artistic practice to transcend the limits of the different systems of representation. The Sessions offer an investigation and a commentary on the act of representation itself. The venues were reconstituted as spaces of encounter between the artist and the audience that would transcend the individual positions, tending towards the constitution of distinct communities. The dominant interpellations of the market ideology were replaced by newly constituted systems of signification. In this context, the critique of the economic system was reterritorialized in a framework defined by the participants themselves and not by the traditional narratives of economic ideology. The recent financial crisis, with its repercussions for the ‘real’ economy and the policies of ‘austerity’ that followed, has been the most visible but not the only indication of the dominance of economic discourse over social dynamics. Economic crisis is not a failure of the economic system but a mechanism of redistribution, always from the victims to the perpetrators of the crisis, and enables the further expansion of an economic logic that invariably leads to new crises, following the dynamics of the economic cycle. Many artists have voiced their concern about the crisis and the austerity policies that followed. The Skills of Economy Sessions is a further attempt to bring such expressions of artistic criticism into dialogue, working towards the creation of an alternative narrative of social organization. Cuts have affected the funding of the cultural sector, directly influencing the incomes and in many cases the very ability of artists to produce new work. The critique of the deteriorating conditions of the remuneration of cultural work goes beyond the self-interest of the artists or the recent economic depression―class has been an issue of fundamental importance for artists at least since the time of the Surrealists, and the Parasites Session addressed the class identity of artists and the possibility of building relations of solidarity with other groups of the disenfranchised working class. During Parasites, a critique about income inequality in general was developed along with an argument that the worsening of conditions in the cultural field is linked to an overall deterioration of labour rights. (5) The importance of finding working class allies was recognized along with fact that artistic practice is an integral part of the social antagonism between employers and employees, between capital and labour and of real democracy and the equitable distribution of the social production. Next to the question of just remuneration, the alienating effect of consumption, where commodities and spectacles address the subject and articulate its desire according to the mandates of production, has been problematized in part throughout the Sessions. In market societies, social relations are inescapably consumed and consummated in a series of commodities that represent them; the aim is the complete commodification of all relations to the external world and total representation of the world by a self-constituting and consistent system of representation. In this context, the identity of the consumer and the reciprocity between the imaginary self-perception and the symbolic dimension of consumption are becoming an increasingly important determinant of individual identities. Individuals perceive their personal value and their social relations in terms of their preferences over commodities and their ability to consume, while employment has also been transformed into a commodity to be consumed by the worker along with all other commodities. The ability and the freedom to partake of enjoy as well as the prohibitions against enjoyment are perceived by the subject in economic or, more precisely, in monetary terms. These monetary constraints mask the fundamental inability of the capitalist symbolic order to provide enjoyment for the subject. The subject perceives this failure as its own inability to consume as much as it desires; thus the failure to consume creates only the impulse for more consumption. The economic constraints mask the alienating influence of the consumer society and its fundamental inability to fulfil the subject’s desires. Art acts as a reminder of the limitations of the markets as a domain of enjoyment and self-actualization. If consumption is motivated by a drive for instant and unimpeded gratification, where the distance between the subject and the object of desire is bridged by the intervention of money, the subject remains unsatisfied. It is not the fulfilment but the postponement of enjoyment that is the condition for the existence of desire; desire does not want to be fulfilled but strives to remain active and to maintain the affective tension of the subject. Desire is constitutively out-of-its place, fragmented and dispersed, existing in deviations from ‘itself’ or its supposed object. What supports and constitutes the human desire economy is exactly this open point, the object-cause of desire that is decentering the imaginary consistency upon which enjoyment is constituted. Artistic practice is in a position to address the constitutive tension of desire without dissolving it, as long as it has the ability to conserve the ambiguous relation between the subject and the object without privileging either. The driving force behind the Skills of Economy Sessions, was the intention to investigate the ability of art and, to an extent, of theory, to create an impact within economic and political life. To that effect, certain processes of exchange and production were developed that exceeded what was presented on stage during the three session. Of course, the contradiction and the limitations of contemporary art practices were also present and became apparent in certain instances. Nonetheless, the attempt to close ranks with artists and join the social forces that try to create a critique against neoliberal and austerity, which at the time in Finland, were very present and powerful, was felt throughout the project. The comparative advantage of artistic practice in social criticism lies in its capacity to produce representations of the social and the political that are not constrained by the limits of language or ideology. Artists are able to construct alternative iconographies of the social by influencing the aesthetic sensibilities of their publics. Their critiques can transform meaning and are potent enough to transform situations, bringing forward accounts of their social environment that escape or even undermine the dominant interpretations. The Sessions were especially successful to that effect in that they combined performative and visual representations with critical theory to challenge both the rational and the affective grip of the dominant neoliberal ideology on the subject. Obviously, the capacity of the project to challenge the power relations, and moreover, to replace the hegemonic narratives that inform the views of the public was limited outside the very specific artistic context―in our case the three theatre stages―because such interventions were understood primarily as artistic and their appeal as genuinely political acts was neutralized because of the dominant ideology about the role and place of art and culture in society. Art is both blessed and cursed by its ability to go beyond language and ideology, enjoying a special position that enables and constrains its capacity to transform social sensibilities outside the space of artistic practice. The effects remain aesthetic and contemporary artistic practices seem condemned to remain inconsequential outside their habitat. Here I am referring to the opposite of the problem of “aestheticization” and “spectacularity” as it was raised in the writings of Walter Benjamin (Benjamin 1968) about the relation between art and politics. Artistic strategies with a politic aim are misunderstood as mere spectacle without any currency outside the domain of art because of their origin. The ontological specificity of artistic practice is not the only or the main concern artists raise when voicing their criticism against the prevailing economic system and its ideology. The fact that art relies on the same economic institutions that it aims to challenge, i.e. the market, the state and the big multinational corporations, including international banks, arms manufacturers and oil companies, contradicts the anti-capitalist rhetoric of contemporary art. Such a critique may seem also pertinent against the idea of the autonomy of the arts or the artists, but I think it can be especially troubling in the case of artistic interventions that target the way in which the market economy controls social relations. The distance between theory and practice, or in our case, between the critique of the economic system and the dependence on it and its logic, is even more striking if one looks at the conditions of employment in the cultural sector, one of the most exploitative and badly paid fields (Abbing 2002), the competitive attitudes that inform the relations of cultural production, supported by the myth of the solitary artistic creator, and the uneven distribution of income among workers in the arts. Considering the state of affairs in the cultural sector and the inability of artists to bring about change in the conditions of their own employment, one should be very modest about the ability of art to bring about social change or to challenge the neoliberal ideology that supports exploitation. In a very contradictory, almost perverse, fashion the critical stance of artists against the economic system and its logic is, at least partly, responsible for their own exploitation by it. Such an obvious paradox is very illuminating not only in terms of the precarious position of the artists but also highlights the obstacles that artists face when they are engaged with social issues. The belief that art is special, and therefore the boundary between art and the economy should be maintained, makes any attempt to raise questions about remuneration, social security benefits, division of revenues among the different stakeholders in the cultural sector, or rationalization of the system of subsidies, difficult (Abbing 2015, 93). Many artists prefer to address general challenges about the economic system, rather than raising the more specific, but also more concrete instances of their own exploitation and that of their colleagues, questions that they encounter in their everyday artistic practice. The decision to face these questions head on, especially during the first Session, Parasites, offers a way out of this impasse through an attempt to change the conditions of artistic productions here and now, but without substituting art with trade unionism. What the project achieved is the creation of a community, based on relations of solidarity and honest exchange, which managed to articulate a critique of the existing conditions of artistic production, transforming at the same time the relations that defined the collaboration among its own members. 1) “Let us look closer at the transformation. The change, though shocking and striking, is not quite so odd as might be assumed at first glance. A commonsensical commentator (Paul L. Landsberg in The Kafka Problem , ed. Angel Flores) notes that “When we go to bed in unfamiliar surroundings, we are apt to have a moment of bewilderment upon awakening, a sudden sense of unreality, and this experience must occur over and over again in the life of a commercial traveler, a manner of living that renders impossible any sense of continuity.” The sense of reality depends upon continuity, upon duration. After all, awakening as an insect is not much different from awakening as Napoleon or George Washington. (I knew a man who awoke as the Emperor of Brazil.) On the other hand, the isolation, and the strangeness, of so-called reality—this is, after all, something which constantly characterizes the artist, the genius, the discoverer. The Samsa family around the fantastic insect is nothing else than mediocrity surrounding genius.” (Nabokov 1952). Abbing, Hans. 2002. Why Are Artists Poor? The Exceptional Economy of the Arts. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Abbing, Hans. 2015. Notes on the Exploitation of Poor Artist. In Kozłowski, Michał, Agnieszka Kurant, Jan Sowa, Krystian Szadkowski and Jakub Szreder (eds). 2014. Joy Forever: The Political Economy of Social Creativity. London: MayFly Books, 83-100. Amor, Mónica. 1997. Documenta X: Reclaiming the Political Project of the Avant-garde. Third Text, 11 (40): 95-100. Benjamin, Walter. 1968. Illuminations. New York: Schocken. Borgdorff, Henk. The Conflict of the Faculties. Leiden: Leiden University Press, 2012. Goux, Jean-Joseph. 1990. Symbolic Economies; After Marx and Freud. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Hirschman, Albert O. 1977. The Passions and the Interests: Political Arguments for Capitalism before Its Triumph. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Kolb, Lucie and Gabriel Flückiger. 2013a. The term was snapped out of the air. An interview with Jonas Ekberg. On Curating, 21, 20-23. http://www.on-curating.org/index.php/issue-21-reader/the-term-was-snapped-out-of-the-air.html#.VPVrMS7ET20. Web. Kolb, Lucie and Gabriel Flückiger. 2013b. We were learning by doing. An Interview with Charles Esche. On Curating. 21, 24-28.http://www.on-curating.org/index.php/issue-21-reader/we-were-learning-by-doing.html#.VPVvBC7ET20. Web. Koitela, Jussi. Skills of Economy. www.skillsofeconomy.com. Web. Kompatsiaris, Panos. 2014.Curating Resistances; Crisis and the limits of the political turn in contemporary art biennials. PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh. Laclau, Ernesto and Chantal Mouffe. 2000. Hegemony and Socialist Strategy; Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London: Verso. Laclau, Ernesto. Emancipations. London: Verso, 1996. Mouffe, Chantal. 2013. Agonistics: Thinking the World Politically. London: Verso. Papadopoulos, Georgios. 2011. Notes towards a Critique of Money. Maastricht: Jan Van Eyck Academie. Nabokov, Vladimir. 1952. Lecture on the Metamorphosis. http://www.kafka.org/index.php?id=191,209,0,0,1,0 . Web. Precarious Workers Brigade and Carrot Workers Collective. 2014. Free Labour Syndrome. Volunteer Work and Unpaid Overtime in the Creative and Cultural Sector. In Kozłowski, Michał, Agnieszka Kurant, Jan Sowa, Krystian Szadkowski and Jakub Szreder (eds). 2014. Joy Forever: The Political Economy of Social Creativity. London: MayFly Books, 211-225. Popper, Karl. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. London: Routledge, 1963. Rheinberger, Hans-Jörg. Experimentalsysteme und epistemische Dinge: Eine Geschichte der Proteinsynthese im Reagenzglas. Frankfurt.a.M.: Suhrkamp, 2006. Rogoff, Irit. 2006. “Smuggling” – An Embodied Criticality. Aarhus: curatorial.net, 1-7. http://www.curatorial.net/resources/Rogoff_Smuggling.pdf. Web. Stavrakakis, Yannis. 2011. Apocalypse Now? In Papadopoulos, Georgios. 2011. Notes towards a Critique of Money. Maastricht: Jan Van Eyck Academie, 109-116.

2019-04-24T14:33:01Z

http://www.skillsofeconomy.com/politics-as-art-against-the-art-of-economics-reflections-on-the-skills-of-economy-sessions/

We have thus far found United Group to have provided a great real estate service. Carmel was prompt, efficient, professional and very nice to deal with when we enquired with United to manage my property a few months ago. Carmel met me, Laura, at the property and was very personable and made me feel like she took genuine interest, she was very thorough in explaining the entire process, right from advertising, finding tenants, the leasing process and what is to be expected. The property was well advertised, with great photos and information, with the open day being only about 2 days after first advertising. A great number of interested parties presented at Open Day and a tenant was secured immediately, we believe it took only about 5 days from having Carmel initially visit to the lease agreement being signed. Sam, who is our property manager, is also very professional and friendly, he is always willing and able to assist, he represented us on open day and did an amazing job with interested parties and was able to find us tenants. Having had our first inspection together with Sam just recently, he was thorough in his inspection and we expect Sam will do a thorough job following through with any issues. We are glad that Sam is overseeing our property and feel that he has our best interest in mind. It's always a pleasure to deal with him. We've had limited contact with other staff, however, the staff we have dealt with have been very proficient and very helpful with a prompt turn-around in regards to my enquiries. We had ended our agreement earlier this year with an alternate agency who trades under a highly known Australian agency name, due to their ongoing lack of care, multiple errors at our own expense, unprofessional manner and tactless attitude. After choosing United Realty to represent us, we have thus far, felt that we have made the best choice, United Realty's standard of service is so much higher, we hope to continue a great relationship with United and recommend United Realty Cecil Hills. Highly Recommend! Maria helped with the process leading up to the auction and explained the process clearly and concisely. Really happy with the outcome of the Auction. Thank you. I could not be happier with choosing Jay as the selling agent for my property. Jay has exceptional knowledge of the property market giving realistic and honest advice and assistance. He is an extremely dedicated and committed agent who is very responsive and will go out of his way to make the process easier and less stressful. Jay has exceeded all expectations and has obtained a great result. I would recommend Jay to anyone interested in selling a property. As a first time buyer Jay ensured the process ran smoothly throughout each and every step. He provided appropriate follow up which allowed for an efficient transaction whilst maintaining useful knowledge and utmost professionalism. He is a fantastic agent! Maria was warm and friendly. She was able to give us confidence in choosing the best method of sale for our property. Maria is honest and courteous and we ultimately were able to sell our property without delay. She gave us valuable insight into the market and a realistic price of our property. We recommend Maria and are pleased that we chose her. He is very knowledgeable and helped me achieve more for my property than what i wanted. He was very down to earth and always gave 110% he kept us upto date and well informed throughout the whole process. Highly recommended and will definitely use him again if need be. Jay & Matthew provided us with excellent service & the utmost care & respect throughout the whole process of the sale of our home. They were extremely dedicated and committed from start to finish. We had a deadline to sell and they made it happen. Highly recommended! Very professional and very real. Always with a smile.on her face, Maria Has a great deal of knowledge. Always looks out for the best for her clients. Would highly recommend her! Will happily recommend Jay to anyone! Great experience in a stressful time. Great guy! Jay is an amazing agent. Our house was on the market for 1 week before offer was made. Jay helped us to obtain a fantastic price. Jay is very willing to help and explain the buy/sell process to make it easy to undetstand. We are very thankful to Jay for his services. Honest, upfront, knowledgeable and just simply great all around. Not sure about other people but I am one of those who is extra cautious, don't like to be taken for a ride, don't like lies, appreciate honest opinion and being upfront. These were my pre-requisites for an agent. I interviewed Matthew twice and spoke to him several times over the phone before engaging him (ahead of couple other agents) to sell my property. Matthew is a very professional gentleman with pleasant mannerism and good nature. His attention to detail is second to none and his knowledge of the area, the market and the buyers is superb. He took out all the "guess works" from the equation and very simply laid out the "plan of attack" for selling our property. Matthew is one of those rare breeds who will go that extra mile for you even though (by right) he doesn't have to. He made sure that we always got the right information at the right time and helped us make the right decision. We took all his advise and did what he proposed and am pleased to say that it paid out fully because we got what we wanted for the house. I mean, the house went on the market on a Monday and we signed the sale/purchase contract on the Saturday -- within 6 days !!! How good is that !! I could go on writing pages and pages about Matthew but will stop here (wife's asking me to help her in the kitchen). Simply put - Matthew is a superb person. He is not a typical sales agent who is only interested in getting hold of your property and make a quick buck. He will give his best, exceed your expectations and make sure you're more than happy. For people looking for an agent - I totally recommend Matthew. He won't let you down. To Matthew, you rock my friend......forever indebted to you. I have had the pleasure of dealing with Kate on a number of occasions. When buying of Kate she is very professional, prompt and pleasant to deal with. When selling with Kate she is very knowledgeable, honest and transparent. If you live in the area insist that you sell with Kate. We recently used the services of Doug and Matthew at United Realty to sell our property. With the market being quite strong at the moment we were hopefully of a quick sale. It ended up taking a bit longer than anticipated but we can't fault the work Doug and Matthew did to get our sale over the line. A lesser agent would have tried to make us drop our price but Doug and Matthew were very insistent that they would get us an excellent result and that is what they delivered. They are both no BS, experienced, expert negotiators - the types you want in your corner when the going gets tough! Thanks Doug, Matthew and the whole team at United. I have no hesitation in recommending Jay Lowe to my friends, very humble and understanding person. We chose Matthew because we believed he would deliver and he did in every sense. He communicated well entirely throughout the process and he was always available. We achieved a great price and one that was well above what many other agents in the area told us we could achieve. Very happy and would totally recommend Matthew. Congrats Matthew on another great result. Went above and beyond my expectations. I am very greatful to have chosen her to sell my property! I had the pleasure of dealing with Maria most recently with the sale of my property. I found her to be most knowledgable & supportive, a true professional. She was also very personable in her approach, easy to get along with, a great communicator, catering specifically to my personal needs. I would highly recommend her to anyone selling or buying. Exceptional is the word if I were to describe Jay Lowe in one word. Jay demonstrates the phrase "Under promise and over deliver" perfectly. He is very honest and upfront in his comments about the property and provides his inputs as to what may work as advantage or disadvantage in presenting the property. He works smartly on each project as per individual requirements and knows how to attract buyers to the property. It was a pleasure dealing with Jay right from the word "Go" and that's resulted in getting outstanding results for my property. I highly recommend Jay as the real estate agent to sell your property for he knows what your property is worth :-). From the moment I met Eddie he exceeded my expectations, his extensive knowledge of the local area and surrounding suburbs was mesmerizing. Eddies professionalism and expertise was beyond reproach and the bespoke service he offered was commendable. It was truly a delight to deal with Eddie and it was refreshing to meet such a high calibre of Agent. I have no hesitations in referring family, friends and clients to Eddie in the future. Kate is on the ball, she sold our place at the first inspection for a great price! She always got back to us at the speed of light, she is very well presented and has plenty of enthusiasm, a trait that is welcoming to potential buyers. My wife and I recommend Kate ! Quick and easy thanks to Matthew. Selling our house was stress free and easy. Our house was on the market for only 4 days. It was sold for a price above our expectations all thanks to Matthew and his team. Matthew made the whole process so easy compared to other agents. We will definitely be doing more business with Matt. We were previously with another Agent who did not have the belief that the property could be sold for around what we thought. So when Jay Lowe came knocking and listened to us, understood and had belief, we were very happy. Jay was very professional, knew what he was talking about and went out of his way to help us whenever he could, especially given that we had a lot of family issues at the time, which helped us so much. Jay also got the right market to look at our property. So we were very happy when there was a buyer. We had already purchased another properly and couldn't wait to move. It was a pleasure to deal with Eddie. Eddie has excellent communication skills - always kept us updated with buyers feedback, whether it was good or bad. He is honest, reliable and very professional. I would definitely recommend Eddie to my family and friends or to anyone who is thinking of selling their property. I can't thank kate enough from the very start she made the whole process very easy, a great price was achieved on the very first open house. I am very thankful and appreciative of the result kate got thank you Kate you go girl !!!! Matthew was down to earth, approachable and willing to go the extra yard. He was well presented and polite on all occasions. He was also respectful to us and made the selling experience a better one. Together with the team he communicated well bringing a variety of expertise. I do recommend Maria as a qualified realestate agent due to her respect and integrity, she carried her work very professionally and did her utmost to work for her clients. I have used Maria in the past and this is one of the reasons I go to Maria and recommend Maria. Keep up the good work you are definitely gifted in your job and thank you for the wonderful work, you help people move forward. Thank you very much for all your help and assistance it was highly appreciated. You have such great knowledge of your industries which made our process smooth sailing, we have learnt a lot from you and for that we thank you. You have always responded promptly to text messages and emails letting us know were we stand at all time. Working with you has been a pleasure. Hopefully get a opportunity in the future to use your services again. Doug was very helpful, was always contactable unlike other agents i had to deal with. Doug was always ready to answer any of our questions with great knowledge. Doug followed through with all requirements for our moving process. Overall i would recommend Doug to friends and family, we will definitely an agent we will work with in the future if needed. From the very first enquiry I found Eddie to be a consummate professional. HIs communication and honesty is truly his greatest asset. The dedication he has shown not only during the negotiations but post purchase is what truly took me by surprise. Dealing with other agents in the past that have shown no interest once the contract was signed...Eddie was a very welcome change and an absolute credit to United Realty. I have already recommended Eddie to family and friends looking to buy in the Area. Really appreciate all his effort in making it a smooth transaction for my family and I. Fast, reliable and gets the job done! Kate is a wonderful person and a great agent! The hardest thing in purchasing your dream home, beside finding the right property, is finding an agent that you can trust. We completely trusted Kate in her advice and she had made our buying experience seamless. She had great experience and knowledge of the area and was fair to both the buyer and the vendor. I would strongly recommend Kate to people that I know and others that are searching for their dream home. Once again, thank you Kate! I Highly recommend Kate Shaw, she is a warm,bubbly and professional Agent that does a outstanding job! i will always recommend Kate to everyone. She is very efficient and produces the results. My family and i are very impressed with the way she works. Thank You Kate!!! Matthew was and still is extremely helpful and genuine. Being first home buyers can be quite confusing and stressful, but Matthew was always there with his negotiations going back and forward to help us get the ultimate satisfaction! He worries about the Purchaser and never forgets the Vendor! It was such a huge pleasure to have such a rewarding Salesman, honesty, and a true friend as well!!! We greatly appreciate all your time and terrific service!..... Thanks again for all your hard work, it was amazing! All the very best to you now and for the future! Smooth and stress free process the whole way! Maria was great to work with in every possible way! We bought and sold from her and she was fantastic in every way! Buying and selling our house was a simple and smooth process and Maria was determined to keep the experience as stress free as possible! I will definitely be using her expertise again if needed as there was nothing that could fault in the way that she managed our properties whilst on the market! It has been a pleasure dealing with Jay and he is one of the true gentlemen of the real estate game. The property at Abbotsbury was initially beyond our budget but despite this Jay kept me informed as to other potential properties in the area but our dream was always Abbotsbury. When the time and price was right Jay helped us negotiate a price that suited all parties and kept us up to date as to the progress and next steps. Jay has always been honest, and I have no hesitation in trusting him totally. If you are looking to sell or to buy in the area then you would wise to call on Jay for his local expertise and professional service. Doug assisted my wife and I in the purchase of our first home. In this competitive environment, Doug's knowledge and experience was invaluable. His communication style and overall approach to the buying (and selling) process, made everything seamless. He has very good knowledge towards his work.he does not beat around the bush straight to the point and knows a buyers when he sees one. We found Eddie great to deal with,totally dedicated full of knowledge,from day one till the sale nothing was to much trouble, I would not hesitate in recommending Eddie to anyone,he has made what sometimes can be very stressful period a great experience. Kate was wonderful through our entire sale process. She communicated clearly and regularly. Was realistic and honest with timing and pricing. Happy with our result. Would definitely recommend to sell your house with Kate. Kate Shaw is a very helpful and informative agent in my purchase! I am extremely happy with her services and help in purchasing my lovely home. Many thanks for your warmth and hospitality throughout Kate! Matthew has made the process of buying our first home better than I could ever imagine. He booked inspectations to suit our working hours, always kept us up to date, honest, professional, amazing communication skills and actually cares for both the purchaser and vendor. I recommend him to anyone who needs to buy or sell. He made our whole process so easy and enjoyable ! Couldn't be more happier with the property and helps majorly having a great agent! Buying my first home was made so easy! Thank you for everything Matthew! 10/10 ! We are so happy with the sale of our house. Matthew has been outstanding delivering a completely trouble free sales process, the communication has been brilliant and up to date. We have really enjoyed the experience and appreciated Matthew's great knowledge of the market and his great effort and dedication that ultimately resulted in the best outcome. Matthew is an outstanding real estate professional. Throughout the entire appraisal, marketing and selling process of our dearly loved home at Hinchinbrook, Maria has excelled in her area of expertise of selling properties in the local area. Maria has listened to our needs, supported and navigated us through what is a daunting and stressful process of selling your beloved home, has been honest and upfront with us and provided varying strategies to market our home the best way to attract more potential buyers. Maria went above and beyond to assist us post the sale of our property, helping us to secure a property to move into - when she didn't have to. You get the complete service with Maria and the United Realty Cecil Hills team. I would recommend Maria Lawrence and the United Realty Cecil Hills team to any prospective Seller. Jay is a very knowledgeable real estate agent with excellent people skills. Very helpful and attentive does as much as he can to help his clients. Would recommend him to anyone and he also is a great asset to United Realty. Thanks Jay it's nice to be working with you and getting to know you. Keep up the good work. Sold our house within 4 days!! When we first met Jay we were happy with the knowledge he had of our area. We were also confident that he could sell the house and gave us his opinion of what our property is worth. We were happy with the number he gave us but weary that maybe we could not get that much. Well on the first open day Jay came back with a signed contract with FULL ASKING PRICE!!! We were stoked, so not only was our house sold after just 4 days on the market it was sold for full asking price. Could not have asked for more, thank Jay. Doug is a Superstar in our eyes! Just wanted to express my appreciation and recommendation to Doug and his team at united. Everything he said he would achieve he did and went above. He got us more than we expected and basically sold it on the first open house. Looking back at all the realestate companies and agents that we have dealt with in the past I can honestly say Doug has restored what little faith I had with them. He was professional and always going above and beyond from even attending the building report inspection. Personally I would not go past Doug or united if I ever were to sell again. Eddie Eyou provided great service and we were very pleased with the result. He was very informative and thorough when explaining all the information we needed in regards to selling our property. By giving us weekly updates we were able to make quick decisions regarding making any adjustments on the sale details which assisted us in finding a purchaser. He was very professional and we highly recommend him to anyone who is looking to buy or sell. Thank you Eddie for making our experience a positive one. What a job, Kate got us top dollar on our sale, communicated with us the whole way through the process she really knows her stuff ! Will definitely use her again and highly recommend her. This is the second home that Maria has sold for me. Maria is a focused and hard working agent with excellent communication skills and a comprehensive knowledge of the market. Throughout the sale process, I was kept regularly updated with the progress of our marketing campaign and all potential buyers. Her teamwork with Zeake ensured the smooth running of our campaign over the 6 weeks. Her expertise, dedication and professionalism again provided an excellent overall experience and I have no hesitation in highly recommending Maria to anyone seeking to sell their home. I certainly would use Maria to sell my next home if the opportunity arose again. Jay was always very polite, his helpful advice helped me to prepare my home to look its very best, giving little helpful hints, which made the appearance of same more appealing to any buyer, and it worked, selling my property quickly and at a good price. I am so glad Jay was my contact at United, I shall be recommending Jay to anyone who needs an excellent realestate person whether they are buying or selling property. From the moment Joe and Doug walked through the door we knew that these guys were more than capable of doing the Job. They made us feel like we had been friends for a long time. The process was seamless and communication was absolutely second to none. We believe their marketing exposure is the strongest money can buy. All credit must go to Doug as from the very first moment we spoke we were treated with professionalism, respect and courtesy. Doug you’re an absolute gentleman, your expertise and knowledge has far exceeded our expectations. You’re a great communicator and you listened and understood our needs and we appreciated being kept informed of discussions with interested buyers. We are especially grateful for you taking time out on Monday the public holiday to show the buyers our home and as a result of your commitment achieved the sale price we wanted. We would highly recommend Doug Vukojcic as your Property Advisor for any real estate needs. We would also like to commend Joe Mazzafero on his professionalism and award winning team. It is our pleasure to provide this appraisal to Eddie on the sale of our property. Over the past few weeks, Eddie worked closely with us and we noticed that he is a professional, trustworthy and hardworking salesperson. This was certain especially from the first open house when the weather was very bad on a Wednesday evening. Due to the extreme bad weather, none of us expected any customers would turn up at that evening. Eddie arrived before scheduled time and got the preparation done outdoors in heavy rain condition. Eddie always confirmed with us prior to the open house and always on punctual during the days. Eddie provided us weekly report from customers every Monday with full feedback information. Due to our late availability at home in the evening, Eddie met with us after office hours every Monday evening to explain the report. Eddie constantly provided after-office-hours service upon the request from customers, for instant, special house inspection after 8:00 pm in the evening. Eddie responded to my emails and phone calls instantly without delay. Eddie always provided us up-to-dated information from the buyers so we always have a clear picture on the sale. Eddie said it was his pleasure to work with us but I say, we are lucky to have a salesperson like Eddie on the sale of our property. We are, without hesitation, recognised Eddie’s professionalism. We also have, no doubt, to give Eddie a thumb up. Good job! Eddie. Good job! Kate has a refreshing approach to real estate, she is realistic, positive and enthusiastic. Kate knows her role and does it well she treats you like a person not a sale and goes the extra mile to support her clients. I would highly recommend Kate to anyone looking to sell their property. Matthew always communicated with me and kept us updated from start to finish,his marketing campaign he suggested brought in plenty of buyers and we were extremely happy with the price we got at the auction. I would definitely sell with Matthew Daniel and United Realty again and highly recommend his services. I found Maria to be a very friendly person who took time to understand my situation, my needs and provided assistance to understand what I should and should not expect from the market which of course helped avoid unnecessary disappointments. Maria is very honest person who doesn't give you false hopes. She helped me achieve what I wanted without any hassles. She made everything so easy we did not have any problems with the transition. I have recommended Maria to my friends who may be interested in selling in the near future. There were many agents knocking on our door about one year ago,but there was only one business card that we kept and called back when we wanted to sell. We have no regrets,a very knowledgeable and trustworthy agent. I would recommend Jay to anyone who wants a good agent to get them a sale at the right price! This is not the first time i have dealt with Doug and it certainly won't be the last. Doug is an exceptional agent with remarkable knowledge of the market. Thank you Doug for all your help! I recommend him to any person looking to buy or sell! Eddie demonstrated high professionalism and continued commitment to the sale of our home despite our sale being subject to complex circumstances. We would certainly recommend working with Eddie to any prospective vendors. Appraisal and selling of property all handled by kate. Kept informed all the way through the process. My wife and I have been extremely pleased with Matthew, especially regarding his attentiveness, communication, honesty and advice throughout the entire process. Selling a house can be very stressful. However, Matthew has made it as smooth as possible for us. We feel that he went beyond the general duties of a real estate agent with thorough follow ups, reporting and always being 'on top' of potential buyers. Also, exhausted all avenues to find that buyer through his comprehensive marketing campaign. The result he has achieved for us is testimony to his professionalism as a real estate agent. Maria has provided us with great support in every step of the process. Her valuable insights and understanding of the property market helped us make the right decisions at the right time. It's been a pleasure working with you and we look forward to working with you again in the future. Very good communication and makes every effort to educate on the process as well as meeting at the times that were convenient for me. I saw several realestate agents before signing with Jay Lowe. We decided to sell with Jay as he was professional and honest. We highly recommend Jay to sell your home. He got us the exact results we were after. Thank you Jay. Maria Lawrance is my obvious choice of realtor as per your list above, but also my choice of a decent human being. From the very first time I met her, to the final wave of the auctioneer’s hammer everything went to plan. Thanks to you Maria and all those good people around you for getting me and my family with a very valuable outcome. I just wanted to say thanks for all your assistance and making everything happen smoothly for my mum. Really appreciate the work you did for us and am so happy with our real estate and agent choice. We would like to sincerely thank you and the entire United Realty team for the incredible result you achieved for our property in Willowdale, Denham Court. You have managed to simplify the entire process of renting a property and achieving a price for our house beyond our expectation in a very short span of time. We were totally stoked when you advised us of the tenants you secured even before the property was available. Fantastic results! We believe that your commitment and dedication coupled with your friendly and approachable attitude has been the key reason in achieving this great outcome. In particular your frequent updates and going above and beyond assisted us in being informed at each stage of the process which took us away from all the worries. I would not hesitate in recommending United Realty and yourself to anyone in the future who is trying to decide between agents. Please share this email with your wider team. We look forward for long term successful partnership with your company. Jay was always very polite, his helpful advice helped me to prepare my home to look its very best, giving little helpful hints, which made the appearance of same more appealing to any buyer, and it worked, selling my property quickly and at a good price. I am so glad Jay was my contact at United. I shall be recommending Jay to anyone who needs an excellent real estate person whether they are buying or selling property. We had the pleasure of dealing with your business for the sale of our property and we are truly grateful. Kate and Martina were the ultimate professionals and they lived up to your expectations , you said they would sell it and they did in 2 Days from the only open House. Special mention to Kate going far beyond the call of duty throughout the whole process and Martina in finalising the last few days of headache and stress prior to settlement. The advice given was excellent and kept us informed and relaxed throughout the sale. Their knowledge and professionalism was key to achieving a quick and impressive result. You have very passionate staff which is a true testament to the success of your agency. You are a legend Carmel :). Thanks for organising everything, we really appreciate all your help as well as above and beyond customer service. United Reality is very lucky to have someone like you in their team. “When we originally put our home on the market with United Realty Cecil Hills it was with a salesperson who left soon after signing us up. Maria Lawrance took over our listing and thereafter worked with us to sell our home. I must say that she was quite hard on us regarding the price we wanted to get, but in hindsight it was the right advice. The market had moved down a fair bit, more than we realized, and if we weren’t given the cold hard facts we could have easily missed out on the sale – a sale that then enabled us to buy a house that we really wanted. Martina and Kate, I just wanted to say thankyou for all your assistance with the house. Your care and dedication is much appreciated. I am very pleased with the excellent service received from both Maria and Zeake. They provided me with consistent feedback throughout the sales process and were always available when necessary. I would be happy to use Maria’s services again in the future and would not hesitate to recommend her to family and friends. Very good work, I am very happy with how everything was handled. Both my husband and I were very pleased with the service received throughout the course of purchasing the property. The service was very efficient and support was provided to ensure we were constantly kept up to date. I was very happy with the after sale service received. I feel they went above and beyond to ensure any questions that we asked were sufficiently answered. I would gladly refer both Zeake and Maria to my friends and family, and we have already discussed using their services in the near future. I was referred to Maria by a family member and I can understand why – her level of service was fabulous! She kept me constantly informed throughout the sale process and the way my property was marketed was exceptional. The short time it took Maria and her assistant Zeake to sell my property really impressed me and I was more than happy with the price she got me. I will gladly recommend her to all my friends and family. We had United Realty (Cecil Hills – Hinchinbrook) manage our rental property for a few years back in 2009. We were absolutely pleased with their management. When we recently acquired another rental property we had no second thoughts in seeking United Realty to be our property manager again. They have not let us down and have proved again to be excellent property managers. Tina and her team have been more than helpful in the entire process of arranging our property for rental and obtaining great tenants. Tina quickly attended to any queries we had and is such a lovely person to work with. Her wonderful, energetic and positive personality has made the whole process so much easier and smoother. We highly recommend United Realty (Cecil Hills – Hinchinbrook). Thank you Tina and the team! My family and I met Maria through enquiring on a property we were interested in. We were unable to make the open house, so Maria made it possible for me and my family to inspect the property at a further time. I was very happy with the service I received from Maria. I feel the purchase process was made easy and went smoothly. I will definitely use Maria’s services again in the future when looking to buy or sell. I would gladly recommend her services to my family and friends. Thank you for a job well done. I was very happy with the service received when Maria sold my home. I was referred to Maria through an agency and felt comfortable with the way she supported me throughout the process of selling my home. I feel there is nothing that could have been done differently, and I feel any adjustments made throughout the sale of my property were in my best interests. I would definitely be happy to use Maria’s services in the future and would definitely refer her services to my friends and family. Million of thanks to you, wouldn't be possible without you. We really appreciate your work that you have done .Keep up the great work and remember lot of people enjoying their living because of your great work. My partner and I met Maria through enquiring on a property we were interested in. Maria allowed us to come and see the house prior to the open house and was very prompt throughout the course of our dealings. We were both very happy with the service received and continual support Maria provided to ensure the dealings were completed. The ongoing support to ensure we secured the property was very helpful. I would definitely be happy to use Maria for her services again, and would gladly refer her to any friends or family in need. From the first time I met Maria I was made comfortable and felt like I was in the hands of someone professional. I was very happy with the service we received and the way she operated and felt she did a wonderful job. I was very happy with the way the marketing was completed and extremely happy with the advertisement that Maria came up with, her wording was very appealing. I feel that Maria conducted herself professionally throughout the sale and I liked the consistent feedback provided throughout the course of the sale. I am that happy with the outcome that I will be using her services in the future, if I was to ever sell again. I also feel comfortable in referring her to any friend or family members, knowing that they will receive a good outcome and be dealt with professionally. Jay has been most professional and effective in ensuring a speedy conclusion to the sale of my property. Highly recommended for any owner who's thinking of selling!

2019-04-19T02:39:25Z

https://uapg.com.au/testimonials.html

Staff Specialist in Rheumatology, St. Vincents' Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales. Associate Professor, University of NSW, Sydney, Australia. Consultant Physician in Rheumatology and Pain Medcine, Perth, Western Australia. Distinguishing between those with genuine complaints and those who feigned disease and were claiming compensation following railway accidents was a major problem for physicians.22,23 At this time simulation of neurological disease was an issue of similar difficulty confronting physicians engaged in military medicine.24 The importance of obtaining an assessment of the person’s "moral and physical habits and physical motives" was stressed by Hall,2 who also pointed out that the simulator of disease was apt to "overact his part, to give a detail of incompatible symptoms, and greatly to exaggerate unimportant lesions". Disappointed that juries could ignore the carefully reasoned evidence of experienced medical witnesses such as himself, Skey1 observed that in medical practice the imagination of the doctor "will on occasions conjure up resemblances and suggest reasonings fatal to a correct diagnosis". This represented the first testing in the Courts of the problem of chronic pain, with which the judicial systems of today are still grappling.26 How is it that now, a century and a half later, so little progress has been made? To address this question the construct of "Railway Spine" must first be dissected.EVOLUTION OF THE CONSTRUCT OF "RAILWAY SPINE" symptoms in the limbs: painful sensations along the course of the nerves, paraesthesiae, variable degrees of lower limb weakness and resultant disturbances of gait. Erichsen recognised that some of the symptoms which he attributed to "spinal concussion" could also occur in the better-described cerebral concussion associated with head injury.35 The main differential diagnoses were other forms of cerebrospinal disease (probably tuberculous or luetic), "rheumatism" and "hysteria". The absence of articular inflammation and the presence of neurological symptoms, including those related to the brain, were said to distinguish "spinal concussion" from "rheumatism", itself a poorly defined concept. To Erichsen "rheumatism" had apparently denoted only articular pathology, although the term was then being used in a wider sense to denote affections of fibrous, tendinous and muscular tissues.36 In his later work, Erichsen37 acknowleged the real difficulty at times in separating the symptoms of "spinal concussion" from those due to injury of the "motor apparatus" of the spine. Both presumed pathologies could result in persistent and intractable spinal pain and rigidity. The clinical spectrum of "hysteria" itself included spinal pain and tenderness. However Erichsen maintained that not only was the course of "hysteria" unpredictable and thus at variance with that of "spinal concussion" but also that it tended to occur in excitable, imaginative and emotionally unstable young women, whereas "spinal concussion" syndromes were often seen in stable, middle-aged working men of sober habits (page 126). Thus differential diagnosis was a "choice" between three poorly defined entities which shared many clinical features. Not infrequently there was discordance between the extent and duration of disability and the injury reported by patients. Erichsen attributed this to the "inherent vulnerability of the spine", which in fact was a self-fulfilling argument.32 If this were so, it would be difficult to understand why all those who incurred spinal fractures did not develop symptoms of "spinal concussion".38 In response to this important question, all Erichsen could offer was a principle imparted to him by a watchmaker: if one dropped a watch and its glass were broken, the movement would rarely be damaged; however if the glass were unbroken, the movement was likely to stop. More important than the presumed primary changes in the nervous system were the subsequent "secondary effects" of the injury. Arising out of the dearth of post-mortem studies conducted on these patients, Erichsen made a bold intuitive guess as to their pathological basis. Influenced by the work of earlier investigators such as Abercrombie (1828) and Ollivier (1837), he argued that the pathology underlying the secondary and progressive symptoms of "concussion of the spine" was chronic inflammation of the spinal membranes and cord. The cerebral symptoms were the result of direct extension of this inflammatory process from the spinal to the cerebral meninges. Abercrombie and Ollivier were the accepted authorities on diseases of the spinal cord, their clinicopathological descriptions of cases of spinal meningitis and myelitis following trauma having pre-dated the era of railway accidents (and the resultant medico-legal battles fought out between expert medical witnesses). Another English surgeon, Hilton,40 had noted that "concussion of the spinal marrow" was being seen more frequently as a result of railway accidents. To explain widespread pain, stiffness and hyperaesthesia following spinal trauma, he postulated the presence of minor structural disturbances within the spinal cord and its nerve roots. The cord could be injured by its impingement against the vertebral arches, whilst the nerve roots, fixed within the intervertebral foramina, could be hurt by tension created "if the spinal marrow be dragged from them". Hilton warned that premature and too vigorous exertion before healing had taken place could "increase the exhaustion of the spinal marrow" and render likely the prospect of paraplegia. Having rejected the "nervous irritation" theory of spinal pain and tenderness in females, and finding the diagnosis of "hysteria" to be illogical, Inman46 postulated a musculo-tendinous origin for these clinical phenomena. Any factor which caused general debility, such as overwork, menorrhagia or poor diet, could lead to muscle fatigue, with overstrained muscle origins, of which pain was a manifestation. Pain, usually associated with deep seated tenderness, was not only common but also frequently the predominant symptom following all forms of spinal trauma, according to Gowers.48 Remarkably prescient of current concepts, he theorised that persistent pain reflected a state of sensitisation of the nerves supplying either spinal joints and ligaments or those supplying the spinal meninges ("traumatic spinal neuralgia"). He attributed the cerebral symptoms of Erichsen’s "spinal concussion" to a disturbance of brain function caused partly by physical concussion but mainly attributable to the "mental shock which an accident necessarily causes". Contrary to the assertion made by those physicians employed by railway companies, it was Gowers' experience that pain tended not to subside, even with the "sovereign balm" of substantial compensation. "In no wise would I undervalue the real importance of these vertebral sprains. They may be exceedingly distressing to the patient; the pains may last a very long time; there may even be occasional reminders of pain for months or years under suitable conditions; but it is right that we should attach no more import to them than they deserve, and their existence should not entail a needless dread of serious injury to the structures within the spinal canal" (page 9). The nineteenth century concept of "nervous diseases" comprised all organic diseases of the nervous system, the major psychiatric disorders and lesser psychiatric disorders which would today be regarded as "psychoneuroses".55 These lesser psychiatric disorders (which included hysteria, hypochondria and mild depression) were regarded by many physicians as "functional" in the sense that, although there was no demonstrable organic disorder of the nervous system, a disturbance of brain function was nonetheless responsible and hence allowed them to be categorised as "neuroses". Erichsen had acknowledged that it was rare for spinal pain to be the only complication of railway accidents. The "nervous" or cerebral symptoms previously attributed to organic disturbances of the nervous system were reconceptualised by Page51 as "general nervous shock", defined as "some functional or dynamic disturbance of the nervous equilibrium or tone, rather than structural damage to any organ of the body". He believed that the "fright and mental shock" incidental to railway accidents was a common and potent cause of long-term disability, even in those who had received no bodily injury whatsoever. However this state of nervous exhaustion and depression of many bodily functions which could develop following railway collisions was in fact characteristic of the then popular diagnosis of "neurasthenia". Neurasthenia, meaning "lack of nerve strength", was formulated as a diagnostic entity in the late 1860s by Beard,58 an American physician. The unequivocally somatic model which he put forward for neurasthenia invoked the concepts of "nerve force" and "reflex action" to explain the nexus between bodily dysfunction and mental processes. The concept of "nerve force" was central to the neurasthenia construct, as it had been to that of "spinal concussion". Beard postulated a primary disturbance of cell nutrition of the nervous system in neurasthenia, which resulted in a "feebleness and instability of nerve action", a functional disturbance which could have profound effects upon many other parts of the body. The pathophysiology was said to be a "deficiency in quantity or impairment in quality of the nerve tissues; hence the exhaustion, the positive pain, the unsteadiness, the fluctuating character of the morbid sensations and phenomena to which the term neurasthenia is applied" (page 150). According to Beard, those predisposed to develop "neurasthenia and allied troubles" possessed the "nervous diathesis", the chief signs of which were "fine, soft skin, fine hair, delicately-cut features, and tapering extremities" (page 128). Neurasthenia, the fashionable neurosis of the late nineteenth century, appeared in "a thousand remarkable forms".59 Compared with the symptoms of organic disease which were usually "fixed and stable", those of neurasthenia were "fleeting, transient, metastatic, and recurrent" (page 123).58 Cerebral and spinal irritation were each seen as special local examples of the general neurasthenic state. Tenderness of the scalp signified cerebral irritation, tenderness of the bones of the spinal column indicated spinal irritation. Spinal pain, with or without spinal tenderness, could be a prominent symptom of neurasthenia, said to be distinguishable from the pain of "muscular rheumatism" by its variability, both in intensity and anatomical distribution. Common causes of neurasthenia included chronic debilitating diseases, overwork or overstrain, anxiety, sleep deprivation and all varieties of mental shock, including that following trauma.60 Railway accidents were recognised as being capable of producing severe shocks to the nervous system which could render persons "neurasthenic". Dana,61 who was the first to use the term "traumatic neurasthenia", considered that: "[This] condition is a real pathological one, and the sufferers are unquestionably sometimes as much injured as if they had had a broken arm or leg, or an actual injury to the cord". Pain then became a manifestation of the exaggerated reflex irritability which was generally present in functional diseases. Although Erichsen32 had maintained that it was an easy matter to distinguish "spinal concussion" from hysteria, the obvious similarities between the two constructs could not be ignored when the teaching of the time held that one of the clinical presentations of hysteria was spinal pain and tenderness.54 Beard58 claimed to be able to distinguish neurasthenia from hysteria: he saw the former condition as "the door which opens into quite a large number of diseases of the nervous system", which included, as he grudgingly admitted, hysteria. Meanwhile the French neurologist Charcot66 considered the "obstinate nervous states" following railway accidents as simply manifestations of hysteria resulting from "psycho-nervous commotion", whether occurring in males or females. He hoped that a better understanding of hysteria in males by those working in the medicolegal field would overcome the deeply rooted prejudice still attached to the word "hysteria". Others agreed with him that hysteria in the male coming on after an injury was by no means uncommon.67 The main clinical features were paralyses, contractures, sensory alterations, disorders of the special senses, altered mental states, and epileptiform seizures provoked by pressure on certain regions. Challenging the primacy of auto-suggestion in these cases, Oppenheim,70 a German neurologist, introduced the term "traumatic neuroses". In his opinion both the psychical and physical concomitants of bodily injury induced "molecular alterations" within the cerebrum. Just as "shock of the affected part of the body" was transmitted centrally via the peripheral nerves, so peripheral bodily trauma could alter cerebral functions. The clinical picture of traumatic neurosis generally consisted of a combination of "hysteric and neurasthenic phenomena ", although it could also consist solely of either neurosis. Spinal pain and restriction of movement were generally the earliest complaints in the "neuroses following upon railroad accidents".69,70 The presence of cerebral symptoms was indicative either of cranial injury or that the accident had been combined with a severe "mental emotion". Other symptoms which developed were said to be recognisable as "the sign-posts of neurasthenia and hysteria" (vide supra). Under the heading of "disturbances of sensibility and of the special senses", Oppenheim listed pain, paraesthesias, hyperaesthesia, and hypoesthesia. "For neurasthenia and hysteria are notions of so changeable a character that we are unable to set up definite and generally accepted criteria for the precise recognition of each case of disease. Further, also, I believe that we cannot put all cases of traumatic neurosis on the same level, and that we must employ varying considerations in judging of the individual cases" Semantic and epistemological confusionThus both the somatic and the psychogenic models which sought to provide a heuristic for "railway spine" shared a number of features. Stemming from the absence of a defined pathology or pathophysiology, resort was taken to the dominant conceptual framework of the time, either "inflammation" or "neurosis" (in its initial connotation of a disorder of brain function). The conflation of physical and emotional clinical features admitted into the syndromic definition of "railway spine" carried the implication of a common pathogenesis, setting the stage for argument between different schools of thought. The exercise made a mockery of differential diagnosis, when the elastic "diagnostic criteria" for one entity shared most if not all of the criteria for another. Thus spinal pain and tenderness were clinical features of "hysteria", whilst "hysterical" features were part of the presentation of spinal pain. In essence, this was the error of tautology, where entities were defined so broadly as to include all possibilities, thus making it difficult to identify their essential components. "Railway spine" came to be attached to any situation of (post-traumatic) spinal pain; traumatic "hysteria" or "neurasthenia", with their multitudinous list of precipitating and aggravating factors, could be similarly appended. Both somatic and psychogenic features relied on a " constitutional predisposition", upon which the impact of trauma exerted a "commotion" of nerve function or of ideas. By the end of the century the constructs of "traumatic neurosis", "traumatic hysteria" and "traumatic neurasthenia" as disturbances of the brain were collapsing, as it had become obvious that the nature of the particular clinical investigation and the pre-existing beliefs of the investigator could greatly influence symptoms of presumed psychic origin.65 Spinal pain and tenderness, so central to the diagnosis of "spinal concussion" in the 1860s, then became but two of many symptoms present in patients with so-called "functional" nervous disturbances following trauma.61,71 These symptoms were being now mainly discussed in the context of the differentiation between "real" disease and disease simulation or malingering in those claiming damages for personal injury,8,70,72 instead of their underlying pathophysiology. The failure of the medical scientific community to recognise the tautologous nature of these constructs is the fundamental error in epistemology which emerges from this analysis. As a consequence, their inadequate explanatory power tended to persist, unchallenged, obscuring any quest towards an integrated understanding of the clinical problem. In the next section we will show that as a result of this error, there was widespread rejection that spinal pain and tenderness following trauma constituted a legitimate clinical entity. The derailment of "railway spine" According to Prince,74 the persistent pains which played so dominant a part in the clinical picture of "traumatic neuroses" were of a psychical nature, being "manifestations of the concentration of the mind upon the injured part". To support his opinion he drew upon the analogy of similar pain found in non-traumatic cases, the absence of all objective signs of injury in the area of pain and his purported ability to relieve the pain by means of suggestion. In the early 1890s Breuer and Freud75 seized upon "traumatic neurosis" as exemplifying their paradigm of (conversion) hysteria. Ideas sufficiently powerful to cause psychic trauma ("commotion") were seen by them to act upon a nervous system which was abnormally excitable ("predisposition"). The "hysterical disposition" consisted of a higher than normal degree of suggestibility which would more easily favour the conversion of "affective excitation" into a dysfunctional state of the nervous system, leading to a variety of somatic symptoms. "Hysterical" pains were conceptualised as "hallucinations of pain" resulting from the action of often very vivid ideas upon abnormally excitable pain pathways. They preferred to leave unanswered the question whether or not the hyperexcitable state was itself of psychic origin. For the first decades of the twentieth century, chronic post-traumatic spinal pain syndromes analogous to the prototypic "railway spine" were still being categorised as "traumatic neuroses" and subsumed under the diagnoses of either neurasthenia or hysteria.78 However these diagnoses had now acquired a different connotation, reflecting the "psychologization of the neurosis concept"79: "trauma" became "psychic trauma" and "neurosis" became "psychoneurosis" (Figure 4). At this time, a condition known as "trench spine" was diagnosed in some who, having survived blast injuries, presented with spinal pain and transient dysfunction of the lower portion of the spinal cord. "Trench spine" was said to be "akin to railway spine" and therefore "traumatic neurasthenia". However Campbell,84 an Australian surgeon stationed at Cairo, doubted whether this condition should be included amongst the neuroses (as neurasthenia), commenting that the subjects whom he had treated were not "inherently neurotic" and that the clinical phenomena were not suggestive of a simple "functional" disorder. "... merely a psychical condition, which is particularly intractable to treatment. There can be no doubt that in former days railway companies were mulcted in large sums, and that introspection and gross exaggeration brought heavy damages in their train. Modern methods of psycho-therapeutics would have led to different results". Various contemporary writers have claimed that "railway spine" was, in retrospect, an example of post-concussion syndrome,7 post-traumatic stress disorder,97 conversion reaction,98 or malingering and simulation for secondary gain.99 With the exception of Keller,9 who suggested that at least in some cases there may have been progressive spinal cord compromise as a result of undiagnosed spinal instability, it was not generally accepted that the painful spine was an intrinsically spinal problem but rather needed to be explained by invoking altered mental (that is, cerebral and intra-psychic) factors. Detailed analyses of the history of development and subsequent progression of the "railway spine" construct have been undertaken by Trimble6 and Caplan.5 However neither author has appreciated that the most prominent clinical features of "spinal concussion" following railway accidents, as diagnosed by Erichsen,32,37 were diffuse spinal pain and tenderness, usually associated with loss of range of spinal movement. Consequently, when tracing the evolution of this construct, they failed to recognize the fundamental epistemological error which occurred whereby these important spinal symptoms were subsumed into theoretical models of primary psychogenesis, all of which were untestable. This previously undetected error has enabled some writers to use "railway spine" to bolster their argument that many other unexplained somatic symptoms must be psychogenic. In their historical monograph on low back pain and disability, orthopaedic surgeons Allan and Waddell3 stated (incorrectly) that the idea of injury being a cause of chronic back pain originated in the latter half of the nineteenth century. They saw "railway spine" as a key event in this history which laid the foundations for our contemporary approach to back pain. To them it signified the merging of two nineteenth century ideas: that the spine could be the source of back pain and that trauma could be a cause. Central to their thesis was the claim that Erichsen, as did others, wholeheartedly embraced the concept of "spinal irritation" and therefore "accepted as physical a host of psychosomatic symptoms". The proof offered by Allan and Waddell is that by the end of the century the terms "railway spine" and "concussion of the spine" had been discredited as denoting "purely physical diseases" (due to contradictory attempts to explain their pathology) and were "generally felt to be hysterical". Shorter,4 in his recent book "From Paralysis to Fatigue", defines psychosomatic illness as "any illness in which physical symptoms, produced by the unconscious mind, are defined by the individual as evidence of organic disease and for which medical help is sought" (page x). He uses "railway spine" as an example of a culturally determined psychosomatic illness in the nineteenth century: an hysterical paralysis, which could be unleashed by physical trauma (Page 114). The clinical presentations of spinal pain and tenderness in the early and mid-nineteenth century are discussed elsewhere in his book, only under the the diagnosis of "spinal irritation", a condition which he deems a "pseudodisease" affecting young women almost exclusively (Page 24). According to Shorter's analysis of this condition, "[P]atients certainly found it more comforting to think their spines were irritated than that their problems were psychological". "... it is necessary to avoid the danger of over-estimating the effect of mental influence, and regarding as entirely due to this, symptoms which are real, and are merely intensified by attention. The danger is especially great in cases of railway injuries, concerning which an unbiased judgement is not easy to secure, and in which, when objective symptoms are absent, it is easy to minimise suffering, and attribute too much to the mental condition". As "neurasthenia" declined in popularity as a diagnosis, that of "fibrositis" as proposed by Gowers52 increased, largely on the basis of the reported inflammatory changes in tender subcutaneous fibrous tissues excised from "fibrositis" sufferers.100 Bodily trauma, either direct or indirect, continued to be regarded as a potent and sufficient cause of "fibrositis",101-103 although the vexed question of predisposition continued to be debated.102 The "rheumatic diathesis" still denoted persons who readily reacted to atmospheric and other environmental influences which left others unaffected but had expanded to include persons who were unfit physically, complaining of lassitude, mental irritability and depression,104 echoing the tautological problem of its cousin constructs. Those sceptical of Gowers' construct saw psychological factors as being primary in many or most cases of "fibrositis". Halliday,105 a medical examiner for the Department of Health for Scotland, cautioned physicians against "discovering" non-existent structural abnormalities. With regard to fibrositis, he noted that "some practitioners find it frequently, whereas others in the same locality only discover its presence on rare occasions". In his opinion, symptoms commonly attributed to "rheumatism (or fibrositis, neuritis, sciatica, lumbago, myodynia, and so on)..." were best understood and treated as "incidental manifestations of a chronic psychoneurotic state". According to Halliday,106 "[T]he theory of fibrositis in its full-blown form clearly corresponds to a mode of obsessional thinking which goes on operating without reference to reality". He suggested that the term "fibrositis" be abandoned and in its place be substituted the problem of incapacitating pain, stiffness and soreness (P.S.S.).106 A self-limiting form of P.S.S. followed exposure to cold air, water, or sudden movements ("the crick"). The more persistent forms of P.S.S. were usually either psychosomatic (occurring in the course of chronic anxiety states and depression) or "hysterical". "... [it is] important to emphasise those findings which indicate a disorder of pain modulation as the underlying mechanism, rather than the symbolic pain characteristic of classical psychoneurosis or pain consequent on anxiety-induced prolonged muscle tension .... The tender points are largely unknown to the patient and often not even central to their areas of pain". Nevertheless, trauma was identified as the initiating factor by 10% of 205 patients with chronic diffuse musculoskeletal pain lacking identifiable disease or structural pathology, all of whom had been referred to a specialized centre for the investigation of persistent pain and sleep difficulties.113 When the criteria used were "light unrefreshing sleep", chronic fatigue, diffuse pain and 12 or more of 14 areas of tenderness in specific anatomical regions found in fibromyalgia syndrome, it was hardly surprising that all patients "had" fibromyalgia, . In a retrospective study of 127 patients given the diagnosis of fibromyalgia by the one clinician, 29 (24%) reported a possible precipitating event, which was traumatic in 14 (10%).128 The criteria used by this examiner for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia were the presence of "diffuse aches and pains with prominent stiffness in 3 or more anatomic sites for at least 3 months and at least 7 tender points", aswell as the absence of co-existing rheumatic disease. The members of the group in whom a precipitating event was identified, designated "reactive" fibromyalgia, were assessed as being more disabled by their pain, with consequent adverse effects on their physical fitness, employability and financial status, when compared with others in the study who were designated as having primary fibromyalgia syndrome. This study reflects the biased beliefs and diagnostic habits of one clinician and illustrates the fallacy of assuming the truth of the conclusion which it purports to establish, that is, that fibromyalgia is a distinct condition. This fallacy having been ignored, post-traumatic fibromyalgia becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, with important implications for the various systems of personal injury compensation. Waylonis and Perkins11 then attempted to determine the long-term outcome for a group of patients who over the previous 10 years had been given (by Waylonis) a diagnostic label of "post-traumatic fibromyalgia" and whether that condition was the same as "primary (spontaneous) fibromyalgia". That 85% of their patients had long-term pain and disability was in accordance with the findings of other studies of patients after trauma.129 However their attempt to compare the symptom profiles of their patients with "post-traumatic fibromyalgia" (of whom only 85% fulfilled the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia syndrome) with those of 554 subjects with a self-reported diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome130 is bogus in the absence of a gold standard for diagnosis. For example the sole criterion used for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome was that subjects could name the physician who gave them this diagnosis. Implications of the fate of "railway spine" for "post-traumatic fibromyalgia" When "railway spine" became discredited "railway brain", the proponents of psychogenic hypotheses emerged dominant over those who sought neurophysiological explanations. That the arguments of the "victors" were tautological as well as untestable appears to have been unrecognised. But post-nociceptive chronic pain syndromes remain, their pathophysiology elusive. The introduction of the fibromyalgia construct has focussed attention on nosological issues rather than upon pain and hyperalgesia. Whilst fibromyalgia remains yet another tautological proposition with little explanatory power, its linking by some to "trauma" introduces a fallacy which invites perjorative dismissal which in turn threatens to withdraw clinical legitimacy from those who suffer. The fate of "Railway Spine", which was vulnerable to the assertion that altered nociception is due to emotional and other psychosocial factors, should be a warning. 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2019-04-26T04:07:59Z

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I’m an ordinary country woman and, because of the feudalistic idea of only valuing male children, I was unable to raise my head in front of others for shame at having borne no son. Just when I was suffering the most, I was chosen by the Lord Jesus and, two years later, I accepted the salvation of Almighty God. Moreover, I understood much truth from within the words of Almighty God and my heart obtained true release. However, while I was performing my duty to repay God’s love, I was twice arrested by the CCP government and I suffered brutal torture and torment at the hands of the CCP’s pawns. Just when I was on the verge of death, the words of Almighty God guided me and inspired me and caused me to stand witness in the midst of Satan’s cruel harm, thereby strengthening my determination to follow God and love God for all my life. Around 5 p.m. one afternoon, in May 2003, I was on my way to perform my duty when suddenly the village committee secretary rode up on a motorbike and blocked my path. He barked orders at me, saying: “Stop! What are you doing? Come with me!” I was taken by surprise, and I realized that I had been followed. I immediately thought of the pager, the church’s cash receipts and other things I had in my bag and that, once these things were in his hands, it would bring about great loss for the church’s work. So I ran as fast as I could, hoping to find an opportunity to throw away the things in my bag, but I didn’t get very far before he caught me. Not long after, a black car drove up and out of it sprang five or six ferocious-looking policemen who surrounded me at once. They laughed maliciously and said: “This time we’ve really got you, the cult leader. Still think you can run away? Dream on!” Then they forcefully twisted my hands behind my back, put me in the police car and took me to the local police station. When I got to the police station, the evil police shoved me into a small, dark, foul-smelling room, and they began to bellow fiercely at me: “Come clean! What’s your name? Where are you from? What are you doing here? Speak up!” My heart was thumping, seeing their threatening manner, and I feared that the things in my bag would fall into their hands, and I was also afraid that they would torture me cruelly. While all this was happening, I cried desperately to God: “Oh Almighty God, today I have fallen into the hands of devils and this has happened by Your permission. No matter what they do to me, I desire only to stand by You. I pray for the wisdom and the faith to stand witness.” Just at that moment, God’s words resounded in my ears: “You shouldn’t be afraid of this and that. No matter how many difficulties and dangers you face, you shall remain steady before Me…. Be not afraid; with My support, who could ever block the road?” (“The Tenth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Yes indeed, God is unique. He administers all things and dominates everything, so aren’t these few evil policemen even more part of the arrangements of God? With God supporting me and being with me, what more was there to fear? God’s words caused me to have faith and my entire body became filled with strength, never again to fear Satan. But at that time, I was still concerned about the things in my bag, and my heart constantly cried out to God for protection. I thanked God for hearing my prayer, and this gang of evil policemen merely interrogated me and did not search my bag. When the time came for them to change shifts, they all left the room, and I hurriedly took the accounting receipts and faith materials that were in my bag and threw them out the window, and I broke the pager on the floor and tossed it into the trash can, and only then could my heart breathe a sigh of relief. I’d only just finished doing this when the new shift of evil policemen entered the room. They gave me a fierce look, then they hastily went through my bag, but found nothing. I saw with my own eyes God’s almightiness and sovereignty, and my faith was greatly increased. Because they had come up empty handed, the evil policemen questioned me furiously, asking who exactly I had contact with, who the upper-level leaders were, and so on. I was afraid I would let something slip and fall into their trap, so I said nothing at all. Seeing this, five or six evil policemen came at me all at once in a fit of beating and kicking, cursing me as they did so, saying: “If you don’t tell us, we’ll beat you to death!” I was beaten so hard I was curled up into a ball, rolling back and forth on the ground. One evil policeman then violently pulled me by the hair and threatened me fiercely: “You’re still really damn stubborn. You won’t speak? We have our ways, so you’ll see how we sort you out tonight!” I knew God was with me, and so I faced the coming torture with a calm heart. It was after 8 p.m. that night when two evil policemen handcuffed me and escorted me to the municipal Public Security Bureau. Upon entering the interrogation room, an evil policeman in his forties began to play the good cop, trying to entice and persuade me: “You’re young, and you’re pretty. What’s all this about believing in God? Cooperate with our work. So long as you tell us who the upper-level leaders are, I’ll get someone to take you home straight away. I can help you with any difficulty you may have. Why suffer here? …” Because of God’s protection, I knew that this was Satan’s cunning ploy, and I paid no attention to him no matter what he said. The evil policeman saw that his ploy hadn’t worked, so he immediately showed his true colors. He seized me by the hair and pressed me against the floor, cruelly kicking my head until I became dizzy and felt the whole place spinning. With that he stamped on my head and said very ferociously: “Not speaking? I’m going to pull out all the stops to torture you today, and you’ll wish you’d never been born. Will you tell us what we want to know?” Seeing that I still said nothing, he called in several more evil policemen who dragged me to my feet and began to slap my face over and over, until my face hurt so much it felt like it was burning with fire. But no matter how they beat me, I continually and silently prayed to God, and I gritted my teeth and said not one word. Seeing that I was still not surrendering, they dragged me to another room, spluttering with rage. An evil policeman picked up an electric baton and laughed maliciously at me, saying: “Doesn’t matter that you’re being stubborn. We have our ways! Let’s see which will hold out the longest—you or our electric baton!” Then he jabbed me with it ruthlessly. In an instant, my whole body was pierced with an enormous electrical current and I convulsed involuntarily. It was as though countless insects were biting my body, and I couldn’t help but emit spasmodic, shrill cries. Without waiting for me to catch my breath, another evil policeman took up a stack of thick magazines and began pounding them on my head with all his strength, and then, he wrenched me by the hair and cruelly slammed my head against the wall. Everything went black and I fell to the floor. The evil policemen bellowed at me, “Pretending to be dead!” Then they dragged me up from the floor and ordered me to kneel, but I was so weak that I could only kneel for a few moments before collapsing to the floor again. At that point, I really felt like I couldn’t hold on any longer, I couldn’t help feeling weak, and I thought: “These devils are truly so brutal, and I really will die today in their hands….” In pain and helplessness, I prayed to God in absolute earnest, asking God to guide me, and for the strength to defeat Satan. Just then, God’s words flashed in my mind: “Almighty God, the Head of all things, wields His kingly power from His throne. He rules over the universe and all things and He is guiding us on the whole earth. We shall often be close to Him…. If you have but one breath, God will not let you die” (“The Sixth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words made me understand that my life was being held in God’s hands and that, so long as God didn’t give His permission, then these devils wouldn’t dare take my life. I thought of how I had followed God so far, how God had protected me all the way along, how I had enjoyed God’s love so much and so greatly, and I thought of how this environment that was happening now was the time for God to test my loyalty and my love, and that it was also time for me to repay God’s love. The devils were torturing me like that with the contemptible aim of wanting me to betray God; but I would be someone unyielding, someone with determination and, even if they tortured me to death, I would still not surrender to Satan. There was no way I would be a Judas just so I could drag out an ignoble existence—I wouldn’t let Satan’s plot succeed, I would absolutely stand witness for God and allow God’s heart to be comforted! God’s words lent me inexhaustible strength, I forgot the pain that wracked my whole body, and I then had the faith and the courage to carry on fighting these devils. Then, to extract a confession out of me, the evil police began to take it in turns to guard me and prevent me from sleeping, pressing me with questions over and over: “Who are the upper-level leaders in your church? Where do they live? Who else is a member? …” Seeing me stay silent, every now and then they would grab me by the hair and kick me. I had only to close my eyes and they would beat and kick me and use the toe caps on their leather shoes to stomp on and grind my knuckles with all their might. A piercing pain caused me unspeakable suffering, and I just kept screaming. They kicked me around like I was a football…. As dawn approached, I’d been tortured so much that my body was covered in countless bruises and I was in unbearable pain. Thinking of how I’d never before suffered such hardships, and thinking of the damage and torment I was suffering now at the hands of the CCP’s evil police because of my belief in God, my heart could do nothing but feel grief and weakness. At that point, all was dark inside me, and my fear grew and grew, not knowing what kinds of cruel torture they had in store for me next. As I lay in pain, I prayed silently to God: “Oh, Almighty God, I ask You to enlighten me and lead me to understand Your will in my plight, so that I may not lose my testimony.” As I prayed, I thought of a hymn of God’s words: “You must suffer hardship for the truth, you must give yourself to the truth, you must endure humiliation for the truth, and to gain more of the truth you must undergo more suffering. This is what you should do. … You should pursue all that is beautiful and good, and should pursue a path in life that is more meaningful. … You should forsake all enjoyments of the flesh for the sake of one truth, and should not throw away all truths for the sake of a little enjoyment” (“You Should Give Up Everything for the Truth” in Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs). God’s words awakened my heart and made me understand that the pain of persecution I was suffering now for my belief in God was of the utmost value and of the utmost significance. I understood that God was using this environment of suffering to show me clearly Satan’s essence that is in enmity to God, so that I would be able to forsake it utterly and thereby turn my heart back to God and achieve a true love for God. God has already endured all pain in order to save me, so shouldn’t a corrupt human such as I suffer even more for the sake of gaining the truth and in order to attain a true change in my life disposition? This suffering is something I should endure in my pursuit to obtain salvation, and I need this kind of plight to temper me and edify me; this is what my life needs and I desire to accept God’s great love. Today, I suffer alongside Christ and I share both in Christ’s kingdom and in His tribulations—this is entirely by the elevation of God, it is God’s greatest love and blessing to me, and I should be happy. Thinking this, my heart felt so comforted, and I ceased to believe that encountering such an environment was something painful, but on the contrary I felt that this was God’s special blessing that had happened to me. I silently offered up a prayer to God: “Oh, Almighty God! I give thanks to You for enlightening me so that I understand Your will. No matter how Satan torments me, I absolutely will not compromise or surrender to it. Whether I live or die, I wish to submit to Your orchestrations, devote myself entirely to You, and love You until I die!” The evil police tortured me for two nights and a day and got nothing from me at all. In the end, all they could say was that I had already been “Godified,” and I was sent to the detention center. As soon as I got to the cell at the detention center, the head of the cell block, having been incited by the evil police, began threatening me: “Come on, confess! Or you will suffer!” Seeing that I was not going to yield, she colluded with the other prisoners to punish me in every way possible: They gave me nothing to eat, gave me no hot water, they made me sleep on the freezing cement floor every night, and made me do the dirty, exhausting work. If I didn’t finish it I had to put in overtime, and if I didn’t do it well enough I was verbally abused and made to stand as a punishment…. Every day I had to face being ridiculed, humiliated, discriminated, beaten and verbally abused by the other prisoners. What’s more, my money had been confiscated by the evil police so, without a penny to my name, I couldn’t even buy the daily necessities. I had no idea when these days would end and inside I felt so sorrowful, so lonely and so in pain, wishing always to get out of that demonic place as soon as I could. But the more I wanted to get out of that environment, the darker and more distressed my heart got, and tears fell unconsciously from my eyes. Being so helpless, I could only tell God again and again of my pain, hoping earnestly for God to lead me once again and make me able to obey His orchestrations and arrangements. God is my help and my support at all times, and once again He used His words to enlighten and guide me: “No matter how God works or what kind of environment you are in, you will be able to pursue life, seek to have God’s work carried out within you, and pursue the truth. You will have an understanding of God’s actions and you will be able to act according to the truth. This is your genuine faith, and this shows that you have not lost hope in God. You will still seek the truth in refinement, you will be able to truly love God and will not develop doubts of Him. No matter what He does, you will still practice the truth to satisfy Him, and you will be able to deeply seek out His will and be considerate of His will. Only this is true faith in God. Before, when God said that you would reign as a king, you loved Him, and when He openly showed Himself to you, you pursued Him. But now God is hidden, you cannot see Him, and troubles have come upon you. At this time, do you lose hope in God? So at all times you must pursue life and seek to satisfy God’s will. This is called genuine faith, and it is the truest and most beautiful kind of love” (“Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words were like a loving mother soothing a distressed child, and they gave me such comfort and encouragement. I felt that God was right beside me watching over me and expecting me to be able to maintain my true faith in God before Satan, to endure pain silently to still be able to love and satisfy God in the midst of painful environments and when beset by the forces of darkness, and to stand witness for God—this is the most powerful testimony that puts Satan to shame. Though I was caught in this devils’ lair, God’s love was always with me. When I suffered cruel torture and torment and I felt weak, and when I endured Satan’s attacks and felt pained and distressed, I could always see God’s provision for my life, I could feel the consolation of God’s love, and I could see the hand of God opening the way out for me. God is always by my side, I thought, looking out for me and being with me. God’s love for me is so profound, how could I ever disappoint His will? I ought not to pay consideration to my flesh and even less should I try to flee the environments God arranges for me. I ought to recall the faith I had before, devote my true love to God and bear witness for God before Satan. Thinking these things, the pain in my heart dissolved, and I resolved to love and satisfy God even if I had to suffer all agonies. I couldn’t help but sing a hymn of experience: “With heart and spirit, why can’t man love God? God is my support, what more is there to fear? I should fight with Satan till the end. God lifts us up and we should leave everything behind and share in the suffering of Christ. I prepare my love and devote it all to God, and come with God in glory. God’s Spirit is hidden in the flesh, and He has worked and led us for a long time. I make a vow to dedicate my whole heart and body, and repay God through painstaking and exhaustive effort” (“The Kingdom” in Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs). When I strengthened my faith and desired to satisfy God, I once again experienced God’s tender love for me. God arranged for a prison officer to give me many items for my daily use. My heart was so moved and I thanked God from the bottom of my heart. After 40 days, the evil police saw they had no way of getting anything from me, so they forced charges on me of being a “cult member,” and asked my family to pay several thousand yuan before releasing me. I thought I would have my freedom back once I got home, but the CCP police never let up monitoring me and they still restricted my personal freedom. They forbade me from leaving my house, ordered me to always be available to them, and dispatched someone to watch me. They even threatened my family almost every few days, warning them to keep a close eye on me. From the outside, it seemed as though I had been released, but I had been placed under virtual house arrest by the evil police. I therefore didn’t dare to make contact with my brothers and sisters in the church, nor could I perform my duty, and my heart felt so oppressed and pained. The thing that made me even more indignant was that the evil police were deluding people in the village with their evil lies, telling them that my belief in God had driven me mad, that I wasn’t right in the head and that I was capable of anything…. In the face of such despicable conduct as their rumor-mongering and slander, I couldn’t help but let it fan the flames of my anger. I could not be controlled by the devils in this way, and I should struggle to free myself from their demonic clutches and repay God’s love. And so, in order to elude monitoring by the evil police, I had no choice but to leave home and go perform my duty. Three years passed in the blink of an eye. I thought the CCP police wouldn’t be monitoring me any longer, so I returned home to perform my duty. However, it came as a bolt out of the blue when, early one morning in August 2006, before I’d even been home for more than a few days, the evil police paid me a visit. That morning, a voice hollering woke me with a start from sleep: “Hurry up and open the door, or else we’ll break it down!” My husband had only just opened the door when seven or eight evil policemen swept in like bandits and, without any explanation, got hold of me and hauled me to their car. Because God was protecting me, I felt no fear. I just prayed and prayed: “Oh, Almighty God! Today I have fallen once again into the hands of these devils. May You protect my heart, give me strength, and may I once again bear witness for You.” Once we got to the police station, the evil police forcibly took my photo and my fingerprints. They then took up a list of names and began to press me with questions: “Do you know these people? Who are your associates?” Seeing the familiar names of some of my sisters on the list, I responded composedly: “I don’t know them, and I have no associates!” No sooner had I finished speaking than one of them roared at me, “You disappeared for several years, so where were you? You do have associates. Do you still believe in Almighty God? Come clean.” The evil policeman’s words made me at once both sad and resentful, and I was angry beyond words: That which I believe in today is the one true God who made the heavens and earth and all things, that which I seek is the truth, the path I walk is the right path in life, and all these things are bright and just. And yet these devils, so utterly devoid of conscience, keep going after me, restricting my personal freedom, forcing me out of my own home, separating me from my family and trying to force me to betray God. What’s wrong with believing in God and seeking to be a good person? Why won’t they allow me to follow Almighty God and walk the right path in life? The gang of devils that make up the CCP government are really so perverse and godless; they are irreconcilable enemies to God and even more so they are enemies that I cannot co-exist with. In my sadness and resentment, I couldn’t help but bring Almighty God’s words to mind: “These lackeys! They repay kindness with hate, they have long since disdained God, they abuse God, they are savage in the extreme, they have not the slightest regard for God, they plunder and pillage, they have lost all conscience, and have not a trace of kindness…. Their meddling has left all beneath heaven in a state of darkness and chaos! Religious freedom? The legitimate rights and interests of citizens? They are all tricks for covering up sin! … Thousands of years of hate are concentrated in the heart, millennia of sinfulness are inscribed upon the heart—how could this not inspire loathing? Avenge God, completely snuff out His enemy, do not allow it to run rampant any longer, and do not permit it to kick up as much trouble as it wishes anymore! Now is the time: Man has long since gathered all his strength, he has devoted all his efforts, paid every price, for this, to tear off the hideous face of this demon and allow people, who have been blinded, and have endured every manner of suffering and hardship, to rise up from their pain and turn their backs on this evil old devil” (Work and Entry (8) in The Word Appears in the Flesh). From these words of God I understood His will, and there arose in me a bitter hatred of these devils. God created the heavens and earth and all things and He raises mankind; mankind enjoys God’s abundant bounty, and believing in God and worshiping God has always been Heaven’s law and earth’s principle. And yet the CCP government does everything it can to brutally repress those who believe in Almighty God; it hunts them wildly, imprisons them illegally, tortures and torments them cruelly, detains them in labor camps and insults and mocks them, hoping in vain to exterminate all those who believe in God and to abolish God’s work to save man in the last days—it really is wicked and despicable in the extreme! Over these years, if it hadn’t been for Almighty God protecting me and caring for me, I would have long ago been cruelly put to death by Satan the devil. In the face of this spiritual battle of life and death, I became resolved: I must stand up for the truth and must still love God even though I suffer extreme pain, and I pledge my life to stand witness for God! Seeing me glaring at them without saying a word, the evil police raged at me in exasperation: “You won’t talk, ay? Wait until our bosses come to interrogate you themselves, and we’ll see if your mouth stays shut!” Hearing that the chiefs of the evil police were going to interrogate me themselves, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. But I thought of how I had truly experienced within adversity God’s sovereignty over all and His administering of all things, and of how God’s words have a unique authority and a powerful vitality, and there immediately arose within me the faith and courage to prevail over Satan’s forces of darkness. Though these evil policemen are extremely cruel and merciless, they are just paper tigers—they look strong on the outside but inside they are weak—and they also are manipulated by the hands of the Creator. In my heart, my resolution to God became set: Oh, God, no matter how the devils torment me, I ask only that You steady my faith, strengthen my heart that loves You, and let me become Your victorious testimony even at the cost of my own life. It must have been after 10 a.m. when there came two men calling themselves deputy directors of the Public Security Bureau. They looked at me without saying a word, then one of them seized me by the hair and pressed me with questions: “Do you still believe in Almighty God?” Seeing that I stayed silent, the other evil police chief roared savagely: “If you don’t talk, we will give you a taste of pain today!” As he said this, barking like a wild beast, he grabbed hold of my hair, lifted me up and threw me far across the room, and I fell so hard that I was unable to get up again. They then dragged me by the hair and beat and kicked me, shouting as they beat me: “Will you talk?” All at once, my face burned with pain and my scalp hurt unbearably like it had been torn apart. These two beasts in human clothing looked from the outside like respectable gentlemen, but underneath they were savage and ruthless like wild beasts. They made me see even more clearly that this evil political party—the CCP—is the embodiment of Satan, and its pawns are a gang of demons and evil spirits! They will meet in the end with the cursing of God! These two bosses of the evil police saw that I was not surrendering to their despotic power, so they grabbed hold of my hair and began to press me against the ground like they had lost their minds, both using their feet to wantonly kick and stomp on me. Then they dragged me up and fiercely stomped on the backs of my legs, kicking me down hard so I fell kneeling to the ground, and they said savagely: “Kneel and don’t move! You can stand up when you come clean. If you won’t talk, then don’t even think about it!” If I moved even slightly, they would violently pull my hair and beat and kick me. I knelt for three or four hours, during which time I lost count of the number of times they beat me because I couldn’t hold myself up. In the end, I collapsed in a daze to the ground, and they scolded me for pretending to be dead, and relentlessly and violently pulled my hair so that my scalp hurt like it was all torn up. At that moment, it was as if my entire body had fallen to pieces—I couldn’t move a muscle and I was in unbearable pain. I felt like my heart could stop beating at any moment. I kept calling on God to give me strength, and God’s exhortations and words of encouragement drifted into my mind: “Peter was able to love God unto death. When he died—when he was put on the cross—he still loved God; he did not think of his own prospects or pursue glorious hopes or extravagant thoughts, and he sought only to love God and to obey all of God’s arrangements. Such is the standard you must achieve before you can be considered to have borne testimony, before you become someone who has been made perfect after having been conquered” (“The Inside Truth of the Conquering Work (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words gave me faith and strength: Yes! Peter was nailed upside down on the cross for God and he was still able to love God greatly even when his flesh was in unendurable pain. He overcame the flesh, defeated Satan, and only this kind of testimony is resounding and is capable of comforting God’s heart. I want to imitate Peter, that God may be glorified in me. Though my flesh is in extreme pain, it is still much less than what Peter went through being nailed upside down on the cross. Satan wishes to make me betray God by torturing my flesh, but God uses this opportunity to perfect my true love for Him. Today, I absolutely will not surrender to Satan and allow its plot to succeed! I want to live for the love of God! All at once, I was no longer in any fear of dying; I became determined to give myself up to God entirely and I swore on my life that I would be loyal to God! Thereupon, I prayed to God: “Oh, Almighty God, I am a created being who worships You and obeys You as I should. I give You my life, and whether I live or die, I believe in You and love You!” I instantly felt a great easing of the pain in my body, and my entire body and mind had a feeling of lightening and release. At this time, I couldn’t help but hum in my heart a hymn of experience: “Today for the sake of God, suffer hardships; tomorrow inherit blessings of God. For the purpose of seeing the day when God gains glory, I’d give up my youth and my life. O! Love of God, enchants my heart. I feel hard to leave Him. I feel hard to be apart from Him. I will drink up the bitter cup. Rather live my life in bitterness. Humiliated or wronged, I’ll repay God’s love all my life” (“I Wish to See the Day God Gains Glory” in Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs). The evil police bosses were completely exhausted from inflicting suffering on me, and they stood there not saying anything for a long time. In the end, at a loss at what to do, they snapped angrily at me: “You just wait!” Then they left. The other evil police stood around discussing together: “This woman’s so tough, no one can do anything with her. She’s tougher than Liu Hulan….”[a] At that point, I was stirred so much that I couldn’t stop my tears from flowing. God was victorious! If it hadn’t been for the words of Almighty God providing for me over and over, and if it hadn’t been for God sustaining me in secret, I would simply not have been able to stand firm. All glory and praise to Almighty God! In the end, the evil police locked me up in a detention center. In the detention center, the evil police still weren’t willing to let it go, and they questioned me once every few days. Every time they questioned me, they made me sit in the interrogation room before a window with metal bars across it, and the moment they felt dissatisfied with my response, they would reach across and violently thrash my face or grab my hair and slam my head against the bars. Seeing that they still got nowhere, they became frenzied with rage. In the end, they realized that being hard on me was no use, so they switched to soft tactics and tried to entice and persuade me, saying: “Your kids and your husband are all waiting for you at home! And your husband pleaded with us on your behalf. Talk to us and you will soon be back and reunited with them.” These false words disgusted me and made me hate them so much that I asked in my heart for God to curse them. I despised this gang of base and shameless evil police. No matter what hand they played, I was not going to move an inch! In this life, no one can shake my determination to follow Almighty God! In the end, the evil police had played all their cards, and they kept me locked up for 40 days, fined me 2000 yuan and then released me. Throughout my experiences up until today, all along the way, I have come to a deep realization that someone like me—an ordinary country woman, who formerly had no insight or courage—can overcome in the midst of several bouts of being tortured to confess and cruelly tormented and damaged by the CCP police, can see clearly the reactionary essence of the CCP government that stubbornly opposes God and wildly harms God’s chosen people, can see clearly its disgusting performance that deceives the public to endorse its own reputation and that conceals its evil ways, and that this is entirely by the wondrous deeds and power of God. In my practical experience, I have really come to appreciate that the authority and power of God’s words are so very great, that the vitality that God bestows on man is infinite and that it can defeat all the evil forces of Satan! In suffering, I perceived that the fragrance of God’s love kept my heart pure and fresh at all times, and it kept me from losing my way. No matter where I may be or what kind of circumstances I find myself in, God is always watching over me, and His love is with me always. It is my honor to be able to follow this practical, true God, and that I am able to experience this kind of persecution and adversity and get a taste of God’s wondrousness, His wisdom and His almightiness is even more so my good fortune. From this day on, may I do my utmost to seek the truth and achieve a true knowledge of God, love God till the end, and be unswerving in my loyalty! a. Liu Hulan was a teenage female spy who worked for the Communists during China’s civil war in the 1940s. She did not survive the war, but was later touted as a symbol of sacrifice and courage by the Communist Party, and was praised as a heroine.

2019-04-21T10:28:27Z

https://en.easternlightning.org/testimonies/love-given-off-in-adversity.html

Rose Malindretos is the director of marketing for Oliviers & Company (also known as O&Co.) the worldwide purveyor of Mediterranean specialty foods. Rose spoke with Olive Oil Times publisher Curtis Cord about olive oil retailing in New York’s Grand Central Station, where her team has just minutes to introduce shoppers to the tastes of high-quality olive oils. Curtis CordLast year, Oliviers and Company also known as O&CO, celebrated its 20th anniversary. The founders, a group of photographers, were inspired by the passion of people who made olive oil throughout the Mediterranean. I think a lot of our listeners can relate to that source of inspiration and many of you are that source of inspiration for us. I might’ve been among the earliest customers at O&CO’s first store on Paris’s Ile Saint-Louis in 1998 when it opened there. Now there are 90 O&CO shops around the world, from Hong Kong to New York, including, in one of my favorite places in the world, Grand Central Station. Rose Malindretos has been with O&CO for much of its journey as the Director of Marketing. I have what seems to be an annual privilege to present Rose with awards at the New York International Olive Oil Competition, most recently two gold awards for the Monva Picual from Spain and the Azienda Agricola Mascio blend from Italy. And it’s in New York that we find Rose today. Good morning, Rose. Rose MalindretosGood morning, Curtis. Thank you so much for having me. It’s an honor. Curtis CordI managed to sneak our talk in today just before you head to Crete, I understand, for a well-deserved break. Rose MalindretosYes. I long for that trip ever year. I’m going back to my roots so to speak. It’s apropos that we have this call to get me even more excited about going back. Curtis CordWere you born there? Rose MalindretosI wasn’t, but both of my parents are from Crete. They wanted to … I was born in the U.S., but spent every summer for three months since I was born on the island of Crete, so it really is a home away from home. Most of my family is there, so it’s quite a special connection to me and I’m honored to be able to straddle two cultures. Curtis CordWhere do you stay when you’re there? Rose MalindretosWe actually … It’s funny, because we have a tourist resort in Crete in Chania, in the Chania region. That’s what inspired my love for all things olive oil because my father was an entrepreneur and built … He was initially going to be build a summer place for us and decided, “Hmm, how can I entice my children to keep coming back here?” As a result, he made it into a business and developed a beautiful resort with a pool nestled amongst the olive groves with view overlooking the sea. It’s quite a magical place and he was right, can’t keep us away from it. Curtis CordWhat’s the name of it? Rose MalindretosIt’s Yiannis Retreat. Right now it’s more friends and family, so if you give me a call I can make arrangements, but it’s very much a local experience and my dad’s there all the time. He’ll take people to his friend who’s make the local raki. At that time of the year he’s taken people to his friend the cheese monger, who’s making cheese. For him that’s just what each day brings, but for people visiting it’s one of the most memorable things about their trip to Crete. It’s just something authentic and real about being in such a unique, beautiful place. The olive trees that surround … My dad is so proud. He walks people around the olive trees and offers them the olive that he’s brined himself. When I was little I helped him plant 30 olive trees, so I’ve had the pleasure of watching those olive trees and help him nurture them and I didn’t appreciate what it was, especially when I was little and I bit into my first olive off the tree. It was a never … Left a lasting impression on my mind. Crete, again, growing up as a kid there, it was a great way to spend summers and be really a part of the culture that so defines who I am and makes me appreciate … I always say when I’m in New York I’m a Greek, and when I’m in Greece I’m a New Yorker, because in New York you want to just slow things down, so I’m like, “Okay, everyone just take a deep breath.” The Greek side comes out. When I’m in Crete, I’m like, “Okay guys, let’s get cracking. Let’s go do something.” It’s very funny. I think that balance is what’s so essential in defining myself and how I view life basically. That might be a little too deep for the question, but here we are. Crete is something that … From the Cretan diet to the simplicity of life there … Going back to the olive tree, I remember when I was little my dad took me to one of the oldest olive trees ever. It was over 2,000 years old in Kissamos and it was just in the middle of this little village and I couldn’t believe it. I climbed inside it. It was hollow, but it was still bearing fruit. It was gnarled and it really left an impression with me. The fact that it was there for thousands of years, it really instilled true appreciation for the olive tree. I think that formed the foundation for developing my interest … It’s a separate funny story of how I got to where I am now, but my foundations in Crete definitely helped foster that love for an age-old tradition that wasn’t given the attention it deserves for sure. Curtis CordFirst of all, nothing’s too deep for this conversation. I’m with you 100%. I’ve experienced the Chania experience. I also went around with locals and drank the local drink and ate the local cheese and looked at the old trees. I visited a thousands-year-old tree in Chania. Might’ve been the same one. But do tell us now how then you got started with O&CO. Rose MalindretosI’ll make a long history … I’ll try to wrap it up. Previous to O&CO, my previous profession was in publishing, so I was at a big publishing firm in Boston and I was marketing my family’s olive oil actually because that was after watching the trees I planted harvest their first batch of olive oil. I was so connected to the land and the experience of being at the mill and having that fresh, warm bread and dipping the corner piece into that oil that first comes out of the spot that’s almost too strong to even taste, but I just couldn’t resist it. I was like, “Wow, this is just incredible.” I had some of that oil shipped to me in Boston and I actually, with one of my colleagues, who was a designer, created a label, we bottled them up, and we had … There was a type of craft fair at the publishing company which had thousands of employees, so I made a little stand, I had my Greek flag going, I had a little Greek music playing, and I had my bottle of olive oil. I was offering people a taste. I didn’t have any grand plans in mind, I just thought, “Gosh, people need to try this.” Afterwards, while the first people were coming through, they were like, “Oh, where can I get this?” I’m like, “Oh, well, sign up your name and I’ll see what I can do.” After about a two-hour craft fair, I had about 200 people on that list and they all wanted a bottle. They were asking questions, “Where did it come from? I love this taste. This is like nothing I’ve ever tasted.” And I thought, “Really? How could that be?” Because that’s all I ever grew up with. I’ve never had to buy olive oil. Rose MalindretosThis was in 1995. 1995, 1996. A lightbulb went on in my head. I’m like, “Gosh, this is what I’m passionate about.” Watching that reaction to when people taste an olive oil that I know … I know where the fruit came from and I watched it being pressed, I bottled it, and here they are telling me it’s like the most amazing oil they’ve tasted, that’s when the lightbulb went off in my head and it said, “Hey, I need to pursue this because it’s in my blood. The olive oil is literally in my blood and I am so passionate about it.” Watching that response really motivated me to pursue that. Curtis CordHold on a second. Before you … I want you to remember where you are. Your answer. I wanted to ask, do you remember … Did you have to explain why it was perhaps more bitter than they were used to? Were they tasting it with bread or were they tasting it straight? Rose MalindretosAt this time, I had bread and I had spoons as well, but most … I had it as a … I had three different ramekins, because there were so many people. I kept adding more because a line was forming. I did it with bread. I explained the harvest season. I explained how it’s very fresh and that’s why it tends to be … The basic words, peppery, when … And grassy, because it was 100% Koroneiki olive variety. People … Actually, I remember having … I think I had a bottle of another supermarket olive oil because I was explaining how it’s only … It’s not a blend. It’s just olives from the tree that are on our property. When you know the authenticity and it’s pressed quickly … I really … It was very much an educational process, explaining how quickly it’s pressed, how the fresher it is, the more robust the flavor is going to be. I told them, “Go check in your cupboard and if you have a bottle with an inch of olive oil on the bottle” … I told them how you can tell from the smell if it smells like stale walnuts, then we have a problem. Most people don’t … They don’t know that. That’s what was so incredible about that time when no one … It wasn’t on anyone’s radar. It was more of a cooking fat, not something that would add flavor and be, what I call, the third condiment. You have salt, pepper, and olive oil as something delicious to add flavor to your finished dish. People knew it for salads, for bread dipping. When you see the appeal of that grassiness, also, people like … Which is so important today, and we’ve come from, what, 1995 ’til 2016. People like to know where their food comes from. They love the story. They knew and trusted me, and I knew exactly where that olive oil came from. People love the story. They like to be able to trust, they like the authenticity, they live the traceability. That’s what I realized. I was like, people go to a supermarket, and there’s no connection to the product. It’s not cheap. You get what you pay for. If you’re buying something that’s worthy of that quality, you should get … Absolutely. You should get a story for that price. It’s really like wine. I’ll be talking about that a lot, how that’s really the entry point for our customers to understand our concept of olive oil. I can talk more about that later on, but it was a very much for me … It was like the lightbulb went off and I watched all these people’s expressions and excitement. I had a little black market olive oil business out of my office. People would come down, “I want a case of that olive oil.” So I’d prepare a box and off they went with it. Curtis CordI think that’s how a lot of people begin, is that way. Is bringing some oils from their family farms and giving it to friends and it grows from there. Curtis CordI know of a few producers who’ve done that. So then what happened? Rose MalindretosI moved to New York and I was researching how can I transition into the olive oil business. I was marketing my family’s olive oil which was a small harvest. I looked up every olive oil trade show. I went to the Fancy Food show, and there was probably a handful of olive oil producers there, just to see what it was like. I remember finding the boutique in Grand Central, Oliviers and Co. I went to that store and there was a French woman. At the time she was the business development manager from France. I brought a little sample of my father’s olive oil and we started talking about olive oil. She was like, “Wow, you know your stuff.” And I was like, “Wow, I am amazed that this concept even exists at this time.” It was … I think at this stage we were at 1999, 2000, at Grand Central, and the concept of a boutique dedicated to this vast array of olive oils was really so advanced. I was intrigued by this concept. Basically, she said, “Hey, you should work for us” and the rest is a long history with Oliviers and Co. I’ve worked with them in many capacities. I actually worked in London for Oliviers and Co for four years and developed, at the time, the wholesale and B2B. I got the brand in Harrods at the time, Fortnum and Mason, and that was quite a challenge because that was a butter culture. You see olive oil in pharmacies because they would use to get the wax out of their ear. There was a lot of education to be had. But because it was such a premium product and the packaging was so beautiful, it really suited many retailers at the time, who wanted to be selling something new and qualitative. It was a big challenge, but again, when I’m passionate about something … Just like anyone you meet that’s passionate about something, it really helps sell the product. Curtis CordYou’ve been working with them now for almost, what, 20 years. Rose MalindretosYeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh, when you say that, that’s quite a history. Absolutely. Curtis CordAnd you still like going to work every day? Rose MalindretosI do. We’ve had a lot of different restructuring and reorganizations, and it’s changed along each leg of the journey. What I love about the company is that I get to see a lot of different aspects of the business, so I revamped … I’m in charge of the e-commerce as well. I’ve done wholesale, I’ve done retail merchandising, so for me, it’s kind of running your business. Since it’s such a small company now in the U.S., you get to really have a hands-on approach to all aspects of the business. No two days are alike and that’s what I really love about it. And you’re working with the most amazing products that I never get tired of tasting or talking about. Curtis CordSince you’ve been there, what was the biggest transition or the biggest change that happened to the company? Curtis CordIt’s this weekend. I’m going to head over there. I walk around and see some producers. It’s fun for me. There are 270 producers in the directory that have olive oil. Rose MalindretosIncredible. Incredible. Compared to one of my first forays in there, it’s just incredible to see where we’ve come and again, the … That’s what I love. I think that’s one of the most rewarding things, is being in the Grand Central boutique in 2000, and in 2005, and offering customers a tasting and we were purists. We would have a spoon and I feel like, “Okay, have a taste of this fantastic grassy olive oil from Tuscany,” and they’re like, “Wait, you want me to taste it with a spoon?” Like it was cod liver oil. I will never forget that response. To the point where today, we have six-year-old kids coming in, trying three or four different olive oils with their parents because they have such a fondness for trying different olive oils. Curtis CordGrand Central Station, first of all, my whole life, it’s been my favorite place on Earth. I grew up in New York and I’ve been going there since I was a little kid. I’ve been going there since there was nothing but a big Kodak sign on one side of Grand Central Station which was a famous, gigantic Kodak … Do you remember that, by any chance? Rose MalindretosNo, no. I’m intrigued. Curtis CordIt’s even before your time. Rose MalindretosYeah, yeah. I’m impressed. Curtis CordAll growing up, you walk into Grand Central Station and an entire … It’s a monstrous color image that was a Kodak advertisement. It must’ve been there for ten or 20 years. But it was there throughout my entire childhood. If you wanted food in Grand Central Station, you had a choice. There was a deli, there was a pizzeria, and that was it. There was a news stand. There were some shoe shines, places to get your shoes shined. That was it back then. Nothing else. Of course now, you’ve got food courts, you have restaurants and everything else. Grand Central Station is a place … And the reason I find it so interesting that you have a store there, not only because I’m in love with the place, and anybody who hasn’t been there has to go there. Don’t go there just to catch a train, but go there to look around, because it just a gem in the greatest city in the world. It’s such a special place because most people are in a hurry. They’ve got a train to catch. This is the quintessential place where you’ve got New Yorkers running to do something. You don’t have them for very long. Right there in the middle of Grand Central Station is an O&CO store. When I saw that, it kind of blew me away that here in this maze of people zipping from one place to another, right in the middle of all of that frantic activity, is a Mediterranean outpost that sells, of all things, this thousands year old product with images of Mediterranean life and simplicity. In the middle of all of that hectic pace, people are tasting olive oil, of all things. First of all, tell me about … Because you’ve spent time on the selling floor there, right? Curtis CordWhat’s it like to grab one of these New Yorkers or when they come in … I can’t imagine. Nobody has more than 20 minutes to spare, right? Nobody. Curtis CordThey’re coming and you’ve got them for a very short period of time. Meanwhile, what you’re selling, in my view, is really one of the most … Well, on the one hand, it’s very simple, of course. On the other hand, it’s one of the most complex things. Just like you and I could talk all day about olive oil, right? Curtis CordYou could talk to them all day about olive oil, but they’re not going to let you. How does it go? Bring us … A lady walks in to the store and how does it go? Rose MalindretosYou nailed it. Grand Central is one of the hardest places to sell, but again, all of our teams are trained on that. We create an experience. We create a journey. It’s exactly that. When you walk through our door, you forget about Trek 19 across the hallway. You forget about the rush. In that split second, we transport you on a journey. It’s through a very well-rehearsed, experienced selling technique, because we want to make sure … It’s not so much selling as we’re helping someone to buy. It’s just like welcoming someone into your home and really having them taste something. Everyone who comes in, we really encourage them to taste, because again, if you ask a New Yorker, “Can I help you with something?” “No, no, no, no. Leave me alone.” We welcome them to our home, essentially. We have a tasting table. Kind of like, “Let me give you five seconds. Let me take you to Provance. Let me take you to this corner of Tuscany.” We really gauge … First of all, you have to be like a detective. You really have to assess if they’re going for a train, trust me, they’ll let you know. They’re like, “Can you get me rung up in one minute?” “Of course we can.” We listen to our customers. Rule number one is listen to your customer because they will tell you what they need and what they want if they need to get that train. So of course, we can get you in and out in one minute. That’s the priority. Because our customers that come in … I can talk about two different customers. Our customers that know us, and when I describe an O&CO customer, I would say the number one thing is that they are loyal. They’ll come in they’ll say, “Okay, I need a refill of my Chateau Virant. Or “I need another bottle of every day olive oil.” Or “A tin every day olive oil.” “No problem, we’ll get it.” Then you have the other customer that might not know us. We find that those customers are curious. They might not know what we sell when they walk into the door. We have to explain in pretty quick lingo what we’re all about. The line that really helps explain is we’re like a wine shop of olive oils. We have 20 to 30 olive oils that are carefully selected to really encompass a whole range of aromas and taste profiles. Kind of like wine. If the … We also ask, “Okay, what kind of olive oil do you use now? Where do you buy your olive oil?” These are really interesting questions because we need to get to know that customer as quickly as possible. “Where do you buy your olive oil? What kind of olive oil do you use? What do you use it for?” We call those probing questions to get to know our customer. We don’t want to offer someone something that they’re not going to like. It’s like wine. It’s really matching what kind of food the customer likes to cook with what kind of taste profile they like. If someone’s a vegetarian and they like their pasta, they like a more robust oil, we get that information from them and then we say, “Okay, here you go. Here’s an amazing Tuscan olive oil that’s perfect for you pasta, for bread dipping, for salads.” We’re matchmakers. The best part of it all is once you assess they have time because they haven’t told us they have to catch a train in one minute, then what we try to do … I remember I loved to watch that light bulb go off. Like “Oh my gosh, I never realized there were so many flavors of olive oil and they’re all so different.” Basically, the optimal scenario would be to have someone try three oils. A very delicate and buttery oil from France, for example. Because we have about 205 to 30 different extra virgin olive oils from, it could be five to six to seven different countries. We’ll select a delicate and buttery one, we’ll select a medium bodied one, and then we’ll take it to the two-cough, peppery Tuscan olive oil if they’re interested. That way you start from the more delicate, as you know, and we have them experience the wow factor in appreciating the nuances and taste and aroma. By the time they finish with that second one, they’re like, “Oh my goodness, wow.” That lightbulb goes off. Simultaneously we’ll … And this is why the staff is so important, to really tell the story, like I was saying. The journey of that oil. We know the olives, where they came from, and to where the bottling. We have full traceability because transparency is what we’re all about and what we’ve always been about. That’s something we’ve been doing from the get go. Now more and more people are doing it because there’s so many misconceptions and distrust with the whole olive oil industry. Basically, when the customer comes in and they taste, and then we simultaneously tell them a story about the producer, because we work so closely with the producer, we show them how to read what’s on the bottle. The information on that bottle is so important that we have to give them all that knowledge so they know they can trust us. From the name of the producer, the primary olive variety, the best before date. We’ve always had a best before date on. The month and year of the current harvest. We only offer olive oils from the current harvest, unless there’s an overlap at the end of the year. Listening to the customer, establishing trust, and then having a tasting is the key. Then they’re just like, “Oh wow, this is amazing.” We also offer, as you know, a range of amazing vinegars and Mediterranean specialties. We work with Michelin Star chefs to create a whole range and tapenades and pestos. It’s really a journey, a Mediterranean journey. After three olive oils that might be perfect for them and we’ll have a little chaser of premium balsamic, which is one of our top sellers as well. The conversation just evolves from there, because sometimes they’ll say … A lot of people say we’re the best-kept secret in New York. A lot of our current customers, as you have experienced, have seen our boutiques in Paris, because we have about boutiques in Paris. Then they stumble upon us here because we haven’t expanded our footprint as quickly as some of our competitors. Once people taste, then they’re hooked. It’s really amazing. And tasting is so key and something that is essential because you won’t be surprised once you get home. Plus, you’ll come in … Back in 2000 people were hesitant to taste, and now people will leave our boutique having a list of ten different things to do with that olive oil. We encourage them to use it for baking, we encourage drizzle it on your popcorn, fry an egg in it. Usage is important. We don’t want customers … Because our products are expensive, because it’s the top quality, we don’t want it to be used for special occasions, and so many times I hear that. “Oh, I’m saving it for a special occasion.” “No, no, no, no, no.” That’s the biggest different between olive oil and wine, you have to drink a good olive oil young. We encourage them usage is key. Aside from bread dipping and salad and pasta, how else can you use your olive oil? That’s something we train our staff to make sure you find out what foods that customer likes to eat and you give them five more reasons of how they can use that olive oil. I could tell you the questions we get through our customer service line. They ask us “Which olive oil has the highest polyphenol count? Why does a smoke point vary?” Customers are knowledgeable. They’re asking some great questions. Curtis CordIn the store, too? Curtis CordSo you’re getting better questions these days? Curtis CordOne of the things that I find so interesting is, first of all, your products are private labeled. They’re branded Oliviers and Company. But at the same time, you proudly display the names of the producers and where they’re from on the products as well. Why is that the way that you’re doing it? Rose MalindretosOliviers and Co was founded on experiences. Experiences with our producers. That’s how the whole brand was developed. It was founded on the question, like the finest wines, “Why can’t superior olive oil be recognized as grand crew, for example?” That’s where we realized it’s all about the people, the producers. We work with Eric Verde. He’s our … We call him our “Oleologist,” our science come poet, he’s our olive oil sommelier. He’s the one that makes the selection for us after each harvest. The company’s founded on the producers, on our relationships with the producers. I know from Greece, I mean, now especially, every time I go back to Greece, I have a line of ten producers. “Try my olive oil. My olive oil’s the best. Try my olive oil. My olive oil’s the best.” It’s very hard to change the way someone’s been doing something for centuries. For us, that relationship building with the producers is so important. We couldn’t be where we are without the producers. It’s that collaboration. Eric knows and has a very well-respected relationship with the producers, so he visits them from all stages of the production process. It’s really a collaboration. That’s why the producers are so prominently referenced on our packaging, that’s why we tell the story of the producer, because that, at the end of the day, is who’s responsible for making such amazing oil. We want to highlight that and focus that because Oliviers and Co is based on the people behind the olive tree and the chefs behind our product. That’s really part of our concept, is to bring to light the people behind these amazing products. That’s why the selection criteria is so rigorous, because we want to showcase the world’s best olive oil producers and we use the most stringent quality control criteria and the results are the most amazing tasting oils that we bring to the public. Kind of like the olive oil competition. Like what you guys have done. For us, it’s bringing a cohesive range of aromas and tastes. Curtis CordYour business is built on this direct connection with the customer. They walk into the store, you talk to them, you learn about what they’re using, you talk about what foods they’re preparing, and you help them select an oil for that. That brings me to my next question, which must be an incredible challenge for you and for a company like yourself, like Oliviers and Company. I’m taking about online sales. How do you take that company philosophy and the way that you distinguish your products and your relationships with the customer, how do you take that online? Rose MalindretosThat’s a great question. I have great answers. I helped redevelop our website with a great team to really replicate the store experience as much as one can without the taste. The taste and the smell is … It was a year-long process of a whole branding breakdown to how to convey that knowledge, that taste, that selection process, and get people to know us online. Our website now has … Again, the olive oil section is divided into usage. Every day use and then finishing. You can also … Kind of like the sales selling technique in our store. “How do you use your olive oil?” We answer the fundamental question of what our customers are asking. “How would you be using it? What can you use it with? What does it taste like? What country is it from?” We’ve translated the script of what our customers ask for to make sure we answer those questions on the olive oil category page for example. You have icons that represent dried grass or to replicate the tasting notes that we would say to the customer. The only thing … Maybe one they know. With Amazon involved we’ll have that taste ability. You never know. Rose MalindretosOr the smell, for sure, right? Misting through your speaker. But again, it’s really about education. We have a producer page, linked to each oil, where you find out about the producer, their [inaudible 00:38:58], their story, which is what we would tell the customer in the store. Is the olive oil category floral or grassy? That’s the starting point to gauge your taste. Kind of like “Do you want a white wine or a red wine?” Of course, there’s all sorts in between, but that’s a good starting point. Then from there, you can select by country and you can sort based on taste profile. All the information that we would tell a customer is on our website. It’s really just the taste that can’t come through. We have customers who call. Joanne’s our … We call her our “olive oil lady.” She’s our customer service manager. We have customers who have been buying Chateau Virant, one of our oils that we’ve had for years and years and years, and they know mother nature controls what it’s like each year. If we have it from one year to the next, they might call and say, “Okay, how does it compare to last year?” They just know us so well. They just want to hear someone tell them … okay, even though it says it’s still delicate and buttery, they just want our take on it. It’s the convenience of shopping online compared to the purists. We’ll always have those people who want to taste in the store, and that’s how it should be. Tasting, you can’t have … That’s the best way to know it’s something you like for sure. Curtis CordI imagine, and maybe you can confirm this or deny it, but I would imagine that most of your online shoppers are those who’ve already been in the store. Rose MalindretosCorrect. Absolutely. Absolutely. Most people … That’s why … Retail is changing so incredibly fast. But we need storefronts. We need the stores because that’s where people have their first encounter with Oliviers and Co. They go in there, they taste, and that’s where … We want to make sure that we have them work together. Kind of like an omni-channel. We’re working towards am omni-channel strategy, where we don’t want to have people not go to the stores and just shop online, we want to work together with the stores to make it an experience that will keep attracting new customers. And getting more people through the store door and an incentive for them. Obviously, if they’re traveling … We only have two stores in New York, so we have a lot of the United States to cover and a lot of people then shop online to get refills or whatnot. As far as New York goes, you know New Yorkers, they want convenience, convenience, convenience. That’s something we’re working on now, improving that multi-channel strategy. We have people who keep going to the store and having that tasting experience, because there’s nothing like tasting the olive oil and having that expertise of the staff guide them through that. And as you said, Grand Central is renovating and has the fresh market there. It’s just one stop shopping. It’s a great destination. Curtis CordAre some of the other Oliviers and Company stores in such impressive locations as Grand Central or is GCT sort of known within your company as the big leagues? Rose MalindretosYeah. That’s our flagship for sure. On the other hand, our Bleeker Street store in the village is … It’s a gem. That reminds me of the true original Oliviers and Co in Paris. It’s very much a neighborhood store. We’re across from Amy’s Bread, right next to Murray’s Cheese. We’re on the food strip of Bleeker Street and we’re actually part of the New York food tours, which brings us a lot of our customers. The New York food tours, they bring three or four groups into our store and you have about ten minutes, so you get an olive oil 101, you have tastings, and then they stop at the fishmonger, they go to the pizza store, the sweet. It’s like a foodie heaven. At the end of the tour they can come back and shop with us. It’s a great way to expose new people to our brand and it’s just a fun experience in the village. But people usually have a lot more time. Per your initial question, our customers in Bleeker Street, they love to chit chat. You could stay there for an hour and just go through twenty grand cru oils. It’s a very, very different selling experience. Curtis CordRose, I could talk to you all day long. Curtis CordBut I know you probably have a train to catch. Rose MalindretosI’d rather sip my olive oil, Curtis. Curtis CordI’d like to know what is the first thing you’ll do when you get to Chania. Rose MalindretosOh, my goodness. I think my dad already has asked me what I want to eat when I’m there, so I think I’m going to have a freshly squeezed orange juice and just walk around the olive groves and just breathe it all in and look forward to recharging my batteries under the Cretan sun. Curtis CordThat’s a perfect note to end on. Rose, this was fantastic. Thank you so much. Rose MalindretosThank you, Curtis. And here’s to all things olive oil. Great job and continue what you’re doing.

2019-04-18T21:06:15Z

https://onoliveoil.com/episode/rose-malindretos/

Department of Dosage Form Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia. ABSTRACT: The purpose of the research was to develop and evaluate metronidazole loaded HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules for sustained drug release at the gastric mucosa. Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules were formulated by ion gelation technique using 32 factorial designs. A 32 full factorial designs were used to derive a statistical equation, ANOVA analysis, contour plots, and 3D response surface plots. Different polymer ratios of HPMC K15M and sodium alginate were used to formulate nine formulations (F1 to F9) of HPMC K15M loaded mucoadhesive microcapsules of metronidazole. In-vitro drug release and mucoadhesion were carried out by USP29 type-II tablet dissolution test apparatus and disintegration tester using goat stomach mucosa. The formulation was characterized by determining possible drug-polymer interaction using FT- IR, the percentage of yield, particle size, the percentage of entrapment efficiency, swelling index, the percentage of mucoadhesion and percentage of drug release. FT-IR spectroscopy result shows the interaction between the drug and polymers combined. The optimized formulations F9 exhibited high drug entrapment efficiency of 92.07 ± 0.02%, particle size of 852.46 ± 0.04 (μm), percentage yield of 96.36 ± 0.04%, swelling index of 99.25 ± 0.02%, percentage of mucoadhesion after 8 h was 69.00 ± 0.04%, and the drug release (49.70 ± 0.01%) sustained more than 14 h. Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules adhered more strongly to gastric mucous layer and could retain in the gastric mucosa for an extended period, followed by a non-Fickian type of release. The study shows that metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules can be effectively used for sustained drug release to the gastric mucosa in the treatment of H. pylori infection. INTRODUCTION: Metronidazole [1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5- nitroimidazole) is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent. It is used in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori Infections which is responsible for developing gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastric carcinoma 1, 2. Due to the short biological half-life (6-8 h), short gastric residence time and non-targeted drug release, and bitter taste which may lead to compliance issues 3-5. H. pylori are a motile pathogen which lives in the gastric mucus layer and penetrates deep in the mucous membrane close to the epithelial cells 6. The eradication of H. pylori infection is the main troubles antibiotic resistance, patient’s compliance and intolerance to therapeutic regimens 7, 8, 9. The causes of resistance are poor drug penetration, low drug concentration; short gastric residence time and antibiotic resistance represent a significant health care burden on society. Besides, the poor stability of antibiotics in gastric content requires frequent administration and leads to patient noncompliance 10. Mucoadhesive drug delivery systems (micro-capsules) have developed to raise the contact time or residence time with mucous layer and absorption tissue of the dosage forms thereby resulting improving drug absorption, increase bioavailability and also work in sustained release of drugs which are influenced to reduce the gastric motility time and diminish peak plasma fluctuations 11, 12. Dosage forms are designed by mucoadhesive polymers that drugs are achieved prolong retention time at the site of action, controlling and extending drug release over extended period time result in increasing bioavailability, improve patients compliance and better therapeutic effects 13, 14. Hence, the mucoadhesive drug delivery systems can enhance the efficiency of the drug for H. pylori infection treatment. Alginate is nature polymer which is obtained from marine brown algae. It exhibits mucoadhesion, biocompatibility, biodegradability, ability to form gels in the presence of ca2+ and more used in pharmaceutical preparations for controlled drug delivery system 15, 16, 17. The medicinal use of sodium alginate which is achieved to sustained and controlled release drug delivery due to its hydrogel-forming properties 18. Alginate mucoadhesive microcapsules are the re-swelling ability and drug release rate retardant a period of long time 19. Microencapsulation is a method (ion gelation technique) by which an active ingredient is entrapped inside a miniature capsule. Very tiny droplets, or particles of liquid or solid material, are surrounded within a second material or coated with a thin film of polymeric material to protect the active ingredient from the surrounding environment. These enclosed capsules, which range in size from a micrometer (diameter range of 1 to 1000 μm) to a millimeter, are referred to as microcapsules 20, 21. Microencapsulation (microcapsules) are capable drug carrier particle, control the release rate or target the active drugs to a specific body absorption site for particulate drug delivery system, thereby it is enhanced drug absorption, reduced toxicity, superior patient compliance and convenience 22. Therefore, the development of new controlled or sustained release of the drug delivery system is one of the most excellent fields of research in the pharmaceutical sciences which deliver the drug to the target tissue in the body. As a result, it has overcome difficult problems of conventional therapy such as drug toxicity, stomach irritation, resulting in enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of an administered drug and reduced toxicity 23. The ion gelation technique was used to prepare sustained release metronidazole loaded HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules. The influence of different formulation factors on the particle size, percentage yield, drug entrapment efficiency, swelling index, mucoadhesion, drug release mechanism, and in-vitro drug release was investigated. The present work was aimed at reducing the dosing frequency, improving oral bioavailability and sustained release an extended period of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules for effective treatment of H. pylori infection. Materials: Metronidazole was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Company, Germany. Sodium alginate, carbopol 934P, and calcium chloride were obtained as a gift sample from MAHSA University, Malaysia. Methods: Formulation of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules was formulated by using ion gelation technique 24. Sodium alginate-HPMC K15M as mucoadhesive polymers were dissolved in 10 ml purified water to form a homogeneous polymer solution. The metronidazole active ingredients were added to the polymeric solution and mixed thoroughly with a stirrer to form a viscous dispersion. The resulting dispersion solution was added manually dropwise into 10% w/v calcium chloride solution (40 ml) through a syringe (no. 21). The added droplets were retained in the calcium chloride solution for 1 h to complete the curing reaction and to produce spherical rigid mucoadhesive microcapsules. The mucoadhesive microcapsules were collected by decantation, and the products were separately washed frequently and dried at 40 °C for the 3 h in a hot air oven. Various formulations of metronidazole-carbopol 934P mucoadhesive microcapsules were prepared individually by using all combinations of different levels of experimental variables as shown in Table 1. Particle Size Measurement: Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules of particle size were evaluated by using optical microscopy method. The amount was done under 10 × 45 (10x eyepiece and 45x objective) and 100 mucoadhesive micro-capsules counted for particle size analysis by using a calibrated optical microscope. First of all, 100 mucoadhesive microcapsules were taken and kept in a glass slide. It was mixed with glycerin and set in an optical microscope, then determined the particle size 27. Percentage Yield: Percentage yield of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules was calculated to know the efficiency of the methods used during the preparation, which might be useful in the selection of an appropriate method for future production. Percentage yield was calculated as the weight of mucoadhesive microcapsules recovered from each formulation about the sum of starting material. The percentage yield of prepared mucoadhesive microcapsules was determined by using the formula, respectively 28, 29. Drug Entrapment Efficiency: 100 mg of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsule was crushed individually in a glass mortar and pestle, and the powdered microcapsule was suspended in 10 ml of phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4), respectively. After 24 h, the solution filtered and the filtrate was analyzed for the drug entrapment efficiency after it was calculated using the following formula 24. Swelling Index: The metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsule (100 mg) was placed separately, in a glass vial containing 10 ml of 0.1N HCl at 37 ± 0.5 ºC in an incubator with occasional shaking. The swelled metronidazole mucoadhesive micro-capsules were removed a predetermined time interval and weighed after drying the surface by using tissue paper. The weight of the swollen microcapsules was recorded after a period of 8 h, and swelling ratio was calculated using the following formula. Whereas, Wt = Equilibrium weight of microcapsules after swelling and Wo = Initial weight of microcapsules 30, 31. Mucoadhesion Testing by in-vitro Wash-Off Test: The Mucoadhesive property of the metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsule was evaluated by an in-vitro wash-off test using goat stomach mucosa. A piece of goat stomach mucosa (2 cm × 2 cm) was collected and tied onto a glass slide (7.5 cm × 2.5 cm) using thread. 100 metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules were separately placed onto wet tissue specimen, and the prepared slide was hung into the groove of disintegration tester. The tissue specimen was given a regularly up and down movement in a beaker containing 900 ml of 0.1N HCl (pH 1.2) separately at 37 ± 0.5 °C. At the end of the time interval, the number of mucoadhesive micro-capsules that remained attached to the tissue was recorded 32, 33. Where, Nn = Adhesion number, N = Number of mucoadhesive microcapsules attached to the mucosa after washing, N0 = Initial number of mucoadhesive microcapsules in the intestinal mucosa. In-vitro Dissolution Studies: Dissolution studies of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsule, equivalent to 250 mg of metronidazole individually was carried out by USP dissolution test apparatus (Electrolab India) at 50 rpm and 37 ± 0.5°C, using 900 ml of 0.1N HCl (pH 1.2) as the dissolution medium. An aliquot of sample (5 ml) was withdrawn periodically, replaced with an equivalent volume of dissolution medium. Samples, filtered through Whatman filter paper (0.45 μm), was analyzed spectrophotometrically at 277 nm. Drug release data obtained during in vitro dissolution studies were analyzed for release kinetics using zero order, first order, and Higuchi model equations and fitted into Korsmeyer-Peppas model for evaluation of release mechanism from mucoadhesive microcapsules 34, 35. Drug Release Kinetic Profile: To study the drug release kinetics and mechanism of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsule, the in-vitro data was evaluated to find a suitable mathematical model to fit the in-vitro release behavior. The following mathematical models evaluated to determine the drug release per unit time, namely zero order and first order whereas Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas model was used to evaluate the mechanism of drug release 36. K0 = rate constant and concentration release is directly proportional to time. First Order: First order kinetic is described absorption and clearance of the drug. The release rate of the drug is dependent on concentration. Where, C = initial concentration of drugs and indicates first order reaction constant. Higuchi’s Model: Higuchi’s model determines the kinetic profile of different geometric and porous drug delivery system. It obeys Fick’s law and is square root time dependent. Where KH = Higuchi dissolution constant to identify the diffusion controlled process. Drug release that calculated in time per unit area is plotted against a square of time. Korsmeyer - Peppas Model: Determine drug release mechanism of particular dosage form either by fickian or non-fickian. Where Mt / M∞ = drug release at time t, n = exponent indicative of release mechanism manipulated by polymer and K = kinetic constant with structural and geometric properties of a dosage. 32 Full Factorial Design Studies: A statistical model incorporating interactive and polynomial terms was utilized to evaluate the responses. Where Y is the dependent variable, b0 is the arithmetic mean response of the nine runs and b1 is the estimated coefficient for the factor X1. The main effects (X1 and X2) represent the average result of changing one factor at a time from its low to high value. The polynomial terms (X12 and X22) are included to investigate non-linearity. On the basis of the preliminary trials a 32 full factorial design was employed to study the effect of independent variables, X1-concentration of sodium alginate (% w/v) and X2- concentration of polymer (% w/v) on dependent variables Particle size, % drug entrapment efficiency, swelling index, drug release, and percentage mucoadhesion. Factorial designs can screen for important drugs and drug interactions, as well as determine potential optimal drug dosages. Enable to build statistical models with a small number of runs. A statistical model was incorporating by using Design-Expert® Software Version 11.0.0 24, 36. Statistical Analysis: Quantitative results were expressed as mean ± SD. The statistical differences were analyzed by ANOVA analysis, factorial analysis and P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Responses observed for each of the formulations (F1–F9) were simultaneously fitted to quadratic model using Design-Expert® Software Version 11.0.0. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT- IR): FT-IR spectroscopy studies were performed to ensure that the processing time has not led to any interaction between the drug and polymer in the formulation. The FT-IR spectrum of the pure metronidazole, sodium alginate, and carbopol 934P were shown in Fig. 1 - 3. Furthermore, the spectrum of carbopol 934P-sodium alginate mucoadhesive microcapsules containing metronidazole was shown in Fig. 4. It was recorded on Shimadzu's Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (Japan) with a frequency range of 4000-450 cm-1. The sample of pure metronidazole showed feature vibrations peaks for O-H, C-H and C=O stretching frequency at 3209.36 cm-1, 3100.14 cm-1, and 1739.19 cm-1, respectively. The peaks at around 1471.91 cm-1 and 1354 cm-1 were attributed to symmetric and asymmetric stretching N=O, respectively. The band peaks at 1427.33 cm-1, 1264.51-1185.80 cm-1, and 1073.40 cm-1 were assigned to C-C stretching, C-O stretching, and C-N stretching, respectively. The FTIR spectrum of sodium alginate showed peaks at about 3228.00 cm-1, 1595.00 cm-1, 1406.95 cm-1, and 1024.32 cm-1 that were indicating of O-H stretching vibrations, COO- stretching vibrations, -CH stretching vibrations and C-O-C stretching vibrations, respectively. The vibration peaks of polymer HPMC K15M at 3370.25 cm-1 and 2932.10 cm-1, which were due to O-H stretching and C-H stretching, respectively, as well as the presence of peaks at around 1427.96 cm-1, 1369.11 cm-1, 1187.38 cm-1, 1054.91 cm-1 and 946.99 cm-1 were assured to –CH2 symmetric bending vibrations, -CH3 asymmetric bending vibrations, C-O stretching vibrations, C-O-C stretching vibrations and pyranose ring, respectively. Finally, the FT-IR spectrum for HPMC K15M- sodium alginate mucoadhesive microcapsules containing metronidazole showed different absorption characteristics of peaks of metronidazole, sodium alginate and HPMC K15M were found that the almost same primary peaks were also present in the drug-polymer combinations, indicating there is no interaction between polymer and drug used as shown in Fig. 4. Particle Size Measurement of Metronidazole Mucoadhesive Microcapsules: The particle size within the range of mucoadhesive microcapsules of metronidazole was found to be 760.08 ± 0.04 (μm) to 852.46 ± 0.04 (μm), respectively. Researchers have suggested that as polymer concentration increased, the particle size also improved, which could be due to enhancing in the viscosity of drug and polymer ratio, and coat thickness of polymer 38, 39. The present study indicated that the higher concentration of sodium alginate and HPMC K15M solution form large droplets with increased particle size than those of lower concentration polymers result in small droplets and diminish particle size due to the difference of viscosity, as shown in Table 3. Lower polymer concentration resulted in decrease in inner phase viscosity, which might efficiently promote the break-up of coacervate droplets and prevent coalescence. The smallest particle size was produced when sodium alginate, carbopol 934P was used at a low-level concentration. The highest particle size was achieved when polymer concentration was acquired higher level. Increased in sodium alginate concentration resulted in increased in particle size and this observation is found to be in the line of previous research reported 40. Percentage Yield of Metronidazole Muco-adhesive Microcapsules: The Percentage yield of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules were found to be within the range of 92.48 ± 0.04% to 93.16 ± 0.02% for metronidazole-HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules, respectively. The present study found that the percentage yield was increased when the polymer ratio was increased as well. The studies have proved that the percentage yield of mucoadhesive microcapsules was improved within increasing the concentration of sodium alginate also 41. Other studies have reported that the percentage yield decreased, with an increase in sodium alginate due to the high viscosity of the drug-polymer solution, needle blockage wastage of the drug-polymer solution, loss transferring and washing 42. Drug Entrapment Efficiency of Metronidazole Mucoadhesive Microcapsules: The entrapment efficiency is a vital parameter that assists in the identification of drug efficacy, and it depends on various concentrations of mucoadhesive polymers such as sodium alginate and HPMC K15M. The average efficiency ranges for metronidazole-HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules was 85.16 ± 0.01% to 92.07 ± 0.02% respectively, as shown in Table 3. Present work found that some formulation of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules has lower entrapment efficiency due to decrease number of binding sites of alginate for Ca2+ ions consequently formulations are less compact gel membrane which, in turn, the superior influx of Ca2+ ions leading to decrease in drug entrapment efficiency and also lower polymer concentration. Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules have highest entrapment efficiency due to increase polymer concentration especially with higher sodium alginate concentration which provides increase number of binding sites of sodium alginate with calcium chloride. The result shows that the entrapment efficiency of mucoadhesive micro-capsules was increased with increased polymer concentration; the result was similar to previous studies 43, 44, 45. Swelling Index of Metronidazole Mucoadhesive Microcapsules: The swelling index of metronidazole- HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules was found to be a range of 85.88 ± 0.03% to 99.25 ± 0.02%. The swelling index of all the formulations was reported to be improved with the increased concentration of polymers as shown in Table 3. The result shows that maximum swelling index was achieved in increasing polymer concentration; which was similar to the study as reported previous literature 46. Mucoadhesion Testing by in-vitro Wash-off Test: The study of in-vitro bioadhesion demonstrated that metronidazole-HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules had good bioadhesive property ranging of 49 ± 0.01% to 69.00 ± 0.04% respectively, as shown in Table 3. The present study was carried out for a higher level of polymer concentration by factorial metronidazole muco-adhesive microcapsules formulations F9 was excellent mucoadhesion and strongly adhered to the gastric mucous layer. The results were observed that if the drug and polymer concentration was improved; the percentage of mucoadhesion was also increased, as shown in Fig. 5. It was observed that mucoadhesion of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules significantly increased with increasing polymer concentration due to increase in viscosity and produced stronger mucus gel network which helps to enhance mucoadhesion. In-vitro Dissolution Studies of Metronidazole Mucoadhesive Microcapsules: The present study showed that metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules in most of the formulations were negligible amounts of drug release in simulated gastric fluid (0.1N HCl, pH 1.2); whereas for those formulations were increased amount of drug release in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4), as shown in Fig. 6. It was found that the percentage of cumulative drug release (CDR %) in the range of 78.71 ± 0.02% to 49.70 ± 0.01%, respectively. It was observed that metronidazole- HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules formulation F9 has slower drug release rates due to higher polymer concentration. The results showed that the drug release was decreased when the polymer concentration was improved attributed to high viscosity of polymer and drug solution The result was observed that the mucoadhesive microcapsules was slow and spread over an extended period of time when sodium alginate concentration was increased that was similarly reported by previous studies 47, 48, 49. Drug Release Kinetic Profile: Metronidazole-HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules F9 was selected as the most potential for its drug release kinetics model like zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. The R2 of these models were determined and compared. The result of the curve fitting into various mathematical models was shown in Table 4 and Fig. 7 - 10. The suitability of the model has been observed by best fit to the model using the correlation co-efficient value (R2). The data obtained from analysis of drug release kinetics were shown in Table 4. The zero order, first order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models were shown in Fig. 7, 8, 9 and 10. From the results shown in Table 4, it can be observed that the release kinetics of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules from the different formulations showed good fitting with zero order, first order and Higuchi model with R2 values 0.977, 0.955 and 0.814 respectively. On the other hand, the model with the highest correlation coefficients (R2) was given by zero order. The n value of Peppas model (0.68) indicates that the mechanism of drug release followed by non-Fickian diffusion. This suggests that drug release occurs mainly by diffusion through polymer matrix from a region of high concentration to lower concentration. Statistical Analysis: Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules were used to derive a statistical equation, ANOVA analysis, contour plots, and 3D response surface plots. Statistical analysis was analyzed according to Table 3. Factorial Equation: The result of equation Y that are indicated particle size, drug entrapment efficiency, swelling index, mucoadhesion and drug release for all batches (F1-F9) showed a wide variation of independent and dependent variables. The factorial equation for particle size (Equation 1), drug entrapment efficiency (Equation 2), swelling index (Equation 3), mucoadhesion (Equation 4), and drug release (Equation 5) in metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules HPMC K15M were shown in Equation 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. A positive coefficient represents a synergistic effect, while a negative coefficient indicates an antagonistic effect. Metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules regression equation (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) showed that positive sign X1 (sodium alginate) and X2 (HPMC K15M) illustrates synergistic effect, and indicates that if polymer concentration increases; the value of depended variables (particle size, entrapment efficiency, swelling index, mucoadhesion, and drug release) is also increases. Negative effects of X12 and X22 suggest that as the total amount of polymer increases, all depended on variables increases slowly. Positive effects of X12 and X22 suggest that as the total amount of polymer increases, all depended variables increases significantly. Two independent variables of sodium alginate X1 had a lower value of co-efficient than HPMC K15M X2 co-efficient value for metronidazole muco-adhesive microcapsules which indicated that X2 had a prominent effect on Y. Contrary, sodium alginate X1 had a higher value of co-efficient than carbopol 934P X2 coefficient value for metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules which implies that X1 showed much-pronounced effect Y. Factorial Design of ANOVA Analysis, 3D Response Surface and Two- Dimensional Contour Plots for Metronidazole Mucoadhesive Microcapsules: ANOVA analysis was used to response combination formulations and it is also used to identify the formulations significant or insignificant. On other hands, three-dimensional response surface plots were generated for every response to study the performance of the manner and also assisted the main and interaction effects of the independent variables (factors), as well as two-dimensional contour plot provides a visual representation of values of the response. Table 5 is seen that sodium alginate and HPMC K15M value less than 0.0500 which are achieved statistically significant. Metronidazole muco-adhesive microcapsules were prepared using both polymers and models were observed significantly. The contour plot Fig. 11A - 14A and response surface plot Fig. 11B - 14 B indicates that when the sodium alginate (X1) and HPMC K15M (X2) concentration is gradually increased, the all depended variables (without drug release) is gradually improved, as well as sodium alginate (X1) and HPMC K15M (X2) concentration is enhances, drug release Fig. 15A and 15B is also decreases. CONCLUSION: The observations made during study and results obtained showed the suitability of the investigated polymers for microencapsulation of metronidazole for its sustained release. The ionic gelation method was easy to adopt and also to achieve high drug entrapment efficacy. The result observed that metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules of entrapment efficiency, percentage release, particle size, and drug release behavior varies with increased drug-polymer concentration. Additionally, the microencapsulated forms of metronidazole are also anticipated to have enhanced oral bioavailability, minimized harmful side effects and reduced dosing frequency which would be further helpful to improve patient compliance. The in-vitro drug release studies demonstrated that the drug release was sustained about 14 h and non-fickian controlled release mechanism of metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules. The results of 32 factorial designs revealed that drug and polymer concentration significantly affected dependent variables entrapment efficiency, percentage release, particle size swelling index, mucoadhesion, and drug release. The metronidazole mucoadhesive microcapsules of the best formulation F9 exhibited high entrapment efficiency, the percentage of mucoadhesion and sustain in gastric mucosa. Therefore, one can assume that metronidazole mucoadhesive micro-capsules are promising pharmaceutical forms by providing controlled-release drug delivery systems. 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Rajesh M, Jaifar P, Helen SA, Asha C, Palanichamy S and Thanga TA: Formulation and evaluation of mucoadhesive microcapsules of aceclofenac. J Pharm Res 2012; 5: 1428-1431. Abass HA and Kamel R: Formulation and evaluation of in-situ forming polymeric drug delivery systems for mixed vaginal infection. British J Pharm Res 2014; 4: 2281-2295. Sriram N and Katakam P: Formulation and evaluation of mucoadhesive microspheres of pioglitazone hydrochloride prepared by ionotropic external gelation technique. J Encapsula. Adsorp Sci 2016; 6: 22-34. Paul B, Adimoolam S and Qureshi MJ: Formulation and in-vitro evaluation of metronidazole loaded HPMC K15M mucoadhesive microcapsules for H. pylori infection using 32- full factorial designs. Int J Pharm Sci & Res 2019; 10(2): 555-67. doi: 10.13040/IJPSR. 0975-8232.10(2).555-67. Authors Address: Department of Dosage Form Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, MAHSA University, Selangor, Malaysia.

2019-04-22T16:55:40Z

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2019-04-23T12:44:46Z

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The Molecular Clock is a novel way of interpreting random genetic mutations in every living creature – and deduce from them it’s evolutionary past. In this article, we explore the scientific & theoretical foundation of the Molecular Clock, as well as the implications it had on our understanding of our own collective – and personal – pasts. In the 1970s and 80s, an interesting academic dispute rose between two rival camps of scientists in the field of Paleoanthropology, the study of human evolution. The main question dealt with the theories of when and where the modern human, the Homo-Sapiens, appeared. Both sides agreed upon two main facts. The first was that fossils clearly show that the first humans appeared in Africa about a million and a half years ago. Their brain was relatively small, but their physical structure was similar to ours and they walked on two feet. This human creature, named Homo-Erectus, left Africa about a million years ago and spread around the world, from Asia to Europe; during that time the Homo-Erectus evolved and split into different species of humans, and among those species was the Neanderthal, who lived in Europe and the middle-East. The second agreed upon fact was that today there is no variety of humans. There is one only species, the Homo-Sapiens. All living human beings today belong to that species. The main question of the dispute was this: where did Homo-Sapiens come from, and what happened to the Neanderthals and the other human species that lived for a million years or more…yet no longer exist. Why are there Homo-Sapiens now, but no Neanderthals? Some of the scientists involved in this debate claimed that the Homo-Sapiens is a descendant of these different human kinds; that they mated and intermixed with each other during all those years, and that we are the result of this intermixture. This theory is called “Multiregional Origin of Modern humans,” since the intermixture took place in many areas around the globe – at the same time. For a long time scientists searched for answers under the ground, in fossils and bones – yet all this time the answer was hidden in the most unexpected place, yet the closest to us – our DNA. The story of the Molecular Clock begins in Paris, where Austrian Emile Zuckerkandl was studying biology. After completing his thesis, Zuckerkandle went looking for an academic position. His colleagues in the United States suggested he contact a famous scientist named Linus Pauling at Caltech, the well-known technology institute in California since they were conducting research on the same topics. At first, Emile didn’t even consider the suggestion. Linus Pauling was one of the most famous scientists in the world at the time. He made breakthrough discoveries in chemistry and nuclear medicine, he won two Nobel prizes – One of them a Nobel peace prize – due to his anti-war activity. Emile just couldn’t fathom that the renowned scientist would be interested in working with an anonymous and young researcher like him. But when Emile heard that Pauling was coming to Paris, he decided to seize the moment. He sent Pauling a letter, and the two scheduled to meet at a hotel. The meeting was a big success; it resulted in the American scientist Pauling inviting Emile to join him at Caltech, and in 1959 Emile Zuckerkandl and his wife arrived in California. Emile wasn’t happy with this recommendation. What is the point of researching a well-known and already-researched protein? Isn’t science all about discovering new things? If Pauling was wrong, Emile could find himself wasting years on useless research! Yes, Pauling was an experienced and intelligent scientist, but even he could make a mistake… But, Emile had come so far to work in Pauling’s lab, so he pretty much had to abide by Pauling’s “recommendation”. So Emile left the crabs behind and started working with hemoglobin. Two years later, in 1961, as Emile was about to publish his first significant paper, he offered to Pauling that they publish the paper together. Pauling was barely part of Emile’s research; in fact, during that time he was very involved in an anti-war activity and did relatively little scientific work. Still, Emile knew that even if Pauling’s contribution to the paper was minor, having his famous name next to Emile’s would greatly help promote his work. Hemoglobin – the protein that Emile Zuckerkandl was researching – can be found in many mammals. Every species has a slightly different and unique version of hemoglobin, much like a unique fingerprint in a human. Emile researched the differences between human hemoglobin and animal hemoglobin in order to learn about the evolution of every living species. For example, science teaches us that we and the horse used to share, millions of years ago, an ancestral father. An interesting question is – when and where humans and horses split from their mutual ancestral father. Before anything, we must understand how the unique variations of hemoglobin are created in each species. The “recipe” for making hemoglobin is in the DNA, and while this recipe stays the same between generations – every now and then a random mutation can occur. These mutations change the recipe slightly, creating a new variation of hemoglobin. Now, after humans and horses parted ways and split from their mutual ancestral father – their DNA mutated independently. These mutations accumulate over time, so that after many millions of years, human hemoglobin and horse hemoglobin contain many such differences – like two pairs of shoes that left the factory looking exactly the same, but after years of wear and tear with different users are now easily distinguishable. Since the accumulated difference depends on the length of time since the species split – it’s easy to see why human and ape hemoglobin, for example, are much more similar to each other than human and horse’s hemoglobin. On the surface, though, this sort of information does not reveal when, on a timeline, an evolution split happened. Mutations, by their nature, are completely random. By identifying three mutations on a certain DNA, who could say for sure whether these mutations happened during the last three million years, or perhaps only two, or ten? Emile’s brilliant idea was that one can treat these mutations as if they happen at a set pace. It is true that mutations are random, but they do follow some statistical rules. It is like rolling a dice: Every time you roll it, the number rolled is completely random, yet after throwing it dozens or hundreds of times, we know that all the numbers will be represented in the sample at roughly the same ratio. If a piece of DNA contains twelve mutations, and a mutation occurs roughly once every million years – one can assume that twelve million years had passed. This idea is the foundation of the Molecular Clock theory. The clock hands are the mutations that cause changes in a protein, and every change is a “tick” that moves the hand forward. The reset point of the clock, the moment when it starts ticking, is the moment when two species split from their mutual ancestral father – since as of that point they share no connection, and each of them develops different mutations. In order to use the Molecular Clock and calculate the pace of mutations occurrences in a certain species, researchers must calibrate it by using fossils and other techniques. In the case of horses, for example, the mutation pace is one mutation every 14.5 million years, on average. If we can identify 18 differences between human hemoglobin and the hemoglobin of horses, a simple calculation will reveal that our ancestral father lived about 130 million years ago. This technique actually allows researchers to draw an evolutionary tree of almost every creature on earth, based on their genetic data. Now that we understand the molecular clock and evolutionary tree, let’s get back to Emile Zuckerkandl and Linus Pauling in California. As time went by, Emile came to understand the wisdom behind Pauling’s advice to study hemoglobin when he first came to Caltech. The fact that the hemoglobin has been thoroughly researched by other scientists allowed Emile to easily identify the mutations he was looking for, and his colleagues were soon nodding in agreement with the validity of his findings. As the 1970s came around, Molecular biologists had developed better instruments to investigate protein and DNA, which significantly improved their research. Yet, evolutionary dating using a Molecular Clock still wasn’t an accepted technique amongst researchers. The reason was that calibrating the clock was a difficult, complicated process, with the potential to be, well, wrong. The pace of mutations can vary a lot from one species to another, and even between one gene to another in the same species. Among birds, for example, these changes occur at a fast pace; while among turtles, the pace of mutations is very slow. Without knowing how fast the Molecular Clock is going in regards to its subject, every estimate of time is nothing but a guess. A researcher who wishes to use the Molecular Clock must go above and beyond in order to prove that he calibrated the clock in a credible way, based on objective findings, like fossils. The Molecular Clock’s credibility rose in the 1970s due to the work of Allan Wilson, a scientist from New Zealand. Wilson used Zukercandle’s ideas to show that humans and apes split ways on the evolutionary road ‘only’ 3 to 5 million years ago – and not 10 or 20 million years ago, as was the accepted theory. Wilson’s claims were later confirmed by fossil discoveries in Africa. That wasn’t the moment of glory for the Molecular Clock, though. Its greatest success has to do with the initial question we asked at the top of this episode: where did the Homo Sapiens come from? Rebecca Cann graduated in genetic studies from Berkeley University in California in 1972. Genetics was still a young and fascinating field, and Rebecca was enthusiastically researching the connections between human genetics and their behavior. But then, after her graduation, reality hit. The technology used to map DNA and reveal its secrets was still in its infancy, and Rebecca envisioned herself spending long years in a lab with flies and mice, instead of with people… She decided to leave the academy and found a job as a lab technician in a big pharmaceutical company. Yet her natural curiosity was still burning. The lab where Rebecca worked was located near the mailroom of the pharmaceutical factory, which allowed her to get a glimpse of the professional magazines addressed to the company’s scientists. Through articles she read in these magazines, Rebecca was exposed to new techniques developed in genetics research, and their huge potential. In 1974, Rebecca decided it was time to go back to the academy, and found herself in Alan Wilson’s lab–remember, he was the guy promoting the concept of the molecular clock. Through Wilson, Rebecca Cann was exposed to the idea of the Molecular Clock. The key to using the Molecular Clock technique is to choose a relatively stable molecule, a molecule lacking many changes. In a molecule like that, every mutation will be easy to spot and locate, like a color stain on a black tie. Hemoglobin seemed to be a perfect candidate since it is vital to the body, and vital molecules tend to change at a relatively slower rate than the less important ones. Our DNA is another vital molecule – but unlike hemoglobin, DNA is under constant change. Every time an egg and a sperm unite, a new fetus – with a new and unique DNA – is created, a result of a random intermixture of its parents’ genes. In such a rapidly changing molecule, identifying random mutations is rather difficult. Luckily for Rebecca Cann, not all of our DNA changes so rapidly. The majority of our DNA is located in the Cell’s nucleus – but not all of it! Our body’s cells also contain organelles called mitochondria. You may remember from school biology class that mitochondria were called the “powerhouse of the cell”. Mitochondria consists of up to thousands of tiny bodies, enclosed in their own membranes, that float inside the cell. Mitochondria have their own DNA and some unique characteristics that make scientists believe that mitochondria started as an ordinary bacteria. The common hypothesis is that billions of years ago, far away in the mist of time, a mitochondrion bacteria was swallowed by a cell – but instead of being digested, as usual, it managed to establish symbiotic relations with its host. Basically, they lived together. The Mitochondria bacteria supplied energy to the host cell – and in return, the cell supplied it with vital nutrients. This symbiosis was so successful that today one can find mitochondria in almost every living creature – from seaweed to human beings. The mitochondria’s independent past resulted in a breeding process that’s very different than that of Humans. Mitochondria have no division between male and female; instead, every mitochondrion is split into two equal halves – just like bacteria – and as a result, two identical copies of the mitochondrial DNA are created. The fact that mitochondrial DNA gets replicated makes it a perfect candidate for implementing the Molecular Clock technique, since its DNA is a stable and unchangeable molecule, except for random mutations. The mitochondria in our bodies have another unique characteristic that interested Cann… A baby receives its mitochondria only from the mother. After the fertilization is done, all the mitochondria in the sperm get destroyed, so one can say with almost complete confidence that all the mitochondria in his or her body were passed on from the mother. This fact allowed Rebecca Cann to draw a human evolutionary tree – based on the Molecular Clock of mutations in the mitochondrial DNA passed over the generations from mother to daughter to daughter, and so on. It is the exact same idea that allowed scientists to draw the evolutionary tree of Horses, Apes and Early humans. Each female mitochondrial DNA has a unique ‘fingerprint’ of mutations, which is similar to other women who are her close relatives – but different from women who are not. Although her research seemed to be promising – Cann hesitated whether she should publish it or not. The Molecular Clock technique was still regarded as unreliable, and Cann felt she didn’t have enough mitochondrial DNA samples from women all over the world. Luckily for Cann, in 1982 a young scientist named Mark Stoneking joined Wilson’s lab, and he managed to get mitochondrial DNA samples from around the globe. Those samples supported Cann’s primary research, and in 1987, after many hesitations, doubts, and more than 40 drafts, Cann, Stoneking, and Wilson published a paper explaining their findings. Despite all hesitations and doubts, despite the calculated and careful years of scientific work that led to the published paper, Rebecca Cann wasn’t prepared for what followed. Reports on the discovery of “Mitochondrial Eve” appeared in the media across the world, and Cann was thrown into the emotional and intense debate between supporters of Evolution – and Creationists who took the stories in the Bible as literal truth. Interestingly enough, though, Cann’s discovery was actually embraced by some of the creationists – who mistook ‘Mitochondrial Eve’ to be the same as the Biblical Eve. And if Biblical Eve did exist – than science just proved the stories in the book of Genesis! This claim is completely wrong, of course. It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that since Mitochondrial Eve is our mutual ancestral mother – she must also be our only mother. And she definitely wasn’t: Eve was just one of many women who lived in Africa 200,000 years ago, and all, or almost all of these women, are our ancestors too. Think of it this way: It is true that we are descendants of Eve, but that lineage is a very specific lineage: from our mother’s side, and her mother, and her mother before her, etc. We all have other ancestors, from other lineages: say, from our father, and his mother and her father before her, and so on and so on. Mitochondrial Eve’s uniqueness is in the fact that she was lucky enough to have an unbroken lineage of daughters: that is, her daughter had a daughter, which had a daughter, and so on until our time – some 100,000 years later. That’s some luck. Rebecca Cann’s paper also got a harsh welcome from many of her colleagues in the scientific community – mainly because of its implications on the debate about the origins of Homo-Sapiens. As you may recall, there were two competing theories about homo sapiens: the first, Multiregional Origin of Modern Humans, claimed that the different human species merge into each other and became one single Homo-Sapiens. The other theory, Out of Africa, claimed that the Homo-Sapiens appeared in Africa, left, and replaced all other human kinds, making them extinct. Well, if Rebecca Cann was right, and Mitochondrial Eve – our mutual ancestral mother – lived in Africa about 100 -200,000 years ago, then the Out of Africa theory is clearly correct. Otherwise, the ancestral mother should have lived about a million years ago, in the pre-split era. But the Multiregional Origin of Modern Humans was an established theory, and many scientists weren’t ready to abandon it. Here’s Cann. But over the years, resistance to the Out of Africa theory weakened, as more and more scientists came to accept the genetic evidence for the African origin of Homo-Sapiens. With each passing year, improved techniques and many thousands of new DNA samples confirm Cann’s discovery. So, The Molecular Clock provides an answer to the mystery of Homo-Sapiens’ origins. It now seems likely that some 100,000 years ago, a new and improved species of Man appeared in Africa and later drove out the now-extinct other human species, whether by force or by competition for resources. But our story is not done yet. In fact, it is only half of it. We’ve talked about Mitochondrial Eve, but what about men? Do men have a genetic component that can provide information about their past? The answer is yes, but what this new component can reveal might be…quite disturbing. Spencer Wells was born in Georgia, in 1969. He studied Biology, and when he obtained his Ph.D. from Harvard University, he was faced with a decision: which professional field would he focus his research on? He wasn’t very excited by what he found were his options: Most of them included tedious lab work and rummaging in the DNA of flies and worms. As a child, Wells had always been interested in science, he was a big fan of history and an adventurer. What he wanted was a way he could combine his love for genetics, history, and evolution – into one package. Luckily for him, a perfect opportunity presented itself. In the 1980’s and early 90’s, Geneticists were studying DNA samples from people around the world. These samples played an important role in a lot of scientific research, from Medicine to the study of human evolution. But it’s important to note that the majority of these studied DNA samples were taken from European and American people since these populations were relatively easily accessible to scientists. Other parts of the world, however, were in relative ‘Genetic Darkness’. Many places in Central Asia, in the former Soviet countries of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, were relatively difficult for scientists to reach. The lack of advanced infrastructure and language barriers kept researchers away, and as a result, almost no DNA samples were ever taken from local indigenous populations – people whose families had lived in Central Asia for centuries. For Spencer Wells, this was a golden opportunity to promote the science of genetics while satisfying his natural sense of adventure. In 1996 he sent letters to American embassies in the central Asian countries and asked for their help in finding local scientists who were interested in collecting DNA samples. A while later, he was contacted by Ruslan Ruzibakeiv, manager of the Immune System Research Center at the Academy of Science of Uzbekistan. Ruslan invited Wells to visit the center and offered to help with collecting samples from the locals. Wells packed a large suitcase, invited a friend who thought it would be interesting to tag along, and left for Tashkent. Their journey was the beginning of a scientific investigation that would shine a new and disturbing light on one of the most ruthless emperors in history: Genghis Khan. Khan’s Mongol armies were infamous for decimating entire cities and killing millions of male soldiers and civilians – but now, Wells’ research could unearth clues about the fate of Khan’s female victims as well. Spencer Wells and his friend met Ruslan Ruzibakeiv at the Tashkent airport. Two hours and a few shots of vodka later, they were in his research center, getting their equipment ready for the expedition. Wells traveled from one village to another, met local leaders, and asked for their assistance in convincing the locals to allow him to draw blood samples. To Wells’ amazement, he was welcomed with open arms by the locals. He soon discovered that many of the people he met in those small, isolated villages were eager to learn more about their family’s history, and of the history of their nation. People who live in small communities, as Wells discovered, tend to respect ancient traditions and family heritage, and some of the locals could trace their ancestry up to eight generations back. This attitude, along with the fact that Wells gave free beer to blood donors – well, it was a local variant of beer, made from horse milk – this assured the success of his sample collection. A few weeks later, Wells returned to the US and analyzed the samples he’d collected. He soon realized that the 550 DNA samples he collected weren’t enough: the area he traveled through was relatively small, and did not adequately represent the Uzbek population. He knew that in order to extract meaningful conclusions from the samples, he would need to collect much more. In other words, he’d have to go, once again, on a road trip to the magical scenery, serene villages and ancient cultures of Central Asia, where he would be forced to drink local alcohol and eat exotic foods. It is not always easy being a scientist. So Wells returned to his maps and planned the 2nd expedition. This time, however, he needed sponsors, since this journey was going to more expensive than the first. Remember, we are talking about the 1990s, the early days of the Internet–some companies and organizations were trying to gain some presence on the young World Wide Web. The BBC, for example, agreed to sponsor the expedition in return for Wells writing a journal of his travels on its website…a blog, you could say. Land Rover provided his crew with a jeep, and Virgin Atlantic agreed to fly all the scientific equipment overseas at no cost. So, in 1998, Wells and four other men hopped in a jeep in London and drove all the way to Central Asia. For six months they traveled to remote villages in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, and collected some two thousand DNA samples. It was the adventure Wells always dreamt of. He met with many local people, drank lots of Vodka, and even crashed the car once. As it turned out, this expedition helped Wells start the career he wished for. He joined the National Geographic Society and led scientific expeditions to Chad, Afghanistan, and more than one hundred other countries. The Central Asia expedition was only the first part of Wells’ scientific journey. While in Uzbekistan, an Italian Scientist named Tatiana Zerjal joined Wells and spent a month traveling with the crew, going from village to village and taking blood samples from the locals. When she returned to the West, Tatiana analyzed the DNA samples in her lab. In her research, she’d focused on a very specific component of the human DNA: the Y chromosome. In the previous part, we talked about the Molecular Clock technique – which allows scientists to map evolutionary changes in living creatures by comparing slight mutations in the DNA over long stretches of time. We also learned how Rebecca Cann used this same technique to prove the existence of a female in Africa, some 150,000 years ago, which was the ancestral mother of all living humans today. The key to Cann’s success was using the DNA found in Mitochondria in women since in women the mitochondrial DNA passes unchanged from one generation to the next. It turns out that men have their own equivalent to mitochondrial DNA – and that is the Y chromosome. In every human cell, except the egg and the sperm cells, there are 46 chromosomes. Each of them is a tightly sealed package of DNA, wrapped around itself. The DNA in the chromosomes determines all of our genetic characteristics, while only two specific chromosomes determine our gender: the X chromosome and Y chromosome. If a fetus has an X chromosome, then it will develop into a female, and if it has a Y chromosome, it will develop into a male. During the fertilization process, the fetus receives 23 chromosomes from its mother, and 23 from its father. It’s a random mix, so you can’t really tell which chromosome came from the father and which from the mother. All except the Y chromosome – since this chromosome comes solely from the father. In other words, If Luke Skywalker is a man – and he certainly is – it’s because he received a Y chromosome from Darth Vader, his father , who received it from his father, and so on and so on. Since the Y chromosome is passed unchanged from father to son across the generations, it’s suitable for use with the Molecular Clock technique. One can take Y-Chromosome samples from the DNA of two men, and compare the mutations present in each one. If the two men have roughly the same mutations – they are probably closely related to one another. If they have very different mutations, this means their common ancestral father lived farther back in time. In fact, using this knowledge, scientists were able to show that alongside ‘Mitochondrial Eve’, who was the ancestral mother of all living humans – there was also ‘Y-chromosome Adam’, who is the ancestral father of all living men. Y-chromosome Adam lived in Africa some fifty thousand to three hundred thousand years ago. As is the case with Mitochondrial Eve, this Adam was not our only ancestral father: there were many other men around at his time. Adam was simply lucky in the sense that all of his sons had male sons, who had male sons of their own and so on, until the present time – although being a father to two very energetic sons myself, I hesitate to call that ‘luck’. And in case you were wondering – no, mitochondrial Eve and Y Chromosome Adam did not live together. They might not even have existed at the same time. Back to Tatiana Zerjal and the collected samples from Central Asia. Previous genetic research performed in Europe showed that the European population is made of a relatively high number of dynasties, with relatively little blood relations between those dynasties. Tatiana expected to find the same results from the samples she gathered with Spencer Wells. To her surprise, sample after sample revealed the same mutation structure – the same genetic “fingerprint” – in all male Y chromosomes. But that was very strange. If these results are correct, then 16 million men living in Central Asia today have a common forefather who lived about a thousand years ago – and that is nearly impossible. An average European man who lived in the middle Ages has, by now, about 800 living descendants. 16 million men are much, much more than 800. 16 million is roughly 0.5% of the number of men in the whole world. How can one man – even a successful one, in reproduction terms – have so many decedents? As Tatiana continued her analysis, the result remained the same: The reoccurring genetic signature forced her to believe that all these men actually share a mystery ancestral father who lived about a thousand years ago. Tatiana took a map and started marking the places where she and Wells collected DNA samples. As she completed the marking, she took a step back and looked at the map. Even though she wasn’t much of a historian, she immediately realized what she was looking at. In 1162, in northern Mongolia, a baby named Temujin was born to the tribe of Borjigin. At the time, the Mongolian nation was a divided into many tribes who fought constantly with each other, trying to gain control over the living areas in Central Asia. Temujin grew up to be a fearless army leader, the only one who succeeded in uniting all the disputed tribes under his authority. The Mongolian army destroyed every enemy that dared rise against it, forming one of the greatest empires the world had ever seen: from China in the East to Europe in the West. Temujin received the title of “Genghis Khan” – the greatest of rulers, or: the ruler of the universe. The markings on Tatiana’s map perfectly matched the borders of the Mongolian kingdom. But no one can say for sure if the genetic fingerprint Tatiana identified in the Y chromosomes did belong to the Great Khan. Until we locate the Khan’s grave, extract a DNA sample from his bones and compare his Y chromosome to those from the samples – we can only rely on educated guesses. But, assuming that Genghis Khan did spread his genetics so generously around Asia, how can it be that a thousand years later there are still so many men who are carrying his genes? One option is that the mutation that the Khan gave his descendants is in some way beneficial for them; therefore many of them survived the natural selection that “thins out” those with less fortunate genes. Yet this is clearly not the case here: The mutation structure revealed in the Y chromosome has no unique survival value; therefore it is improbable that those who carried it had any real advantage over those who did not. The second option, more probable yet certainly more disturbing, is that where natural selection does not apply – a cultural selection does. Genghis Khan was known as a cruel ruler who never hesitated before destroying whole cities and decapitating their inhabitants, should they dare rebel against him. He was responsible for the death of about forty million people–half or more of those were men. This industrial-scale killing, along with many rapes, could have created the current situation where Genghis Khan’s genetic inheritance is common in the territories of the Mongol empire more than any other genetic dynasty. He basically wiped out entire populations of men and raped many women, which resulted in even more Khan descendants. Tatiana Zerjal’s research is a prime example of how the data stored in our DNA has the potential to expose interesting facts about our collective past. The question is – do we always want to know? The Kohanim gene is a very interesting example of how using the Y chromosome to assign someone to a certain ethnic group – doesn’t always work the way you think it would. According to the Old Testament, when the Israelites who left Egypt built their first holy temple in Jerusalem – the priests in that temple all came from one single family: that of the Kohanim. The Kohanim – which were all men, of course – were all descendants of Aaron, who was Moses’ brother and played a big role in the story of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. The Temple was eventually destroyed, but the Kohanim still play a significant role in today’s Judaism. They have some important ceremonial duties in synagogues, and many Jewish men take pride in their Kohanim lineage. Remember Spock’s salute in “Star Trek”, the one where he spreads his fingers into a V shape? That’s actually the traditional Kohanim blessing. Dr. Karl Skorecki was Canadian and Jewish – and a Kohen. In the 1990’s, he used to pray in a small synagogue in Toronto. As I mentioned earlier, the Kohanim have some ceremonial duties, and at some point, the Rabbi who led the prayer asked for a Kohen to step up to the central platform. As Dr. Skorecki was rising from his chair, he noticed that another Kohen preceded him and stepped onto the platform first. Skorecki returned to his seat, but as he did so, an interesting thought occurred to him. Initially, in the time of the Old Testament, all Jewish people belonged to the same ethnic group. But some thousand years ago this group split into two separate populations: the Ashkenazi Jews and the Sephardic Jews. They were still all Jews, of course, but there were some differences in tradition, prayers, etc. The most visible difference between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews was their skin color. The Ashkenazi, who lived in Europe, had fair skin. The Sephardi, who lived in Spain and Africa, had darker skin. Skorecki was of Ashkenazi descent, so he had fair skin. The other Kohen, the guy who beat him to the platform, was obviously Sfardi: he was short and dark skinned. Still, they were both Kohanim – that is, both belonged to the same ancient family of priests. Skorecki asked himself whether he and the other man could truly be descendants of the same family, in spite of their physical differences. Can it be that over time the separation between the Kohanim family and rest of the Jewish population got somewhat blurred so that some who see themselves as Kohanim are actually ‘regular’, non-priestly Jews? Or maybe, god forbid, there never was a distinguished priesthood family – and the biblical story is nothing but a myth?! A few years later, Dr. Karl Skorecki immigrated to Israel. The troubling question about the Kohanim kept pulling at his curiosity, and when he came across the modern techniques of Y chromosome analysis – he seized the chance. He joined several geneticists, and together they examined the Y chromosomes of some 160 Jewish Kohanim from around the world. The results of the research were published in 1997 – and immediately struck a deep chord with many religious Jews. Dr. Skorecki – by then a Professor – discovered that 50 to 60% of the Kohanim share the same genetic ‘fingerprint’ and that this fingerprint actually appears in both Ashkenazi Jews and Sephardi Jews. In other words, it is highly likely that many of these men share the same ancestral father, who lived approximately 106 generations ago. Is that ancestral father Aaron, Moses’s brother? It’s impossible to tell for sure, of course. But if one assumes that the average generation is thirty years, the resulting calculation is 3,180 years ago, which is 1165 BC. That’s not very far, relatively speaking, from when Aaron is supposed to have lived according to the Old Testament: roughly 1200 to 1600 BC. But, let’s put dreams aside and reality aside. First, it is obvious that the figure of thirty years per generation is an arbitrary number. If we assume, for example, that each generation is only 25 years, then the ancestral father of Jewish priests lived about 2600 years ago, which is hundreds of years after Aaron’s time. Even more troubling were the results of further investigations, done after Skorecki’s initial research. It turns out that the unique genetic fingerprint of the Kohanim family – is actually two different fingerprints – or, to be more exact – two different variations of the same signature. Most of the Kohanim Jews carry a genetic variation named J1, while others carry the version J2. What this means is that some of the Kohanim – roughly fifteen percent – have a common ancestral father, which is different from the ancestral father of the other Kohanim group. In other words, there is not one, but two hypothetical Aarons… Which of the two Aarons is the ‘real’ Aaron, if one even existed? Finally, it was shown that the unique genetic fingerprint of the Jewish Kohanim is also present in other ethnic groups – groups which have nothing to do, genetically speaking, with the Jewish people: From Yemenites to Kurds, to Armenians. The bottom line, then, is that the existence of the unique Kohanim fingerprint in someone’s Y chromosome tells us nothing about his being or not being a part of this priestly family. In fact, he might not be even Jewish at all! In my case, I did some genetic testing – and it turns out I don’t have any of the two fingerprints unique to the Kohanim. So, what does that say about me? Am I no a ‘real’ Kohen? I might still be, but I’m not so sure anymore. Luckily, I don’t care that much – but there are many who would find these kinds of news very disturbing. So ironically, instead of uniting Jewish people under the umbrella of a common tradition, these findings can weaken ancestral bonds and create division among people. After all, where we once had one Kohanim family – we now seem to have two such families. Which of them is the ‘real’ holy family? Do we even want to find out? Yet genetic analysis also has the potential to show us how closely related, in the genetic sense, we all are. In 2004 an American mathematician named Joseph Chang published an article where he attempted to answer the following question: When did our closest ancestral parent – man or woman – live? We are not referring to Mitochondrial Eve or Y-chromosome Adam. Their lineages passed through very specific lines: from mother to daughter, and from father to son. Chang was looking for our closest ancestral parent via any lineage, be it my mother’s fathers’ mother, and your father’s father’s mother. In order to get to the answer, Chang created an abstract mathematical model of the human population. The model assumes that there are no more isolated populations on Earth: that is, there are no isolated tribes that never had any contact with the outside world. Under that assumption, Chang came to the conclusion that the common ancestral parent to all humanity lived about… two thousand years ago, more or less. Let me say that again. Our ancestral parent – mine, yours, everyone in the whole world – lived only about two thousand years ago. In historical terms, this is like a blink of the eye! Even under the most severe assumptions of cultural and geographical isolation, Chang’s mathematical model predicts that our common ancestral parent may have lived up to four thousand years ago. On first glance, Chang’s result doesn’t seem plausible. How can an Inuit in the frozen north share any relatively recent blood relations with a Zulu warrior from Africa? How can a Chinese woman, whose family never left Asia, be related to a Native American? The answer lies in the European expansion of the last 500 years. In the last few centuries, the Europeans had sent explorers, settlers, and missionaries to almost all corners of the world. The blood ties that these European explorers created with local populations all over the globe are the ties that unite us today, in genetic terms. So, what is the meaning of all this? Is the Molecular Clock technique of using DNA to figure out how we are related good for us, or is it bad? As is often the case with any new scientific discovery, the Molecular Clock has no inherent tendency towards one end of the moral spectrum or the other. Its usage is up to us. One could use Y chromosome analysis to emphasize the differences between ethnic groups of people, divide us into finer and finer sects and groups, which will quarrel and fight amongst ourselves, as groups often do. Alternately, one could use the same idea to emphasize the things that bring us together as humans. After all, we are all related to one another through a not-so-distant ancestral mother or father. In a literal sense, we are all one big family. From this point of view, the differences between us are nothing compared to our similarities. It is all a matter of perspective.

2019-04-23T02:16:12Z

https://www.cmpod.net/all-transcripts/the-real-adam-and-eve-the-molecular-clock-text/

There is an enormous variation in the rates of prostate cancer around the globe, with among the highest rates in the U.S., and lowest rates in Asia, though that may be changing. The largest increase in prostate cancer rates in the world in recent decades has been in South Korea, for example: a 13-fold increase in prostate cancer deaths nationwide. They suggested the increase in animal foods may have played a role, since that was the biggest change in their diet over that period—nearly an 850% increase. There is a genetic factor. If you have a first-degree relative with prostate cancer, you may be at three-fold higher risk. But non-genetic factors may increase your risk 300-fold. How do we know the low rates in Asia aren’t genetic? Because when they move to the United States, their rates shoot up. And, by the second generation, they’re almost caught up. This may be because of more Burger Kings and Dairy Queens, but could also be because of eating fewer protective foods, such as soy. A systematic review of all soy and prostate cancer population studies to date confirmed soy foods “could lower the risk.” But, that’s kind of a broad category. There’s all sorts of soy foods. There’s fermented soy foods, like miso and tempeh, and unfermented foods, like tofu and soy milk. Which is more protective? Researchers sifted through the studies. And, it turns out that only the unfermented soy seemed to help. Tofu and soy milk consumption were associated with about a 30% reduction in risk, whereas there didn’t appear to be any protection linked to fermented soy foods. Center MM, Jemal A, Lortet-Tieulent J, Ward E, Ferlay J, Brawley O, Bray F. International variation in prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates. Eur Urol. 2012 Jun;61(6):1079-92. Yan L, Spitznagel EL. Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr;89(4):1155-63. Ma RW, Chapman K. A systematic review of the effect of diet in prostate cancer prevention and treatment. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2009 Jun;22(3):187-99; quiz 200-2. Park SK, Sakoda LC, Kang D, Chokkalingam AP, Lee E, Shin HR, Ahn YO, Shin MH, Lee CW, Lee DH, Blair A, Devesa SS, Hsing AW. Rising prostate cancer rates in South Korea. Prostate. 2006 Sep 1;66(12):1285-91. Image credit: Jo via Flickr. Image has been modified. Republishing "Fermented or Unfermented Soy Foods for Prostate Cancer Prevention?" What about other healthy plant foods, like broccoli and turmeric? See what they can do in my last major prostate cancer video: Best Supplements for Prostate Cancer. Wait a second. Do you think the amazing results Dean Ornish and colleagues got—apparently reversing the progression of prostate cancer with a plant-based diet and lifestyle program—was because of the soy? It wasn’t just a vegan diet, but a vegan diet supplemented with a daily serving of tofu, and a soy protein isolate powder. Find out in my next video, The Role of Soy Foods in Prostate Cancer Prevention & Treatment. What about soy and breast cancer? I’m glad you asked! Fermented soy is typically better for you. The fermenting process breaks down the harmful estrogen mimicking effects and the cultures are good for gut health. Fermented foods are all more or less unhealthy, way too much salt, some strong acid like acetic acid, sometimes alcohol, carcinogenic micotoxins and nitrates etc…Japan and China have the highest rate of stomach cancers mainly because of their high consumptions of fermented “foods”. Not all fermented foods are generally bad for you or high in sodium. Fermentation makes plant matter easier to digest, in addition to supplying beneficial bacteria to the bowel. It also produces B vitamins which the plants themselves lack. It is a method of food preservation as old as mankind itself. Interestingly, the bacteria which ferment the plant matter live on all of its surfaces; it is “self-innoculating.” Salt is used to suppress harmful bacteria while allowing lactobacillis to thrive. NOT from fermented foods. Fried foods, and foods cooked in hot oil, are unhealthy. Bake foods or cook them in water, not oil. I lived in South Korea for 2 years and learned how to cook Korean food. They typically have a distaste for oil found in Chinese dishes. Most foods are braised rather than stir fried. Sure there is plenty of junk, but traditional cooking is healthier. The fermented food is very salty but I think that the increase in meat is really the problem with their increased cancer rather than oil. The stomach cancer rates are due to smoked meat and fish, not soy. The research presented in this video literally shows the opposite of your claim. Where is the evidence that “The fermenting process breaks down the harmful estrogen mimicking effects and the cultures are good for gut health”? The idea that only fermented soy foods are good for you (and unfermented soy is bad) is a fake fact that’s been circulating on the internet for years. There’s no scientific basis for it. Not true for soy. Please see Julot’s reply below with a video link. Or read Dr Greger’s book, How Not To Die. Library, bookshop, online. Traditional fermented vegetables are made in a crock where eventually you have to skim off the scum or mold. This fermentation method creates ROTTEN food which smells/stinks; this is not healthy “fermentation”. If you want to try a better method for fermenting (not “rotting”) take a look at the http://www.pickl-it.com website. I have been using her jars/method for my ferments and they do not “rot” or smell or have scum when prepared properly. I am not affiliated with her products, I just use them. The white film on top of the fermentation is Kalm yeast. Have you heard of probiotics? The phytoestrogens are part of the beneficial effect. They cause negative feedback on endogenous estrogen. That is they look like estrogen, so your body produces less estrogen. Also they have different effects than estrogen. Our own estrogen increases risk of uterine and breast cancer in excess. Phytoestrogens do not. I want to become a health coach – teach people in online sessions about the whole foods plant based lifestyle. So far, I have no accreditation. I have read most plant based books, watched almost all nutritionfacts.org videos and also participated in the nutritionfacts.org research webinar with dr. Greger. I am looking to getting certified to be able to practice but I cannot afford the time or the money to become a RD or MD. There are all kinds of people with varying levels of education and training dispensing nutrition advice from personal trainers to physicians, and given the amount of training one receives in medical school, some personal trainers may very well be more qualified to discuss the topic than many MD’s. Option 1: My tongue in cheek answer is go get some business cards printed up proclaiming that you are Health and Lifestyle Coach, setup a YouTube channel and have at it. You won’t have any credentials, but then again as far as I know, there aren’t any requirements for becoming a health coach. There are people who operate in this manner. It’s gray and edgy, but as long as you don’t cross certain lines, or do anybody any harm, you’ll probably be okay. Option 2: If you’re going to dispense nutritional advice, some sort of certification would be advisable from both a legal and professional perspective, and you may not be as far away from certification as you may think. It will help protect you from liability, and it will help differentiate yourself. It sounds as if you have a passion for the subject. You owe it to yourself to do a little investigation before embarking on Option 1, although, printing business cards and setting up a YouTube channel will work swimmingly with Option 2. Licensure or Certification does not offer liability protection. I strongly urge all practitioners to obtain & maintain malpractice insurance or at least incorporate. I agree it’s the “wild west” out there. Hee hee, option 1 sounds like my budget version of spreading the love. Been at this so long I doubt dumping a thousand plus into any certification will be worth the investment, except to have an expensive piece of paper! Not averse to learning for sure tho, just $$$. Thanks for your comments! I took this course several years ago and received my certificate: http://nutritionstudies.org/courses/plant-based-nutrition/ . I thought it was very well done and helpful. This is the one I was considering, also! Do you have any idea what kind of credentials it would give me? This course will give you a certificate. It is not a high level course, but certainly good for learning about plant based nutrition. If you want to coach people is it good to do a health or wellness coaching course to learn how to motivate people, help them set goals and stay on track. You will need to find out the requirements in your own country – laws as to who can practice, and insurance will vary. Good. I drink soymilk everyday. From an Internet forum, I’ve met a couple of fellow prostate cancer patients that seem to be very well educated and knowledgeable about the research on it. They say that there is enough evidence that all soy is potentially harmful to lead them to avoid it in any form. They both have advanced disease, but I’m not sure whether their assessment would apply only to advanced patients. Is there truly any good evidence that soy should be avoided after a prostate cancer diagnosis? From this video and other sources, Dr. Gregor would appear to believe there is not and I definitely tend to trust him. This is a bit surprising considering that tempeh is myelinated whole soybeans so one would think that it has more potential nutrients than the more refined tofu, but then again perhaps the refining and/or fermentation process concentrates or removes some factor in soybeans that is beneficial for combating prostate cancer. I don’t believe that anything has changed regarding tempeh. It is still a good food to eat. Agreed, just because it doesn’t seem to have obvious effects on prostate health doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy in general, especially when it eliminates eating dead animals! Joe Caner – are you sure you know what you’re talking about? To quote you: “tempeh is myelinated whole soybeans”. Myelin is a fatty white substance that surrounds the axon of some nerve cells, forming an electrically insulating layer. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. It is an outgrowth of a type of glial cell. The production of the myelin sheath is called myelination or myelinogenesis. Your comment is why I listen to Dr. Greger – the man in the know. And take everything else, including comments on this site, with a large grain of salt. Is Natto healthier than other fermented soy? And how does Natto specifically compare to non-fermented soy? I know it has vitamin k2… Any other thoughts? Natto is good for ME. I eat natto made with black beans. It seems to truly nourish me. I eat it with a bowl of rice and season it with mustard and tamari and green onions and… whatever I have around. It’s somewhat like a strong cheese, brie and it needs savory flavorings. Maybe it’s one of those things that grows on you… in a good way. I have recently been reviewing the blood type diet book because my roommates are unhealthy in various ways… and I would encourage anyone to take a peek at it because not everyone can eat the same foods and get the same results. I am a natural vegetarian, a Type A, but I can see how others might need – if not ‘meat’, then at least a vegetable substitute, which I believe dark green leafy vegetables and green juices provide. Chlorophyll contains all the nutrients that meat-eaters might be looking for in blood… but in a safer form. I don’t believe any eating system will long survive without lots and lots of greens and green juices. Natto has K2, spermidine and nattokinase. I mostly eat it for the spermidine, which is an autophagy inducer (autophagy is the mechanism by which your body clears out dysfunctional mitochondria and cells). However, there’s a Nutritionfacts video that links spermidine consumption to cellulite*; I do not have a lot of cellulite and Japanese women aren’t known for having a lot of cellulite, but perhaps spermidine contributes to it. Also, I know nattokinase is touted by some for its health benefits, but I don’t know much about it. K2 is supposed to be good stuff, but Dr. Greger has stated that if you have healthy gut flora you will probably be making it in your colon. Holistikale. Here’s a thought for you as you seem enthusiastic about WFPB. Dr McDougall and Dr. Campbell offer on-line self paced courses. They don’t take long to complete and can be used to let people know you are knowledgeable. Then,– go to very large apartment buildings and condominiums and sign up for an hour of lounge use ,(usually free) . , then post signs several weeks in advance in those buildings with ‘free’ information (let’s talk and discuss) about your favorite topic of nutrition and that this is not sales but sharing of information that can help your health. Let’s talk and share thoughts and ideas. (Eventually you might be able to turn it into health coaching, I don’t know) but this happens in my building frequently– I’ve taken advantage of chess, bridge, book clubs, cooking ideas, weight loss etc). I do think you need some kind of documented classes to help you. Yes, we are all passionate and want to convince others. Congratulate yourself for wanting to help others. Be well friend! Thank you, Pat! You are so kind! This is disappointing, since a previous video said tempeh was more nutritious than tofu. It went: tofu -> edamame -> tempeh. So I’ve been eating tempeh, and have a good product with 3 ingredients: organic soybeans, water, culture. Plus I’ve never liked eating tofu because they all have inorganic chemical compounds in them. It just seems wrong on a common sense level to be consuming powders derived from rocks. But perhaps I’m ignorant on the science of some of those compounds being good for you. What about just eating edamame? It’s got the middle ground for nutrition, and it’s unfermented state provides protection against prostate cancer, right? Like I said before, this video focused on prostate cancer only, not the healthfulness of soy in general. Even for prostate cancer, it makes no sense that non fermented soy work when fermented soy does not. It is just a cherry picked selection of studies. Well, Jerry, little evidence of a different effect between fermented and non-fermented could simply mean that very few studies are done on other forms of soy… like tempeh, miso and natto. Natto increases circulation so I can’t imagine it would be bad for any organ, including the prostate. Now, of course, the results might be skewed due to the genetics of the participants. I looked it up and was not surprised to find that in Japan the blood type is predominantly A, which does very well with soy. On the other hand, type O will do OK with soy but not as well as A, while type B should avoid soy altogether. I am really thinking this blood type thing is an important factor in diet and health. I’m glad I kept the book. As far as I know, Asian people drink soy milk and eat Tofu and NEITHER are fermented. Sacramento County Health Dept. Has found very high levels of lead in tested tumeric. Contact their lead specialist, Debi. That news will not be shared by vegans but only when meat and dairy are contaminated. Like I have previously stated, at NF we present the whole body of information, whether it’s in plant or animal foods. In the link attached here, you can find many of our NF videos speaking about lead contamination in various sources. It is unbiased studies of all types of nutrition. It does not mean all fermented soy is not healthful just because it does not seem to affect cancer progression. The fermented soy product, natto, for instance, offers huge benefits due to the super-high vitamin K2 content. There is a company that just does research and makes products from natto (Nattopharma), who is testing in a 2 year human study to see if they can reverse coronary calcium and thus heart disease. It is due out in 2017 end of year. This is the job of cuisine. I make nori natto burritos with amla to counteract the sliminess of natto. I add walnuts and craisins, and tons of green leafies, soy sauce and mustard. I love it. I add yogurt, but vegans could add soygurt. Traditional cuisine takes what you need to eat and makes it palatable. Now modern cuisine takes what is extremely profitable and tricks you into eating it. Not ok. fermentation. Nowadays they use chemical to speed up the process of making tofu. Jerry Lewis – Would you please share with this community your professional scientific credentials? As I’m sure you know, this is a science-based website. Many of us who follow this site are scientists and enjoy the scientific basis and perspective of its mission. As you may know, scientific exploration and conclusion follows the greater preponderance of the evidence using well-designed studies (which are studies that follow certain best practice protocols). What many of us enjoy about this site is that the scientific method, by its nature of design, eliminates and continues to seek to eliminate undocumentable opinion and remove opinion from the discussion. So sharing your professional credentials as well as your documentation of your statements would add to the level of discussion that this site enjoys. I have the feeling Jerry is simply a troll. I am sure he is the one that gives people thumbs down rather than starting an interesting conversation. As much as I try and ignore trolls I get sucked in every so often. It is important to clarify a few things. 1) NF is simply presenting the evidence, which is important for good practice. Whether the evidence goes or favours a certain product is not what NF is looking for, the mission of this website is to provide the best balance of the evidence available, which means, we cannot ignore research that has been published. The recent AHA Presidential Advisory, in line with previous publications has indeed concluded that trans fat from ruminant sources are likely to be as harmful as industrial sources of trans fat. Therefore, it is sensible to not eat meat & dairy because of trans fat. Tofu is traditionally made with coagulants; it is not fermented. One coagulant, nigari, is made from seawater. Nigari increases the calcium and magnesium content of tofu and, in my opinion, improves its nutritional value. Beware of the statistical outlier. I read over and over in the comment section where some 92 year old person smoked, ate meat, eggs, cheese, used olive oil on everything, and even drank milk and even whiskey……and they lived to a happy old ripe age of 92 or 102 or something like that. That my friend is a statistical outlier. It is an anomaly. It is an extreme exception to the rule. When it comes to deciding the best nutritional route to take in order to enhance one’s health and life in general, you CANNOT use the occasional outlier as your guide. You have to use the law of high frequency occurrence. In other words, statistically which group lives the longest and what is their diet? That is your safest model to follow in order to achieve health, not some infrequent outlier that pops up every once in awhile in the newspaper or on the news. So, I look to the Seventh Day Adventist because statistically they have the best record for longevity. Most of them are vegetarians, and many of them are at the next level of excellence by eating a whole plant food diet. Now that is food for thought. The Okinawan diet is a myth made up by the west. In reality, Okinawan eat a diet of both fat bacon and lard, seafood and vegetables and legumes. They do eat a lot of meat. Go over to Japan and check it yourself. A lot of cultures eat dairy and meat and have long life too. Processed foods are what kill people and not unprocessed animal foods. Jerry Lewis – I am so sorry that you are putting your lack of knowledge on display. Let me explain to you that this site is a scientific-based website – Dr. Greger’s mission is to go where the science leads us, in the healthy tradition of other very esteems scientists as well as the breadth and depth of our large base of scientific knowledge (which continue to elucidate our world to us in many disciplines). As you can see, 67% of their diet was actually sweet potato. To be fair, the Cretan diet then did include a pretty high level of calories from olive oil. Unfortunately, the actual Seven Countries data are behind a paywall. However, as reported by Nestle, the slightly earlier Rockefeller Foundation study estimated the proportion of total calories coming from fat in the Cretan diet in the 1950s as about 38% with 29% coming from table oils and fats (mainly olive oil). We all look forward to hear from Mr. Lewis as to his professional credentials and scientific perspective I am sure. Thank you. I just “Googled” this. It’s a pie chart of an Okinawan diet. If you look carefully at the very bottom you will see that it is the diet ascribed to the population of Okinawan’s that live to the ripe old age that we all want to see—–not the general population. Pig meat is 1% of their diet and sweet potato is 70%. So the truth, as usual, is a little elusive. Not sure if Mr. Lewis is purposefully trying to muddy the waters or is just not a very accurate deliverer of his message. It’s obviously misleading to to cite a “whole” population of anything when you’re really interested in a “segment” of whatever it is. Who really cares what anybody eats except those folks that live a long and healthy life!!. Gotta go pick some of my sweet potatoes now. Bye. Just wondering how soy can be healthy for you when it’s proven to be detrimental. Especially to men, raising estrogen levels! Thanks for your comment Anthony. I do not know what the website you have attached and I do not find it a reliable source. However, I will present scientific evidence to clarify a few points. “Two case reports describing feminizing effects that allegedly occurred as a result of soyfood consumption have been published [389,390]. However, in both cases the individuals were said to have consumed 360 mg/day isoflavones (~9-fold greater than the mean intake among older Japanese men) in the context of unbalanced and likely nutrient-deficient diets since soyfoods accounted for the vast majority of calories consumed. Furthermore, in contrast to the rise in circulating estrogen levels noted in one case , no effects on estrogen levels have been noted in numerous clinical studies in which men were exposed to as much as 150 mg/day isoflavones . This is a bit off-topic but isn’t it worrying that vegans and vegetarians apparently have higher levels of plasma AGE (Advanced Glycation Endproducts)? We’ve already plugged the B12 and D3 issues (those exist to an extent in meat eaters too). This may be one of the few areas we still need to fix in order to obtain maximum benefit. Given that meat eaters tend to have lower levels despite far higher intake of AGE, perhaps endogenous AGE production is reduced. Certain elements in meat like Taurine, Carnitine (the TMAO heart disease connection seems less clear now) and Carnosine may also counteract their effect. These aren’t the most vegan/vegetarian friendly options though and there may be potent plants to reduce this effect. ^^^I wish they clarified if Ceylon cinnamon is also effective (the regular cinnamon can quickly become toxic). hi Alex, I am in a rush this morning but your post caught my eye. If you google the words ” advanced glycation end products and a guide to their reduction in the diet” you will find a link to a paper on the topic (pdf file) that contains a listing of the age values for many foods in many categories. As a person that eats wfpb, with no oil, nuts , (except 1 walnut 3 x week, and 1 tbsp flax) and no packaged food, I was reassured to see that my AGE levels would be very low on a daily basis. Even my beloved coffee barely registers on the scale. Cooking methods DO count. Big difference between eating tofu cubes in a soup, and eating grilled tofus kabobs. http://r.duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-1&uddg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marshfieldceliac.weebly.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F5%2F5%2F7%2F2557865%2Fada_ages_in_food_reduction1.pdf I tried to copy the link but not sure it will work. Nutritionfacts.org has great videos/articles on this topic. All the best to you! Although it this study was not conducted on healthy young subjects, a vegetarian diet in haemodialysis patients, the skin autofluorescence (SAF) – a measure of tissue AGE – seemed to be lower in vegetarians than omnivores. On the other hand, if we put it in perspective, AGEs appear to increase the risk of inflammatory or chronic diseases, but vegetarians are at reduced risk of all these diseases. So, perhaps, the overall diet may be protective against the higher strange AGE levels found in that 2001 study you cited? I am simply hypothesising but it’s interesting to note. Thanks for your question Nanette. Txs Darchiterd. I thought Dr Greger had an article before that soy is good for breast cancer prevention. Just wondering if it matters whether fermented or not. Txs again. It seems that consuming iodine (1.5 mg potassium iodide per serving) may be useful against prostrate cancer. How about soy yogurt? Does that count as fermented? I’ve had prostate cancer, I agree that an unhealthy diet may contribute to contracting cancer, but I also believe there are other factors at work too. I have a theory that having a vasectomy increases the chances of prostate cancer, I have friends that have had a vasectomy and friends that have not and every single one of us that have had a vasectomy have had some form of prostate problem either enlargement or cancer whereas the guys that have not had a vasectomy seem to have escaped any of these issues. The chaps I am talking about are between late fifties and early sixties. Anyone else out there that has the same theory as myself? I was surprised that that soy yogurt has a higher isoflavonoid content than soy milk (30mg/100g compared to 16mg/100g). The degradation or augmentation of isoflavanoids is affected by many things. In the case of fermented soy foods, there is a great variability in the species of innoculating organism and in the time of fermentation, as well as many other processing variables which affect isoflavononoid degradation. I would be cautious about lumping soy yogurt (femented 12 hours) together with miso, for example, (heavily salted and aged for months) . It is not a simple matter of fermented = bad, non-fermented = good. How we love to oversimplify things and render them in black and white. There may be other trade-offs, in which case one might want to consume both fermented and non-fermented soy foods to take advantage of the strengths of each. Or one might want to exclude certain soy foods for reasons unrelated to isoflavonoid content, such as miso for its salt content, a deal-breaker for me. I would love to know more about the Doctors Notes referring to soy protein isolate powder reversing the progression of prostate cancer. The link to the video doesn’t work. I also see soy protein isolate powder mentioned in the “how much soy is too much” video. Is soy protein isolate powder a yellow or red light product?? Can I order the short summary booklet that summarizes the How Not To Die Book? I am a volunteer for Dr. Greger. I do not believe that a summary booklet for the book exists, from what I know. But the regular book itself is well-worth the read! I am confused about the benefits of soy. The American Nutrition Assoc. states that there is a downside to its consumption, that being anti-nutrients. They are not of a problem if soy is fermented, but what edamame beans, for instance, which I used to eat regularly. Are anti-nutrients something to worry about? Thank you. Mary P., please check all the videos and blog entries on soy on this website. Dr Greger has likely already answered your question. Hi Mary: You can find all of our info on soy here. Hope this helps! Actually it’s thought that the lower rates of prostate cancer in these countries is related to the lower rates of obesity and increased Vitamin D as well as diet. There is a lower incidence of prostate cancer in the southern U.S. vs the northern U.S. and this is thought to be related to sunlight and Vitamin D production. I’m sure that diet is important and soy consumption may have an affect on the incidence of prostate cancer, but I’m not sure it’s as simple as Dr. Greger is making it out to be. Dr. Greger! If the fermented soy has no effect on the cancer cells, is MISO therefore a red light food due to the added salt? Or is this more specifically just prostate cancer cells? By way of a brief background, I was diagnosed with intermediate-stage (2 of 13 cores on right side with Gleason 7 and my PSA is around 3.5) prostate cancer in January of 2017. I’m 70 years old, 6′ 2″ and 170 lb. and in generally good health overall and I exercise regularly. My doctors felt I would do fine with either surgery or radiation, but didn’t “push” me into treatment due to my age. I also had a Prolaris genetic test done and it came back with a 5.6% 10-year mortality risk for my cancer – which is likewise in the intermediate range. I did a fair amount of research on my cancer and read in a couple of books what the impact of diet can have. Then having Dr. Greger’s book “How Not To Die” recommended to me, I’ve been doing my best to follow it as closely as possible (no dairy, poultry, meat, added sugars. etc. and now eating lots of berries, cruciferous vegetables, flax seed, etc. I started the diet in May and have noticed the mild arthritis I have had in my right hand has been virtually absent for several months now, my lifelong battle with constipation is long gone and I just generally feel better and am in a better mood. While I should have known this might happen, I was only thinking about slowing or possibly reversing my cancer. That brings me to my question. My oncologist recommended that I redo a biopsy late summer or early fall to see if the diet is helping. I’m wondering if it’s too early to do so as I want to be sure to give the diet enough time to do it’s work (if it’s going to at all). I realize that if my cancer has for some reason spread and turned more aggressive I’d want to know sooner than later, but as I understand this cancer, that seems highly unlikely this soon after the original biopsy just 7 months ago. I also see this a long-term commitment and would think the longer I’m adhering to this diet the better my chances of the success – is this thinking correct? Thank you very much for such a prompt reply Adam. I just didn’t know if it took a certain number of months to see some effect on my cancer since I’ve only been on the diet for about 3 months. If the diet is to be effective at all, should it start to have an impact after 3 months – that’s why I thought of waiting a few more months? Hi, Ryo. As I am sure you know, natto is a rich source of vitamin K2, which is a good reason for consuming it. Natto has not been specifically covered on this site, but you might be interested in this study. I hope that helps! I read all of the comments and have concluded that nobody really knows anything about anything for sure. How does vitamin K work and help us? Someone told me that it helps coagulation of blood and strengthening our bones. While vitamin K is required, it is fat soluble so can be taken to excess. It should not be used as a drug with the logic of “it’s required for strong bones so if I take more then my bones will get stronger.” This is absolutely not true. If you eat a Whole Food Plant Based diet, you’ll get all the vitamin K you need. Can you post the resource that compares benefits of soy vs fermented soy? Hi Ali, all of the sources used for this video can be found under the Sources Cites button right below the video. Hope that helps! Can tofu still be regarded as a whole food since the solids, i.e., the fibre [okara] is squeezed out in the making? No, tofu is considered to be processed.

2019-04-25T21:42:00Z

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/fermented-or-unfermented-soy-foods-for-prostate-cancer-prevention/

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The series has become one of the most successful animated shows worldwide and each episode clocks up millions of views on a well-known video platform. Besides DVDs and apps with stories about Masha, the series is regularly broadcast to its many fans on children's TV channels around the world. The stories are centered on the unique friendship between two very different characters: a former circus bear, who now enjoys a quiet life, and Masha, a happy, kind yet mischievous little girl who turns his life upside down and inside out. The play set BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear “Masha’s Kitchen” consists of 19 pieces and is suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years. They can easily and quickly assemble a large kitchen with a stove, a cooker and lots of utensils which the included Masha figure can use to conjure up tasty tarts and delicious cakes. Once the little ones have done playing, the bricks can be stored in the container. The base plate is additionally used as the lid of the jolly play box. When it gets really hot in the summer, Masha and her friend Misha the Bear spend their days at the pool. The cheeky little girl particularly loves to whoosh down the slide. The playset BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear Pool Fun consists of 29 pieces that come in a colourful storage container. The bricks can be assembled in next to no time to create a beautiful pool with a slide. A Masha and a Misha figure are included in the set. Once the little ones have done playing, the bricks and figures can be stored in the storage container. BIG-Bloxx are manufactured from high-quality plastic and can be combined with other well-known building bricks. Together with the many other playsets from the BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear series, children can let their imagination run riot in the fun-packed world of the cheeky little girl Masha. The playset BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear Go Fishing consists of 29 pieces. The bricks can be assembled in next to no time to create a beautiful riverbank with trees and flowers. A Masha and a Misha figure and the famous golden fish from the Masha stories are included in the set. The starter sets from the BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear series from BIG are the perfect gift for children aged 18 months to 5 years old. Four fun-packed playsets are available. Bear's TV set contains a Bear figure, a sideboard with a TV, and a chair. Young fans of the cartoon can cook delicious fantasy jam with Masha's Jam set. It consists of a Masha figure, a stove, various pans and coffee pots, and a brick with the illustration of a strawberry. The perfect addition to this set is Bear's Tea Party playset, consisting of a Misha the Bear figure, a table and chairs, and a tea set. Young nature lovers will enjoy Masha's Sunflowers set, which comes with a small lawn, bush, sunflowers and a Masha figure. Each set can be used on its own and contains between 7 and 11 pieces. BIG provides a display consisting of 12 starter sets in colourful printed boxes to make an effective presentation at the point of sale. The bricks and figures of the BIG-Bloxx series can be combined with other well-known building bricks and are manufactured from high-quality plastic in Europe. Together with the many other playsets from the BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear series, children can let their imagination run riot in the fun-packed world of the cheeky little girl Masha. While the bear would like nothing more than to read his books in peace and quiet, Masha loves to play hide-and-seek. This obviously means the bear does not have the time and calmness to pursue his hobby. Luckily for him, the large tree hideout has enough nooks and crannies where he can relax without being disturbed. The BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear Tree Hideout playset consists of 60 pieces and can be set up in a flash using the supplied instructions. Besides the four large base plates, trees, a ladder and a basket for hoist lifting, there is also a table and a chair. Detailed figures of Masha and the bear are included in the set. The playset is an ideal addition to any of the large playsets of the BIG-Bloxx Masha and the Bear series. The cartoons of "Masha and the Bear" are a big hit with children around the world. The series has become one of the most successful animated shows worldwide and each episode clocks up millions of views on a well-known video platform. Besides DVDs and apps with stories about Masha, the series is regularly broadcast to its many fans in Germany on the children's TV channel KiKA. The stories are centred around the unique friendship between two very different characters: a former circus bear, who now enjoys a quiet life, and Masha, a happy, kind yet mischievous little girl who turns his life upside down and inside out. For all the small fans of this odd duo, BIG has created a versatile building brick series for children aged 18 months to 5 years old. The detailed sets feature replicas of the original characters and allow children to create their own adventures after watching the cartoons. The inquisitive and clever little bee Maya loves to explore her world cheerfully and courageously. She particularly enjoys travelling through the lily pad pond in a leaf canoe with Willy, accompanied by the scent of blossoms and fruits. The BIG-Bloxx Maya the Bee “Lily Pad Pond” playset from BIG, the manufacturer of the popular BIG-Bobby-Car, enables children to travel through the colourful water world together with Maya. The detailed set can be assembled easily and quickly even by younger children and allows them to re-enact new and exciting moments and adventures over and over again. The colourful playset consists of 35 pieces and, besides various base plates, includes one attractive climbing plant, flowers, fruits, one lily pad, one leaf-sail canoe and figures of Maya and Willy. The high-quality BIG-Bloxx building brick construction sets can be used by children aged 18 months to 5 years to enter the world of the cheeky, adventurous little bee Maya. All the sets can be played with separately, but when combined, they create an extensive world of fun and games featuring the popular stars of the TV series. The detailed figures are true replicas of their original counterparts. All the playsets are based on characters from the popular TV series and allow children to create their own adventures after watching the cartoons. All BIG-Bloxx sets can be combined with other well-known building bricks. Like all children, the inquisitive and clever little bee Maya and her friend Willy love whizzing around in a carousel. The two friends spin round and round in the four large, illuminated flower pods. The BIG-Bloxx Maya the Bee “Flower Carousel” playset from BIG, the manufacturer of the popular BIG-Bobby-Car, allows younger children to easily and quickly assemble the jolly carousel from the popular TV series and to have lots of fun with the Maya and Willy figures. The set consists of 38 pieces and can be perfectly combined with the other playsets of the Maya building block series. The figures can be easily and securely positioned in the four colourful flower pods on the large, rotatable base plate. There is hardly anything more tempting for bees than honey. And Maya the bee is no exception, she loves it, too. The BIG Bloxx Maya Honey Kiosk is suitable for children from 18 months to 5 years old and is made up of 28 parts which you build up to make a large sales stand with an arch. The set includes a tree and a flower and a Maya the Bee figure. The BIG-Bloxx Maya Honey Kiosk is made of high-quality plastic. The bricks - without stickers - can be washed on a gentle cycle in the washing machine. The large BIG-Bloxx Maya Playground has many attractions for Maya the Bee and her friends. There is something for all Maya's little friends including swings, a slide, a climbing tower and seesaw. The playground is on 2 levels and even has a spinning flower carousel on the top level. The young playmates can rest on the little terrace on the first storey or in the garden with its big table. In addition to different sized blocks, the set includes large base plates, a seesaw, a swing and a slide. Lots of fun is guaranteed with the faithfully reproduced figures of Maya the Bee, Willy and Flip. BIG-Bloxx Maya Playground consists of 101 parts and is suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years. Now learning is fun! In the beautiful classroom Maya and Willy learn all sorts of important things. The school set consists of 68 parts and, in addition to a large base plate, it includes various tables, chairs, a teacher's desk and a clock. The set also includes the figures of Maya and Willy. BIG-Bloxx Maja School is made of high-quality plastic. The set can be rebuilt over and over in lots of different versions. There are easy to understand assembly instructions on the side flaps of the packaging to help you assemble it like the original. Maya the Bee takes her little friends on a journey into her world and together they have exciting and jolly adventures. BIG-Bloxx Maya Starter Sets are suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years. Each set is ideal as a thank you present or a "just because" gift from Auntie or Granny, or as a reward for children for doing well. Three different sets are available, each packaged in an attractive, colourful gift box. The first set is Maya the Bee in her garden with a swing. The other includes Flip with a table and chair and a little garden. Also available is a set with Willy and a bed, commode, tree and fence. All sets can be combined and suitable for children between 18 month and 5 years. If you are looking for a perfect 'thank you' present or a 'just because' gift for fans of the popular Peppa Pig series, the Basic Sets from BIG are the ideal choice. Each set comes packaged in a colourful box whose lid is a base plate and consists of numerous building bricks and one figure. Four different sets are available: Peppa's Ice Cream consists of an ice cream van and a cosy garden with a set of seats and a Peppa Pig figure. Suzy's Swing consists of a garden with a swing, building bricks with funny animal stickers and a Suzy Sheep figure. A figure of Peppa's little brother George feels over the moon in the nursery set that consists of a bed, cupboard and various pieces of furniture. And staying true to the original series, Mummy’s Kitchen contains a large kitchen with a washing machine, stove, fridge, set of chairs and a Mummy Pig figure. The inviting Cake Shop also contains a juice bar. Visitors can sit and enjoy a variety of treats here. The BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Cake Shop allows children aged 18 months to 5 years to recreate this wonderful shop at home. The set consists of 22 pieces that can be transformed into the shop with juice bar and seats. It additionally includes a Suzy Sheep figure. The Cake Shop set is part of a three-piece series that allows fans of the popular TV series to recreate the well-known shopping street. Besides the Cake Shop, the BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig series additionally includes Mr Fox's Shop and the Fruit Shop. The extensive Peppa Pig building brick series from BIG allows young fans of the popular TV series to play out their own adventures with their favourite Peppa Pig characters. The large, child hand-friendly building bricks are very easy to put together and take apart and can be combined with other well-known building bricks. They are made of high-grade plastic and are, therefore, easy to clean. Peppa likes to stay in her own Garden House. There's lots to do here. She loves to sit on the large table and paint pictures of her beloved flower or the little bees. And if George or her Mummy or Daddy Pig are visiting her they start to play on the fantastic seesaw. The set BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Garden House consists of 19 pieces and is suitable for children of the age of 18 month till 5 years. Mr Fox's Shop is situated in the middle of a shopping street, between a cake shop and a fruit shop. Mr Fox's Shop has almost everything you could want. And Mr Fox ensures Peppa and her family find exactly what they are looking for. The BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Mr Fox's Shop playset consists of 29 pieces and can be quickly set up to create Mr Fox's Shop and contents. In addition to a shopping trolley and various shopping items, the set also includes a Peppa Pig figure. The Mr Fox's Shop set is part of a three-piece series that allows fans of the popular TV series to recreate the well-known shopping street. Besides Mr Fox's Shop, the BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig series additionally includes the Cake Shop and the Fruit Shop. Peppa loves her parents very much. They enjoy lots of wonderful adventures together and her parents provide her with the support and encouragement she needs. And her grandparents also hold a special place in the little piggy's heart. The adult figures from the BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig series are the original figures from the children's popular television series Peppa Pig. These figures are highly detailed and lovingly crafted and the perfect addition to any BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig playset. The set consists of three figures of Daddy Pig, Mummy Pig and Grandpa Pig. The set of figures comes packaged in a window display box. The figures are suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years and can be combined with other well-known building bricks. This spacious house of Peppa and her family offers luxury living. The upper storey consists of a large terrace with seating area and barbecue. Just below there is a big bedroom with two large beds and a huge cupboard. The lower storey offers plenty of room for living, cooking and also has a large garden. This is the ideal home for Peppa Pig and her family. BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Peppas House is a 107-piece set and includes the play figures Peppa Pig, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. It offers tremendous play value and the combination possibilities are simply endless. Three levels and a garden provide endless scope for those little builders to use their imagination and creativity. It is suitable for children from the age of 18 month till 5 years. Peppa loves her family. Together with her Brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig explores Peppa the world. This set includes the whole family Pig (Peppa, George, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig) and is compatible with all BIG-Bloxx sets as well as with leading brands of building bricks. On a beautiful, sunny afternoon the Pig family decide to go on a picnic trip in their red car. They enjoy a wonderful time together with lots of yummy food. The BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Picnic Fun playset provides small fans of the popular series with lots of fun role playing the exciting adventures of Peppa Pig and her family at home. The set consists of 18 pieces, including the red car, a meadow with picnic blanket and sunshade and an additional figure of Peppa Pig and Mummy Pig. Furthermore, the set contains various bricks illustrated with animals and food items. Once the little ones have done playing, the bricks and figures can be stored in the easy-to-carry storage container with lid, thus keeping everything together so things do not get lost. Peppa Pig and her little brother George can romp about to their heart's content in the large Peppa Pig Play House. It features three floors, including a large sun terrace. Peppa and George reach the first floor via a large staircase. They can whizz down the slide into the garden. This is where the small pigs can play on the swing or bounce up and down on the see-saw. The extensive Peppa Pig building brick series allows young fans of the popular TV series to play out their own adventures with their favourite characters. The large BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig Play House playset consists of 75 pieces. It contains a house with three floors, a slide, a swing, a see-saw, a table and chairs, various trees and flowers, and a Peppa Pig and a George figure. BIG-Bloxx are suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years and can be combined with other well-known building bricks. They are made of high-quality plastic and are, therefore, easy to clean. With her lovely locomotive in bright red Peppa Pig starts to fantastic journeys across her own dreamland. The 15-piece set from the BIG-Bloxx Peppa Pig line allows children to create a train stop for Peppa Pig and her family. The set includes a large base plate, different bricks to built a train stop and also the play figure Peppa Pig and a locomotive. Once the little ones have done playing, the blocks can be quickly put back into the storage container and the box could be closed by the base plate which and taken on long or short journeys, or safely stored away in the playroom. The BIG-Bloxx sets are suitable for children aged 18 months to 5 years and can be combined with other well-known building bricks. The name Sansibar brings to mind waves and ocean, pirates and adventure, and is associated with one of the most popular restaurants in the dunes of Sylt. A characteristic feature is the two crossed swords that today are the coat of arms of the cult restaurant. The BIG-Bobby-Car Sansibar combines fashionable design and high play value. Elegant black comes with a radiant blue to make the product line a highlight in the house, garden or on holiday. The child-friendly design with easy-grip steering wheel and a trailer coupling both at the front and rear, make this an ideal ride-on vehicle for everyone. The vehicle has a turning circle which is particularly small due to the stepless Ackermann steering system. The low centre of gravity of the BIG-Bobby-Car-Classic Sansibar provides the necessary stability to avoid tipping even during speedier rides. And to make driving even more fun, for even longer, a knee recess is included for older children as standard. Ideal for small construction sites or as an addition to the fun originals, the mini vehicles in the BIG Power Worker Sansibar series are for children aged 2 and above. The BIG Power Worker Minis Sansibar are only half the size of their big brothers, but like them they combine high play value with the fashionable design of the well-known Sansibar. Because of their size, they are the ideal vehicles for small construction sites and ideal for trips to the playground or for taking on holiday. The BIG Power Worker Mini Digger Sansibar quickly moves excess material out of the way with its large shovel. The material is loaded onto the load area of the mini tipper. The small digger is manoeuvrable and extremely robust. The design of the BIG Power Worker Mini vehicles has been specially tailored to the ergonomics of little hands so that the vehicles can be pushed, carried and the shovels or load areas emptied without problems. A particular bonus are the hard-wearing wheels made from softer plastic that are used as standard on all BIG Power Worker vehicles. These are easy to clean, do not leave marks behind and are therefore ideal for playing in the children's room or outdoors. The BIG Power Worker Mini Dumper Sansibar for children aged 2 and above transports all kinds of things. The design of the BIG Power Worker Mini vehicles has been specially tailored to the ergonomics of little hands so that the vehicles can be pushed, carried and the shovels or load areas emptied without problems. A particular bonus are the hard-wearing wheels made from softer plastic that are used as standard on all BIG Power Worker vehicles. These are easy to clean, do not leave marks behind and are therefore ideal for playing in the children's room or outdoors. The BIG Power Worker Mini vehicles are manufactured in Germany using high-quality plastic materials and ideal for playing on the beach or in the sandpit. The BIG Power Worker Minis are only half the size of their big brothers, but like them they combine high play value with the fashionable design of the well-known Sansibar. Because of their size, they are the ideal vehicles for small construction sites and ideal for trips to the playground or for taking on holiday. Ideal for playing on the beach or in the sandpit or as an addition to the fun originals, the mini vehicles in the BIG Power Worker Sansibar series are for children aged 2 and above. The BIG Power Worker Minis are only half the size of their big brothers, but like them they combine high play value with the fashionable design of the well-known Sansibar. Because of their size, they are the ideal vehicles for small construction sites and ideal for trips to the playground or for taking on holiday. The BIG Power Worker Mini Wheel Loader Sansibar quickly moves excess material out of the way with its large shovel. The material is loaded onto the load area of the mini tipper with the large shovel of the mini excavator. The BIG Power Worker Mini Wheel Loader Sansibar is manoeuvrable and extremely robust. The design of the Mini vehicles has been specially tailored to the ergonomics of little hands so that the vehicles can be pushed, carried and the shovels or load areas emptied without problems. A particular bonus are the hard-wearing wheels made from softer plastic that are used as standard on all BIG Power Worker vehicles. These are easy to clean, do not leave marks behind and are therefore ideal for playing in the children's room or outdoors. The BIG-Power-Worker Wheel Loader Sansibar with large bucket has a load capacity of up to 0.5 litres. So it doesn't take long to excavate a small building site with this sturdy machine. His fashionable design of the well-known Sansibar makes the BIG-Power-Worker Wheel Loader Sansibar a real eye catcher on the beach or little building sites. And as far as ergonomics are concerned, the new vehicle again turns up trumps, because the wheel loader is ergonomically designed to be just right for little hands, making it easy for young children aged 2 years and up to push or carry, or to tip the bucket. A special extra is the robust soft tyres that are fitted as standard to all of the BIG-Power-Worker range. Vicky bravely takes to the seas in his dragon boat with its large sail. It is based on the original boat from the popular animated TV series Vicky the Viking and looks fantastic. The BIG Waterplay Vicky "Dragon Boat" is suitable for children aged 3 and above and fits perfectly in all BIG Waterplay tracks. It is also an ideal toy for bathtubs, paddling pools or the beach. The dragon boat is made in Germany and includes a Vicky figure. The buildable deck of the boat is compatible with Duplo building bricks. The large sail can be removed. Beware of Sven the Terrible! He makes use of his fast dragon boat to attack the Vikings or rob them of their treasure. The BIG Waterplay Vicky "Dragon Boat Sven" is based on the original boat from the popular animated TV series Vicky the Viking. It looks fantastic and is suitable for children aged 3 and above. Its shape and size allow it to fit perfectly in all BIG Waterplay tracks. Dragon Boat Sven is also an ideal toy for bathtubs, paddling pools or the beach. The dragon boat is made in Germany and includes a Sven figure. The buildable deck of the boat is compatible with Duplo building bricks. The large sail can be removed. The BIG Waterplay Sansibar water course fits the beach and sea theme perfectly. The collapsible canal system can be assembled in just a few simple steps. The holiday backdrop of Sylt is created from the building blocks contained in the set. The crank handle makes it easy to get the water flowing in different directions so that kids can have fun learning how to create currents. Two dock gates guarantee even more playtime fun. This play system with construction elements and many different accessories combines all the things that kids adore: water, vehicles and building blocks. Featuring many educational play elements, kids can learn about the forces and movement of water. Once playtime is over, this versatile waterway can be easily emptied and folded together, requiring minimum storage space. BIG Waterplay Sansibar can be transported easily by means of the practical carrying handle. Mercedes-Benz AMG GT combines outstanding driving dynamics with the awesome design of a sports car, thus meeting the requirements of the most demanding drivers. BIG, the manufacturer of the popular BIG Bobby Car, has worked closely with Daimler AG to create a perfect small replica of this special vehicle. The new Bobby AMG GT comes in a stylish colour scheme with the typical design elements of the Mercedes Benz premium brand. Just like its big brother, this small sports car offers excellent ride comfort and amazing features to children aged 18 months and over. The chassis of the Bobby AMG GT conforms perfectly to a child's shape. Wider mudguards at the front and rear guarantee better road handling. Four extra wide, treaded Continental whisper wheels and original wheel rims ensure good grip and reduced noise. A high-quality foam seat with a washable, textile cover has been integrated to ensure young drivers remain seated comfortably and safely even after long journeys. An ergonomically designed steering wheel with the original emblem of the Mercedes Benz premium brand and a mechanical horn enables the driver to have full control of the car. The direct steering gives the Bobby AMG GT a particularly small turning circle. High-quality, translucent headlights and rear lights just add to the stunning design experience of the sports car for children. In collaboration with one of the biggest names in agricultural engineering, BIG has developed the CLAAS Celtis Loader + Trailer – a robust set, which offers everything a little farmer could dream of! For many years the world-famous CLAAS brand has been famous for agricultural machines which feature outstanding performance, quality and exceptional design. The CLAAS Celtis Loader from BIG is a robust children's tractor for all those budding little farmers. The aerodynamic engine hood and bodywork are based on the original CLAAS Celtis model. Just like all BIG tractors, this new model is equipped with a precision chain drive which ensures easy pedalling and the tried and tested BIG pinion steering system ensures a small turning circle and safe driving. With 3 separate settings, the seat with elevated backrest can be easily adjusted to suit the size of the child. The integrated eccentric enables the chain to be easily tightened. The specification which includes two trailer couplings and a highly manoeuvrable loading shovel, offers tractor drivers from the age of 3 years even more playtime fun. The BIG-Trailer has an impressively large loading area. There's plenty of room in this robust trailer for transporting all kinds of small cargo. Working closely with the Friends of Eicher and paying great attention to detail, BIG has developed the Eicher Diesel ED 16. As a cute toy vehicle for children aged 3 and above or a collector's item this tractor will captivate its owners. Its design is equal to the original in every way. And in terms of its features, the Eicher Diesel ED 16 will also enchant every child. The series integrated precision chain drive, pinion steering and child-friendly pedals ensure high levels of comfort when driving. The seat is adjustable to 3 different heights allowing it to be adapted to the size of the child riding on it. Thus the tractor "grows" with the child and can be used for a long time. The Fulda Bobby Car is particularly stunning in stylish black with a red steering wheel and original Fulda stickers. What makes this high quality ride-on car really special is its tyres: the Fulda Bobby Car is equipped with the new ultra high-performance tyres Fulda Sports Control and special wheel rims in bright red. It not only looks sporty, but also ensures an exceptional ride. The extremely wide tyres ensure an excellent grip and the special rubber compound makes them particularly quiet. This is because the attractive sporty tyres are manufactured from solid rubber. Young fans of Outdoor-Racing can now enjoy the same thrill at home: The BIG New Bobby Car Fulda allows children to fulfil their driving fantasies. As standard, this speedy ride-on vehicle is equipped with an ergonomic steering wheel with a wide grip surface and high quality whisper tyres to ensure excellent road traction and reduce driving noise. The turning circle of the car is pretty small due to the special axle pivot steering of BIG. Trailer couplings are also fitted on front and rear. A secret compartment is hidden behind the speedometer for storing those precious little treasures! In stylish black combined with red steering wheel and special Fulda tyres with red wheel rims as well as an exciting design, the BIG New Bobby Car Fulda is also a design highlight. The fender, which makes the BIG New Bobby Car look like a real off roader, is made of a special soft material and protects the furniture against damages caused by crashes. It is fixed on the trailer coupling on front and can be easily disassembled. This children's forklift truck based on the original design of the Linde 394 series will delight all kids and not just those little warehouse workers. This robust forklift truck offers a wealth of playtime possibilities. The pallet fork can be moved forwards and backwards, as well as up and down. This forklift truck comes with its own pallet to ensure all those little pieces of cargo can be quickly transported to the desired storage location. This ingenious truck allows children from the age of 3 years to practise a whole variety of different movement sequences as well as their dexterity skills. To ensure hours of playtime fun, the comfortable seat can be adjusted to suit the size of the child without the need for any adjustment tool. BIG pedal vehicles are equipped with non-slip, child-friendly pedals and a high-quality precision chain drive to make driving child's play. The chain on this children's vehicle can be quickly retightened by means of the integrated eccentric. With the PlayBIG Bloxx train station set, Peppa Pig and her family can enjoy exciting rides to their dream destinations. There's plenty of room in the bright and cheerful train for all those happy passengers. The track sections are easy to assemble. What's more, passengers can wait for the train in a cute and colourful station house. The set contains 95 parts including the play figurines Peppa, Georg, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. PlayBIG Bloxx Peppa Pig Train Station is suitable for children from the age of 18 month till 5 years. It is manufactured from high-quality plastic. Copyright: PEPPA PIG © ASTLEY BAKER DAVIES LTD/ENTERTAINMENT ONE UK LTD 2003. All rights reserved. With the Porsche Diesel Junior for children from the age of 3 years, BIG has set a new standard in the children's pedal tractor market. This classic model has been lovingly and authentically adapted in detail to create a children's pedal tractor with all the technical refinements. As standard, the Porsche Diesel Junior from BIG features a dust and dirt protected precision chain drive, high-quality BIG pinion steering system, an adjustable seat and two trailer couplings. This little tractor with its cute engine hood, side-mounted headlamps and mud guards is sure to be a big hit with kids. In stylish black with high quality stickers and the typical design features of the premium Mercedes Benz brand, the SLK-Bobby-Benz from BIG won't just impress the kids! The car body of this mini sports car is based on the original Mercedes Benz SLK and has been developed in close collaboration with Daimler AG. This cool racer is suitable for children from the age of 1,5 years and just like the original Mercedes Benz SLK, it is equipped with many exciting extras. The sports steering wheel with horn, continental, profiled whisper tyres and replica Mercedes Benz wheel trims, as well as speedometer and rev counter with control dial, make the SLK-Bobby-Benz from BIG the dream car for racing drivers, both young and old alike. With the new direct steering linkage, the SLK-Bobby-Benz has a particularly small turning circle. This wonderful bucket set is manufactured by Smoby Toys, the renowned brand manufacturer from France and fellow member of the Simba Dickie Group. But seeing as these great buckets match the BIG Sansibar series perfectly, we decided to integrate them into the BIG range. Elegant black comes with a radiant blue to make the product line a highlight in the house, garden or on holiday. The name Sansibar brings to mind waves and ocean, pirates and adventure, and is associated with one of the most popular restaurants in the dunes of Sylt. A characteristic feature is the two crossed swords that today are the coat of arms of the cult restaurant. The six-piece Smoby bucket set Sansibar with a watering can is a real eye-catcher due to its innovative colour design and the scratch-proof motifs on the front. The set consists of a bucket with a handle (approx. 20 x 16 cm), a sieve lid, a spade, a rake and a watering can. The set additionally includes two different sand moulds. Their design varies (ship, butterfly, ice cream or ladybird). The digging tools for small adventurers aged 18 months and over are easy-to-handle and therefore perfect for small children.

2019-04-25T14:57:53Z

https://www.big.de/en/products/brands/

Lars Eller (0-3—3) had the gifted playmaking hands in Washington’s 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at Capital One Arena as the Capitals evened the Second Round series, 1-1. Braden Holtby made 32 saves on 33 shots faced for a .970 save percentage in the win, while Penguins netminder, Matt Murray, amassed 28 saves on 31 shots against for a .903 SV% in 57:48 time on ice. Similar to Game 1, the Capitals scored the game’s first goal early in the first period as Alex Ovechkin (7) rocketed one past Murray just over a minute into the game. The goal was unassisted at 1:26. Evgeny Kuznetsov took the game’s first penalty after tripping Pittsburgh’s Riley Sheahan almost seven minutes into the action. The Penguins did not convert on the ensuing power play. Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, was penalized for hooking Washington forward, Nicklas Backstrom, at 12:59 of the fire period and the Capitals went on their first power play of the afternoon. Holtby initiated a breakout from Washington’s defensive zone with a pass up the ice to Lars Eller. Eller connected Jakub Vrana (1) with the puck on his stick and Vrana brought it point blank before firing a shot high-glove side past Murray for his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal. Eller (1) and Holtby (1) notched the assists on the power play goal and the Capitals had a 2-0 lead late in the first period. At least, the Capitals thought they had a two-goal lead at 14:54 of the first period until Penguins head coach, Mike Sullivan, almost put a stop to that, having used his coach’s challenge on the goal on the basis that Brett Connolly made enough contact with Murray prior to the goal being scored that would otherwise negate the goal (on the count of goaltender interference). The goal was reviewed and the call on the ice was confirmed. Vrana had indeed scored his first career postseason goal and Pittsburgh lost their timeout. Entering the first intermission, Washington was leading, 2-0, and outshooting the Penguins 2:1 (20 shots on goal to Pittsburgh’s 10 shots on goal). Connolly (1) found himself on a breakaway early in the second period after collecting a stretch pass from Eller and fired a shot on Murray’s glove side. Despite catching a chunk of the puck, the vulcanized rubber biscuit deflected off of Murray and into the twine behind the Penguins netminder. In what was yet another first, Connolly, had his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal and the Capitals had a 3-0 lead at 2:08 of the second period. Eller (2) had his second assist of the afternoon. Almost midway through the period, Tom Wilson caught Penguins defender, Brian Dumoulin, up high with what appeared to be an elbow to the head. Dumoulin did not return to Pittsburgh’s lineup. Just past the halfway mark of the second period, tensions continued to escalate between the division rivals after the whistle as Patric Hornqvist and Dmitry Orlov began mixing things up with the gloves firmly glued onto their hands. Both players received matching roughing minors and play continued. Kris Letang (2) found the back of the net behind Holtby at 13:04 of the second period and put the Penguins on the scoreboard— cutting Washington’s three-goal lead to two. Justin Schultz (4) and Jake Guentzel (10) had the assists on Letang’s goal. Through 40 minutes of play, the Capitals led, 3-1, and shots on goal were even (26-26). Washington led in hits (29-26), takeaways (12-3) and giveaways (12-3), while the Penguins dominated the faceoff dot, winning 58-percent of the faceoffs taken through two periods. Pittsburgh was 0/1 on the power play and the Caps were 1/1 on the man advantage after two. T.J. Oshie was guilty of interfering with Crosby early in the third period. Pittsburgh thought they had found revenge on the scoreboard after Crosby wrapped around the goal, fired the puck off the side of the net and Hornqvist banked it off of Holtby’s right leg pad. However, there was no indication on the ice that a goal had been scored, nor was there a signal (red light) from the goal judge behind the glass in the first row of seats. The play was immediately reviewed. Although it appeared as if the puck had crossed the line and gone in from an angle that NBC showed on television, the league determined otherwise. The call on the ice was confirmed after review. There was no conclusive angle, despite the fact that white space could be seen between the puck and the goal line from the aforementioned NBC angle. Yet, there was a snow pile on the goal line (making things difficult) and the overhead camera angle was further inconclusive. Perhaps now is the time to reference once again that game back in the 2004 Stanley Cup Final, whereby Calgary… Well, let’s not bring up those memories and instead make a quick plug for goal line technology to be implemented— considering it’s 2018 and all. Additionally, technically speaking, shouldn’t the ruling have been “inconclusive” instead of “confirmed” since there was no indication prior to review that a goal had not been scored? It was a rough few minutes for Kuznetsov after the goal that never actually happened, as Letang had held him (and received a minor penalty) and Derick Brassard had tripped him up (also a minor penalty). Despite not converting on the man advantage, Kuznetsov took it upon himself to commit the next penalty (slashing against Letang) and see if Washington’s penalty killing units were any better. Sullivan pulled his goaltender for the extra skater with about two minutes remaining in regulation. Matching roughing minors for Devante Smith-Pelly and Hornqvist forced Murray back into the goal briefly as the Penguins had to work the puck out of their own zone. With roughly 80 seconds left in regulation, Murray, once again, vacated the net and Pittsburgh looked to do the impossible. Washington put the game away with an empty net goal thanks to Backstrom (3) with about seven seconds remaining. Wilson (4) and Eller (3) had the assists on the goal that made it, 4-1, Capitals and assured the home team of the win in Game 2. After 60 minutes had been played, Washington tied the series, 1-1, with a 4-1 victory and trailed in shots on goal, 33-32. The Caps led in blocked shots (31-24), hits (33-31) and giveaways (17-4). The Pens led in faceoff win percentage (56-44) and finished the afternoon 0/3 on the power play. Washington went 1/3 on the man advantage in Game 2. The series shifts to PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Tuesday night. Puck drop is expected to be a little after 7:30 p.m. ET and United States viewers can tune in on NBCSN. Fans in Canada can get their share of the action on Sportsnet or TVAS2. The winner of Game 3 will take a pivotal 2-1 series lead. The San Jose Sharks had a night of firsts on Monday at SAP Center. Eight different goal scorers contributed to the most goals in a Stanley Cup Playoff game in franchise history for the Sharks as San Jose beat the Anaheim Ducks, 8-1. As a result of the win, the Sharks can sweep the Ducks Wednesday night on home ice. Martin Jones had 45 saves on 46 shots against for a .978 save percentage in the win— setting a franchise playoff record for most saves in a regulation game— while Anaheim goaltender, John Gibson, made 19 saves on 24 shots against for a .792 SV% in 39:43 time on ice in the loss. Ducks backup goaltender, Ryan Miller, made nine saves on 12 shots faced for a .750 SV% in relief for Gibson. San Jose didn’t waste much time getting on the scoreboard as Logan Couture (2) picked up his 2nd of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs just 3:44 into the first period on a follow up chance. Mikkel Boedker (2) had the only assist on the goal and the Sharks led 1-0. Just past the halfway point of the first period, Ryan Getzlaf jumpstarted a deep rut to the penalty box for the Ducks all night by being penalized for holding Sharks forward, Joonas Donskoi. The Sharks were unable to convert on their first power play of the night. Instead, Timo Meier was penalized for hooking Anaheim’s Jakob Silfverberg shortly after San Jose’s man advantage ended. As such, the Ducks went on the power play and promptly capitalized about a minute later with Rickard Rakell (1) scoring a power play goal to tie the game, 1-1. Brandon Montour (1) and Getzlaf (2) had the assists on Rakell’s game-tying goal at 13:40 of the first period. After 20 minutes of play, the score was 1-1 with Anaheim outshooting San Jose, 11-8. The Ducks also led in hits (24-8) and faceoff win percentage (63-37). Meanwhile, the Sharks had a 5-4 advantage in blocked shots and led in takeaways (6-0), as well as giveaways (3-2) through one frame. Anaheim was 1/1 on the power play in the first period and San Jose was 0/1 on the man advantage. The second period opened similar to the first period in that San Jose scored early. Joonas Donskoi (1) passed the puck to Evander Kane who flipped it back to Donskoi for the shot on net and the Sharks went ahead, 2-1. Kane (1) had the only assist on the goal at 1:15 of the second period. Almost two minutes later, Marcus Sorensen (2) received a pass from Donskoi on a quick transition, deked and scored on Gibson to make it 3-1 San Jose. Donskoi (1) was credited with the assist on Sorensen’s goal at 3:41 of the second period. Then things settled in for about ten minutes until Eric Fehr (1) got the puck on his stick around center ice, brought it into the offensive zone with great hands, deked past Anaheim’s defense and made it 4-1 for the Sharks. Sorensen (1) and Melker Karlsson (2) notched the assists on the goal at 13:43 of the period. Less than a minute later, Ducks forward, Nick Ritchie received two penalties after the whistle— a minor for slashing San Jose’s captain, Joe Pavelski, and another minor penalty for roughing against Pavelski. Sharks defenseman, Dylan DeMelo, picked up a roughing minor against Ducks defenseman Derek Grant. All of the penalties came at 14:28 of the second period with the Sharks ending up on a 5-on-4 power play, until Ducks defenseman, Francois Beauchemin, slashed Logan Couture about a minute later. San Jose called a timeout before taking advantage of their 5-on-3 power play at 15:59. It only took Tomas Hertl (2) 50 seconds to score on the two-man advantage, giving the Sharks a four-goal lead, 5-1, at 16:49. Pavelski (4) and Couture (2) picked up the primary and secondary assists, respectively, on Hertl’s power play goal. With 40 minutes in the books, San Jose led, 5-1, on the scoreboard, but trailed, 30-24, in shots on goal to the Ducks. Blocked shots were even at 10-10, while Anaheim led in hits (34-18). The Sharks led in takeaways (10-3) and giveaways (8-5) after two periods and were 1/3 on the power play. Meanwhile, Anaheim did not see any power play time in the second period and was still 1/1 on the man advantage. Seeing as they were already losing, 5-1, Ducks head coach, Randy Carlyle figured he might as well throw his backup goaltender to the fire and Ryan Miller replaced John Gibson in goal to start the third period. Sorensen was assessed a minor penalty for holding Marcus Pettersson 5:09 into the third period, but the Ducks were unable to get anything past Jones on the ensuing power play. Then things only continued to worsen for Anaheim. Ryan Getzlaf was clearly disinterested by the time the third period rolled around and he let it be known in his undisciplined effort, amassing a slashing penalty and a roughing penalty at 7:22 of the third period. San Jose then went on a four-minute power play and was sure to take advantage of their special teams play. Pavelski (1) had the puck on his stick with time ticking down on the Sharks power play and beat Miller clean through the five-hole to make it 6-1, San Jose. Meier (2) and Donskoi (2) had the assists on the goal that upped San Jose’s lead from four to five. After Getzlaf lost his mind, Corey Perry went off and cross-checked everything in sight (that’s a bit of an exaggeration, he only cross checked Kevin Labanc and was sent to the penalty box). Speaking of Getzlaf, he must have said something that a ref didn’t like because as Perry was being assessed his minor penalty at 11:12 of the third period, Getzlaf picked up a 10-minute misconduct, ending his night at SAP Center. San Jose did not score on the ensuing man advantage. Eric Fehr tripped Perry moments later and was sent to the sin bin, but the Ducks were not able to convert on the man advantage. Moments later, Ryan Kesler slashed Sharks blue liner, Paul Martin, and didn’t get to sit for too long in the box as Evander Kane (3) redirected a shot on goal from Marc-Edouard Vlasic to give San Jose a 7-1 lead with yet another power play goal. Vlasic (1) and Couture (3) assisted on Kane’s goal at 17:16 of the third period. At 19:24 of the third period, Brandon Montour slashed Fehr and the Sharks converted on yet another power play 12 seconds later to make it 8-1. Timo Meier (1) pocketed the goal after Chris Tierney fired off a shot while falling. Tierney (1) and Labanc (2) had the assists on what was a franchise playoff record 8th goal of the game for San Jose at 19:36 of the period. Despite being outhit 43-24 and outshot 46-36 by the Ducks, the San Jose Sharks emerged victorious with a power play that went 3/7 on the night compared to Anaheim’s 1/3 on the man advantage. At the final horn, San Jose had defeated Anaheim, 8-1, and as a result now has a commanding 3-0 series lead heading into Game 4 at SAP Center. The Sharks have outscored the Ducks 13-3 through three games into the series and can sweep Anaheim at home on Wednesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 10:30 p.m. ET and viewers outside of the respective local markets can tune in on GOLF channel in the United States and SN1 and/or TVAS2 in Canada. Minnesota’s offense exploded in a four-goal second period and the Wild defeated the Winnipeg Jets, 6-2, on Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center. Devan Dubnyk had 29 saves on 31 shots against for a .935 save percentage in the win, while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 16 shots out of 22 shots faced for a .727 SV% in 40:00 time on ice in the loss. Jets backup goaltender, Steve Mason, turned aside all seven shots he faced in the third period. It didn’t take long for the action to get going in Game 3 as Minnesota defenseman, Matt Dumba, was sent to the penalty box just 43 seconds into the first period for slashing Jets captain, Blake Wheeler. Winnipeg had a couple great looks on the power play, but was unable to convert on their first power play opportunity of the night. A few minutes later, Matt Cullen, was taking the skate of shame to the sin bin for slashing Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry, much to the dismay of the fans in the building who all disagreed with the call. Cullen himself was not pleased, but the refs set the standard for the night— nothing was going unnoticed. Almost a minute into their second power play of the night, Wheeler (1) had the puck near the hash-mark to the left of Dubnyk and fired a wrist shot that deflected off of Wild blue liner, Jonas Brodin, and beat Dubnyk’s short side and gave the Jets a 1-0 lead on just his third career Stanley Cup Playoff goal. Wheeler’s power play goal came at 4:50 of the first period and was assisted by Dustin Byfuglien (3) and Patrik Laine (2). With the assist, Laine now has points in each of his first three career postseason games in what was also the third consecutive game where Winnipeg scored first. Jets defenseman, Ben Chiarot, delivered a cross check to Eric Staal and was assessed a minor penalty at 7:26. Shortly thereafter, after Hellebuyck had frozen the puck for a faceoff, already shorthanded, Adam Lowry roughed up Minnesota’s Jason Zucker. Lowry was handed a minor penalty for roughing and the Wild went from a regular 5-on-4 power play to a two-man advantage with about 1:21 remaining on the first penalty. The Wild did not pass up on the 5-on-3 opportunity. After Paul Stastny had already broken up a one-timer intended for Zach Parise, Minnesota went to work again in the offensive zone. Mikael Granlund pinched in from the point on the power play to keep the play alive, sending the puck across the ice, where Mikko Koivu eventually ended up with it on his stick. Koivu quickly fired a shot, but Hellebuyck made the save, though the puck rebounded. That’s when Granlund (1) was able to pocket the loose puck in the twine as he was crashing the net to tie the game, 1-1. The goal, Granlund’s first of the postseason, was assisted by Koivu (3) and Staal (1) at 9:47 of the first period. Play settled down for a bit until Chiarot cross-checked Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle and was sent to the box with 2:59 remaining in the period. It only took 49 seconds on the power play for Zach Parise (3) to convert on the man advantage and give the Wild their first lead of the night, 2-1. Koivu set up the play after quickly realizing where Parise was positioned, feigning a shot on net when in actually firing a hard pass towards the goal for Parise— who had his stick on the ice the whole time— to redirect past Hellebuyck. Koivu (4) and Jonas Brodin (2) picked up the assists on Parise’s goal. In the closing minute of the period, Josh Morrissey centered the puck to Kyle Connor for a redirect on Dubnyk, but Dubnyk denied the Jets of any follow up chances, having absorbed the puck and covered it up. Regardless, after the whistle, Dumba and Mark Scheifele got involved in a bit of an exchange that resulted in Dumba going to the box for roughing at 19:27. After 20 minutes of play, the Minnesota Wild led 2-1 on the scoreboard and 13-7 in shots on goal. Minnesota also led in blocked shots (6-5), hits (9-7) and giveaways (4-2), meanwhile Winnipeg led in takeaways (2-0). The Jets were 1/3 on the power play in the first period and the Wild were 2/3 on the man advantage in the opening frame. Nick Seeler opened up the second period at Xcel Energy Center by beating Hellebuyck and ringing the goalpost. Shortly thereafter, Minnesota scored anyway. Joel Eriksson Ek set up in front of the goal after passing the puck to Daniel Winnik, who lobbed it over to Matt Dumba. Dumba (1) fired a shot past a screened Hellebuyck and into the net to give the Wild a 3-1 lead. The goal was Dumba’s first playoff goal since 2015 and Winnik (1) and Eriksson Ek (1) picked up the assists. Eriksson Ek’s assist was his first career playoff point. A few minutes later, Tyler Myers (2) and the Jets made it a close game after Myers found a loose puck with a clear path to the goal and sent a cannon of a slap shot over the right pad of Devan Dubnyk to make it a 3-2 game. Myers now has goals in back-to-back games, but would leave the game later in the second period with what appeared to be a lower body injury. He did not return. After Myers’s goal, the Wild took a string of penalties, first for Parise tripping Wheeler at 7:23 and then for Coyle holding Winnipeg defenseman, Jacob Trouba at 10:24. Winnipeg was not able to amount anything on the scoreboard on either power play and the Wild kept rolling along. Staal (1) notched his first of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs at 14:40 of the second period when Granlund used the boards to snag the puck in the offensive zone, then send a spin-o-rama pass to Staal for a one-timer that beat Hellebuyck. Granlund (2) and Dumba (1) had the assists on the goal that made it 4-2, Minnesota. Twenty seconds later, Boston University product and U.S. Olympian, Jordan Greenway (1) scored his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal to make it 5-2, and the barrage of offense for the Wild continued. Matt Cullen (1) and Nick Seeler (1) had the assists on Greenway’s first NHL goal in both regular season and postseason play. Marcus Foligno (1) kept the trend of first career postseason goals going as he scored a few minutes after Greenway made it 5-2. Foligno’s goal came at 18:23 of the second period and made it 6-2, Wild. Jared Spurgeon (1) and Seeler (2) had the assists as Minnesota completely dominated every action on the ice. Through 40 minutes of play, the Wild led 6-2 on the scoreboard and 22-19 in shots on goal. Minnesota also led in blocked shots (15-5) and giveaways (6-4). Winnipeg led in hits (17-15) and takeaways (3-2) after two periods. The Jets were 1/5 on the power play and the Wild were 2/3 heading into the second intermission. Winnipeg head coach, Paul Maurice, made a change in goal heading into the third period, replacing Connor Hellebuyck with Jets backup, Steve Mason, for the final frame of regulation. There was no scoring, nor any penalties called in the third period and Bruce Boudreau’s Minnesota Wild played a conservative period, mixed with high caliber defense and some offensive chances. Minnesota held on to a 6-2 win in Game 3, cutting Winnipeg’s series lead in half (2-1), and forcing at least a Game 5. The Jets outshot the Wild 31-29 after 60 minutes of play, but Minnesota led in blocked shots (20-8) and faceoff win percentage (52-48). Winnipeg finished the game leading in hits 26-19 and finished the night 1/5 on the power play. The Wild finished the night 2/3 on the man advantage. Game 4 is set for Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center where the Wild will look to tie the series, 2-2. Puck drop is expected a little after 8:00 p.m. ET and viewers in the United States can tune in on CNBC, while Canadian fans can get their fill on Sportsnet and TVAS2. With the Capitals’ 5-4 victory over Toronto at the Air Canada Centre Wednesday, the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal featuring the two-time defending Presidents’ Trophy winners and the NHL’s version of the all-rookie team is now a best-of-three series. Barry Trotz probably didn’t need to say much to his club to stress how important this game was, but whatever he did say obviously worked. Before Toronto had even managed its second shot on goal, First Star of the Game T.J. Oshie (Nicklas Backstrom and Nate Schmidt) had already registered the Capitals’ first tally. That trend continued for the rest of the first period. Though Zach Hyman (Jake Gardiner and Third Star William Nylander) managed to register a marker for the Maple Leafs, Alex Ovechkin (Kevin Shattenkirk) and Second Star Tom Wilson (Lars Eller and Dmitry Orlov) – twice (Andre Burakovsky and Brooks Orpik) – all got on the board before the first intermission to give the Caps a 4-1 lead. Over the course of the remaining 40 minutes, the real pressure was on Braden Holtby and Washington’s defensive corps, the best in the business during the regular season. Led by Orlov’s five shot blocks throughout the contest, that defense played exceptionally, allowing only 28 total shots against in the second and third periods. Holtby let one by each period to allow the Leafs to pull within a goal with eight minutes remaining on the clock, but the man to save Washington has a little bit of history wearing red, white and blue. The play started with a loose puck at the blue line of Frederik Andersen’s zone that neither Burakovsky nor Auston Matthews could fully take control. Though the puck ended up between three Maple Leafs, it was Backstrom that ended up with possession. The center quickly passed to Oshie, who ripped a snap shot from the near slot between Andersen’s glove and the pipe. Oshie’s tally proved to be especially important, as it became the game-winner when Tyler Bozak (Mitch Marner and Nylander) banged home a wrister with the extra attacker with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. The Capitals made it unnecessarily hard on themselves to secure this victory though, as both Eller (delay of game – smothering puck) and Orpik (slashing against Marner) earned seats in the penalty box during a face-off in the defensive zone to set up 1:53 of five-on-three play to start the third. Regardless, the regular season’s seventh-best penalty kill proved itself by allowing only five shots to reach Holtby, and he saved all of them to maintain the then 4-2 advantage. The series will recommence Friday at 7 p.m. Eastern time at the Verizon Center, the home of the Capitals. Americans wishing to watch game will find it on NBCSN, while Canada will be serviced by both CBC and TVAS2. The Ottawa Senators are one win away from advancing to the Second Round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs after beating the Boston Bruins 1-0 in Game 4. Bobby Ryan continued his hot streak with the only goal in Wednesday night’s action in Boston, while Craig Anderson picked up the 22 save shutout win. Bruins goaltender, Tuukka Rask made 26 saves on 27 shots faced for a .963 save percentage in the loss. After trading scoring chance after scoring chance in the first period, neither Anderson nor Rask had allowed a puck to sneak behind them into the net. Brad Marchand had a couple of tremendous breakaway opportunities in the first 20 minutes that Anderson had denied (first with his left leg on a Marchand backhand going five-hole attempt, then later with his right leg on another opportunity whereby Marchand couldn’t elevate the puck enough on a forehand snapper). The Senators dominated possession of the puck on special teams advantages, but couldn’t translate any of that attacking zone time into a power play goal after entering Wednesday night 3/10 on the power play. Instead, the Bruins killed all three of the penalties they amassed in Game 4 to improve their penalty kill to a 76.9% effective rating. Noel Acciari thought he had his second goal of the postseason just past halfway in the 2nd period on a redirected slap shot from Charlie McAvoy, however after Ottawa challenged the goal on the condition that it might have been offsides, video replay clearly showed Acciari entering Boston’s offensive zone illegally about 20 seconds before the would-be goal was scored. As a result, the call on the ice was overturned and the score remained, 0-0. Ryan (3) tapped home the game winning goal after receiving a fake shot pass from Erik Karlsson. Ryan crashed the net while Rask was seemingly down and away and if it weren’t for the fact that Rask’s stick paddle was parallel to the ice, perhaps he might have made more than just one desperation save on Ryan’s initial shot. Instead an outstretched Rask bumped the puck, slowing its velocity, but failed to cover it up for a face-off, leaving the hard-charging Ryan with an easy to pocket “just tap it in” moment reminiscent of the movie Happy Gilmore but with more of a success rate than Happy Gilmore’s mini golf endeavor. Karlsson (5) and Derick Brassard (3) had the primary and secondary assists on Ryan’s goal at 5:49 of the 3rd period. Ottawa takes a 3-1 series lead home to Canadian Tire Centre on Friday. Puck drop is scheduled for a little after 7:30 p.m. ET and Game 5 can be viewed nationally in the United States on USA and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. Facing elimination, the Wild pulled out a 2-0 victory Wednesday over St. Louis at Scottrade Center, pulling them within a 3-1 deficit in their Western Conference Quarterfinal. Staying true to form, this was another goaltending battle between two of the hottest netminders in the game right now. First Star of the Game Devan Dubnyk rejected each and every one of the 28 Blues shots he faced for his first victory of the 2017 postseason, while Jake Allen saved 26-of-28 (92.9%) in the loss. The Blues seemed to know what was on the line in this game, and you could see it in their play. That sentence can be read both positively and negatively, and unfortunately for St. Louis it was the latter. Even though the Notes led the first period’s hit count (including five over the course of the game by Third Star Ryan Reaves) – which usually increases the fans’ energy – they managed only four shots on goal. Second Star Charlie Coyle and the Wild – who fired 11 shots in the first period – took advantage of their opponent’s lackadaisical start by burying a wrister with 3:10 remaining in the frame. Though unassisted, he did get a helper on the play from Allen. Coyle dumped the puck into the zone, and Eric Staal’s pursuit forced Allen to make a play behind his net. That’s where Coyle’s plan came to fruition. Allen’s sole intention was to get the puck out of the zone, so he tried to play it up the far boards. Instead of chasing the puck, the forward stayed home and intercepted Allen’s attempt at the far face-off circle. He immediately ripped his wrister that banked off the near post and into the back of the net. The only other goal belonged to Martin Hanzal (Jason Pominville and Nate Prosser), a wrist shot with 3:19 remaining in the second period. The play stretched the full stretch of the rink, starting with Prosser’s pass from the near face-off dot in the Wild’s defensive zone. His pass found Pominville at the red line, and he immediately dished to a streaking Hanzal. The center split Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo before releasing his shot from between the face-off circles, beating Allen stick-side. Minnesota forced a Game 5, and it will host that contest at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern time. The Canadian broadcasters will be both SN and TVAS, and American viewers may watch that matchup on NBC. The Anaheim Ducks punched their ticket to the Second Round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 3-1 victory on the road, sweeping the Calgary Flames in four games. Nate Thompson scored what would become the game winning goal early in the first period as the Ducks went on to sweep a playoff opponent in a best-of-seven game series for just the fifth time in franchise history. Anaheim goaltender, John Gibson made 36 saves on 37 shots against for a .973 save percentage in the win, while Calgary goalies Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson split time in the loss. Elliott stopped two out of three shots before being replaced 5:38 into the 1st period by Johnson who went on to save 20 out of 21 shots against over 51:50 of time on ice. Patrick Eaves (1) kicked things off on the scoreboard with an unassisted goal at 5:38 of the 1st period. Thompson (2) followed suit with his game winning goal 78 seconds later that made it 2-0 Anaheim. Rickard Rakell (3) and Corey Perry (2) notched assists on Thompson’s goal at 6:46 of the 1st. Late in the 2nd period the Flames took advantage of their third and final power play of the night as Sean Monahan (4) continued his recent run of scoring. Kris Versteeg (3) and Troy Brouwer (2) collected the assists on Monahan’s power play goal at 16:07 of the 2nd period. Calgary cut the lead in half and went into the second intermission trailing, 2-1. As the clock ticked down on Calgary’s season, Johnson vacated the goal for an extra attacker. Gibson stood tall as save after save piled up and the Ducks failed to clear the puck without icing it. After a blocked shot, Ryan Getzlaf (3) brought the puck across the ice and put the series away on an empty net goal with 6.7 seconds left on the clock. Having won the series, 4-0, the Anaheim Ducks advance to the Second Round and will face the winner of the Edmonton Oilers vs. San Jose Sharks series matchup. Ken Hitchcock made one lineup change heading into Game 5 on Saturday afternoon and it paid off for the St. Louis Blues as Dmitrij Jaskin’s second period goal proved to be the game winner en route to the Blues’ 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Brian Elliott made 27 saves on 28 shots faced (with a .964 SV%) for St. Louis in the win, while Kari Lehtonen made 18 saves on 21 shots against for a .857 SV% in the loss. Dallas forwards, Tyler Seguin and Patrick Eaves were doubtful for Game 5 and remained scratched prior to puck drop. Ryan Reaves and Steve Ott were healthy scratches for St. Louis as Jaskin was inserted into the lineup. The winner of Game 5 has an all-time series record of 190-53 (78.2%) among teams entering Game 5 tied 2-2 in a best-of-seven game series. With the win on Saturday, the Blues now have a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 on Monday night at Scottrade Center. Robby Fabbri opened up the scoring six minutes into the first period with his 2nd goal of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Kevin Shattenkirk (7) assisted on the goal that gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead. A little after halfway through the first period the Stars had answered with a goal of their own from Alex Goligoski. Goligoski scored his 4th goal of the postseason with a wrist shot that beat Elliott at 10:58 of the first period and tied the game at 1. Vernon Fiddler (2) and Jason Spezza (8) picked up the primary and secondary assists. After twenty minutes of play the score was tied 1-1 and Dallas was leading in shots on goal (10-8), faceoff wins (6-4), giveaways (3-1) and takeaways (3-2). The Blues led in hits (12-8) and blocked shots (5-1) after the first period. Jaskin scored his 1st goal of the playoffs a little over ten minutes into the 2nd period and gave the Blues a 2-1 lead. Jay Bouwmeester (4) and Scottie Upshall (2) assisted on the goal and St. Louis never looked back the rest of the game. Troy Brouwer picked up his 4th of the postseason on a wrist shot that beat Lehtonen and was assisted by Paul Stastny (4) and Fabbri (8) at 17:42 of the period. Brouwer’s goal put the Blues up by two and gave them a 3-1 lead heading into the second intermission. Leading by two after two, St. Louis also led in shots on goal (19-16), hits (24-23) and blocked shots (12-9). Meanwhile the Stars had an advantage in faceoff wins (17-13), giveaways (7-2) and takeaways (5-2). Through forty minutes of play, there were no penalties called. A string of penalties were called in the third period in what seemed to be pent up penalty calling anger from the refs as David Backes, Brouwer, Mattias Janmark, Fiddler and Shattenkrik were all penalized within ten minutes of one another for minor infractions ranging from holding to slashing to roughing. Neither team was able to capitalize on any power play that occurred. With about four minutes left in the third period, Stars head coach, Lindy Ruff signaled for Kari Lehtonen to skate to the bench for an extra attacker. Despite their efforts with an extra skater, Dallas was unable to convert on their last ditch chances. Stastny ruined the fun for Dallas and their fans with an empty net goal at 18:20 of the third period. His 2nd goal of the playoffs gave the Blues a 4-1 lead and was assisted by Jaden Schwartz (7) and Backes (4). When all was said and done the Blues had won 4-1 and led in hits (29-26), takeaways (7-5) and blocked shots (20-15) after sixty minutes of play. The Stars led in shots on goal (28-22), faceoff wins (30-20) and giveaways (12-6) in the loss. Both teams were 0/2 on the power play. Game 6 is Monday night at 8 PM EST, live from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, and can be viewed on NBCSN in the United States and CBC and TVAS2 in Canada.

2019-04-26T04:25:46Z

https://downthefrozenriver.com/tag/tvas2/

Mortimer Zuckerman, the chairman and editor in chief of U.S. News & World Report, announced on November 25, 2011 that America's energy problems are over thanks to the shale gas revolution. He delivered the good news in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal called "How American Can Escape the Energy Trap". "Soaring natural gas production has already cut the share of oil consumption met by imports to 47% last year from 60% in 2005." Unfortunately, this is not really true. Exhibit 1 shows the data behind oil and petroleum product imports, and it appears that he has done a bit of mixing-and-matching to arrive at the percentages that he cites. It is true that crude oil & petroleum products represented 60% of 2005 U.S. imports compared to consumption. The reduction in imports to 47% in 2010, however, is the percentage of crude oil alone compared to consumption for that year. When we examine comparable categories, it is clear that crude oil imports - relative to total consumption of crude oil and products - were only 2% lower in 2010 than in 2005, and that the big change that he alludes to was mostly in petroleum product imports. Petroleum products are what refineries create from crude oil, and include gasoline, kerosene-type jet fuel, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, and propane and propylene. Exhibit 2 explains the drop in imports that Mr. Zuckerman describes: the U.S. has been progressively increasing exports of petroleum products at the expense of imports over the period that Zuckerman compares. We are importing only a slightly smaller percentage of crude oil relative to total consumption of crude oil and products as we did in 2005, but we are selling more of the refined products to the developing world. As the U.S. economy matures and the recession takes its toll on discretionary transport, we are poised to become a net exporter of petroleum products (The Wall Street Journal, November 30, 2011: "U.S. Nears Milestone: Net Fuel Exporter" ). Exhibits 1 and 2 show that the decrease in net petroleum product imports between 2005 and 2010 are best explained outside of the context of shale gas production in the United States. Exhibit 3 shows the longer term trends of both crude oil and petroleum product imports. It indicates that imports of both items peaked in about mid-2006 and have been decreasing since. "...natural gas is already putting downward pressure on oil prices." Exhibit 4 shows spot price trends for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude oil in comparison to Henry Hub natural gas price from 2005 to the present. It shows that since early 2009, there has been no relationship whatsoever between natural gas and crude oil price (the natural gas price anomaly in late 2005 was because Hurricane Katrina shut down most Gulf Coast natural gas production). This second fundamental part of his argument, therefore, is untrue. In fact, most shale-gas producers have been shifting their drilling to more oil-prone prospects because of the rising price of oil and the falling price and economics of gas. The shale gas revolution is responsible for many positive outcomes in North America including the creation of jobs, cheaper electricity and lower heating bills for many. It holds some promise for reducing long-term dependence on foreign oil by replacing liquid fuel-powered transport with compressed natural gas or electricity from natural gas. This, however, will take decades and great cost to accomplish. One might ask what motivates someone like Mr. Zuckerman, whose background is in publishing, business and law, to weigh in on a complex subject like changing patterns of energy usage in the United States? He has attempted to make a case that natural gas is somehow reducing our dependence on foreign oil today and is causing the price of oil to fall. While I am as hopeful as he is that these may become long-term outcomes, his position does not stand up to basic fact-checking. To add a few words, This excellent, well documented refutation of Zuckerman's 'statistics' is preaching to the converted. Very few, if any of the the people who see Zuckerman's piece will read , let alone understand this post and have their eyes opened to the truth. First of all , no amount of cross posting references to this site will generate the web traffic Zuckman's post will get. Secondly, very few of the people who read his post will have the statistics training to understand this post, Thirdly and most importantly, Zuckman's post will almost entirely be read by people who want to believe what he is writing. Denial is a river in Egypt (and that is becoming an increasingly poignant cliché given the current state of Egypt). Thanks for fisking this one. I was astounded when I first read it and wondered how an editor could possibly allow his assertion that shale gas had dramatically reduced oil consumption. How? That article was beyond ignorant. I used to consider the WSJ a fairly reliable source of information but this clearly shows they are clueless. Are you going to comment on his assertion that the costs of shale gas are lower than conventional natural gas? T-E: I'll toss in my standard comment. Forget about conventional NG economics vs. shale NG economics. We drill only conventional NG plays and those economics are better than the oil-rich unconventional plays. And that's obviously with the lower NG prices. If we were a public company we would be hip deep in the shale plays running our stock price up as fast as possible and then cashing out before folks catch on. I've worked both biz plans. Much prefer my current one...very simple: drill wells and sell production at a nice profit. So what'll you do when you run out of conventional plays to drill? Will you retire or consider relocating back to the game fishing* oil industry or alternatively would you be moving yourself to where the deposits are? *Game fishing meaning gaming the stock markets. S - All ready in the process of running out of conventional prospects. As said in an earlier post I'm turning back $40 million in unspent budget. Hopefully this is my last rodeo and will go out on a high. If we do our jobs right me and my cohorts end up with a nice chunk of the equity when we sell the company in a few years. If not then I'll be handling operations for someone. Might be a conventional player or one of the shale players. Doesn't make a big difference on the operations side but my background is well suited for the shale plays. I'm 60 yo and so far my MS has shown no progression. And if I get my broken knee fixed I should be good for a few more years. But after 36 years of being a ground pounder I'm ready to head to the house permanently when the opportunity affords. Hey Rock, what do you think happens to publicly traded energy companies when they are done buying new leases in the unconventional plays? If you know when the public companies have hit peak new leases, does that mean peak proven reserves? Mark - When they hit a peak I think it will be a result of peak drilling equipment. There are many times more undrilled locations under lease today than wells that have already been drilled. Drilling rigs have been added but not nearly as fast as drill sites. The problem operators face in most of the trends (except perhaps for the Bakken to a degree) is that they will have difficulty offsetting rapid depletion with new wells. It's a somewhat self-defeating effort: the more wells drilled to replace depletion and add new reserve base requires more even more wells to be drilled in the near future. Thanks Rock, that’s very interesting. It’s quite hard to get a good understanding of where the public companies stand. I have a theory that since unconventional plays are not profitable, then when public companies can no longer add proven reserves for the Wall Street crowd things may unwind like the .com bubble. Thanks again Rock and thanks for the insightful article Art. Mark - Always a tough call when you're dealing with market timing regardless of the type of commerce. Petrohawk made a tremendous profit due to the shale plays. Not from the production but by selling the company for $12 billion...a great deal more than their cash flow was worth. But another company needed their undeveloped acreage to keep their hype going. And Wall Street will do everything it can to keep the hype alive. They did a great job of doing that with the shale gas players in E Texas right up to the NG price collapse in '08. And then we saw equity losses on the order of 70%+. As always: timing is everything. Sell your Devon stock you bought at $65 for $124 and you did great. Wait a tad too long and you sell it for $38...not so great. Of course, what makes the current game difficult is predicting such a collapse in oil prices. As long as oil prices stay high enough to keep drilling (even if only marginally profitable) the hype will be self-perpetuating. Engineer, I believe the article better illustrates the fact that whoever owns the WSJ has a strong interest in promoting bau than the incompetence of the editors. It does of course amply prove that the editors are EITHER incompetent OR professionally and ethically compromised.Considering that the individuals involved have by hook or crook and maybe marrying the owner's fat ugly daughter managed to claw their way to the top of their field,I believe it is safe to rule out stupidity. We have debated the freedom, or lack thereof, of the press many times here. IMO the press is roughly about as free as the owners and advertisers want it to be. I read the WSJ occasionally at the local college library, and while most of the stuff in it is obviously vetted to make sure it does not unduly upset Wall Street or anybody who lives on Country Club Lane,is is otherwise generally a very well written paper.. Fortunately for us peons the rich and powerful are faction ridden, and this fortunate circumstance ensures that at a great deal of important news sees the light of day, as no one faction controls all the primary media. Unfortunately, there is a convergence of interests among all the truly powerful factions.It is not in any of their interests as INDIVIDUAL factions to challenge the Hegemony of the Church of Perpetual Progress and Eternal Growth.Quite the contrary situation holds true-virtually everybody in a position of power and influence understands that the only real assurance of their continued hold on their spot at or near the top of the pyramid depends on the continuation of bau. Eventually, the truth in respect to our overshoot predicament will become so embarrassingly obvious that some major media organization or another will turn traitor, seeing this strategy as being an irresistible opportunity to vault to the top of the heap. This bombshell event will be an ironclad indication that the crash is very near-or to put things a bit more bluntly- the precipitating event that goes down in history as the trigger that marking the beginning of the end of the Fossil Fuel Era. This convergence of interests brings about a situation that reminds me of the very real concept of "honor among thieves".They- either the thieves or the media factions- are usually at each others throats as a matter of course in some respects, but in neither case can any party ordinarily risk turning traitor to the greater cause of the survival of the class. The one and only thing a member of the criminal class can do which utterly and totally strips him of honor and status among his own kind is to turn snitch;the sanctions against such behavior run from a severe beating among amateurs to murder among the pros. Any writer or editor who dares challenge the orthodoxy of the Church of Perpetual Progress and Eternal Growth is of course immediately excommunicated and permanently blackballed. Of course a few such heretics manage to survive professionally by writing books,, giving presentations, and running websites, thus eventually gaining a small following of their own.But even then, nearly all their converts are still locked into the old religion by virtue of the fact that their own individual social and economic survival depends on their continued good standing in the COPPEG. The this convergence of interests among various media factions results in some interesting results when strange bedfellows share the bed of common interests. The NYT and NPR are two of my favorites, but I never cease to get a horse laugh out of their efforts to promote a mating of environmentalism and bau in the same breath.. Fox News and Rush Limbaugh etal are equally determined to ensure the continuation and health of bau by drowning the competing paradigm of environmentalism like a kitten in a sack, failing to realize that the ONLY HOPE of bau having grandchildren consists of that same mating producing viable offspring. Any old farmer could tell them all, if they would listen, that first, even the most virile bull simply isn't interested in even the prettiest filly, and second, that even when the two prospective parents can be enticed into violating their normal sexual taboos, the off spring, if any, are usually sterile. Articles like this are the reason people are so confused about our energy situation. When people hear the term petroleum exports they automatically think that the US is capable of exporting crude oil which is a joke! These politicians and journalist that don't know anything about the petroleum industry need to stop talking about the petroleum industry. The primary contributor to the US becoming a net exporter of refined products and the primary contributor to the decline in US net oil imports is declining consumption in the US, as the US and many other developed countries have been forced, post-2005, to take a declining share of a falling volume of Global Net Exports (GNE), which are calculated in terms of Total Petroleum Liquids. The WSJ reporters are taking a symptom of Peak Exports, i.e., declining US oil consumption, and presenting it as a positive story. Declining oil consumption is is a positive story. We don't need oil, and the sooner we kick the addiction the better. Absolutely right. I will advance the concept. Oil is obsolete. It just doesn't know it yet. And yet...I think it senses it. The average person working in the industry doesn't realize it. Many people on TOD, like Jeffrey and Gail, don't see it yet. But, people at the top, like the Koch brothers, recognize a threat when they see it, and that's why they and their allies fight so hard against EVs and renewables. Have you seen the recent campaign against the Chevy Volt by Fox news? But the Koch brothers don't control all the oil industry. All they need for their part to be profitable is high oil prices - which they have. EV's and renewables will displace imports - most all of which (except from Canada) come from NOC's where the Koch brothers, and Exxon etc don;t get anything out of it. I would think that oil consumption would have to halve before the oil volumes of Koch, Exxon etc are threatened. And even then, oil is far from obsolete, it is still needed for planes, ships, plastics etc. It will still be the fuel of choice - if price is no object. 1-Why do successful people continue to work hard, even obsessively? 2-What effect does a reduction in consumption have on prices? 3-How long will oil be the input of choice for major industries? Regarding question 1: I think the answer is that successful entrepreneurs are selected from a large pool by almost obsessive work habits (and, of course, some luck). That's what made them successful, and there's not much to change that once they are successful. In the case of the Koch brothers - they were born with a lot of money. They could have stopped right there. If they didn't then, what's different when they have 50x as much money? Regarding question 2: elasticity of supply is pretty small, and elasticity of demand isn't all that great either, at least in the short and medium term. That means that small changes in supply and demand have a large impact. People like the Kochs know this. On the other hand, the elasticity of demand is very large in the long-run: there are perfectly viable substitutes for oil. People like the Kochs sense this as well, and are determined to kill them off before they gain traction. Regarding question 3: substitutes for oil depend on overcoming large barriers to entry, and gaining economies of scale. Once they pass those barriers and attain economies of scale their costs decline. At the same time FF costs are rising. Once the costs of new forms of energy are convincingly lower than FF, FF will decline pretty rapidly. Aerodynamic efficiency will become an extremely sophisticated art, reducing energy consumption of all moving vehicles. Aviation, for instance, can reduce it's energy consumption per pax-mile by 70%. Batteries will decline in cost sharply, gradually making their way into heavy moving equipment and water shipping. Wind will become a major energy source for water shipping, and solar will follow behind. Synthetic fuels (from renewable electricity, water and atmospheric carbon) will become competitive at some point when they are needed. Their costs are probably $400/bbl now, but that will gradually decline. As liquid fuels become a small percentage of overall energy consumption relatively high cost per liter will become acceptable. The combination of all of these will dramatically reduce the importance of oil 50 years from now. Nope. Took one for a spin though, quite an excellent ride. If it's keeping the Koch bros up at night worrying...good...a small bit of penance. I know it's hard to believe, but you are. It's the top people at Exxon/Mobil, as well as people like the Koch bros, that are putting enormous political resources into this. I agree - most people in the oil patch don't think about this at all, and a few are trying to help the transition, like T. Boone Pickens (though he's found ways to profit from it, so he's not entirely altruistic....). there is nothing in the short/medium term that will alter the general energy picture. I think that's likely true, and yet...forecasting is incredibly difficult - who four years ago anticipated shale gas killing gas prices? Everyone in the real estate business felt just as confident 7 years ago, including billionaire real estate developers who felt their fortune proved their competence. Fifteen years from now EVs will be incredibly important. Does that matter to people who will be retired by then? Not to most people in that situation, but some, like the Koch brothers, take that as a threat to their fortune and a personal insult to their identity, and they fight back. Wind power is a threat to coal interests right now. Wind power with subsidies competes against coal. So what about the future? Will wind power costs rise or fall? In theory bigger wind turbines and refinements in technology should lower costs. But the highest quality wind areas got developed first. Plus, the larger the fraction of electric power from wind the higher the costs for back-ups for when the wind doesn't blow. But the biggest energy issue is transportation energy. So far oil has no real competition because batteries cost too much. The years we've discussed the future prospects EVs keep going by and battery costs still haven't come down very much. Wind power with subsidies competes against coal. New US coal is much more expensive than one might think - IIRC, wind doesn't need subsidies to compete against it. Even if it does, those subsidies are more than justified to account for actual external pollution costs. the highest quality wind areas got developed first. There's plenty of equally high quality areas left, at least in the US. Capacity factors for new wind installations are rising. the larger the fraction of electric power from wind the higher the costs for back-ups for when the wind doesn't blow. That might become important when we reach much higher levels - well above 15%. Even then they won't be large: demand side management and backup are both cheap. Remember: there's enough peak capacity right now, and building wind generation capacity won't cause a need for more, it'll just reduce capacity factors for existing generation. The Prius was competitive at $3 gas. A Leaf or Volt is competitive with a comparable ICE when you look at the total lifecycle cost: savings of $,1500 per year add up quickly. battery costs still haven't come down very much. They're falling, and fairly quickly. It's hard to tell because there's so much competitive noise, and because there's some proprietary secrets to protect. Declining oil consumption is a positive story. Well, yes and no. If consumption is declining because of better gas mileage and renewables then that would be positive. But if consumption is declining because of high oil prices then this is a mixed message. All products and services would be higher because of higher energy prices. People would simply buy less of everything. Good so far. But then people who once produced the goods and services that people are now doing without, are out of a job. This is bad. Look at it this way, if oil goes high enough then consumption will be cut in half. Then all the people employed producing all that stuff will be unemployed. Then as consumption drops further and further then more and more people are out of work. Soon over half the work force will be no longer working. Consumption down to less than half the original level. Employment down to less than half the original work force. Bad, very bad. Declining oil consumption means a declining work force. This is not a positive story. It would help your perspective, I believe, to think about prices and markets in a more nuanced way. Higher energy prices don't transmit through the economy in the simple way you mentioned ("All products and services would be higher because of higher energy prices"). In fact, from 2004 to 2008, when oil prices rose by roughly 4x, it had very little impact on consumer prices outside of energy and food (and food was mainly because of ethanol, not rising production costs). This is because businesses do the same thing that individual consumers do (but more so): they get more efficient, they find substitutes, and they cut out marginally valuable uses. It's like meat prices: if the price of beef triples, people will switch to chicken or pork. They may like beef a little more, but they're not losing much by the switch. Here's a good example: at the peak of oil prices in 2008, water shipping sometimes cut their speed by 20%, and reduced fuel consumption per ton-mile by 50%. That was a bit inconvenient, and raised the cost per ton-mile of fixed overhead a bit, but shipping wasn't stopped by high fuel prices. Although Zuckerman couldn't be more wrong today, I expect natural gas to substitute for oil in the medium term future. With XOM and other oil majors in the shale business, you can expect easy conversions to the ngv's since they will regulate it into existence. The technical guidance document, to be published in the Dec. 3 Pennsylvania Bulletin, was among the recommendations the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission made to Governor Corbett. It will provide manufacturers, sellers and consumers of passenger cars and light-duty trucks with information about the requirements to ensure that converted vehicles comply with the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles program. There is a great deal of irrational exuberance in the American mainstream media these days, based on a misunderstanding of what is going on in the oil and gas business. Things are not nearly as good as they look. I like the phrase irrational exuberance. I got it from the book Manias, Panics, and Crashes by Charles P. Kindleberger, which should be required reading for anyone investing in the stock market or real estate. It's kind of heavy going, but does give a thorough analysis of all the crashes that have happened over the last few centuries, which gives you an idea of what can go wrong with your investments and how to spot a crash coming. In this case the balance of US "petroleum" exports and imports has shifted from net imports to net exports simply because demand in the US has fallen due to recession and refineries have surplus capacity, which they are using to refine imported oil for re-export to other countries. In the past couple of decades the US has imported refined products because it had insufficient refinery capacity (nobody has build a new refinery in the US in the last 30 years), but now due to the fall in demand (people driving less, more efficient vehicles) they have surplus capacity. There is also a surplus of natural gas on the market due to the "shale gas revolution". Unfortunately - and this is something the MSM ignores - the economics of shale gas are underwater at current prices, so it qualifies as a bubble (this is the mania part in the book above). It can't persist indefinitely because companies can't continue to drill wells at a loss indefinitely (see panic and crash). The problem with manias is that people do continue to expand production even at a financial loss due to irrational exuberance, but at the end of it all there's a crash. The real problem is that it diverts attention away from the real problem, which is crude oil. The oil exporting countries are peaking, going into decline, and turning into net importers, one by one. The US, which once produced half the oil in the world, peaked around 1970, the North Sea peaked around 2000, Indonesia dropped out of OPEC because it is a net importer, and other producing countries have similar problems. The real crunch will hit when major producers like Saudi Arabia and Russia go into steep decline, and that day is coming in the not-too-distant future. Their combined net oil exports increased from 12.2 mbpd in 2002 to 15.9 mbpd in 2005 (an 8.8%/year rate of increase), but then fell to 14.3 mbpd in 2010 (a 2.1%/year decline rate). At their 2002 to 2005 rate of increase in net oil exports, they would have shown combined net oil exports of 25 mbpd in 2010. westexas....your two Land Export Model charts show a 0.1 % & 1.0% annual decline rate. I noticed in your work above, Russia and Saudi Arabia show a 2.1% decline rate. Do you have other charts that show what the Available Net Exports will be if there was a 2 or 3% annual decline rate? I still think your work in this area is completely overlooked by many in the industry. Note that we are dealing with multiple variables, with multiple rates of change, which is part of the problem in trying to explain "Net Export Math." The Russia and Saudi numbers are for the rates of change in net oil exports (which are a function of production & consumption rates of change). Based on the preceding assumptions, a -0.1%/year rate of change in Top 33 production resulted in a -1.6%/year rate of change in GNE for 2010 to 2020, and a -1.0%/year rate of change in Top 33 production resulted in a -3.2%/year rate of change in GNE for 2010 to 2020. The respective projected ANE rates of change were -5.1%/year and -7.9%/year for 2010 to 2020. *Of course, China and India's net import rates of change are a function of their own internal production and consumption rates of change, but note that China has recently shown signs of flat domestic production. When US oil production peaked in 1970, it caused our net oil import rate of increase to spike to 15%/year, from 1970 to 1977 (versus 11%/year from 1948 to 1970. westexas....the charts reveal a sobering future. Have you received any requests for interviews on your new presentation? Anyone else out there seeing the LIGHTBULB go off, or are you just as frustrated that the blind are still leading the blind? I have have received two cable program inquiries (one from CNBC and one from MSNBC). In both cases, after they reviewed the net export material that I sent the producers, they said they might call be back later. Still waiting for a phone call. In past years, the WSJ ran at least one story touching on net exports, which quoted me, but since the change in ownership at the Journal, I have noticed a definite shift in their energy coverage, and I don't expect to see myself quoted in the Journal any time soon. At the 2005 to 2010 rate of change in Chindia's net oil imports as a percentage of GNE, the Chindia region alone would consume 100% of GNE in only 19 years. IMO, this should be, but obviously is not, the #1 story in the world. On the natural gas side, I have frequently compared Art Berman's work to Meredith Whitney's early warning about a financial meltdown. Like Meredith, who warned about financial problems prior to the financial meltdown, Art is one of only a handful of people pointing out that the shale plays are not all that they seem to be. How interesting. In reality... I am not surprised. Anyone who knows anything about the gold market (except maybe Peter Schiff and Marc Faber) don't get any air time on CNBC. Dennis Gartman is one individual who does get a great deal of air time on CNBC as a gold analyst. Funny, the professional traders have made a great deal of money over the years making bets on the exact opposite of Gartman's gold calls. I gather the truth in oil and precious metals markets is not good for business for those corporations who own these financial stations. Oh the irony - wasn't it less than 5 years ago the MSM were screaming that it was lack of investment in refinery capacity that was driving petrol prices so high? Yet here we (you) are employing spare capacity to add value to and re-export products made from imported crude oil. Good for the economy in itself, but it won't prevent total economic collapse. The shale gas economics are hugely different. For one, the decline rates in the fracked wells are very fast. For another, the amount of greenhouse gases produced is close to coal. And, as you so sagely noted, the shale gas players are forced, at the moment, to produce gas at a loss. The 100 year figure on shale gas looks like a vast, vast overstatement. Probably more like 30. If you start fueling cars and trucks with the stuff, that figure goes down even faster. It IS a mania. A maniacal attempt to retain dominance in the energy markets. On the one hand you have this desperate shale gas play and shale gas players taking their losses. On the other hand you have wind energy at grid parity and solar fast approaching. Then you have the Chinese coming in with their panels dumping on the US market in an attempt to assert their own brand of dominance. It's just a giant energy war free for all. For the US to have the lions share of world refining capacity creates an interesting situation.... think of seniorage. I was thinking about this the other day and wondering how the U.S. ranks in terms of refining capacity - volume and ability to refine all types of oil. I was imagining a scenario where the U.S. becomes a major exporter of refined products as we slide down the curve, with many underdeveloped and developing nations with oil increasingly becoming unable to refine. Okay, I'll go even further to speculate that their inability to refine is a result of not just economics, but sabotage to the refineries. Umm, sounds like a good plot for a end-of-the-world flick. Ummmm. The US has about 25% of global refining capacity, but that proportion is decreasing as the newly industrialized countries like China and India build more and more oil refineries. The US has not built a new refinery in over 30 years, whereas in China they're popping up like mushrooms. This is not a source of opportunity for the US, it is just a consequence of riding the US oil supply curve downward as reserves run out. The refineries have a lot of sunk costs, so they're just running them on imported oil because that is cheaper than building a new refinery in some other country. The exports are largely diesel fuel because that is the big demand in other countries, whereas the demand in the US is primarily for gasoline. However, there are limits to this process. The US refineries are not recovering their replacement costs, and as they get older eventually will become uneconomic to operate. Also, sooner or later it is going to dawn on the Canadian oil sands producers (the largest source of US oil imports) that it is more efficient to refine the oil sands bitumen direct to end products in Canada and export the high value refined products to the US than it is to export bitumen at a discount. The US government has been expediting this realization by holding up approval on pipelines to take the bitumen to the US Gulf Coast, and California has done the same by more or less prohibiting imports of Canadian bitumen. Of course, having US refineries shut down due to inability to compete (even if it is a result of US government policy) will go over badly with the US government and US oil refiners, which will insist that this is some kind of unfair trade advantage. Many US refineries have been modified to handle heavy, sour crude in recent years because world oil supplies are increasingly heavy and sour. I think in the next few years a lot of refineries which have not been modified to handle the changing supplies (particularly east coast ones) will be closed. I don't know if the Asian refineries are a misallocation of capital. They need the ability to supply their growing market for products, particularly in China. A lot of China's domestic oil is heavy, and their import stream is increasingly heavy, so they need the ability to process it. I've read that China has put in a concerted effort to build refineries that can handle heavy sour crude. It is well known that much of the "spare capacity" that Saudi Arabia has is essentially useless because it is heavy sour crude that most refineries can't handle. China is building refineries so they'll be able to handle such crude. Does anybody else here remember the old Mr. Magoo cartoon character? He was the irascible old geezer in a wheelchair who opened his eyes only occasionally, just long enough to completely misinterpret the actuality and significance of whatever was in his immediate field of vision. His "problem" wasn't that he was actually stupid, but rather that he continuously interpreted his complex moving cartoon world based on instantaneous "snapshot" observations. This cartoon, if rewritten as a novel by somebody really good, such as David Adams, could take its place alongside Gulliver's Travels, Alice in wonderland, and other such classical "children's" works that are even better the second time around as political and social satire. The Mr. Magoos of this world outnumber everybody else combined by at least a thousand to one.....as my old folks used to say " Lord help us" !! I've used the "Sixth Sense" analogy (many ghosts don't know they are dead, and they only see what they want to see). As in the movie "The Sixth Sense," for most of us our auto-centric suburban lifestyle is dead, but we just don't know it yet, and we see only what we want to see. As noted up the thread, the MSM are presenting a symptom of Peak Exports (the US being gradually shut out of the global market for exported oil) as good news. Key message for US citizens (if that term still apply), much before global peak or not etc, should be : Did you know we went through our oil production peak in 1970, yes that is 41 years ago, 10 millions barrels a day then, 5 now, and yes quite a bit has been done to cover/muddle around this from you, like for instance labelling the first oil shock "Arab embargo", when the key event of this shock was of course the US(then top producer) going through its peak. Zuckerman is merely doing what is so often done in energy analysis only more egregiously. IMO no other commodities area suffers from this as much. It is comparing, adding, subtracting etc. things that are different. In metals no one dares compare, add or subtract iron ore and steel and expect a meaningful result. Likewise in the grains corn and soybeans are never added together. Soybeans and soybean meal are well understood to be completely different things. But with energy, anything goes. All forms of energy can not be lumped together. Even crude oil and refined crude oil products are different. It gets really crazy when energy forms that are little related to each other are analyzed using EROEI/Net Energy as in non-renewable compared to renewable. The other day a graph was posted on TOD that not only compared EROEI of completely different forms, but did it across variable time. If I recall correctly EROEI of oil in 1930 was compared to the EROEI of bio fuels today. This was done to exaggerate an "energy cliff". In Zuckerman's faulty analysis at least he is staying in the liquid/gas fossil fuel area where depletion rules. Yeah . . . the entire article is a sham based on conflating gases and liquids. You just can't fill your car with natural gas. Now sure, you can convert vehicles to run on natural gas and you can build gas-to-liquids plants . . . but those are both expensive and take time. They have not happened to any noticeable degree. So you just can't replace gasoline & diesel with natural gas. It is that simple. They have not happened to any noticeable degree. So you just can't replace gasoline & diesel with natural gas. It is that simple. Before you say that you could never put gas on the roof of a vehicle today, consider that we have CNG municipal buses running around with 3000 psi cylinders on the roof! But, even though it (widespread use of CNG) could be done, it won't be. I fully agree that you can convert vehicles. My point is that we have not done that yet to any noticeable amount. Thus, you can't fill your conventional gasoline car with natural gas. I wouldn't be surprised if natural gas vehicles catch on if the shale gas revolution keeps NG prices down. But NG price may creep back up. And I think you might as well go straight to electric vehicles. Electricity can be made from coal, natural gas, solar (on your own roof!), wind, nuclear, etc. I think Mr. Zuckerman is just pushing the Big Business Party line. It's all part of the plan to open up the remaining resources for exploitation. His claims are not that much different from those by The Newt in his book, "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" (2008), which claims that the US has the potential to become independent of oil imports and that the Colorado Green River oil shale represents a massive store of oil which can easily be extracted. Newt even writes about PUMPING the oil out of the Green River shale, even though he earlier describes the oil shale's kerogen as a paraffin or wax like material, which he says must be heated to "capture the oil that's released". How about calling it the 'Koch Brothers Climate and Economic Devastation Act of 2012?' I think it has a nice ring to it, don't you? TWILIGHT IN THE DESERT book, we were able to get some telephone time with him, and included a question about the inclusion of railway mains expansion and extension in "Plan B". Matt allowed as how rail mode offers a clear-cut means of maintaining distribution and economic viability through the Oil Interregnum. IF, and he emphasized how big the "if" would be, the politics against railway line extension by NIMBY elements would understand the ramifications of Peak Oil. About that time, we also made some contact with Mortimer Zuckerman through his office, and actually got some telephone conversation with him as well. He was not worried about oil back then. As for railways in an oil crisis mitigation plan, he could not endorse railway expansion unless the projects penciled out -in advance of an energy emergency! As in, no money for fire suppression until the flames appear!! As TOD readers know, just the steel in the pipe going into the fracking gas fields (pun intended) would go a long way to rehabbing the US dormant rail lines. Back in November, Gail The Actuary did a piece about the perils of waiting too long before we redirect highway funding into rail capacity enhancement. Someone associated with Mr. Zuckerman will explain to him why the Mormon Church, long of a mind aware of famine scenarios, has secured control of railroads like the UP, and several major trucking operators... Its more than just about money! There is an effort out in California to obtain Chinese investment for rebuild of selected agricultural branch rail lines now dormant. Is that our fate, to even have much of our homeland food shipments controlled by foreign interests? It may be, that Federal Executive Emergency Orders for operation of transport will allow fair distribution of victuals in emergency, but it is disheartening to see the "Smart Money" so ignorant of a national need to assure Second Dimension Surface Transport Logistics Platform matrix in the coming motor fuel crunch. Haven't paged through that mag in decades. I see it hasn't changes from when I knew it as US Spews & World Distort. Yeah . . . of course. I mean I filled up my car with natural gas just yesterday. But seriously . . . how stupid are people? Reduced US oil consumption, deepwater oil, and conventional oil from shale formations have reduced oil imports. But shale gas? C'mon. Is education so bad that people can't distinguish between gas and liquid? This is really really stupid or shameless propaganda. I'm not sure which is worse. Yes, the reduction in US oil imports is primarily the result demand destruction caused by recession and the collapse in people's net worth due to the decline in value of their houses. They just can't afford to buy as much imported oil as they used to. US refineries are exporting more oil products to other countries because some countries economies (particularly that of China) are not in nearly so bad shape and their economies are growing rapidly regardless of the downturn in the US. A secondary factor is the arrival on the US market of large amounts of new oil sands production from Canada and new shale oil production from North Dakota, which has been depressing oil prices in the interior of the US. This gives SOME US refineries a competitive advantage over those in other countries because they are paying less for oil. Mid-Western refineries can make a lot of money by processing cheap Canadian and ND oil and sending the products to Europe and Asia. By contrast, oil refineries on the East Coast are being closed. It is best not to get overly optimistic about this new oil because a lot of the Canadian oil sands production is now owned by the Chinese, and the North Dakota oil boom will eventually come to an end as all oil booms do. the reduction in US oil imports is primarily the result demand destruction caused by recession and the collapse in people's net worth due to the decline in value of their houses. They just can't afford to buy as much imported oil as they used to. I think that's incorrect. US GDP has gotten back to pre-recession levels, so reduced consumption is not caused primarily by reduced incomes and "demand destruction". For instance, Vehicle miles traveled have dropped by 2% ( http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/tvtw/11septvt/11septvt.pdf ), but gas consumption has dropped by 5.5% ( http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_psup_dc_nus_mbblpd_a.htm ). That means efficiency gains have been much larger than reduced driving. We have higher efficiency. We have 1 million barrels per day of ethanol. We have 500 million barrels per day of increased production of crude and liquid equivalents (some of this nat gas liquids). And we have some demand destruction. That about does it. To say that natural gas saved the day is a bit delusional and premature to say the least. First, I don't think the day has really been saved. I mean, aren't we here sitting at $100 per barrel oil? Hello? IMO, either world economic growth tanks again or we see another run up in oil prices. That's the choice right now with 80 million new cars being sold each year and a total world automobile population of about 1 billion. Demand destruction is an economic term used to describe a permanent downward shift in the demand curve in the direction of lower demand of a commodity such as energy products, induced by a prolonged period of high prices or constrained supply. A familiar illustration of demand destruction is the effect of high gasoline prices on automobile sales. It has been widely observed that when gasoline prices are high enough, consumers tend to begin buying smaller and more efficient cars, gradually reducing per-capita demand for gasoline. If the price rise were caused by a temporary lack of supply, and the price then subsequently goes back down as supply returns to normal, the quantity consumed in this case does not immediately go back to its previous level, since the smaller cars that had been sold remain in the fleet for some time. Demand thereby has been "destroyed"; the demand curve has shifted. That's not the way you used the term in the previous comment, to which I replied. The previous comment said: "the reduction in US oil imports is primarily the result demand destruction caused by recession and the collapse in people's net worth due to the decline in value of their houses. They just can't afford to buy as much imported oil as they used to." That's the usual usage of the term on TOD: forced conservation, with an implication of hardship and sacrifice. Now, if we want "demand destruction" to mean a shift in the demand curve due to greater efficiency and use of substitutes (with an implication of no reduction or a very minimal reduction in standard of living), that's great. We just need to be consistent. Currently NG is at what, about $4? What price level do you think is needed for shale producers to begin to make a profit? Nick - Depending exactly where you are its been bouncing up around $4.50/mcf. If you're talking about the pure E Texas shale plays like the Haynesville Shale, back in late '08 once prices dropped below $6/mcf there wasn't much profit on many of the wells. Of course, drilling costs had gotten rather high towards the end of that boom. Now, in the Eagle Ford shale, the profit is coming from the oil and not the NG so much. With the demand for rigs and equipment in the EFS running costs up I suspect many of the pure NG shale plays are having difficulty making much of a profit. That sounds like a classic boom: if only production levels and rig/equipment costs were just a little lower, and prices were just a little higher, things would be fine. But new production keeps coming, equipment costs keep rising, and prices stay low or fall further. Until something breaks: maybe a recession makes demand fall, and we have a bust. The people who can weather the bust will be ok.

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Cell segregation is the process by which cells self-organize to establish developmental boundaries, an essential step in tissue formation. Cell segregation is a common outcome of Eph/ephrin signaling, but the mechanisms remain unclear. In craniofrontonasal syndrome, X-linked mosaicism for ephrin-B1 expression has been hypothesized to lead to aberrant Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation. Here, we use mouse genetics to exploit mosaicism to study cell segregation in the mammalian embryo and integrate live-cell imaging to examine the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Our data demonstrate that dramatic ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation occurs in the early neuroepithelium. In contrast to the paradigm that repulsive bidirectional signaling drives cell segregation, unidirectional EphB kinase signaling leads to cell sorting by the Rho kinase–dependent generation of a cortical actin differential between ephrin-B1– and EphB-expressing cells. These results define mechanisms of Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation, implicating unidirectional regulation of cortical actomyosin contractility as a key effector of this fundamental process. Normal development requires the self-organization of cells by sorting or segregation to establish and maintain boundaries and ultimately form distinct tissues in the adult organism (Fagotto, 2014). Cellular segregation can be achieved by three general cellular mechanisms, namely differential adhesion, cell–cell repulsion, and differential interfacial tension (Batlle and Wilkinson, 2012; Fagotto et al., 2014; Cayuso et al., 2015). The differential adhesion hypothesis proposes that differences in adhesion between cell populations driven by qualitative or quantitative differences in the expression of cell adhesion molecules will drive the more adhesive population to segregate to the inside of the less adhesive population (Steinberg, 1963, 1970; Batlle and Wilkinson, 2012). Models of segregation involving cell–cell repulsion predict that segregating cells are repelled by and migrate directionally away from one another, eventually resulting in segregation. In contrast, the differential interfacial tension hypothesis (DITH) proposes that segregation is caused by differences in cortical tension between cells leading to a change in the force of the cell–cell contact, or interfacial tension. The actomyosin cytoskeleton is thought to be critical for interfacial tension–driven segregation, with prominent F-actin cables often forming at heterotypic boundaries, and cells with differences in Rho kinase (ROCK) activity segregate in vitro (Krieg et al., 2008; Monier et al., 2010). The Eph/ephrin family of signaling molecules mediates boundary formation during many developmental processes across organisms, including the development of rhombomeres, the eye, limb buds, somites, cranial sutures, and intestinal crypts in vertebrates, as well as in Drosophila melanogaster wing discs (Durbin et al., 1998; Xu et al., 1999; Santiago and Erickson, 2002; Barrios et al., 2003; Wada et al., 2003; Holmberg et al., 2006; Merrill et al., 2006; Ting et al., 2009; Cavodeassi et al., 2013; Umetsu et al., 2014). B-type ephrins are transmembrane proteins that bind to EphB receptors on neighboring cells and can signal bidirectionally. They stimulate “forward” signaling by activation of EphB receptor signaling and “reverse” signaling through SH2 and PDZ (named for PSD95, Dlg1, and ZO-1) adaptor proteins that bind to conserved phosphorylated tyrosines and PDZ ligands, respectively, on the intracellular domain of B-type ephrins. Forward signaling has been proposed to occur via both kinase-dependent and kinase-independent mechanisms (Birgbauer et al., 2000; Holmberg et al., 2006; Dravis and Henkemeyer, 2011). Numerous cell culture and explant studies have investigated Eph/ephrin downstream signaling pathways, revealing important roles for Rho family GTPase signaling, though no genetic studies in intact embryos have yet been reported (Tanaka et al., 2003; Rohani et al., 2011; Nievergall et al., 2012). The current paradigm, derived mostly from overexpression studies, proposes that bidirectional Eph/ephrin signaling mediates changes in adhesion and repulsive migration to drive cell segregation; whether differential interfacial tension contributes to Eph/ephrin cell segregation is unknown (Xu et al., 1999; Poliakov et al., 2008; Jørgensen et al., 2009; Rohani et al., 2011; Prospéri et al., 2015). To study the mechanisms underlying Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation, we use a genetic mouse model involving mosaicism for ephrin-B1. This model arose out of interest in the human disease craniofrontonasal syndrome (CFNS; MIM304110). CFNS results from mutation of the X-linked gene EFNB1, which encodes EPHRINB1, and is unusual in that heterozygous females display severe phenotypes, whereas hemizygous males are only mildly affected (Twigg et al., 2004; Wieland et al., 2004). Mosaicism for ephrin-B1 function appears to be central to disease severity, because male patients with somatic, as opposed to germline, mutations in EFNB1 exhibit severe manifestations of CFNS (Twigg et al., 2013). This aspect of the disease is phenocopied in Efnb1Δ/+ mice, which display more severe dysmorphogenesis than either hemizygous-null (Efnb1Δ/Y) males or homozygous-null (Efnb1Δ/Δ) females (Compagni et al., 2003; Davy et al., 2004, 2006; Bush and Soriano, 2010). In Efnb1Δ/+ embryos, random X-inactivation, which occurs at around embryonic day 5.5 (E5.5), results in the silencing of either the mutant or the wild-type (WT) allele, thereby generating mosaicism in which half of the cells are capable of expressing WT ephrin-B1 (from the unaffected X chromosome) and half of the cells cannot express a functional copy of ephrin-B1. These populations have been reported to appear as large patches in the limb bud and secondary palate, with the formation of aberrant boundaries between ephrin-B1–expressing and nonexpressing regions that often correlate with regions of dysmorphogenesis (Compagni et al., 2003; Davy et al., 2006; Bush and Soriano, 2010). That Efnb1 is X linked thus provides a unique opportunity to study cellular segregation in the mammalian embryo; in this system, dramatic, developmentally important segregation results from mosaicism for the expression of only one molecule. By combining mouse genetics and live imaging studies, we examine the molecular and cellular drivers of this cell segregation and propose a novel model, based on cortical tension, for how it occurs. To visualize cell segregation in Efnb1Δ/+ mouse embryos, we used an X-linked β-actin–GFP transgene (XGFP) that results in a fine-grained mosaic pattern of GFP expression in females heterozygous for this transgene caused by random X-inactivation (Hadjantonakis et al., 1998, 2001; Compagni et al., 2003). To determine the onset of cell segregation, we examined Efnb1+XGFP/Δ embryos at progressive stages of development by immunostaining for ephrin-B1 and GFP. At the late streak stage (E7.75), we observed an apparently random, evenly distributed and fine-grained pattern of mosaic GFP expression throughout Efnb1+XGFP/Δ embryos that was indistinguishable from that observed in Efnb1+XGFP/lox controls (Fig. 1, left columns). At the early headfold stage (E8.0; zero to two somites), coincident with the appearance of ephrin-B1 expression (Fig. 1 and Fig. S1), we began to observe the establishment of ephrin-B1–positive, GFP-positive patches that were absent in controls (Fig. 1, center columns). By E8.5 (five to eight somites), around the initiation of neural crest cell emigration, Efnb1+XGFP/Δ embryos exhibited robust ephrin-B1–driven segregation in the neuroepithelium (Fig. 1, right columns). Thus, ephrin-B1–driven cell segregation occurs in the neuroepithelium progenitor population shortly after the onset of ephrin-B1 expression. We therefore focused on the neuroepithelium to examine mechanisms of Eph/ephrin cell segregation. Ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation in mice occurs in the neuroepithelium at E8.5. Comparison of Efnb1+XGFP/Δ heterozygote and control (Efnb1+XGFP/lox) mouse embryos stained for ephrin-B1 (magenta) and GFP (green) at E7.75–E8.5. Numbers of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. Bars, 150 µm. See also Fig. S1. Previous studies have indicated that bidirectional signaling drives cell segregation (Xu et al., 1999; Mellitzer et al., 2000; Jørgensen et al., 2009). To determine whether ephrin-B1 drives segregation through forward and/or reverse signaling in the neuroepithelium, we used several mutant alleles to selectively ablate specific downstream signaling cascades in the context of Efnb1 heterozygosity. These experiments required that the X-linked GFP and mutated Efnb1 allele be located on the same X chromosome, so we selected for recombination between these unlinked loci and obtained Efnb1+/ΔXGFP embryos that express XGFP in ephrin-B1–null cells (Fig. 2, first column). We first tested the involvement of reverse signaling using the Efnb16FΔV allele, which lacks reverse signaling through known mechanisms because of mutations of the six phosphorylatable intracellular tyrosines and deletion of the C-terminal valine, which is required for binding PDZ domain proteins (Bush and Soriano, 2009). We reasoned that Efnb1loxXGFP/6FΔV embryos, in which half of the cells lack the ability to receive a reverse signal and half express WT ephrin-B1, should exhibit cell segregation only if mosaic loss of reverse signaling is sufficient for this process. However, contrary to this prediction, the XGFP distribution in E8.5 embryos showed no cell segregation but instead exhibited a uniform and fine-grained mosaic distribution of GFP-positive cells (Fig. 2, second column). To determine whether phosphotyrosine- or PDZ-dependent reverse signaling is required for cell sorting, we generated Efnb1ΔXGFP/6FΔV embryos, in which half of the cells are incapable of reverse signaling and the other half have no ephrin-B1 at all. These embryos exhibited dramatic cell segregation that was indistinguishable from that seen in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP embryos, indicating that completely eliminating phosphotyrosine- and PDZ-dependent reverse signaling in the context of ephrin-B1 mosaicism did not diminish cell segregation (Fig. 2, third column). Furthermore, this was not attributable to functional compensation for ephrin-B1 reverse signaling by the closely related family member ephrin-B2, because Efnb1ΔXGFP/6FΔV;Efnb2Δ/Δ embryos also exhibited cell segregation comparable to that seen in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP embryos (Fig. 2, last column). Therefore, reverse signaling through these mechanisms is not sufficient or necessary for ephrin-B1–driven cell segregation. Reverse signaling is dispensable for cell segregation in Efnb1Δ/+ neuroepithelium. E8.5 mouse embryos expressing various combinations of Efnb alleles. 6FΔV, reverse signaling dead allele. Numbers of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. The GFP signal was adjusted in a nonlinear fashion to assist discrimination of the ephrin-B1–negative population. Bars, 100 µm. If cell segregation is indeed driven exclusively by activating forward signaling, then withdrawal of forward signal transduction in the context of ephrin-B1 mosaicism should block the ability of cells to segregate. EphB2 and EphB3 have been shown to have redundant roles as receptors for ephrin-B1 (Orioli et al., 1996; Risley et al., 2009), and both are expressed in the neuroepithelium at E8.5 (Fig. S1). Deletion of one or both copies of Ephb3 in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP mutant embryos did not have a notable effect on cell segregation (Fig. 3, first and second columns). However, removing EphB2 forward signaling using an allele in which the cytosolic domain is replaced with LacZ (Ephb2LacZ; Orioli et al., 1996) resulted in a striking reduction of cell segregation in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP;Ephb2LacZ/LacZ embryos, and compound loss of EphB2 forward signaling and EphB3 (in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP;Ephb2LacZ/LacZ;Ephb3−/− embryos) completely abrogated cell segregation (Fig. 3, third and fourth columns). Contrary to the prevailing model of bidirectional Eph/ephrin-driven segregation, our results demonstrate that forward signaling alone drives cell segregation. Forward signaling is critical for cell segregation in Efnb1Δ/+ neuroepithelium. E8.5 Efnb1ΔXGFP/+ mouse embryos with various combinations of Eph receptor mutations. LacZ, forward signaling dead allele. Numbers of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. The GFP signal was adjusted in a nonlinear fashion to assist discrimination of the ephrin-B1–negative population. Bars, 100 µm. Because kinase-dependent and -independent modes of forward signaling have been described (Dravis and Henkemeyer, 2011), we asked which of these are required for ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation. To address this, we used a chemical genetics approach involving mutant knock-in alleles of the EphB1, EphB2, and EphB3 kinases in which the ATP binding pockets were engineered to be inhibited by bulky analogs of the Src inhibitor PP1 (Ephb1AS-KI, Ephb2AS-KI, and Ephb3AS-KI; Soskis et al., 2012). This approach enables the specific and reversible inhibition of EphB receptors at various times during development by treatment with 1-NA-PP1. We treated Efnb1+/ΔXGFP embryos expressing either WT (Ephb+/+) or analog-sensitive (EphbAS-TKI/AS-TKI) EphB1, EphB2, and EphB3 with 1-NA-PP1 or vehicle every 8 h from E7.5 to E8.5 and examined the effect on cell segregation. Segregation was dramatically reduced in Efnb1+/ΔXGFP;EphbAS-TKI/AS-TKI embryos treated with 1-NA-PP1 (Fig. 4, third column) compared with controls, indicating that kinase-dependent signaling through EphB receptors is crucial for ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation in the neuroepithelium. Collectively, these results demonstrate that kinase-dependent forward signaling is critical for ephrin-B1–mediated cell sorting. Cell segregation relies on kinase-dependent signaling through EphB receptors. E8.5 Efnb1ΔXGFP/+ mouse embryos with analog-sensitive kinase mutations in EphB1, EphB2, and EphB3 (EphbAS-TKI/AS-TKI) or WT EphBs (Ephb+/+), treated with vehicle or 1-NA-PP1. Numbers of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. The GFP signal was adjusted in a nonlinear fashion to assist discrimination of the ephrin-B1–negative population. Bars, 100 µm. To determine how unidirectional signaling could mediate cell segregation behaviors, we turned to a HEK293 model in which ephrin-B1 and EphB2 are expressed in two separate populations of cells (with the EphB2 population marked with GFP; Poliakov et al., 2008). After mixing of these two populations, the cells undergo segregation into large EphB2-expressing domains surrounded by ephrin-B1–expressing cells (see Fig. S4 and Materials and methods for more details; Poliakov et al., 2008). Live imaging of segregation revealed that the EphB2 cells underwent repeated rounds of collapse and cell rounding upon contact with ephrin-B1 cells, as previously observed (Video 1). One current paradigm suggests that cell sorting is driven by repulsive migration of segregating cells away from each other over repeated interactions (Poliakov et al., 2004, 2008; Taylor et al., 2012). We therefore asked if repeated unidirectional repulsion of EphB2 cells, driven by forward signaling from ephrin-B1 cells, progressively redirected EphB2 cells into larger clusters. We reasoned that if repeated repulsive migration and redirection drives cell segregation, we would expect an increase in the overall distance EphB2 cells travel when cultured with ephrin-B1 cells when compared with EphB2 cells cultured with other EphB2 cells. Indeed, at low cell densities at which cells could move freely but segregation was not observed, we were able to detect an increase in the migratory distance of EphB2 cells when in co-culture with ephrin-B1 cells (Fig. S3 C), consistent with the documented capacity of Eph/ephrin-B1 signaling to regulate repulsive migration (Poliakov et al., 2008). On the contrary, when we tracked EphB2 cells over 16 h of live imaging under higher-density conditions in which cell segregation was observed, we found that EphB2 cell overall movement was actually slightly decreased when in co-culture with ephrin-B1 cells (Fig. 5 C), showing that repulsive migration was not likely to solely drive cell segregation. Cortical F-actin accumulates in segregating EphB2-expressing cells in a ROCK-dependent manner. (A) Individual frames from Videos 1 and 2 showing HEK293 cells overexpressing ephrin-B1 and LifeAct-mCherry (magenta; cells marked with yellow arrowheads) mixed with HEK293 cells overexpressing EphB2, membrane-GFP (green), and LifeAct-mCherry (magenta; cells marked with white arrowheads) in the absence (top) or presence (bottom) of Y-27632. Bars, 20 µm. Note the strong increase in cortical F-actin in the EphB2 population (white arrowheads) in the control, but not the Y-27632-treated, condition. (B) 2.5D plots derived from the images in A depicting LifeAct fluorescence intensity on the z axis. (C) Cell tracking analysis of overall EphB2 cell movement over 16 h. (D–E and G–H) LifeAct fluorescence intensities of the cell interiors (D and G) and cell membranes (E and H) of the EphB2-expressing (D–E) and ephrin-B1–expressing (G and H) populations. (F) Ratio of the LifeAct fluorescence intensity at the outside of an EphB2-positive cluster of cells to other cell membranes located inside the cluster. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.0001 compared with EphB2+ephrin-B1 DMSO; #, P < 0.01; ##, P < 0.001 compared with ephrin-B1+EphB2 DMSO. Graphs represent means ± SEM. In A and B, the GFP signal was adjusted in a nonlinear fashion to assist discrimination of the EphB2-expressing population. See also Figs. S2–S5 and Videos 1–6. We therefore asked whether another model of segregation, the DITH, might better explain Eph/ephrin-mediated cell sorting. The DITH states that differences in cortical tension between two populations of cells lead to differences in their interfacial tension and can drive cell segregation. To examine changes in cortical tension and the actin cytoskeleton in this system, we stably expressed the fluorescent F-actin reporter LifeAct-mCherry (Riedl et al., 2008) in both cell types and used time-lapse confocal microscopy to examine the cells for 16 h starting 1 h after mixing. We noted a dramatic increase in the intensity of LifeAct-mCherry fluorescence in the EphB2 population (Fig. 5 A, white arrowheads), but not the ephrin-B1 population (Fig. 5 A, yellow arrowheads), upon contact between the two cell types as cell sorting proceeded (Video 1; Fig. 5, A and B, top rows; and Fig. 5, D, E, G, and H). Although LifeAct-mCherry fluorescence intensity increased throughout the EphB2 cells (Fig. 5, A and B), the increase was most dramatic at the cell cortex (Fig. 5, compare D and E). This increase was present at early time points, suggesting that increased cortical actin is not simply a consequence of sorting (Fig. 5, D and E). Furthermore, as sorting proceeded, EphB2-expressing cells coalesced into tight groups, with pronounced elevation of cortical actin at the outer borders of EphB2-positive cell groups (Fig. 5 F). LifeAct fluorescence also increased in EphB2 cells interacting with ephrin-B1 cells at low cell density, indicating that the increase was not caused by the cells being constrained or by increasing overlap of EphB2 membranes (Videos 5 and 6; and Fig. S3, D and E). An increase in cortical actin was not observed in control conditions in which EphB2 cells were mixed with themselves or when ephrin-B1 cells were mixed with untransfected 293 cells (Videos 3 and 4; Fig. 5, D–H; and Fig. S2, A and B). Therefore, consistent with our genetic data pointing to unidirectional signaling as the driver of cell sorting, forward signaling results in an increase in cortical actin in only the EphB2 population, leading to a differential between the two cell populations. We next determined the involvement of signaling pathways downstream of Eph receptors in this process. Eph signaling is complex and involves multiple effectors, including Rho and Ras family GTPases, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)–Akt pathway, p21-activated kinases, focal adhesion kinases and E-cadherin cleavage via the protease ADAM10 (Poliakov et al., 2008; Shi et al., 2009; Bush and Soriano, 2010; Solanas et al., 2011; Nievergall et al., 2012; Lisabeth et al., 2013; Choe and Crump, 2015). Given the number of potential mechanisms involved, we performed pharmacological screening of candidate mediator pathways to determine which might have dominant involvement (Fig. S4; see Materials and methods section for further description; Poliakov et al., 2008). Upon treatment of mixed cell populations, we performed nearest-neighbor analysis to compare the extent of segregation upon treatment with different inhibitors. We observed slight but nonsignificant decreases in sorting with many of the inhibitors, consistent with the known roles of their targets in EphB signaling. Surprisingly, the MEK inhibitor U0126 did not significantly affect sorting, and the PI3K inhibitor GDC0941 significantly increased segregation. Of the inhibitors we tested, we observed statistically significant reduction of cell segregation only upon treatment with inhibitors of ROCK or myosin light chain kinase. Based on these findings, we examined the effect of inhibiting ROCK activity on cortical actomyosin accumulation by live imaging. At the beginning of cell mixing, the LifeAct-mCherry fluorescence intensity in EphB2 cells treated with ROCK inhibitor (Y-27632) was comparable to control; although cortical actin increased dramatically in control cells as sorting proceeded, it did not upon inhibition of ROCK activity (Video 2 and Fig. 5, A and B [bottom] and D–F). To confirm the specificity of Y-27632 and to determine whether ROCK function was specifically required in EphB2 cells, we used CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis to knock out ROCK1 and ROCK2 in EphB2-expressing cells and examined F-actin during segregation using phalloidin staining. We found that genetic ablation of ROCK function decreased cortical actin intensity, similar to treatment with Y-27632 (Fig. S5). Thus, we conclude that ROCK inhibition blocks accumulation of cortical F-actin and significantly diminishes the capacity for Eph/ephrin-mediated cell sorting in culture. To assess the role of actin cables in the mammalian embryo, we next examined the facial mesenchyme of E13.5 embryos, a region that exhibits particularly dramatic cell segregation in Efnb1Δ/+embryos. Co-staining sections with fluorescently tagged phalloidin and an antibody against ephrin-B1 revealed increases in F-actin at signaling interface boundaries between ephrin-B1–positive and ephrin-B1–negative domains in Efnb1Δ/+ embryos (Fig. 6, bottom row) that were absent in WT (Efnb1lox/+) embryos (Fig. 6, top row). These actin cables were located opposite to the ephrin-B1–expressing region (in ephrin-B1–negative cells in contact with ephrin-B1–positive cells), consistent with the idea that they were induced by ephrin-B1 forward signaling across that signaling interface. We therefore conclude that increased cortical actin is also associated with cell segregation in the mammalian embryo. F-actin cables at ephrin-B1 boundaries in the embryo. Sections through the palates of control (Efnb1lox/+) and heterozygous (Efnb1Δ/+) embryos stained for ephrin-B1 (green) and F-actin (phalloidin; magenta). An ephrin-B1 expression boundary is indicated by white arrowheads. Numbers of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. Bars, 50 µm. Based on our finding that a differential in cortical actomyosin is generated by forward signaling during cell segregation in cell culture in a ROCK-dependent manner, we tested whether signaling through the Rho-family GTPases Rho, Cdc42, and Rac1 is required for Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation in mouse embryos. We generated Efnb1 heterozygous embryos lacking the ability to signal through ROCK, Cdc42, or Rac1 using floxed alleles of Cdc42 (Wu et al., 2006) or Rac1 (Glogauer et al., 2003) or a transgenic conditional dominant-negative allele that interferes with the function of both ROCK1 and ROCK2 (ROCKDN; Kobayashi et al., 2004). Because complete loss of function of these signaling mediators results in early embryonic lethality (Sugihara et al., 1998; Chen et al., 2000), we used Wnt1Cre2 to induce recombination in the neuroepithelium just before neural crest cell emigration and assayed cell segregation in the neural crest cell–derived craniofacial mesenchyme. Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;ROCKDNlox/+, Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Cdc42lox/lox and Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Rac1lox/lox embryos survive until E11.5 with phenotypes resembling those previously reported (Thomas et al., 2010; Phillips et al., 2012; Liu et al., 2013; unpublished data). Whereas Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+ embryos exhibited robust cell segregation in neural crest–derived tissues by E11.5, in Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;ROCKDNlox/+ embryos, we observed significantly decreased sorting throughout the neural crest–derived tissues (Fig. 7 A). Quantifying sorting in the lateral nasal process (LNP) revealed that expression of dominant negative ROCK increased the proportion of GFP+ cells in small patches and decreased the proportion of GFP+ cells in large patches (Fig. 7 B), resulting in an overall decrease in the size of the sorted patches (Fig. 7 C). Surprisingly, despite previous in vitro studies supporting roles for Cdc42 and Rac1 in Eph/ephrin signaling, deletion of Cdc42 or Rac1 did not impair cell segregation (Fig. 7, D–I). These data indicate that ROCK activity is also necessary for ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation in the embryo. Signaling through ROCK is required for ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation in mouse embryos. (A, D, and G) Comparison of patches resulting from aberrant cell segregation in the frontonasal processes of E11.5 Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+ embryos. Sections were stained for ephrin-B1 (magenta) and GFP (green), and GFP-positive cells and patches in the lateral nasal process (cropped images) were quantified and are outlined in yellow for clarity. Bars, 100 µm. (A) An unsorted embryo (Efnb1loxXGFP/+) compared with an Efnb1 heterozygous embryo (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;ROCKDN+/+) and an Efnb1 heterozygous embryo with Wnt1Cre2-induced expression of dominant-negative ROCK (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;ROCKDNlox/+). (D) Control heterozygous embryo (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Cdc42lox/+) compared with a heterozygous embryo with loss of Cdc42 (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Cdc42lox/lox). (G) Control heterozygous embryo (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Rac1lox/+) compared with a heterozygous embryo with loss of Rac1 (Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Rac1lox/lox). (B, E, and H) Distribution of GFP-positive areas into patches of various sizes. Column heights represent means of the distributions in each embryo, and error bars represent SEM. ****, P < 0.0001 as compared with Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+. (C, F, and I) Patch sizes represented as scatterplots. Horizontal bars represent means, and error bars represent SEM. *, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.001, compared with Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+; ****, P < 0.0001 compared with Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Rac1lox/+ control group. Red symbols, Efnb1loxXGFP/+. Blue symbols, Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;ROCKDN+/+, Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Rac1lox/+, or Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Cdc42lox/+. Green symbols, Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;ROCKDNlox/+, Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Rac1lox/lox, or Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+;Cdc42lox/lox. Number of embryos analyzed are presented in Table S2. Whereas previous studies suggested that bidirectional signaling mediates cell sorting (Durbin et al., 1998; Xu et al., 1999; Mellitzer et al., 2000; Barrios et al., 2003), our data show that reverse signaling through ephrin-B1 by known mechanisms is not required for segregation in the mammalian neuroepithelium. Consistent with this mechanism, during cell segregation in HEK293 cells, EphB2-expressing cells exhibited ROCK-dependent increases in cortical actin, whereas ephrin-B1–expressing cells did not. These results lead us to propose a new model for Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation in the mammalian embryo (Fig. 8). Unidirectional, kinase-dependent forward signaling results in elevation of cortical actomyosin specifically within the EphB receptor cell population, creating a differential between the ephrin-B1 and EphB2 cell populations. The unidirectional regulation of cortical actin may contribute to cell segregation by multiple mechanisms. Models of ephrin-B1–driven cell segregation. Based on our work in the mouse embryo, we conclude that unidirectional forward signaling drives cell segregation. Possible mechanisms for unidirectional signaling in cell segregation include unidirectional regulation of repulsive migration and unidirectional regulation of cell adhesion. Based on our live imaging data, we propose a third mechanism, whereby unidirectional signaling leads to a differential in cortical actin between signaling and receiving cells. We suggest that this differential drives segregation by a mechanism that fits the differential interfacial tension hypothesis. First, cellular repulsion and migration, mediated by actomyosin contractility in response to ephrin-B1 forward signaling, could lead to grouping of EphB2-expressing cells. If unidirectional repulsive cellular migration drives cell segregation, however, we would expect that EphB2 cells would travel a greater distance, as they are repeatedly redirected over the course of their segregation. Because we observe a decrease in total cell migration of EphB2 cells when undergoing cell segregation (Fig. 5 C), we do not think that repulsive migration is the only driver of cell segregation. Second, unidirectional signaling might set up a cell adhesion differential. Previous studies in cell culture have indicated that activation of forward signaling can lead to recruitment of ADAM metalloproteases and cleavage of E-cadherin at Eph/ephrin signaling interfaces, which may be particularly relevant in the intestinal epithelium (Solanas et al., 2011). Though our HEK293 cell experiments do not support a requirement of ADAM metalloprotease activity in this system, it remains possible that unidirectional signaling could regulate the expression or localization of adhesion molecules in the forward-signaling recipient cells. This mechanism could also involve signaling through ROCK. For example, in Xenopus laevis, actomyosin contractility is critical to reduce cadherin adhesion at the boundary between the notochord and paraxial mesoderm (Fagotto et al., 2013). Third, it has been more recently shown that cell segregation can occur by differences in cortical tension between cells, leading to a change in the force of the cell–cell contact, or interfacial tension. The actomyosin cytoskeleton is thought to be critical for interfacial tension-driven segregation, with prominent F-actin cables often forming at heterotypic boundaries, and cells with differences in ROCK activity segregate in vitro (Krieg et al., 2008; Monier et al., 2010). Therefore, our observation of elevated cortical actin in EphB2-expressing cells before the formation of larger EphB2 groups leads us to propose that this up-regulation may lead to a change in cortical tension that directly contributes to cell segregation by changing differential interfacial tension (Fig. 8). In an intermingled population of EphB- and ephrin-B–expressing cells, unidirectional activation of signaling results in populations with differences in cortical actomyosin contractility. Cell segregation in this system occurs as EphB2 cells increase their cortical actin accumulation to levels higher than those observed in ephrin-B1 cells (Fig. 5, compare D and E to G and H). Notably, cortical actin increases most dramatically at the membrane of EphB2 cells in contact with ephrin-B1 cells relative to the homotypic EphB2–EphB2 interfaces (Fig. 5 F). These cell behaviors and changes in cortical actin fit well with the predictions of the DITH, which states that two populations of cells with a differential in interfacial tension (i.e., the force of the contact between two cells) will sort out based on the differences in this tension (Brodland, 2002). After the initial segregation of EphB2-expressing cells, boundaries were sharpened by the formation of actomyosin cables, thereby excluding ephrin-B1–expressing cells. This observation is consistent with a recent study showing that after the establishment of a boundary by repeated rounds of adhesion and repulsion, accumulation of F-actin occurred at the boundary between the mesoderm and blastocoel roof in Xenopus (Rohani et al., 2011). Likewise, in Xenopus, myosin contractility is critical to reduce cadherin adhesion at the boundary between the notochord and paraxial mesoderm (Fagotto et al., 2013). Similarly, knockdown of EphA4 in the zebrafish hindbrain resulted in loss of actomyosin cables and a less straight rhombomere boundary (Calzolari et al., 2014). Cortical actomyosin also maintains sharp tissue boundaries in Drosophila (Landsberg et al., 2009; Monier et al., 2010), and recently, it has been shown that the Eph receptor shapes the anteroposterior compartment boundary in the Drosophila wing disc, though whether this is achieved by regulation of cortical actomyosin contractility has not yet been examined (Umetsu et al., 2014). It is notable that cell segregation in the embryo depends on ROCK, but not Cdc42 or Rac1, activity. Our genetic studies show that ROCK activity is required for Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation in the mouse embryo, and live-cell imaging studies indicate that ROCK activity is required for establishment of a cortical actin differential during segregation. Rho/ROCK has been shown to be required for Eph/ephrin-dependent changes in cell contractility and cytoskeletal collapse (Noren and Pasquale, 2004; Nievergall et al., 2012), and signaling through RhoA/ROCK is required for cell segregation in Xenopus animal cap cells, although in this case, bidirectional signaling was proposed to be involved, and the cellular behaviors driving segregation were not clear (Tanaka et al., 2003). A previous study noted multiple, though sometimes contradictory, changes in the activity of Rac1 and Cdc42 upon Eph/ephrin signaling activation (Nievergall et al., 2012). Our data suggest that Rac1 and Cdc42 activity are individually dispensable for Eph/ephrin-mediated cell segregation in the mammalian embryo, though compensation cannot be ruled out. These findings have interesting similarities with ephrin-B2–induced cellular retraction in human umbilical endothelial cells, which was found to depend largely on Rho/ROCK, but not Rac1 (Groeger and Nobes, 2007). In this system, Rho/ROCK-mediated actomyosin contractility is required for cell collapse, whereas Rac regulates termination of EphB receptor signaling by endocytosis. Further, cell collapse was completely inhibited by the joint inhibition of Cdc42 and ROCK. Similarly, we find that interfering with ROCK activity dramatically reduced cell segregation but did not completely block it. Although this might be attributable to incomplete inhibition in the Y-27632 and ROCKDN experiments, it is also possible that other pathways and/or pathway redundancy are also at play. Together, these similarities may suggest that actomyosin-mediated cellular collapse and cell segregation are directly related cellular processes. Interestingly, we observed that the PI3K inhibitor GDC0941 increased segregation in cell culture, implying that signals downstream of PI3K/Akt may oppose cell segregation. We speculate that this may be related to PI3K’s known roles in promoting Eph/ephrin-regulated cell migration (Genander et al., 2009), which we find is decreased during ephrin-B1–mediated cell segregation (Fig. 5 C). Perhaps by dampening overall migration, the PI3K inhibitor allows segregation mediated by differential cortical tension to proceed more efficiently; however, more investigation of this phenomenon is required. Notably, the data presented here may further explain the pathogenesis of CFNS and suggest possible treatment approaches. For example, the kinase dependence of cell segregation suggests that specific inhibitors of ephrin-B1/EphB2 signaling might be useful for inhibiting pathogenic cell sorting and could be used as a rational medical treatment approach for CFNS, especially as prenatal genetic diagnostics continue to improve. Whether and how cell segregation ultimately exerts its effects on dysmorphogenesis is an ongoing area of investigation, but this process may include changes in cell proliferation rate across boundaries established by cell segregation (Bush and Soriano, 2010). Thus, the data presented here may shed light on CFNS pathogenesis as well as the fundamental mechanisms used by Eph/ephrin signaling in tissue organization during development and disease. All animal experiments were performed in accordance with the protocols of the University of California, San Francisco Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Mice were housed under a 12-h light/dark cycle with food and water ad libitum. Mice were socially housed (n = 2–5 per cage) except when single housing was required for breeding or drug-delivery purposes, in which case additional enrichment was provided. For a full description of all genetic crosses used in this paper, see Table S1. Efnb1lox, Efnb16FΔV, XGFP, Ephb2LacZ, Ephb3−, Ephb1AS-KI, Ephb2AS-KI, Ephb3AS-KI, Cdc42lox, Rac1lox, and ROCKDNlox alleles have been previously described (Henkemeyer et al., 1996; Orioli et al., 1996; Hadjantonakis et al., 1998; Glogauer et al., 2003; Davy et al., 2004; Kobayashi et al., 2004; Wu et al., 2006; Bush and Soriano, 2009; Soskis et al., 2012). ROCKDNlox mice were provided by the RIKEN BioResource Center through the National Bio-Resource Project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. Recombination of floxed alleles was accomplished by expressing β-actin-Cre (MGI: 2176050; resulting in the Efnb1Δ allele) or Wnt1Cre2 (MGI: 5485027; Lewis et al., 2013). Mouse strain information, the crosses used to generate embryos, and the numbers of embryos are detailed in Table S2. To achieve X chromosome mosaicism, all embryos were female and were collected at E7.5–E13.5 as indicated in the figures. Embryos were processed, sectioned, and subjected to immunofluorescence analysis as described previously (Lewis et al., 2013). For sections in Fig. 7, images were acquired on an Axio Imager.Z2 upright microscope (ZEISS) at room temperature using Cy2 and Cy3 fluorochromes, a 10× air Plan-ECPlan-NeoFluar objective lens (numerical aperture 0.3; ZEISS) and an AxioCamMR3 camera (ZEISS); Axiovision Rel. 4.8 software was used to acquire images, adjust brightness and contrast, and export tiff images. For sections in Fig. 6, single optical sections were acquired on an Axio Observer.Z1 spinning disk confocal microscope (ZEISS) at room temperature using Cy2 and Alexa Fluor 647 fluorochromes, a 40× water LD C-Apochromat objective lens (numerical aperture 1.1; ZEISS), and an Axiocam 506 camera (ZEISS). For whole E7.75–E8.5 embryos, confocal stacks were acquired using the same setup but with a 10× air Plan-Apochromat objective lens (numerical aperture 0.45; ZEISS) or, for Fig. 1, on a TI inverted microscope stand (Nikon) equipped with a Borealis-modified Yokogawa CSU-X1 confocal head (Spectral Applied Research) at room temperature using Cy2 and Cy3 fluorochromes, a 10× air Plan Apo objective lens (numerical aperture 0.45; Nikon), a Clara cooled scientific grade interline CCD camera (Andor Technology), and NIS-Elements software. Zen software or ImageJ was used to make maximum projections, adjust brightness and contrast, and export tiff images. For quantification of sorting in Wnt1Cre2Tg/+;Efnb1loxXGFP/+ embryos bearing mutations in Cdc42, Rac1, or ROCK, patch sizes were analyzed in two sections from each of three (for Cdc42), four (for Rac1), or five (for ROCK) embryos for each genotype. Sections from experimental and control embryos were selected and matched based on anatomy. Based on the merged images, each LNP was defined by the dorsal edge of the nasal pit and selected using ImageJ. The LNP was chosen for quantification based on its relatively defined anatomy. Each GFP-positive cell or patch of cells in the LNP was outlined by a blinded observer and quantified using CellProfiler2.1.1 (Carpenter et al., 2006; Lamprecht et al., 2007). For statistical analysis of the distribution of GFP-positive areas, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA; followed by Dunnett’s tests, if necessary) was used. For statistical analysis of patch sizes, Kruskal–Wallis tests (with Dunn’s post hoc tests) or Mann–Whitney tests were used. Pregnant dams were treated with 80 mg/kg 1-NA-PP1 (dissolved at 3 mg/ml in 10% DMSO/20% Cremaphor/70% PBS; Tocris Bioscience) or a similar amount of vehicle administered by subcutaneous injection of 0.5–0.8 ml drug solution (depending on mouse weight) between the scapulae. Pregnant dams were injected every 8 h starting at E7.5 and were sacrificed for analysis at E8.5. RNA was isolated from pools of two or three embryos using an RNEasy Mini kit (QIAGEN), and each pool was treated as a single sample. Reverse transcription was performed using a Superscript II RT kit (Invitrogen), and quantitative PCR was performed using iTaq Universal SYBR Green and a CFX96 Real Time System (both from Bio-Rad) and the following primers: efnb1 forward, 5′-CGTTGGCCAAGAACCTGGAGC-3′; efnb1 reverse, 5′-TCCAGCTTGTCTCCAATCTTCGG-3′; ephb2 forward, 5′-TGCTGCTGCCGCTGCTAGC-3′; ephb2 reverse, 5′-TGCTAGCCGCTCACCTCTTTCC-3′; ephb3 forward, 5′-GCTACACCTTTGAGGTGCAGGC-3′; ephb3 reverse, 5′-GTTGTACGGAGTTCTTCTGGC-3′; GAPDH forward, 5′-ACCACAGTCCATGCCATCAC-3′; GAPDH reverse, 5′-TCCACCACCCTGTTGCTGTA-3′. Efnb1 and Ephb expression levels were normalized to the amount of GAPDH and then to mean expression in the E7.75 samples, which was set at 1.0. In this system, HEK293 cells expressing GFP and high levels of EphB2 are mixed with either WT HEK293 cells (which express low levels of ephrin-B1) or HEK293 cells expressing high levels of ephrin-B1; the latter condition results in dramatic segregation. Stable HEK293 cell lines expressing ephrin-B1 or EphB2 plus membrane-targeted GFP (EphB2 + GFP) were obtained from A. Poliakov and D. Wilkinson (laboratory of D. Wilkinson, Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research, London, England, UK; Poliakov et al., 2008; Jørgensen et al., 2009) and cultured at 37°C with 5% CO2 in DMEM supplemented with 10% bovine calf serum, glutamine, and antibiotics. Cell segregation assays were performed essentially as previously described. In brief, two homogenous populations of cells were aliquoted into and thoroughly resuspended in media containing various inhibitors and plated in 24-well dishes coated with 10 µg/ml fibronectin (Sigma-Aldrich) to obtain a final cell density of 150,000/ml; cells were then grown for 24 h until confluence. Phase and GFP images of living cells were acquired on an Axiovert 200 inverted microscope (ZEISS) at room temperature using a 5× air A-Plan objective lens (numerical aperture 0.12; ZEISS) and an AxioCam MR3 camera (ZEISS); Axiovision Rel. 4.8 software was used to acquire images, adjust brightness and contrast, and export tiff images. For each condition, six GFP images were obtained, background was subtracted, and images were manually thresholded in ImageJ. Images for which manual thresholding was impossible (because of high signal-to-noise ratio in part of the image) were omitted from analysis, resulting in n = 3–6 images being included in the final analysis. Segregation was then quantified using a nearest-neighbor method (Mochizuki et al., 1998; Poliakov et al., 2008). In this method, a photograph is converted to a lattice of squares that roughly correspond to cells, each of which is scored as “stained” or “unstained” (in this case, GFP positive or negative). For each square that is stained, the number of neighboring stained squares among the four nearest neighbors (up, down, right, and left) is counted, and this information is used to generate a sorting score as detailed previously (Mochizuki et al., 1998). Sorting scores were normalized to the EphB2-GFP + 293 condition (negative control; set to 0.5) for display purposes, and raw data from three to six images per condition were averaged and analyzed using ANOVA and Dunnett’s tests; all conditions were compared with the positive control condition (EphB2 + ephrin-B1 + DMSO). The data in Fig. S4 are representative of three independent experiments for each inhibitor. Of these, Rho inhibitor, Y-27632 and ML7 resulted in decreases in segregation that were close in magnitude to that elicited by unclustered ephrin-B1-Fc, a positive control that blocks ephrin-B1–EphB2 binding (Fig. S4). For live imaging, HEK293 cells expressing ephrin-B1 or EphB2 and GFP were stably transfected with a LifeAct-mCherry plasmid using Lipofectamine LTX with Plus reagent (15338100; Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Clones were selected based on fluorescence. Equal numbers of EphB2-GFP-LifeAct-mCherry and ephrin-B1-LifeAct-mCherry cells were mixed and plated in a glass-bottomed imaging dish coated with 10 µg/ml fibronectin (Sigma-Aldrich) to a final cell density of 400,000/ml (for most experiments) or 60,000/ml (for low-density experiments). Mixing was performed in the presence of 20 µM Y-27632 or vehicle (0.2% DMSO). Live imaging was performed at 37°C beginning 1 h after plating; 15 mM Hepes was added and the dish sealed to buffer CO2. Confocal stacks (3 × 2 µm) were acquired every 10 min for 16 h using an Axio Observer.Z1 spinning disk confocal microscope (ZEISS) at 37°C, a 40× water LD C-Apochromat objective lens (numerical aperture 1.1; ZEISS), and an Axiocam 506 camera (ZEISS). Zen software was used to acquire images, generate maximum intensity projections (which were then used for display, 2.5D plotting, and image analysis), make 2.5D plots representing LifeAct and GFP intensity, and export avi videos and tiff images. Four videos at high density and six videos at low density were acquired, and cell tracking analysis was performed using the Manual Tracking plugin in ImageJ. Cells that could not be tracked for at least 12 consecutive frames (2 h in real time) were excluded from the analysis. For linescan analysis, which was performed in ImageJ, seven to ten cells were analyzed per experimental time point per video, for a total of three or four experiments and 27–38 cells per time point (for the high-density experiments) and six experiments and 45–57 cells per time point (for the low-density experiment). In brief, two perpendicular lines (width = 25 pixels, which corresponds to 4 µm) were drawn across each cell, and the values for the membrane and interior LifeAct fluorescence intensities were derived from these linescans. For EphB2 cells in clusters, the first line was drawn perpendicular to the cluster boundary, and the second line was drawn parallel to the cluster boundary, allowing separate analysis of the “boundary” membrane. For statistical analysis, ANOVAs (with Dunnett’s post hoc tests) or t tests or Kruskal–Wallis (with Dunn’s post hoc tests) or Mann–Whitney tests were used (as detailed in the Statistics section and in the figure legends). HEK293 cells expressing EphB2 and membrane-targeted GFP were subjected to CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of ROCK1 and ROCK2 (Ran et al., 2013) using the following sgRNAs: ROCK1, 5′-CCGAUUUGGGAUCCCGCAGC-3′ (specificity score from crispr.mit.edu: 91); ROCK2, 5′-UCGUCACAAGGCAUCGCAGA-3′ (specificity score: 86). Clones were selected based on PCR amplification and sequencing using the primers: ROCK1 forward, 5′-AAGAGGGCATTGTCACAGCA-3′; ROCK1 reverse, 5′-GCAAACAATCCGAATTCACTTCC-3′; ROCK2 forward, 5′-GGTTGTTAGAAATGTTCTCCTT-3′; ROCK2 reverse, 5′-GCTGTACCTGAACCACCCAGG-3′. For each of the clones used, we did not obtain the WT band of expected size and instead found multiple indels in the ROCK1 and ROCK2 loci. Clone A had a 185-bp insertion in ROCK1 and a 107-bp deletion in ROCK2. Clone B had a 131-bp insertion in ROCK1 and two distinct deletions in the ROCK2 alleles (one of 13 bp and one of 55 bp). All of these indels are predicted to cause frameshifts, and Western blotting confirmed the loss of ROCK1 and ROCK2 protein (Fig. S5 B). Clones A and B were sequenced for the top three predicted off-target sequences for each sgRNA, and all off targets matched the reference sequences, indicating that these sgRNAs were specific for their targets. These cells were mixed with ephrin-B1/LifeAct-mCherry cells as described in the HEK293 cell culture, static analysis of sorting, and live-cell imaging section and were fixed, permeabilized and stained with Alexa Fluor 647–conjugated phalloidin (1:100; A22287; Thermo Fisher Scientific) before being photographed and subjected to linescan analysis of phalloidin staining as described in the HEK293 cell culture, static analysis of sorting, and live-cell imaging section. Cells were lysed in NP-40 lysis buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl, 137 mM NaCl, 10% glycerol, 1% NP-40, and 2 mM EDTA) supplemented with 1 mM dithiothreitol (Sigma-Aldrich) and the following protease and phosphatase inhibitors: 2 µg/ml aprotinin, 5 µg/ml leupeptin, 1 µg/ml pepstatin, 1 mM PMSF, 10 mM NaF, and 1 mM NaVO4. The amount of protein in each sample was quantified using a BCA Assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Immunoblotting was performed according to standard procedures using 10% tris-glycine-polyacrylamide gels (Bio-Rad Laboratories) and Odyssey TBS blocking buffer (LI-COR Biosciences). Imaging of immunoblots was performed using an Odyssey Infrared Imaging System (LI-COR Biosciences), and analysis was performed using Image Studio software (LI-COR Biosciences). Mouse embryos were subjected to immunofluorescence using 2 µg/ml ephrin-B1 (AF473; R&D Systems), 2 µg/ml EphB2 (AF467; R&D Systems), 2 µg/ml EphB3 (AF432; R&D Systems), and 10 µg/ml GFP (ab13970; Abcam) antibodies. The following secondary antibodies were used: Alexa Fluor 488–conjugated donkey anti–chicken IgG (1:1,000, 703-545-155; Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc.) and Cy3-conjugated donkey anti–goat IgG (1:400; 705-165-003; Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc.). To label F-actin, Alexa Fluor 647–conjugated phalloidin (1:40; A22287; Thermo Fisher Scientific) was used. For Western blotting, the following primary antibodies were used: rabbit anti-ROCK1 (1:500; sc-5560; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.), ROCK2 (1:500; sc-5561; Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.), and HSP70 (1:1,000; 610607; BD). The following IRDye secondary antibodies were used: goat anti–mouse 680RD (1:5,000; 925–68070; LI-COR Biosciences) and goat anti–rabbit 800CW (1:5,000; 926–32211; LI-COR Biosciences). Inhibitors used in cell segregation screen were 2 µg/ml unclustered ephrin-B1-Fc (R&D Systems), 20 µM UO126 (LC Labs), 1 µM PF573228 (Sigma-Aldrich), 1 µM GDC0941 (Genentech), 5 µM IPA3 (Sigma-Aldrich), 10 µM TAPI-1 (EMD Millipore), 10 µM NSC23766 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc.), 10 µM ML141 (EMD Millipore), 2 µg/ml Rho inhibitor (cell-permeable C3 transferase; Cytoskeleton, Inc.), 20 µM Y-27632 (Cayman), and 25 µM ML7 (EMD Millipore). All statistical tests were performed in GraphPad Prism 6. Assumptions of normality and equal variance were tested using D’Agostino-Pearson omnibus and Bartlett’s tests, respectively. Where the sample size was too small to allow for such tests, or where these assumptions were met, ANOVA analysis (with Dunnett’s tests) or t tests were performed. Where these assumptions were not met, Kruskal–Wallis tests (with Dunn’s tests) or Mann–Whitney tests were used. Where distributions were unequal, log-transforming the data resulted in normal data with equal variances; in this case, ANOVAs (with Dunnett’s tests) or t tests were performed on the log-transformed data. Table S1 lists mouse genetic crosses used to generate embryos for experiments in this paper. Table S2 lists the number of embryos examined to generate data for each figure. Videos 1–4 show cortical F-actin accumulation by LifeAct-mCherry fluorescence in EphB2-expressing cells during cell segregation, but not upon inhibition of ROCK with Y-27632 or in controls in which ephrin-B1 or EphB2 cells are not undergoing segregation. Videos 5 and 6 show increases in LifeAct-mCherry fluorescence in similar experiments performed at low cell density, and Fig. S3 shows still frames and quantification from these experiments. Fig. S1 shows expression of ephrin-B1, EphB2, and EphB3 in early (approximately E8.5) embryos. Fig. S2 shows that cortical actin does not accumulate in control cells not undergoing segregation. Fig. S4 shows the results of a pharmacologic screen of candidate pathways downstream of Eph/ephrin signaling in HEK293 cell segregation. Fig. S5 shows that ablation of ROCK1 and 2 in EphB2-expressing cells decreases cortical actin accumulation. The authors would like to thank Alexei Poliakov and David Wilkinson for donating HEK293 cell lines, Byron Au Yeung for advice concerning 1-NA-PP1 administration, and Michelle Mendoza for advice on quantification of LifeAct expression. We would like to thank our laboratory colleagues and Marina Bershteyn, Diane Barber, Ophir Klein, and Jason Pomerantz for critical reading of the manuscript. A.K. O’Neill was supported by a Ruth L. Kirschstein F32 National Research Service Award individual fellowship from National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (DE024370). T.K. Niethamer was supported by a National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship (2013157314). A.R. Larson was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Medical Research Fellow and completed this work as partial fulfillment of the requirements for an MD with Distinction in the University of California, San Francisco, Molecular Medicine Pathway to Discovery. J.O. Bush was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01DE023337). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation, or National Institutes of Health. . 2000. Kinase independent function of EphB receptors in retinal axon pathfinding to the optic disc from dorsal but not ventral retina. Development. 127:1231–1241. . 1996. Sek4 and Nuk receptors cooperate in guidance of commissural axons and in palate formation. EMBO J. 15:6035–6049. . 2002. Ephrin-B ligands play a dual role in the control of neural crest cell migration. Development. 129:3621–3632. E. Sadighi Akha, et al. © 2016 O'Neill et al. This article is distributed under the terms of an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike–No Mirror Sites license for the first six months after the publication date (see http://www.rupress.org/terms). After six months it is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, as described at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/).

2019-04-25T08:31:20Z

http://jcb.rupress.org/content/215/2/217

The annual corn and pork chop jubilee will be August 16 from 11 am to 7 pm! Get your tickets in advance from any member of the local Rotary club. Tickets are $10 and helps fund our donations to numerous local charities. See you at the jubilee! Sara Stadtherr introduced Tyler Notch, Director of Wellness and Cyndi Magnuson, Director of Residential Services from Grand Arbor/Knute Nelson. Phase Two Grand Arbor details include bright open floor plans , patio or balcony on each unit, blinds on all windows, individually controlled heat and central air, gas fireplace, walk-in closets, convenient in-home laundry with washer and dryer. Lots of amenities. Housing choices also include Lakes Senior Apartments, Prairie Assisted Living, Meadow Enhanced Assisted Living. A Town Center at Grand Arbor includes a broad range of amenities. Connie Mondry inroduced Christine Reilly and Jean Bristow, Alexandria Education Foundation. The Alexandria Education Foundation (AEF) is an independent non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to the continued academic excellence of Alexandria Public Schools.They partner with Alexandria Public Schools to provide financial support for unique learning experiences for students in early childhood education through grade 12. The Alexandria Education Foundation (AEF) supports educational excellence and a passion for learning by partnering with our community. Our focus is on funding projects above and beyond the scope of the state budget and local tax dollars. Funds raised will directly impact students through grants to classroom teachers and other funded projects that help support initiatives that further the mission and educational goals of the School District. Tim Moe introduced Grant Haugen, “Fit fore the Fairway”. Grant is a Certified Physical Therapist at Grand Arbor in the newest specialized program that utiliizes the latest research in golf, fitness, health and swing biomechanics from the Titleist Performance Institute in order to keep your body and your golf game at its best. This program offers one-on-one TPI Golf Assessments, giving you the opportunity to experience the same physical assessment and fitness training as the pros regardless of your golf skill level. Grant’s credentials allow him to educate the golfer as to what their body is currently capable of doing and providing corrective exercises. Keith Meyer introduced Danny Sieve, Realtor and Volunteer Fireman; Danny explained how he was using a drone for his business and some rules involving drone usage; some come with better cameras, better handling, more advanced technology, longer flight times, etc. Models are ready to fly right out of the box! Plus demonstrations flying the drone!! Todd Emmons introduced Tara Bitzan, the new Executive Director for the Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Tara is a life-long resident of Douglas County, with a 25 year career as a community journalist. Tara looks forward to leading this organization and working with so many incredible people to make Alexandria an even better place for people to “live, work, play and prosper." Laura Urban introduced Josh Brummond, Douglas County Veterans Service Officer. Veteran's Service staff consists of Josh as Department Head and Sandy, Administrative Assistant. They assist veterans/dependents with benefits from the United States and MN Department of Veterans Affairs. They also provide transportation to and from the Veteran's Administration Medical Centers in Fargo, St. Cloud and Minneapolis. Josh works for the veteran. inside as well as the outside. Marianna Khavu, Monticello Rotary Club in center holding scissors, Tracy Nelson, St Michael-Albertville and Larry Zilliox cutting the ribbon dedicating the new school library at Prek Tunung Secondary school in Cambodia. Tyler Golberg introduced David Collins and Sue Tomte from the Park Rapids Rotary Club. They shared their fundraising successes, including funding for a new fitness park, a fireworks stand, and Partners for Pianos for their school district. Their Rotary Club was recognized as the best club in their district with 100% of their member donating to the foundation! Tyler Golberg introduced Amos Hartsell, OTR/L from Alexandria Rehabilitation. Alex Rehab is a therapist-owned private clinic that specializes in upper extremity treatment. Through advanced study and training, their hand therapy focuses on treating conditions affecting the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand. Amos has expertise in traumatic hand injury rehab as well as common repetitive work-related or general injuries. Amos has his Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of ND. Vic Dale introduced Julie Boyle and Anita Sheehan from The Caring & Sharing Room, which is a volunteer ministry of The Church of St. Mary. It is supported by churches, organizations, and individuals from the local area. Their mission is to provide furniture and household items in good condition to needy families in Douglas County through referrals from approved community service and crisis agencies. The needs in our community are great and Caring and Sharing needs help in meeting those needs. Monetary donations area also welcome. Please make checks to St. Mary's designated for the Caring and Sharing Room. Over one hundred volunteers help in one way or another. New volunteers are always welcome. The Caring and Sharing room is open by appointment for donation drop offs Thursday morning from 9-11am at the Cedar Building (formerly the Marian building). Beth Telander introduced Dr.Michael Worth-Davis, CEO Goodwill-Easter Seals. They accept donations of clothing, shoes, housewares, decor, electronics, sporting goods and other quality items. Seasonal items are also welcome. Your donations are sold locally in Minnesota and Hudson,WI Goodwill stores. They support local job training and placement programs that eliminate barriers to work and independence.Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota main programs provide employment services specifically designed for employment.Wrap-around approach, taking into consideration the individuals needs, including those that affect their ability to obtain and maintain employment. They also offer services to support individuals to advance in their careers after job placement. lasting impact.Give and become a part of Rotary's life-changing work! Our Foundation campaign runs through the month of April. On-line or checks to Patty Peterson are just a couple ways to donate! Todd Emmons introduced Tyler Golberg, a web designer with CYBERsprout. Tyler discussed the online presence of the club and how we can reach more people within our community. The main focus going forward will be to increase social media reach with more activity, promotions, and an easier way to submit content. Search engine optimization and website content will be used to support these efforts. Daylon Faber introduced Adrian Panther from Panther Distillery in Osakis. Panther Distillery is Minnesota’s first legal whiskey distillery! With hand-selected Minnesota-grown ingredients, American white oak barrels, and their 500 gallon Kentucky-built still they make the best tasting distilled spirits. Fresh ingredients are always the best, locally grown yellow corn, red wheat and red rye are used in their mash.Tours available daily and no reservations are necessary.White Water Whiskey, Spiked Apple Spirits and MN 14 Whiskey are some of their products available. Dream It. Do It. Minnesota is a collaborative grassroots effort between manufacturers all around Minnesota that want to tell the world about why they love the manufacturing industry. The purpose of the Dream It. Do It. Rick Paulsen introduced fellow Rotarian Cliff Korkowski, Douglas County Car Care Program. The DCCCP is a 501-c3 nonprofit corporation that is faith based and represents a community coalition uniting the social service agencies and faith-based social ministries addressing people in poverty challenged with transportation barriers. The annual Rose sale is under way! This year we are selling long stem lollipop roses for $20 per dozen. Order from any Alexandria Rotary Member prior to October 29 or purchase a dozen or three at ABR Realty (1210 Broadway) anytime between 10:00am-6:00pm on Thursday, October 29, 2015. Tim Murphy, 2015/2016 District 5950 Governor shared success accomplishments from this past Rotary year. Our District generated $94,213 in donations for Polio Plus. District 5950 also remains a leader in the amount of annual giving to The Rotary Foundation. Jeremy Anderson introduced Carl Vaagenes, CEO Douglas County Hospital. Our hospital is a general medical and surgical hospital with 99 beds. It is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), has a Level III trauma center and has twice been named as one of the Top 100 Hospitals by Thompson Reuters. Our Mission at Douglas County Hospital exists to provide quality health care services, to meet the needs of our customers and demonstrate our commitment to excellence. Every year we do a fish fry in City Park and encourage members to bring guests. Guests included Fred and Terri Bursch, Janet and Christa Bolm, Sandy Emmons, Glenna Gibbons, Trudy Blanshan, Bill Nettleton, Howard Peterson, Bruce Pohlig, Carol Tillitt, Darlene Murray, Deb Ristvedt, Tim and Joanne Gess, Kris Dolan, Rachel Golberg. Rachel Barduson also shared fun facts about the lakes in the surrounding Alexandria area with the club and guests. Ben Whitten introduced Aimee Goodwin from the Minnesota Lyme Association. Minnesotans across the state are at risk for acquiring tick-borne diseases. The highest risk is in the south-east, east central, and north central areas of the state. Grassy fields, brush filled wooded landscapes and places where residential neighborhoods meet the forest edge are prime tick habitat. Lyme disease is an infection that can involve all organs of the human body, including the brain and central nervous. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. Check yourself and your animals for ticks immediately and for several days after being in a tick-infested area. Visit their website at: www.mnlyme.org for additional information. Pat Kalina introduced Dwayne Paul, NorthStar Christian Academy - most students would register and graduate from District 206 and to use NorthStar Christian Academy as a valuable supplement to their public school education. NCA will be a non-public, full curriculum school for grades 9-12. It will comply with the Minnesota Department of Education requirements so as to be a 'recognized school' by the state of Minnesota. Another component of their vision includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hockey. The national headquarters will make Alexandria its home in spring of 2016. NCA would work closely with FCA Hockey's ministry of the four C's (Camps, Community, Coaches, Campus). FCA Hockey does not intend to have a high school team, but would provide a high level U16 and U18 team for both boys and girls. Along with the increase in hockey camps and play, it plans to build an ice rink "to bless our community and in support of the folks interested in hockey, figure skating and other rink activities." Rick Paulsen introduced Dale Stinton, Lars Nelson and Craig DeJong from the Pioneer Heritage Conservation Trust. PHT works in the four counties of Pope, Grant, Douglas and Otter Tail. Their mission is to carry out local conservation. One of their many projects includes the Mallard hen house building, which involves installing and maintaining duck nesting cylinders for more than twenty years. Dustin Tomoson introduced Paul Lundeen, MN Darkhouse & Angling Assn. Paul is the President of the MN Darkhouse and Barb Lundeen is the secretary-treasurer of the Alexandria Mid-State Chapter. The state has 16 chapters including Brainerd, Central, Detroit Lakes, East Central, East OtterTail, Northern Lakes, Heartland, Iron Range, Metro and Alexandria GS Mid-State Chapter. The Darkhouse and Angling Association was organized to educate the public about the heritage and methods of dark-house spearing. They take pride in efforts to promote spear fishing, support fish decoy carvers and good fellowship for all members. The Mid-State chapter sponsors the Rudy Zwieg Decoy Show at the RCC each year. Last Week’s program: David Hartmann introduced members of the Alex Area High School Volleyball team (Gretchen, Morgan and Amanda) and their coach Becky Schlichting. Activities and athletics play a key role in the Alexandria School District. All persons involved with school activities are expected to follow codes of standard including: Respect, Honesty, Kindness, Responsibility and Fairness. Looking forward to a great volleyball season. Thanks to everybody for helping us make the Corn and Pork Jubilee a success! Check out the photos and numbers from this year's event. Beth Telander and Tom Wacholz introduced representatives from Goodwill-Easter Seals. The mission of Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota is to eliminate barriers to work and independence. In the past year 4,976 participants received their services. They partner with more than 119 government and nonprofit organizations to connect participants with community resources to address other work-related needs and assist them on the road to independence. Goodwill provided more than 63,000 services to 30,000 people in 2013. The club once a year meets up at City Park for delicious walleye, good conversation, and a chance to enjoy the nice weather (with a little luck). Tom Roos, HS girls soccer coach, talked about the Haitian Initiative which is helping youth in Haiti through education, nutrition, and soccer. Tom coordinated members of the Haitian boys soccer team (ages 12-13) to attend his soccer camp in Alexandria. The team recently competed in the world match in Blaine MN, which they won. Members of the Haitian soccer team, their coach, and host families attended today’s meeting. Although their English was very limited one could sense their appreciation for their US experience. Alex Rotary welcomed District Governor Jim Nelson. Jim is a member of the Mpls City of Lakes Rotary Club. Jim joined City of Lakes in 1999, has been active in all of the areas of service with the club, and served as club president in 2009/10. Jim’s district level service has included past Area 10 (Mpls) assistant governor and District foundation board member. The Rotary Theme this year is “Light Up Rotary”. Together we can light up the world! Please strike your match and light a candle and light up Rotary to make this a successful year. The club also recognized Rotarian Eric Ristvedt for becoming the latest Paul Harris Fellow. Tyler Golberg introduced Judy Peterson and Jean Bristow from the Elder Network. Elder Network has volunteer peer visitors and a professional staff to meet with older adults in their homes weekly to provide support due to life changes, loss, loneliness or emotional concerns; all volunteers receive training. Services are for people 55 and older. Respite care allows the caregiver to take a short break from their duties up to four hours weekly. Respite Care also provides companionship, conversation and assurance that someone cares about their well being. Greater awareness for club members for Rotarians who are ill, etc. Together we are going to have a fantastic year! Tom Haase introduced Andy Mellgren, Liquor Operations Mgr. for City of Alexandria Downtown Liquor and Plaza Liquor. Net profits from the liquor stores go back to the community – through the Park Dept, Alex Fire Dept and RCC if special needs occur that were not included in the general budget. Currently the liquor stores offer discount promotions that support the downtown businesses during the construction period. Rotarians finished planting the area around our gazebo in the gardens. The Maritime Gardens are a wonderful venue for live music – free concerts will be held in the gardens throughout the summer thanks to community sponsors – Rotary is the sponsor for June 20th concert! Stan Finnestad introduced Kelli Wendel, Habitat for Humanity. Based in Douglas County, HFH exists as a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing in the community and to make simple, decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. You don’t need to look too far to see the difference that Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County (HFHDC) has made in the lives of families in our community. Since 1997, the affiliate has built or renovated homes for 38 families, partnering with them by providing a hand up for a better future. Gary Gibbons, introduced Dr. Florian Ledermann, co-founder of the ”Miracle of Birth Center” at the Mn State Fair. The Miracle of Birth Center, a one-of-a-kind agricultural education exhibit, is the birthplace of nearly 200 calves, lambs, goats and piglets during the 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair and the most popular free exhibit on the fairgrounds. The exhibit is staffed by veterinarians, members of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) and FFA students. With live births and newborn farm animals, the exhibit highlights the importance of animals to our economy, health and quality of life. Wayne Elton introduced Greg Trumm from the Alexandria Education Foundation. AEF is a non-profit organization that partners with Alexandria Public Schools to provide financial support for unique learning experiences for students grades K through 12. In 2013 the Foundation awarded over $90,000 in grants and gifts, gifted over $700,000 for the construction of Alexandria Area Hgh School, increased the Endowment Fund, hosted the 7th annual Hall of Fame and the 5th annual Jean & Jewels, and sponsored the student Showcase Celebration and Alexandria Alumni Magazine. A donation directly benefits all who are involved in our extraordinary school system. Todd Emmons introduced Jerimiah Moerke & Brad Cegla, MN DOT. They reviewed different phases of construction for the 2015/16 Hwy 29So roundabout project and I-94 bridge replacement project. 2015/16 will include temporary widening, closed and under construction areas of HiWay 29 S; temporary signals, ramp closures; left turns completed with the Roundabout, completed at CR87 and Co Rd 28 – all to improve traffic flow. Rod Eldevik introduced fellow Rotarian Rick Lahn who provided us with a power point presentation of the new Alexandria Area High School. Building completion is scheduled for June 1, 2014. With the opening of the new Alexandria Area High School, a district-wide grade configuration shift to a K-5 elementary, 6-8 middle, and 9-12 grade level model will be implemented. The new high school will be organized into smaller learning communities, known as The Academies of Alexandria. Learning Academy Choices are: Freshman Academy; Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies & Natural Resources; Health Sciences & Human Services; and Business, Communcation & Entreneurship. Community Tour Open House is scheduled for August 5. Randy Eggen introduced Andrew Soderholm of Soderholm Oral Surgery and Implants, a new dental clinic in Alexandria. This office practices a full scope of oral surgery from the common wisdom tooth removal to corrective jaw surgery. They can also treat more specific conditions, like TMJ or facial injuries. Check out their website here for more information. JoEllen Doebbert introduced her husband, Belvin Doebbert. Belvin presented a video on his steam launch project: Owotanna Wohdaka–a vessel for arts, education and living history. Pope County Historical Society records reveal that one of the patriarchs of Glenwood was John Quincy Hook. Mr. Hook moved to Pope County in 1880 and it is known that he brought with him a love of boats, steam vessels included. Pope County records verify that he did possess and operate a steam launch soon after he moved here. Belvin plans to start recreating that steam launch this year. Vic Dale introduced Tammy Boushek who explained Love Inc (Love In the Name of Christ) is a Christian based non-profit. They help to provide services to those in need through our local churches. They are a Christ centered organization. LOVE INC is you, the Church, reaching out to people in need in our communities with the transforming love of Jesus. Share your skills, share your gifts, share your interest, share your time, Bless others! Larry Zilliox shared his experiences on his recent trip to Bhutan. Half a globe away, District 5950 Rotarians help make the world a more beautiful place. On March 15, the Rotary Club of Bhutan and District 5950′s Friendship Exchange group partnered to clean up litter in downtown Thimphu, Bhutan. One of the two garbage trucks donated by the Bhutan club was half full by the end of the morning. A local TV station filmed the joint Rotary project and included a short clip on that evening’s news. As the Rotarians cleaned up the streets, ideas were exchanged and friendships developed. Brian Gibson introduced Tim Bush and Larry Ortloff, Chair for the YMCA “Continue the Dream” Capital campaign. A 2,800 sq ft multi-purpose space would provide the ability to accommodate more group exercise, multiple classes at prime times and structured gross motor skill space for child care and child watch children. The new Child Watch Center will be 1,500 sq ft, approximately two times the current space; Outdoor Field Space will facilitate new program development for youth, adults and families. To reach the J.A. Wedum Foundation Challenge Match, $218,000 is needed to meet the Challenge Match and reach their Campaign Goal. Dustin Thornburg introduced Bob Halagan, Buffalo Rotary, District 5950 Foundation Chair. This year we are going to try something different for our Rotary Foundation Drive, using a Pledge and Give format. Every year Rotarians are encouraged to make a donation to the Rotary Foundation. The donations we make are used to fund Rotary projects around the world. Our club’s donations are also used to determine how much money we are able to get back from the foundation to fund our LOCAL projects. The Foundation, through a grant program, empowers Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition. Our goal as a club is to reach 100% participation! Foundation drive begins April 3 and continues through our April 24 meeting. Bill Bolm and Hans Dahl, pastor from Calvary Lutheran, shared experiences from their fall journey to the Holy Land. They walked the same roads Jesus walked in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and around the Sea of Galilee. Lynelle Brickweg introduced Al Newman, former Minnesota Twin baseball player. Al Newman is no stranger to success, and no stranger to Minnesota baseball fans. As a MLB infielder, Newman won two World Series titles. Both of those titles came with the Minnesota Twins, 1987 and 1991. After his playing career ended, he coached and managed in the Twins organization, and later became the 3rd base coach for the Minnesota Twins from 2002-2005. Now, after some time away from managing, Newman is coming back to lead the Alexandria Blue Anchors in the 2014 campaign. The Alexandria Blue Anchors is a member of the Northwoods League playing at Knute Nelson Ball Park; GG Freitag is Director of Sales and Marketing; and Kendall Hughson is Manager/Director of Baseball Operations. Local owners are Scott Allen, Adam Barta, Shane Schmidt and Shaynen Schmidt. Reed Becker introduced Lee Becker, board member at Butterfly Hill Nature Preschool and Kristen Peterson, director at Butterfly Hill Preschool, whose mission is to provide a loving, supportive and educational preschool environment for children and families that will foster a strong relationship between children and nature. Their indoor classroom is an extension of the outdoor learning environment and will be filled with toys for children to explore, create, and discover with. They are seeking a certification from Nature Explore for an outdoor classroom. They will be the 6th certified preschool in the state of Minnesota. The outdoor classroom will be a place where children are free to explore the world around them. Curriculum will encourage cognitive, social, emotional, creative, physical and linguistic growth. The Short-Term Care Center's recently remodeled suites have enlarged living spaces, tv, wireless internet, enlarged bathrooms, loveseat and recliner, kitchenette plus controlled heating and cooling. The Center is intended to serve those who require short-term, intensive care. This care is tailored to each patient whether you need post-surgery care, wound therapy, IV therapy or if you suffer from chronic illness. The Rehab Center is designed to provide a therapy intensive, goal driven approach to patient care leading you to a successful discharge back into the community. Virgil Batesole first introduced Sara Stadtherr, fellow Rotarian. Sara’s job as tourism director at Alex Hotel & Hospitality is to entice people to vacation in the Alexandria area and enjoy hospitality in the heart of lakes country. About 19% of our visitor’s dollar is spent on lodging and the other 81% on food, shopping, entertainment, etc. Virgil then introduced Kent Kopp, president of the Alexandria Area Hockey Association. AAHA is committed to providing a quality environment for youth hockey players to learn and enjoy the sport of hockey. Youth hockey, curling, figure skating, girls and boys high school hockey, Blizzard hockey in addition to all dryland events are shared at the Runesone Community Center facility. Today there are approximately 300 skaters with the projection being 400 skaters in another five years. AAHA is governed by a board of directors and their business manager handles the business side. Healthy programs are provided for everyone and the need is there for an additional facilty. The City of Alexandria would be making the final decision after cost studies, design, etc have been looked at. Another building would be a plus for the Alexandria area and the Alexandria Area Hockey Association. Chris Bartosiewski introduced Mike Roers, Lakes Area Theatre. The Lakes Area Theatre Troupe is made up of dedicated writers, directors, voice actors, musicians, sound effects technicians, and recording engineers. They accept script submissions from writers, content suitable for all ages and family friendly, for single shows or two installments. Shows are performed and recorded Friday evenings at 7:00pm. Rock Anderson introduced Kirby Karpan and Courtney Bitzan from the Jefferson High School Happiness Club. The Happiness Club was formed to make others happy in school and in our community. After visiting Northwestern College hearing about their happiness club Kirby was inspired to start a club at Jefferson; starting with five members and now has grown to more than 40 members. One of their first projects was helping at the fund raiser at the Alexandria Senior Center. Some projects at school have included serving hot cocoa and hugs to students, posting inspirational sign quotes in hallways, self-esteem signs, thank you’s to teachers. They are hoping to do more projects in the community including a movie night with seniors at nursing homes, May Day baskets and spreading happiness to others in little ways. Maybe as simple as giving their time. Mark Anderson introduced Daphne Karpan. Grand Care Technology offers “peace of mind” for the entire care giving network, while giving the loved one, independence, freedom and happiness. GrandCare combines essential health care components and social connectivity. Caregivers can be alerted if anything seems amiss via GrandCare touch screen. Knute Nelson Home Care provides personalized health care to individuals in their home. Services are tailored to meet the needs of each individual and are provided on a one-to-one basis. Nelson Gables or Grand Arbor communities ensure its residents make the most out of this stage of their life. With a long list of amenities available to all residents, those who choose to live here become a part of an active and socially-focused community, while receiving appropriate attention to all health care needs. For more than 65 years, the Knute Nelson Care Center has provided exceptional skilled nursing care to area seniors. Our commitment to innovation and compassion for those we serve has given our Care Center a reputation that precedes it. Living at the Care Center provides each resident with a home that allows them continue to enjoy life and make the most of each day, while ensuring their health needs are met. Tom Ellison, Jefferson High School Wrestling Coach was our speaker at the January 16th meeting. Tom is a 1979 graduate of Jefferson High School and came to Alexandria as head coach of our wrestling program in 2001. JHS Wrestling squad has 38 students and 36 are members of the “DIAL” program - Desire, Intensity, Attitude and Leadership. Students First and Athletes Second!! Alexandria is 5-1 against conference opponents so far this year and hope to have five or six wrestlers attend the state championship. Dave Anderson introduced Wendy Kohler, JHS girls basketball coach along with students Emily Thul and Karly Betterman. Wendy has been coaching for 29 years in Alexandria. Our Cardinal girls basketball team is a team that utilizes defensive concentration and energy! Efficient, unselfish ball movement and the ability to finish plays. Their “TOP 20” teaching - thinkers and teams know how to live both inside and outside the comfort zone and find a way to stick together! Examples -”we can do this, stick with it - keep working, we’ve got this, calm down. Their record is 7-2 overall and 5-0 in CLC play. Go Cardinals!! How Much of a Difference Can You Make? Every gift - no matter the size - counts. Mike Amberg introduced Corliss Stark, United Way of Douglas/Pope Counties. Corliss stressed the importance of the United Way program. Giving to United Way is the MOST EFFECTIVE way to help the whole community. Hunger is the #1 issue in our community. individuals who are homeless! Everyone counts, whether you GIVE, ADVOCATE or VOLUNTEER! Jeff Wild introduced Larry Novotny, coach of the Alexandria Aces. The Alexandria Aces Basketball Performance Team is in their 23rd year of existence. Initially beginning as a basketball handling club, the team has progressed into one of the top half-time acts in the NCAA & NBA! The Aces are comprised of boys and girls, ages 5-12. Today Josh and Andrew Wagner were the ball handlers for our entertainment! The Aces' show appeals to fans of all ages! The Christmas carolers from Jefferson High School stopped by Rotary to serenade us into the holiday season. Sleep Apnea is just snoring - myth? Although snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, there's a big difference between the two. People with sleep apnea actually stop breathing up to 400 times throughout the night. These interruptions last 10 to 30 seconds and are often followed by a snort when breathing resumes. This breaks your sleep cycle and can leave you tired during the day. Douglas County Hospital now has four beds needed for monitoring your sleep patterns usually requiring a one night stay. For more information, contact Dave Holm at Douglas County Hospital. A group of 6 from Alexandria joined forces with fellow Rotarians and friends from Buffalo, Blaine, Fort Meyers, Florida, and San Diego, California on a service trip to Guatemala. We stayed in the city of Antigua, which features beautiful Spanish architecture and historic colonial churches. In the surroundings stand the volcanoes Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango. Fuego is frequently active. Ralph Tillitt introduced Tom Roos, Special Ed teacher /soccer coach and Anna Lee, junior at Jefferson High School. The JHS girls’ soccer team is sponsoring fund raisers to support the Haitian Initiative which is a part of the Sanneh Foundation; Tony Sanneh, a St. Paul native and recently retired professional soccer player, founded the Sanneh Foundation in 2003 with a goal of helping inner city kids. The Haitian Initiative (HI) is a collaboration of partners working together to bring sustainable programs to Haiti using soccer as a catalyst to combat the cycle of poverty. Regular school attendance and passing grades are a requirement to participate. After every practice players receive a hot meal provided by Feed My Starving Children. For most HI participants, this meal represents their only meal for the day. Tom and the team are hoping to bring the Haiti soccer team to Alexandria when they participate in the Schwann's Cup next July. Brian Gibson introduced Mike Kennedy, former president of the Sauk Centre Rotary Club and certified financial planner with Kennedy Retirement Solutions. Whether it is selling a business and planning for succession, sending a child or grandchild to college, starting a business, buying a vacation home or retiring early, clients all have different destinations. Saving and investing money is important to helping realize those dreams, Kennedy Retirement Solutions can help you execute a sound financial program utilizing the following products and services: Tax management Investment management Retirement strategies Estate conservation Insurance and annuity products. At today's meeting Sara Stadtherr introduced Ben Klipfel, Executive Director of the Alexandria Area Arts. Ben started by presenting on the history of the theater dating back to the first musical in 1970 to the most recent shows. The theater now produces 5 different shows a year that range from comedy to drama to classics. Over 13,000 patrons attended shows last year with 240 actors contributing to the performances. The AAAA also puts on a summer academics program for the arts and organizes the very popular Art in Park event. The facility will begin a renovation process next year to help accommodate all of the performances and classes. To learn more about upcoming events or to contribute to the association, please visit their website here. Sam Steidl introduced Dave Holtz, Executive Director at Luther Crest. Luther Crest is committed to providing a safe and faith filled environment for each person while at Luther Crest Bible Camp. In 2013 over 1,000 kids (K-12) were involved in their summer program. Since 2008, Luther Crest has reestablished itself as a place focused on mission and the work of bringing people young and old into a deeper relationship with one another and with Christ. Rotarian Dustin Thornburg welcomed Al Olson from the Caring Hands Dental Clinic at the October 17, 2013, meeting of Alexandria Rotary Club. Caring Hands Clinic is a nonprofit program aimed at improving dental care and education for the citizens served by Medical Assistance or Minnesota Care. They provide everything from toothbrushes to regular cleanings to emergency care. The clinic operates with support from donation and grants from individuals, local businesses, dental organizations, and earned reimbursements from the MN Department of Humans Services. For more information on the clinic, visit the website here. Rotarian Kathy Nohre welcomed Alexandria Technical & Community College President Kevin Kopischke as the guest speaker at the September 12, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. Alexandria Technical & Community College's retention, graduation, and career placement is among the highest of all Minnesota public two-year colleges. In fact, the college successfully placed an average of 90% of its graduates in their chosen career field for several decades. The college provides quality education, whether you are planning to start your career or just beginning your education. ATCC is affordable—ranking (among MnSCU colleges) with the 3rd largest endowment balance, 2nd largest amount of scholarship dollars awarded and 2nd largest contributions from business and industry. The college's foundation awards more than $375,000 in student scholarships each year. Pharmacy student Devon Rudolph presented the program at the July 25, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. Rudolph, an intern at the Thrifty White Pharmacy, spoke on prescription drug abuse. He noted that unintentional drug poisoning is now the second largest cause of accidental death, and that one of four high school students will abuse prescription medications. Officer Jim Gripne of the Alexandria Police Department also was a guest at the meeting. He briefly overviewed the police department's prescription drop-off site, located just inside the new police headquarters. The drop-off bin has collected more then 300 lbs. of unwanted medication to date. At the June 20, 3013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Brad Nyberg introduced Douglas County Surveor Gary Stevenson. Stevenson demonstrated the GIS (Geographic Information System) website that it available for public use through the county's main web page. Members of the Alexandria Rotary Club spent a sunny day at the Douglas County Historical Society, putting finishing touches on the garden shed there. The historical garden and shed were funded in part through a Rotary grant. At the June 13 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Linda Roles introduced Mark Foss, LifeRight Outreach. Mark was a drug dealer and addict for more than 30 years, until he turned his life around in April 2002. He founded LifeRight Outreach, a sober environment for those in addiction recovery. The Alexandria Rotary Club met at the Alexandria Opportunities Center for its May 30, 2013, meeting. Center Director Mike Burke provided some background on the work of the center, which has been in existence in its present form for 26 years. The center employs 135 disabled persons who do piece work for local manufacturers. After lunch, the group had a tour of the facility. Rotarians were treated to a pop concert by the Jefferson High School choir at their May 23, 2013, meeting. Thanks, choristers! At the April 25, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Reed Becker introduced Chuck Gulsvig and Ashlie Bradley of Sanford Health. Gulsvig spoke on Sanford's overall mission and changes and enhancements to services since Sanford acquired Broadway Medical Clinic. At the April 18, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Keith Meyer introduced Mary Yaw, founder of Titus2. Yaw updated the club on activities of the Titus2 ministry, which provides transitional housing and divorce care services for women. Two new members were inducted at the April 18, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. Welcome, Tyler Golberg and Eric Ristvedt! At the March 7, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Mike Johnson introduced guest speaker Carliss Stark. Carliss appeared on behalf of the United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties, and shared the impact of that organization's work. She noted that the top issue the agency is dealing with currently is hunger. The United Way serves 250-300 families monthly at its food drop and provides bags of food at area schools for youngsters who would otherwise go hungry over the weekends. Welcome to our newest Rotarian, Bill Saul. Welcome to the club! At its February 21, 2013, meeting, the Alexandria Rotary Club welcomed Jeff Bartholomew, director of the local YMCA. He spoke to the group on the success of the YMCA in its first two years and a new, $2.5 million capital campaign that will construct new child watch and multi-use space as well as outdoor fields at the facility. If the campaign is successful, the YMCA expects to have the new space available for use by January 1, 2014. At the February 14 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Shawn Reilly introduced Craig Kronholm of the Coalition for Impartial Justice. The broad-based, non-partisan organization advocates for a constitutional ballot question that allows voters the opportunity to decide how they would like to select and retain judges in Minnesota. Members of the Alexandria Rotary Club and their families packed 10,000 meals to be delivered to hungry kids locally and around the world. The Kids Against Hunger event was held February 7, 2013. At the January 24, 2013 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Nick Heydt introduced his father, John Heydt, and Carol Wenner, representatives of the Inclusion Network. The organization's mission is to provide access to learning opportunities, dialogues and experiences which support actions toward equality and justice to strengthen our community. The group provides training, and is beginning to provide resources on bullying. At the January 17 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Stuart Henrickson introduced Sandy Domine of the MS Society, who spoke on that organization's mission and work. At the January 3, 2013 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Brett Grinager, master distiller for the Panther Distillery in Osakis, spoke to the group about the process and challenges of starting a distillery and the company's plans for the future. Panther Distillery was scheduled to launch its first beverage, "Whitewater Whiskey," in early January. This week Rotarians will be delivering dictionaries to third grade classes in the area, an annual project of the club. Pictured are members Bill Bolm, Coni McKay, Jeremy Anderson and Nicole Nettleton. The dictionaries are funded through the club's fundraising efforts. At the November 29, 2012, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Brian Gibson welcomed Jenna Payne of Someplace Safe, a nonprofit organization that seeks to eliminate violence in West Central Minnesota and beyond. She provided information about "breaking the silence" around domestic abuse, which is the most common killer of women in the United States; medical costs associated with domestic violence total $5.8 billion annually. She also shared tips for identifying and responding to incidences of domestic violence. Someplace Safe served 780 victims of domestic abuse in 2012. Several new members were inducted into the Alexandria Rotary Club at the November 29, 2012, meeting. Rotarian Todd Emmons installed the members, who included (left to right) Pat Kalina, Beth Telander, Carl Vaagenes, Kathy Patton, Sara Stadtherr,Connie Mondry and Nicole Nettleton. Todd Emmons At the November 8, 2012, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Todd Emmons welcomed fellow Rotarian and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Coni McKay. Coni spoke on the Leadership Alexandria program, established in 1991. To date, 400 individuals have participated in the program, which offers specialized training and experiences designed to build leadership skills. Mike Weber, Alexandria City Planner and 1992 graduate of the course, and Chris Mohr of Glenwood State Bank, a 2012 alumna of the program, also spoke about how participation impacted their lives and careers. It's Rotary Rose Sale Day! Rotarians Jim Bill and Vic Dale were happy to pose with two dozen of the exquisite roses available October 25 through the annual Rotary rose sale. Members collected their roses at the H.Boyd Nelson facility, which has kindly hosted the event for several years. At the October 18, 2012, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, member Sue Jung introduced Tami Bredeson of Carlos Creek Winery as guest speaker. She discussed the history of the winery and how it operates. The Alexandria Rotary Club was proud to celebrate Honorary Member Bud Kolstad's 99th birthday at the October 18, 2012, meeting. He's pictured here with members Kathy Patton and Janet Baker Nevalainen. Hats off to you, Bud! At the October 11 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, a crack team of "sales consultants" presented tips and strategies to boost the club's annual Rose Sale fundraiser. The club has set a goal of increasing the number of orders by one dozen per member this year. The Alexandria Rotary Club welcomed the new coach and two players from the Alexandria Blizzard hockey team to their October 4 meeting. Coach Jeff Crouse introduced players Garrett Skinner and Ian Eckland and provided an overview of the team and its activities. The team recently transitioned to a Tier 3 team, comprising players aged 16-20. They are 3-2 on the season so far. What Bridges Are You Building? At the September 20, 2012 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian JoEllen Doebbert encouraged members to reflect on the "bridges" they are constructing to leave to future generations. How do we make a difference in the lives of others? What are our passions, and how are our actions a reflection of what's important to us? At the conclusion of the presentation, several Rotarians shared their stories of "bridge-builders" they've encountered in their own lives. "The Best Bargain in Town" At the September 13 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Vic Dale introduced Karen Simmons, director of the Douglas County Library. Simmons, who calls the library "the best bargain in town," discussed how new technologies, especially digital books and e-readers, are changing how libraries operate. She also noted that the local library has recently begun programming targeted at teens. She reminded members that September is Library Card Sign-Up Month and invited them to join the Friends of the Library. The atmosphere was electric at the September 6 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, as Rotarian Al Crowser and several colleagues from Alexandria Light & Power provided the program. Al introduced Board of Public Works members Steve Senden, John Perino and fellow Rotarian Rick Paulsen. After briefly overviewing ALP's important role in the community, Al turned the program over to Operations Manager Scott Deitz. He offered more information, including updates on projects ALP has recently completed or will soon undertake. Rotarians were on their best behavior at the August 30 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, which welcomed Douglas County Sheriff Troy Wolbersen as special guest. Wolbersen, introduced by Kim Collins, described the new ARMOR (Allied Radio Matrix for Operational Response) radio system that will replace the county's antiquated analog system. The infrastructure of the new digital system will be funded by the state of Minnesota, while the county will provide all stationary and mobile radio equipment. The new system will allow greater ease of communication among law enforcement and other public service agencies. The Alexandria Rotary Club held the August 9 meeting at City Park for a fish fry. It was a sunny but cool and comfortable day in Alexandria and, as usually is the case for this annual event, Rotarians brought along many guests. In lieu of the normal weekly guest speaker, the guests were put to work sharing their biography. Each was handed the microphone and learning and laughing ensued. Club members also welcomed the newest Rotarian in Alexandria, Pat Kalina. Pat is Marketing and Communication Coordinator at the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission. The Alexandria Rotary was honored to welcome District Governor Bob Stoll to its August 2, 2012, meeting. Governor Stoll shared his story of how overcoming an abusive childhood inspired him to want to make a difference in the world through Rotary. He also reminded members of Rotary's many accomplishments, goals and programs, including the fight to eradicate polio. He further outlined Rotary International's three-pronged strategic plan to support and strengthen clubs, focus and increase humanitarian services and enhance Rotary's public image and awareness. Alexandria Rotary members and their guests enjoyed a delightful picnic supper at Carlos State Park on July 26, followed by games including bocce ball, washer toss and kickball. At the July 19, 2012, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Linda Kloubec introduced guest speaker Mike Burke. Burke is the new director of the Alexandria Opportunity Center, a nonprofit organization that provides employment opportunities and assistance to individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities. The center currently serves 133 clients. Clients at the center typically do piece work, and the center processed 12 million units of various pieces last year. The AOC also assists with supportive employment of individuals in the community. At the June 28, 2012, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, 2011-12 President Rachel Barduson concluded a successful year and handed the gavel to incoming President Patty Peterson. The international theme for the upcoming Rotary year is Peace through Service. Following the transfer of power, the membership divided into committee groups to conduct a planning assembly for the coming year. At the June 14 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Craig Mische introduced Jason Bergmann, who spoke to the club about Heifer International. The organization provides livestock and other resources and supports sustainable agriculture worldwide. Bergmann noted that Heifer International's work in helping individuals and families become self sufficient has the secondary effect of supporting education and the empowerment of women in those communities as well. Members of the Alexandria Rotary Club learned about changes to the pork industry at their June 7, 2012, meeting. Rotarian Jim Bill welcomed guest speaker Pam Gierke of Gierke Farms, who spoke on behalf of the Pork Producers Association. She discussed how new science and technologies, especially in genetics, are impacting the industry by creating more efficient farming and healthier, leaner product. Rotarians learned about the importance of tourism to the local economy at the Alexandria Rotary Club's May 23, 2012, meeting. Rotarian Virgil Batesole introduced Sara Stadtherr, director of the Alexandria Hotel & Hospitality Association. She spoke on the ways the association promotes the area to potential visitors and supports local programs and events. She reported that tourism and the hospitality industry create $92 million in sales annually and support 2,087 jobs in Douglas County. At this week's Alexandria Rotary Club meeting, members learned about Diversity Resource Action Alliance (DRAA). Formed in 2003, DRAA is a volunteer community organization committed to strengthening the understanding and appreciation of diversity and cultural differences in the greater Alexandria Area. Deb LeDoux began the presentation with a background an overview of DRAA including its mission: "DRAA provides a platform for building and strengthening community understanding and appreciation of diversity and cultural differences". Scott Keehn followed with a information about a Inclusion Network training. Inclusion Network volunteer trainers provide diversity and inclusion training, consulting and facilitation services to empower people to take action towards greater equality. If you'd like to learn more about DRAA, visit www.diversitytoday.org. You can also find them on Facebook at facebook.com/diversityresourceactionAlliance. Rick Paulsen, chair of the Fundraising Committee, accepted a District award for the Alexandria Club's bean bag fundraiser, which garnered funds for the Polio Plus campaign. The Alexandria Club was recognized with a Honorable Mention Award for membership development at the District Conference. The membership team, comprising Todd Emmons, Brian Simon and Jeff Montgomery, accepted the certificate at the April 19 meeting. Tim Bush, club president for the 2010-11 program year, accepted the district Award of Excellence for community service. The award recognized the club's $15,000 contribution to the Maritime Gardens in Alexandria. The club funded construction of a gazebo in the new gardens. Longtime Rotarian William "Rock" Anderson received a "Service Above Self" Award from the district in recognition of his many years of committed service to the local club. Left: President Rachel Barduson offers Anderson congratulations on behalf of the club. Jefferson High School sophomores Bryce Klang (pictured left), Kacy McCormick and Molly Schouweiler, along with their adviser, JHS math instructor Jeremy Bydlon, were special guests at the April 19, 2012 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. The students are members of the Mechatronics Robotics Team. The club participates in competitions in which they are tasked with designing and constructing a functional robot capable of performing specified actions. The students demonstrated their current robots, nicknamed Murphy and Rover. At the April 12 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Andrew Wiener introduced his sister, Kristin Grode, as the guest speaker. Kristen founded an organization, "The Diaper Drive," that collects disposable diapers for distribution to needy families through local social service agencies. Since beginning the effort in 2010, the group has collected nearly half a million diapers, of which 140,000 were collected through the Alexandria chapter. The Diaper Drive has grown to six chapters in Minnesota and the Dakotas. “Giving Back” was the theme of the Alexandria Rotary Club’s April 5 meeting, as two Rotarians, William “Rock” Anderson and Craig Mische, will be honored for “service above self” at the district conference; additionally, the club learned about the Alexandria Community Foundation’s efforts. Rotarian Tim Bush introduced Jeff Restad, member of the AACF’s Board of Directors, and Glen Tautges, a representative of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. Restad shared that the Alexandria Community Foundation partnered last year with the Central Minnesota Community Fund, headquartered in St. Cloud. The partnership allows the local organization to leverage the expertise of the SCMCF. The Alexandria foundation currently holds nearly $700,000 in unrestricted funds and recently received an Otto Bremer Foundation grant of $360,000. The second annual bean bag tournament was held Saturday, March 17 at Broadway Ballroom. Watch for a recap of the event coming soon, and check out additional photos in the photo gallery! Despite frigid temperatures, members of the Alexandria Rotary Club were warmed at their January 19, 2012, meeting by a reminder of how Rotary makes an impact in the community. Rotarian Linda Roles introduced Linda Dolan, Director of Scholarships at Alexandria Technical & Community College. Dolan noted that the Alexandria club has funded two students with $500 scholarships for the current academic year, and has awarded a total of nine $500 scholarships over the past five years. She then introduced Stephanie Schultz, a student in the marine engine program at ATCC and a recipient of the Rotary scholarship this year. At their first meeting of 2012, the Alexandria Rotary Club welcomed Jennifer Odland of the Alexandria Technical & Community College Foundation. She was introduced by Rotarian Kathy Nohre. Jennifer discussed the history of the new student housing project at ATCC, scheduled to receive its first students this coming fall. The Alexandria Rotary Club was awarded a $500 neighborhood community grant to furnish a new hobby room at Grand Arbor senior living center. Larry Zilliox presented the check to Knute Nelson Home's Katie Perry at the December 22 meeting. Give a warm welcome to our newest member, Andrew Wiener, an attorney with Tillitt, McCarten, Johnson & Haseman, Ltd. Andrew was sponsored by Ralph Tillitt. Glad to have you with us, Andrew! The Alexandria Rotary Club was entertained at its December 15 meeting by the Jefferson High School Carolers. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Don Kramer, who passed away Tuesday, November 8. Don had been a member of the Alexandria Rotary Club since 1972. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, November 16 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Alexandria. Visitation will be Tuesday, November 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. with parish prayers at 4:30 p.m. at Anderson Funeral Home. Don was a faithful member and cheerful presence at Rotary meetings, and will be deeply missed. We're THIS CLOSE to Ending Polio! Former District Governor and Alexandria Rotarian Larry Zilliox demonstrates how very close we really are to ending Polio in the world. Condolences to Dave Anderson on the loss of his mother Lavonne. We also extend our sincere sympathy to Larry Zilliox, whose friend Sue Fischer passed away on Saturday. Also, please keep Don Kramer in your thoughts and prayers, as he has suffered a stroke. We will post more information as it becomes available. World service is one of the four major avenues of service for Rotarians. SafeWater Plus: Districts 5950 and 5960 are partnering with World Vision and Haiti Outreach for a $2 million safe water project in the Central Plateau Region of Haiti. We’re in the process of drilling and repairing 141 wells, building 1,200 latrines and providing health and sanitation education. Ambassadorial Scholarships. Rotary offers the world’s largest privately funded international scholarships program. World Community Service. District 5950’s World Community Service Committee coordinates designated matching grant funds from Rotary International. Youth Exchange. Youth Exchange provides opportunities for young people to meet people from other cultures and to live in their countries and homes – enriching the lives of both families and countries. Rotary Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. Group Study Exchange. GSE is a vital part of how Rotary builds international community. For more information about Rotary’s world service initiatives, visit www.rotary.org. Happy 97th birthday October 13 to Rotarian Bud Kolstad! Rotarian Brad Nyberg introduced Dave Rush, Land and Resource Director, who provided an overview of the Douglas County Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Also, a couple of high-class sales consultants provided training for the upcoming rose sale fundraiser. Back in 1988 the vaccine for polio was developed. After 25 years the number of cases of polio has dropped by approximately 99%. This figure is one that Rotary International, and everyone else involved in the fight, should be proud of, but there is still work to be done. One more push and a polio-free world could become a reality. When we realize what we can achieve in Rotary – when we really engage Rotary – that’s when lives change. We change the lives of the people who need us. And along the way, our lives are changed as well. That’s what our theme is all about in 2013-14: Engage Rotary, Change Lives. District Governor Diann Kirby has set our District's goal for this year's Annual Campaign at $1 million ... and we can do it! We've been close before. This time, with your help and early commitment, we will make a large contribution to The Rotary Foundation so it can continue its important work of doing good in the world. Our District’s goal of achieving 2.5% membership growth can be reached by tapping into persons unfamiliar with Rotary today. At the April 4, 2013, meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Mark Maloney welcomed Pete Thomes, director of Biz to Biz. The organization is a referral-based group that seeks to increase revenue for its members. Member Larry Zilliox spoke at the December 27 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club on his recent trip to Bangladdesh and Nepal. Zilliox was one of 70 international volunteers who participated in Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh's first large-scale volunteer build. The volunteers worked to complete 10 brick houses. Zilliox also shared slides and anecdotes from his stay in Nepal. Once again, the Jefferson Carolers provided wonderful entertainment for the Alexandria Rotary Club's December 20 meeting. Past President Rachel Barduson and current President Patty Peterson presented a check for $5,000 to representatives Beth Hoover and Annie Skoglund of the Douglas County Historical Society. The funds, from a district grant, will be used to construct a shed for the Historical Society's garden. At the July 5, 2012 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, guest Rotarian Corrine Lewis introduced her special guest, 18-year-old Tirza Wonderwolf from near Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Tirza shared some information about her home country and the differences between The Netherlands and what she's seen here in the United States. Coach Randy Albers and three members of the Jefferson High School fast-pitch softball squad were special guests at the May 10 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. Albers spoke briefly of his own softball history, and the team members - Lauren Trumm, Macaille Lucas and Taylor Ellingsen - introduced themselves and answered questions about the team and their sport. Homes, hope and community were the theme of the March 29 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, as Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Lori Anderson shared the work of that organization in Douglas County. Now celebrating its 15th year, Habitat has constructed 30 homes since 1997 and has five projects planned for the upcoming build season. The group also contributes internationally, sending a delegation to Cambodia last year to work on Habitat homes in that impoverished region. ; At the March 8 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, the members gained more information about the zebra mussel threat from guest speaker Bonnie Huettle (pictured here with Rotarian Sam Steidl). She is the president of the Douglas County Lakes Association, an organization that promotes awareness and prevention of invasive species in area lakes. Also, the club got a preview of the March 17 beanbag tournament when Nick Heydt, Brad Nyberg, Wayne Elton and Rick Paulsen (pictured at left) demonstrated their bag-throwing techniques. At the March 1, 2012 meeting, members of the Alexandria Rotary Club welcomed Carol Wenner, fundraising director for the Alexandria branch of Kids Against Hunger. She shared that the organization, founded by Richard Proudfit, packs specially developed meal packets that are shipped around the world; in addition, a third of the meals packed stay in the local community to feed the hungry here. At the February 23, 2012 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, Rotarian Rick Paulsen introduced Chuck Bokinskie. Bokinskie, a member of the local Viking Sportsmen, Inc., organization, shared that group’s goal to return the Alexandria lakes area to its previous glory as the “fish bowl of the nation.” To date, the organization has stocked 21 lakes with more than half a million walleye fingerlings. The Alexandria Rotary Club visited Douglas County Hospital to learn about recent additions to the facility. Rotarian Carl Vaagenes hosted the club. The hospital is a county-owned acute-care hospital with 127 beeds serving approximately 150,000 people in Central Minnesota. Tom Wacholz (ORB Management), Dee Peshek (Chairperson of Luther Crest's Board) and Rob Barse (ORB Management) were invited to the February 2 Rotary Club meeting by Rotarian Jody Shaskey-Setright to share Luther Crest's vision of their future.Originally a boys' camp, Luther Crest is now a year-round retreat center. At the January 27 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club, member Jeff Schiffman introduced Alexandria Fire Chief Jeff Karrow. Karrow provided a dissection of the major Sun-Opta fire of January 2011, relating how the fire department responded to the 29-hour crisis. The fire fighters battled -34 F temperatures in addition to the fire, which complicated the operation. Representatives from the Alexandria Blizzard hockey team were the special guests at the December 29, 2011 meeting of the Alexandria Rotary Club. The team's business manager, Bryant Black, was introduced by Rotarian Jason Pohlen. Black was joined by team co-captains Tom Williams and Vadim Gyesbreghs as well as Coach Doc DelCastillo. Welcome to your online HQ for the Alexandria, Minnesota Rotary Club. Here you will find news, member lists, committee assignments, upcoming events, your member data and more!

2019-04-23T18:43:37Z

https://alexmnrotary.org/stories

I wish for a day when I can access DA from my phone easily without the app (my phone doesn't have enough room for another app, and currently the browser mode is a huge pain). Since that probably won't happen, I wish to know the purpose of badges/points and what it takes to give/get badges/points. Seems everyone has them, and lots of them. I know I missed out on the introduction way back when (I've only been intermittently here due to various reasons), and that somehow I was gifted with a few llamas by some generous individuals. And since I can't fully access all of DA features with my phone, I've been left clueless to these things. (I can't even look up badges to see what's available.) So until the day I have a phone/tablet with enough memory for all my apps plus the DA app, I'll just wish to know these things. oh, and I wish I could change the comment on my journal that says "Drinking: lemonade" because I am not always drinking lemonade. I finally got home 4 days later than I'd hoped to. But that delay was from all those days waiting out the snow. Got a lot accomplished this time. Updated a significant section of my website that's needed updating for a long time. And there's still a portion yet to update, then comes the new articles. I updated my research for 2 subcategories of another section (5 total), and I found that a lot of my resource links will need to be updated for the section I just finished. Maybe on a future home trip I can stop by my storage and locate the books for two of these sections so I can work on the articles. I did get into the cedar chest and take some photos of a few of the vintage articles mom kept inside. I'll be uploading those later. I also sorted more of my crafting supplies, and took a few photos to share. It's time to be heading off to deliver this load, do I'll be back later. Last week I picked up my load in Everett WA and headed toward Chicago. My DM insisted I try to find parking at the North Bend TA when I stop for fuel. Well I knew my chances were slim at best, but I took a look around before fueling. Sure enough the only spots available were reserved - pay to park spots. So I fueled and headed immediately over Snoqualmie and parked at Indian John Hill Rest Area. Day two: I woke to a dusting of snow, and as soon as I could get rolling, I was on my way through Spokane, and straight over Fourth of July and Lookout passes into Montana. That night I stayed at the Missoula TA. Day Three: Again I woke up to an inch of snow, and like Day Two, I was rolling as soon as possible. Straight over Homestake pass just east of Butte, and on to Bozeman, and then Billings. A fuel reopt later, I was looking at Hardin. Rather than fueling as soon as I got there, I parked on the snow packed parking lot. * I forgot to note that while in Billings, I received a message that I-90 was closed from Fourth of July to Butte. This storm I was out-running was determined to catch me. Day 4: When there was a lull in truck traffic, I pulled out of my cozy spot and fueled up. Then I proceeded to I-90. Crossing the overpass I could see that the freeway looked clear enough to proceed. If it hadn't, I would have gone over to the Flying J to turn around and return to a different cozy spot at Loves. I got about 5-7 miles down the freeway and the road conditions worsened considerably. When I got to the US-212 junction, I hesitated on the overpass and watched two drivers coming down the hill. I asked about road conditions over the CB, and one of them said "kinda risky." I thanked him and turned back onto I-90 westbound. There was nothing open at the Crow Agency for truck services and the freeway heading east looked as bad as US-212 did. I found a much closer cozy spot when I returned. Day 5: After checking road conditions, I stayed in my cozy parking spot. Day 6: On one of my trips into the store a clerk asked why I was still there. She also stated that the roads were "fine." Apparently she was referring to I-90 westbound. A stretch of US-212 in Wyoming was still "closed for the season." Now I am aware drivers were going through, and that there are no gates like those on the interstates, but it's a $750 fine if you are caught driving on a closed road in Wyoming, plus any recovery fees if you get stuck or slide off. This meant I-90 was my next option, and as a last resort, I-94. I checked conditions, and opted to head out on 90. Those miles through the reservation were a blur as I was focused on making it through. Fortunately I came up on a plow and he was laying down traction grit. I was more than happy to follow him at a safe distance until he turned around at a crossover 3 miles from Wyoming. I thought I'd be in for 3 very slippery miles, but the traction grit he or his buddy in the other plow make it easier. Once in Wyoming, the freeway was mostly clear, with a few icy patches. The state scale, however, was packed snow. But it wasn't as bad as the freeway I'd left behind in Montana. After presenting my papers to the DoT officer and receiving an all clear, I proceeded to a truck stop in Buffalo and decided to stop for the night. Day 7: Without any issues, I left Buffalo and crossed over into South Dakota, stopping at the Badlands Travel Plaza. When I checked distance to the next few safe places, I realized it wasn't likely I'd find parking at any of them. As the truck next to me had left already, I moved over close to the tree and shut down. Day 8: No issues this morning either. So off I went across South Dakota. About halfway to the stop I'd been planning to make, I decided to pull into the rest area at Chamberlain. The parking lot was mostly clear with a few scattered patches of packed snow/ice. On my way back to the truck it started snowing lightly. After I'd traveled a few miles, the snow got thicker but it wasn't sticking to the road yet, so I pushed on til I got to Mitchell and parked. Within moments my tracks were covered, and soon I had 3" on the hood of the truck. I wasn't going anywhere, and the truck stop was filling up fast. * Meanwhile western Washington and Oregon was getting hammered with their own storms. The Puget Sound area from Seattle to Olympia got snowed in, and Portland got ice from the cold winds out of the Columbia Gorge to go with their snow. Day 9: As all the other days, the other drivers were clearing out of the lot early. The flatbed that parked to my right left at 4 am. I checked conditions, and prepared to head out. The reports had I-29 as worse than the reports for I-90. It turned out quite the opposite - once I got to Sioux Falls and fueled I headed down I-29 and just south of Sioux Falls the road was bare all the way to Iowa. Once in Iowa, I didn't see hardly any snow along the shoulders and the roads were bare and mostly dry. I stopped at the Adair rest area for the night. Day 10: Only a light dusting of snow this morning. As I headed east, I saw the plows out putting de-icer on the pavement. Although I encountered a few spots of ice prior to de-icing, they were small and scattered. Otherwise, the roads were clear all the way to Chicago. I passed the heavily flooded areas around Rock Island and Moline, and encountered no issues til I got to Chicago. Apparently two 4 wheelers and a semi had wrecks at the I-55 overpass that morning. All I saw when I was passing through was the recovery of the semi. Looked like he was trying to avoid the two cars that had previously been involved. I have not searched for any news articles on the incident so I'm only going on what I heard from others who also passed the scene. Once past the accident, I headed to the terminal and t-called the load. Day 11: Woke up early to strong winds off Lake Michigan shaking the truck. Since I have a very light load to pick up here I wasn't going anywhere until the wind speeds and gusts reduced. A couple hours later I caught a decent lull in the winds and headed back across I-80 and away from Chicago - slower at first, but as I encountered less resistance, I could travel faster. So back across Illinois and Iowa, and into Nebraska, all the way to Grand Island TA for the night. Day 12 (yesterday): I left Grand Island and made great time all the way to Denver and delivered my load. Next came a trailer search, and got one on the second try, so I headed over to my shipper early. Fate was in my favor and they loaded my truck early, however, my decision to try for the Flying J almost was a disaster. I was stuff for 22 minutes watching my 14 hour clock tick down as four guys were trying to get a truck parked (driver and 3 spotters). I finally got out and asked if one could spot for me so I could back up and turn around to leave. One nice driver did just that. Unfortunately for him, his was the truck on the other side waiting to park or leave and his clock was also ticking down. I headed straight to the terminal, only to get stuff a stone's throw away to wait out two trains and the signal to let me cross. The last few minutes of my clock went bye bye while I was waiting, so I turned the volume down to mute the nagging messages I'd get those last couple blocks (like a zigzag) to the gate and to park once inside. Fortunately the second row was half full so I got a nice pull through and parked - with 22 minutes into violation. I documented my clock with detailed remarks and retired to my bunk. Today: After receiving a message from my Terminal Manager asking drivers to avoid driving between 11 pm and 4 am, I checked my schedule and decided I could delay til at least 4 am. I left Denver just as traffic was starting to pick up, and I headed north on I-25 to I-80 and west across Wyoming to Utah. All the roads were bare and mostly dry all day, but I did find a few parking lots with patches of packed snow/ice. As of tonight I'm looking at a fairly clear trip all the way back to Washington to deliver this load and go home for a few days. And if you're one of those four wheelers passing a big truck, please give lots of space before you change lanes. Remember you should see the entire height of the truck in your shortest rear view mirror (or more). If you only see the grill, you're too close. Trucks require about 3 football fields in length to stop. And if you're a fellow truck driver, be sure to keep the proper following distance. I see too many drivers tailgating, on both sides, which is a recipe for a major accident. Also don't forget that your fellow drivers need you to give them more space once you've passed them. The average truck driver gives 1 second of following space when they merge back in front of vehicles they've just passed. The average four wheeler gives half a second* to almost 2 seconds. The exception is the truck driver who gives 2 seconds or more and the four wheeler who gives more than 2 seconds. It takes at least 6-8 seconds to stop a truck, plus reaction time and any adjustments for road conditions. When I was home at Christmas, Dad asked me if I could make him a trifold leather wallet. Of course I could, once I had either made the parts or obtained parts from a kit. Dad showed me his wallet and expressed some urgency in completing his request. I just happened to get a chance to drop by Tandy Leather in Portland Oregon on Jan 3, so I picked up a kit. I made note that it came with supplies to stitch it up, but not with leather lacing. It came with sinew thread. No worries though. I'd grabbed a dark brown spool of leather lacing when I was home, and a few lacing needles. When I went home last week, I dug around in the workshop til I found the Tool Box (check out photos in the Leatherwork folder in my gallery if you haven't already). After I took several photos, I proceed to dye the wallet back and set it aside to dry while Dad and I ate dinner. After dinner, I buffed the back to a nice shine, then sat down to lace it up. Dad fussed with his wood stove while I laced, and soon he was watching me finish the last few inches of lacing. Once I finished, I snapped a couple photos and presented him with the wallet. He was all smiles! And that's the story behind my photo uploads today. I have many more leather tools and projects to share, and when I can locate the photos I took of the kits I did while in Austin TX, I'll upload them. Have a great night my friends, and be safe out there. Quite awhile back I remember mentioning the sad condition of my old maps. A few months ago I completed the reconstruction on my map collection, and began detailing the last unfinished map I had started so long ago. All of the new versions are taken directly from the originals and prepared in the same fashion. I have the new versions within more protective sleeves and in a special loose leaf binder covered in cloth and zippered. In fact the binder also houses my vast vexillolographical collection as well as any heraldic drawings, military insignia, architectural design, and other sketches. Honestly, I wouldn't have combined it altogether except I found a Z-style dual binder with two 2" D ring sections. It's quite heavy, although nothing like the many binders my teammate stores MTG cards in. I developed a different system to store my card collection as I could see how quickly it could become overwhelming. I place all but the initial collection in a set of plastic boxes to reduce amount of space required to store a rapidly expanding hobby. Meanwhile my artwork completely dominates the Z binder. It took a few different tries to find a suitable means of storing the initial set for each expansion, but I settled on an 8 1/2 x 11" 9-card style binder that can house a core or major expansion completely, or hold 2 minor expansions together in one binder. Back to the maps. Since I have finished the initial reconstruction, the next step is finding time to scan all 23 plates, both in whole and in provincial sections. Each province will be saved digitally, then printed and prepared in the same manner as my hand drawn maps. Then I will scan those completed maps and save them as well. Further details will only be added for key areas of interest, like Founder's Forty for an example. The Forty refers to an agriculturally fertile valley where several plantations provide a variety of foodstuffs for the local populace and for nearby island provinces. Portions of the back story are kept in a small notebook as notes at this time, and as I build the characters and stories, I will also add local maps to the collection. Oh, on a side note...I dislike the "new" journal interface. What in the heck are the programmers at DA thinking? This may be fine and dandy for a computer, but it S.U.C.K.S. major big time on a mobile device!!!!! Stash writer throws the skin selection pane right over the textbox. And writing a journal entry is not an option in "mobile view" - or at least I couldn't find how to access it easily without first changing to desktop view. I've come to be very disappointed in websites forcing mobile view then not giving proper supporting tools to accomplish all the tasks. The mood reflects my chancing onto whole collections of flags, maps, and related artwork within the past 24 hours. I have many more to add to my faves and watching list. For those who are unfamiliar with the acronym, it means Over the Road. Well I do spend much time on the road, bringing goods to a city near any of you who live in the US. That's changed a little since February, I still deliver goods. It's just a regional distribution now, to points in eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. First of all, I hate extremely hot weather. ..so that meant staying inside truck or air conditioned spaces as much as possible. Second, this flatlander trucking kinda gets to me, especially when I get a load home. Then my ears are popping with every little hill all the way there. My last entry here was about holidays 2011, and it's nearing holiday season again. 2012, I spent holidays in my truck. I drove through the leading edge of the Christmas snow storm that hit Oklahoma, northward to Topeka. In 2013, I gained a teammate and spent thanksgiving with my team mate's family, and Christmas with my folks back home. This year, it's going to be Christmas with my team mate's family. I will try to stay in the truck if possible, at the truck stop. I have plenty to keep me busy while there. At the moment thou, we are waiting for a load to Kansas for hometime,and just found out the battery went dead on the truck. It was only sitting here off for maybe 10 hours or so...freaky. Have to get the problem addressed as the outside temperature is going up and it's too hot in the top bunk. The one thing I can say about living 2400 miles from my closest family is that there is no need to tolerate the holiday season with them. Not that I don't like the holidays. I just don't like their kinds of celebrations for the holidays. I like doing my own thing, always have, always will. So I have an opportunity to spend the holidays the way I prefer - alone or nearly alone. Most definitely enjoying the quiet and reflecting on the reasons for the holiday rather than the consumeristic approach to the holiday. Away from the gluttony and over indulgence in extravagant gifting, I can relax and do things that I enjoy. Make my own traditions. That was my hope. Thanksgiving was, well ... different. It was not the big family get together, but it was just different. A fellow veteran invited me to her home for the holiday. Everything was cooked beforehand - over the 2-3 days before. That meant that all it needed was to be warmed and eaten. As soon as her other friends showed up and she realized they were coming for the meal instead of returning to their place, everything that needed warmed was being warmed and the spread was laid out. It was an overload for my eyes and I did what I usually do when I see so much - shut down the appetite. I did that the day before when Green Doors delivered a full Turkey dinner from H-E-B to the house. The refrigerator couldn't hold another item. I barely ate dinner the night before and here I was looking at two tables filled with very delicious looking food. "Oh it's a bird plate!" I only selected what I knew I could eat for one of my normal meals and no more. A little of the roast turkey, some green bean casserole and mashed potatoes with butter, a dinner roll, and a small cob of corn. A pecan pie was there for dessert, but I was comfortably full and did not want to put any more in. We watched the Macy's parade, then the guys turned to football. Most of my family never really watched football, except for the Finns. Then the women sat in the kitchen and chatted and the men were at the other end of the house. It was rarely loud enough to carry to the kitchen. So here I was with two guys and two gals watching football. It was planned that us gals would go to another room for some quieter time. After awhile I went to the other room and worked on the project I brought to kill time with (as it was recommended that I bring something). But the noise followed me and I heard everything from the other room. It was not my choice of holiday pasttimes, but it was with friends. The gals took a plate over to a neighbor and visited for awhile. I was alone in the back room for nearly 2 hours, then decided I needed to go home where it was quiet. I appreciate my friends' generosity. I think I will spend Christmas at the house. I want some quiet me time to reflect and do things that I love. Near the end of April, I applied for and had a phone interview for a job - in another state. Significant other was not too happy, but insisted that I take it if offered. Was offered a place to stay, but one of the roommates was not exactly comfortable with someone she was not too familiar with. Opted toward a veteran's option, but my referrer's mom decided that I should stay with them til I got on my feet. The month of May was one of chaos and upheaval. Moved significant other into his mom's house since it would be difficult to set up all his VA appointments and get settled into a place. Plus the temperatures were average for the Pacific Northwest, then to move directly into upper 90 degree temperatures would not have been a good move for him. Arrived in Texas after 4 days travel and started new job on my birthday. What a change! My first night on the road was in Utah. Temps were mild, but certainly not chilly like my last night in Washington. The next night was spent at my cousin's in Denver. After Ratan Pass, I was greeted with 99 degree temperatures in New Mexico and it was hotter the closer I got to Texas. My last night on the road was in Texas and was certainly warm, though not uncomfortable. Welcome to Houston! Hot and muggy Houston! If I weren't from a fairly humid climate I would have had heat exhaustion for the next 5 weeks. I was thankful for that much, but it was still quite hot for my liking. Then my roommates decided they were moving to Austin. What to do? It was a bit soon to see if the first offer could be validated and way too soon to find a place of my own since I barely made enough to cover basic expenses at the time. My roommates wanted me to move with them and since my employer had an office in Austin, I could transfer. By the time the transfer came up, one roommate moved in with her boyfriend so the other transferred to Austin with me. Three weeks of hell. Yes you read it right. Austin is a nice city, but living in a hotel is like passing through hell. Was no one's fault. It was the fact that apartments are hard to find and having fair credit is necessary in order to get into one. Plus the cost of the hotel was eating up every bit of money needed to search. Finally found an apartment, but the temperatures are in the triple digits so moving means chances of heat exhaustion. I'm glad to say that some of the weight that came on last summer from the medications has dropped off, my feet and ankles are no longer swollen, and I am in better health than I was when I was living in the house in Washington. Unfortunately, while I was still in Houston my significant other passed away. His mom had him believing that I had abandoned him and he shut down. He was a big part of the decision for the move in the first place and he knew where I would be working. He either forgot, or his mom did - both knew of the place and could have contacted my employer at any point. What was especially unnerving was the way she treated me when I called. She'd never been disowning of me before and she was very much family to me. How she got this attitude at this stage in her life beats me. Sadly it seems that senility, dementia, and other strange traits come out when certain individuals reach their 80s. For my own grandma, she was near 90 when it became most noticeable. Needless to say, I was not even notified of his passing until I called on the scheduled weekend - 10 days after he passed. I had only talked with him 6 days prior and said I'd call the next pay period so I wouldn't be using roommates' minutes. I got a cell phone the weekend I had planned to call, and I called shortly afterwards. I've been more in a state of shock every since. I've been working to keep my mind off things that might make me emotional, and doing as much other stuff as I can to keep my mind busy in off times. But it does catch up with me once in awhile and I cry. Alone. Even my roommate does not console, nor would even offer. I am as lonely as I was in that house - there I had someone to talk to but no hugs or closeness if I wanted it. Sometimes it would be nice for just a shoulder to cry on. I think the only option is the one friend still in Houston who originally offered me a place. However, that friend is now nearly 4 hours away. Anyway, the whole ordeal has been a huge move in my life - financially, physically, emotionally. I am doing much better these days. I spent another month battling horrible migraines, but I discovered it had to do with my ph balance and foods I was eating. I dropped a lot of the prescriptions they kept trying to get me to take (excluding vitamin/mineral supplements) and started drinking 10oz of orange juice twice a day for a week. The only medicine I have taken since was one Imitrex when I had a minor migraine, but no more of those "zombie" pills, heartburn pills, or even aspirins. It all comes down to keeping to natural foods and when things start getting a bit off, resetting the balance with OJ or other natural anti-oxidants. Also staying away from the foods containing nitrates helps a lot, as those are a bit reason why ph gets out of balance. Nitrates are found in processed meats & cheeses, as well as root and leafy vegetables. Even organic vegetables are still treated with natural fertilizers which do contain nitrates. I can eat some of my favorites again, but I wont be letting it get out of control anymore. Frost burn is not a pleasant experience. It is rather painful at times and the itching can drive one batty while trying to sleep at night. My computer desk sits in a "black hole" for heat. The space under the desk is almost impossible to keep warm in winter and is more like sitting on Lake Michigan in a fishing shack in January. When the temperatures drop below freezing outside, so does that spot... or at least it feels like it. I have coped over past winters by changing socks, wandering away from the computer to work on other things, grabbing the heating pad, or heading off to bed to tuck my toes into a warm spot. Heating pad is no more and I cant afford a new one, so the other options still work. Last year I put a small clip-on lamp there to provide some heat, and it works to a small degree. A lap afghan helps as i can wrap it around my legs and trap warmth close to my legs and feet. A solid-fuel handwarmer is nice as I can tuck it into my sock or rest my foot on it. A couple years ago, my toes experienced frost burn. When the doctor say my feet he prescribed a cream for athletes foot! While it will address the itch somewhat, it will not heal frost burns. I'd never had athletes foot even when I was stationed in Florida, though Mom said she'd been plagued with it so I thought perhaps it caught up with me. Then the freezing weather came early this season - in November. By the New Year I realized that it is *not* athletes foot, but frost burn... and thus began treatment of my foot ailment as a burn. I'd learned when I as a teen that Vitamin E was an excellent alternative to a freshly cut Aloe Vera leaf. I'd been badly sunburned on my legs from lounging on a rubber inner tube in the creek most of the day. My parents were going to town for the payday pizza dinner ritual and I wanted to wear pants. That would be painful. I poked a sewing pin into 2 1000 IU Vitamin E capsule and spread one on each leg. Vitamin E worked for my sunburned legs, so why wouldnt it work for my frost-burned toes? It has been quite effective. The vitamin E oil helps to heal the tissue and keeps it soft during the healing process so that when the scars do separate from the new skin underneath, the new skin is not damaged. While the vitamin E does not kill all of the itchiness, J&J's First Aid cream will. The lesson here is that we just need to get back to basics. Basic homeopathic treatments often prove to be more effective for me than the latest "breakthrough" in modern medicine. It reminds me that while an antihistamine is good for bee sting inflammation and makes me drowsy, a simple poultice of a Verbascum plant provides instant results without the side effects. It's been awhile since I visited and even longer since I updated anything here. A couple months ago my computer crashed and the folks who restored it neglected to backup the proper user account thus destroying 3.5 years of my life's work, much of which was no place else. Scans can be replaced, 5000 family tree individuals can be re-added to my massive 50,000 database (55,000 before the crash), online accesses can be restored, music and php files can be replaced. But a few hours of raw video footage cannot be replaced, original photoshop files cannot be replaced, numerous documents and projects for university cannot be replaced. I am thankful that I did upload some of my photoshopped images here as it is the only place many of them exist right now. Many others can be replaced, but some would not look the same as some scans are unique and the item would not be in the exact positioning as before. Last time I wrote in my journal, I mentioned that I found my vexillilogical artwork but had not located the cartography that went with it. While I was bored out of my mind waiting for my computer to be worked on, I located the cartography. Found is my vexillological art collection; still MIA is the collection of cartography that went with it. Along with this collection was a number of scraps and doodles which inspired many of these color plates. Looks like my scanner is going to be quite busy in the days to come, though I've become distracted with another hobby - genealogy. I recently obtained access to a friend's family tree. Soon I found one connection to a branch in my tree and started chasing it. To me, these fasciniations are like putting a kid in a candy store - I will pursue the hobby that has me most preoccupied till I am too exhausted by the search or I reach a logical stopping place or conclusion to the work. If too exhausted, I take a break, do something else, and return. I love making beaded objects and have created numerous pieces over the years. I found various sizes of beads at odd shops locally and in all of my travels, from The Bead Shop in Long Beach, WA to a Tandy Leather Company outlet in Jacksonville, FL. The most difficult part of locating beads is finding a standard size in a range of colors for special projects. Most beads are now sold by a standard size scale, but years ago they were all branded seed beeds, pony beads, or whatever appropriate label that seemed to fit. My massive collection includes a broad range of seed beeds from the tiny size 15 through size 9 (almost pony bead size) and many unique or odd beads of glass, metal, plastic, or stone. I currently have them sorted into stackable containers grouped with like-sized or like-style beads for quick and easy access in creating new projects. Most of the brightly colored red-yellow-blue pieces are part of the decoration I wear with my regalia. For some of the images, I separated pieces and scanned them individually; other scans were made of groupings. Some of these scans were adapeted digitally into the Beadwork Collage piece, which was a "Mail Art" assignment for one of my instructors. I used the Beaded Tassels in another assignment for the same instructor on "Traditional Art and Kiche." A painting by a local artist was my traditional art portion; I took a digital photo of it on my cell phone as the painting was a bit large to be carrying about between classes. While submitting lineart deviations, I realize there are probably loads of people who know little or nothing of model horse collecting and the scale models I am mentioning. I do know that there are many here who are collectors and customizers and know what I'm talking about, but this entry is for those who are clueless to our hobby. Back in 1950, Breyer Molding Company in Chicago began producing a plastic 1:9 scale model of an horse with a Western saddle. This model took the company from producing other plastic objects into a world of toys and collectibles. Early collectors variously displayed an occasional Breyer model horse on a bookshelf or gave to their children to play with. Many of those children loved their Breyers a little too well, and the models showed the love in scratches, rubs, and scuffs. I speak of one collector, JDM, who began gathering these models into a collection in what was once a utility room addon to a mobil home she resided in at the time. Her husband built her a hobby desk, and she installed shelves around the room. Her collection soon grew to fill as much space as she could eek out of every corner. She also became penpals with collectors and customizers from other areas, and often traded or purchased their customizations. JDM also introduced me to the hobby of collecting the plastic figures, and thus my lifelong fondness to horses grew. When I find my collection of digital photos of horses from the collection of JDM, I will elaborate on some of the personalities who once dominated this hobby. Their work may also be found in a handful of other collections across America ~ Dierks & Alger and Geo. Howard are probably best known. Each of these awesome model representations has inspired me to create these technical drawings, both for illustrating a book on harness and for use in my own scale-model larimy. Larimy is the leatherwork of a larimer and is most associated with harness making, but also included saddlery and other equine tack which is often referred to tack-making by the scale-model customizer. In the traditional arts, a larimer was often also the town farrier and sometimes could provide limited equine veterinary services. Breyer Molding Co. expanded their 1:9 scale model horse (approx 11" tall) line greatly since the 1950s, and in 1973 introduced the Classic size horses (approx 6" tall) to their production. The first six molds were purchased/adapted from famous Hagen Renaker molds which were produced in porcelain. In 1975 Breyer added the Stablemates (approx 1.5" tall) to the line, and in 1984 Little Bits (now Paddock Pals, approx 3" tall) were introduced when Reeves International purchased Breyer Molding Co. The model horse hobby has also grown by leaps and bounds in the past 6 decades, from a handful of enthusiasts to a large group of equine fans who not only display them in their homes en masse, but also show up in hoards at such conventions we fondly refer to as Model Horse Shows. The Model Horse Show brings horse fanatics of all types together, from those who gently love their Original Finish models with soft brushes so as not to scratch them to those who boldly remake and customize a model into a new form. The show allows the collector to compete for ribbons and rosettes in various categories somewhat akin to the Live Horse Shows of the real equine world. "I'd like to challenge anyone to bring 80 live stallions into a show ring at the same time and keep the peace!" - This is something you might hear me say about a Live Model Horse Show, or even a Photo Model Horse Show. Having been in a model horse club for several years, I was called upon to judge certain classes at live shows or submitted photos for a photo show. My first such photo show comprised 80 stallions and it was not easy to display all of them at once on a table for judging. There are several bonuses to having what I fondly refer to non-afficiados as "apartment-sized horses." ~ First, they do not require food nor expensive veterinary care (though the occasional dab of glue or a little customizing to hide a booboo might be necessary). ~ Second, they do not defacate so no need to muck up behind them. ~ Third, while you may be called upon to bath or dust them once in awhile, it usually does not require that you hop into the shower or bathtub to remove the acquired grim you have obtained from grooming your horse. ~ Fourth, they hold their position patiently while tacking up and rarely step on toes or bite. ~ Fifth, maintenance of the pasture is minimal since they are most happy standing on the shelves looking back at you than tearing up the grass outside. ~ Sixth, stabbling is easy - just line them up on a shelf in their own room and turn out the light; no need to put each in its own individual stall unless you feel must do so "for looks" if you have only a few, or certain few favorites. ~ Seventh, handling for shows is far more convenient than the real thing. Instead of a full sized trailer for one or a few horses, you can neatly pack them up in blankets, towels, cloth handkerchiefs, or plastic bubble wrap and place in a special shipping container. Then load said container or containers into your vehicle rather than hitch up a full sized trailer, and away you go. This saves on both gas money and space for travelling. ~ Eighth, the indoor space for the horse show often has better lighting and provides all spectators the ability to get up close to the actual events. This works well as long as non participants give judges plenty of space to work in. ~ Ninth, bringing home one or a couple dozen more is not going to cause chaos in the paddock (though some people may seem to sense certain jealous feelings from their models). ~ Tenth, if you just happen to have a calamity occur with an Original Finish model, you can save the day and give it new life as a Custom, and it will forgive you as long as you still love it. On a final note about the model horse hobby, I would like to mention that most enthusiasts tend to be female though there are now more males finding their way into the hobby. Compare this to the scale-model train clubs that most boys tend to flock to for living out their dreams of becoming engineers. The way I see it, it is a way to express a tiny bit of control in a hobby realm and bring pleasure from what could become an otherwise mundane lifestyle with no hobbies whatsoever. With so many scraps to sort through, I am compiling like breeds together for my Scrapbook. Many of these scraps were the basis of tacked or harnessed drawings, and I was able to reuse many of them for the myriad of different style variations of each basic harness. Since my original spec sheets on the harnesses were never scanned, I have no idea where I stored them. However, each harness was drawn to spec detail of the larimer or model scale larimer who produced the work. I have taken many photos of actual harness and scale model harness as well, so I am planning to include my photography in this collection of work as well. Some of the scale models comprise a portion of my personal collection, but most reside in the Collection of JDM (Pot o' Gold Stables). My vanity book on harness was first printed for the display of some of JDM's draft horses at the Cowlitz Historical Museum's exhibit on Horses in the History of Cowlitz County. Over the years, I have taken the time to save certain artwork digitally for one reason or another. Consequently I noticed that most of my equine lineart drawings have been saved as GIF files rather than JPG, thus it will take a little more time to convert and upload. I still have yet to find my vexillilogical color plates for scanning, along with some miscellaneous fantasy artwork and fantasyland cartography. Pegacorn or Unicus or ?? In searching for one of my favorite fantasy hybrids, I find the most are calling it "pegacorn" now. I always called them Unicus, but I see artists calling them "unisus" and any myriad of other coined terms, even one called a "unipegacorn"! Searching the beautiful artwork here once again and organizing my favorites brings memories of all the color plates I made years ago. I have wanted to scan them to preserve for posterity, and this would be a great place to share some of the better ones. Jun 26, 2009 Pegacorn or Unicus or ??

2019-04-19T21:43:26Z

https://www.deviantart.com/refiner/journal/

I’m just waiting for a few people to turn up, just to make sure we get everybody. We’re broadcasting this on Periscope as well, just to be on the safe side. Let’s see if it works because I think it will be an interesting time to see if we can get this type of thing working. Today I’d like to talk to you about how a small business can create a better framework for business, so to protect yourself in the digital world and also just to make sure that a lot of things are in place so that you don’t get targeted by not only the bad guys but everything else that is out there. So that’s the aim of the presentation, and hopefully you’ll get something out of it and you’ll be able to go to the next level and improve the security around your business and your organization. We’ll wait another couple of minutes just for a couple of stragglers that are coming, just to make sure we’ve got everybody, and then we’ll just get stuck into it. You won’t see me. I’ll put up a slideshow that is not that much. I’m not going to baffle you with PowerPoint art, but hopefully we’ll get everybody on the same page when it comes to digital security. Okay, I’m going to start now. We all know how complicated the digital world can be. No matter what you’re doing on it, no matter what you’re in charge of, no matter what part of it you’re using for your business, it gets pretty complicated pretty quickly. On top of that, if you’re not really careful about what is happening, you then become a target of cybercriminals and cybercrime. What we are trying to avoid is making sure that you are not in there. What we’re going to do today is discuss the understanding, the requirements of digital security and just give an overview of what you need to do to protect your organization in the digital world. My name is Roger Smith. I’m a speaker. I’m also an Amazon #1 author on digital crime. I’m the CEO of R&I Consulting, and I focus on getting everyday users of the digital world to understand the dangers, and take necessary precautions. So my role is to stop smart people making dumb mistakes. That’s what it’s all about. How the bad guys get in and how they target you? What are the basics of digital security? Then we’ll talk about getting the right balance and why you need to get that balance involved. Also then, we’ll just go into other things like you also need to look at the non-digital stuff to protect your organization. On top of that, at the end of it, we’ll go through what you can do now. The digital world is used by all of us, literally. Anybody in business in the Western world now has some presence in the digital world, whether it’s just a basic email or it’s a full-blown 3,000 people using a cloud-based system all over America or Australia, in those areas. The reason why we’re going to the digital world, mainly because it’s cost-effective, and on top of that, it is low-cost. But we use it for everything. Social media, business, networking, search, innovation, R&D. We use it on our websites and we use it for marketing and sales. It is a very interesting balance to make sure that you are—you have the convenience of the digital world but you’re also protecting yourself from the bad guys. Originally, crime started with I had something that someone else wanted and they took it away from me. Then in the 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, 1900s, we had a large group of people storing their money in specific places, and that’s where we had the rise of the bank robbers and the places like Jessie James, Ned Kelly, Ronald Beats, because a group of people could steal from a larger group of people. In 2014, we had the Target hack. It was a very small group of people stole information and money from 34 million people. This is what we’re talking about, the exponential rise in crime. Because at the moment, making sure that you are protected means also making sure that when you give your information away, that is protected as well. But what do the digital criminals want? What do the bad guys really—why are they doing what they do? Well, they need access to your money, and access to money itself, but also access to money under your control. So that access to money also means that they are looking for ways to get you to compromise your security and give them your money. They’re also after your intellectual property, your trade secrets, your tactics, how you work, how you do business. All of that information is really important if they were to come in and try and take over something else that you’re already doing. One of the other things they’re most importantly after is they’re after your client information, because with the client information, they can go off and target other people. It becomes part of their social engineering component of the digital world so that they can find out all the right information about what you’re doing and what your clients are doing. One of the things that people forget is that they’re also after your technology. They’re after your Wi-Fi system. They’re after your router. They’re after your PC. They’re after your laptop. They’re after your smart devices. Because they can then use those smart devices to target other people. But on top of that, your technology is worth money to them. Because it’s worth money to them, they are quite happy to compromise your system and make sure that you then become non-controlled by yourself. That is why we lose control of our technology with things like malware and viruses, and worms. What are they using to get in? So what are they using to get in? In most cases, the number one attack weapon of the cybercriminal, or the digital criminal, is email, because everybody’s got an email account. Email is easy enough to target. It doesn’t cost them any money. With the rise of email, we also saw the rise of spam. In the 1990s, early 2000s, we had spam that was more interested in selling Viagra or getting a Nigerian prince’s money out of Nigeria. But then smarter criminals got hold of it and started utilizing it for other things. Then we had the rise of the phishing email. We’ve still got phishing email like we get nowadays. The classic example is the crypto-virus. We get a phishing email that’s addressed from the APO, or the Post Office, or Internal Revenue. Because we are very willing to open and look at an email when it’s based on that. But then again, we then had the introduction of the spear phishing. This has only been around for the last maybe six to seven years. Spear phishing is an email that comes into your system that is specifically targeted at you. Because they’re specifically targeted at you, they’ve done their research. They know you are. They know who you are targeting. They know what your friends are. They know what your business is. They know what your hobbies are. They will write an email that is specifically aimed at you, making that idiot decision to click on the link. But what phishing email and spam, and the spear phishing email are doing is they’re targeting exploits within your system. The exploits are pieces of code that haven’t been written properly, or they’ve been removed but they haven’t been deleted from programs. These programs that have these exploits, you know, Windows has 2 ½ million lines of code. Finding a specific error in that takes a lot of work. The trouble is, the cybercriminals have got the time and the energy to do that, and that’s what they do. But just like we have operating systems on PCs, we have operating systems on websites as well. We have the underlying operating system. The underlying operating system is what hosts the website itself. So if that gets compromised, all of the websites above it get compromised as well. They use that compromised system to actually file out malware to other people. We’ve also got the insider. The insider can either be a malicious person who doesn’t like your systems, doesn’t like you, doesn’t like your business, and they’ve been employed by you, and you’ve realized they don’t like you and they have stolen information, or stolen systems, or put malware on your system. But there’s also the unintentional one. That person who has clicked on the link that you didn’t want them to click on. That has exposed both your PC and your business to the digital criminal. You don’t want that to happen. So what are the basics? The basics are really easy. There’s 8 of them. Those 8 basic things that you need to do will protect you in the digital world. I’ll miss the first one, but passwords. Passwords are really important. They’re your passport to the internet. They are your passport to the internet on any number of websites that you go to. Passwords have to be longer than 8 characters. They have to be complex, so anything on the keyboard is fair game. They have to be unique for every website you go to. That, as you can understand, that is a problem just in and of itself unless you have a system on doing it. I have a number of videos that you can watch that will actually explain how to create complex passwords that are really easy to remember. I was talking about exploits earlier. So when an application or an operating system developed or found that they have an exploit, they will patch it. They will send out an update that will remove the capability of something being able to target that issue. Although 99.9% of exploits are benign, they can’t do anything. Maybe you can create a character on the screen, but it’s not going to cause a problem. They’re not going to allow access to the back end of the computer. The next thing you need to do is worry about anti-virus. An anti-virus is really important because it catches that 99.9% of the viruses that have been around for a while. By catching that, it then means that you can keep an eye out for that other 0.01%, or 0.1%. The problem with the digital world is it’s digital. My laptop falls in the—gets flooded out, or I drop a cup of coffee on it, or I drop my phone in the toilet, or someone steals my tablet, then all of that information that was on it is now gone. So we have to make sure that we are backing it up and backing it up in such a way that is not stored in the same place. So if I lose my phone, I have a backup of all my contacts, all my videos, all my films. The next thing we have to worry about is firewalls. Firewalls are used to protect you from the digital world. They stop those basic attacks coming into your PC or into your business. They are there to make sure that whatever coming from inside the business goes out but everything on the outside doesn’t come back in. So what is a framework? I’d like to talk to you, the framework we’ve developed that is, I suppose, an easier way to understand how you can protect yourself. There are a number of frameworks out there. This is just a few. We’ve got the Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT). We’ve also got the ISO 27000 Series. These are complicated frameworks around how you do business. They want you to change your business to fit in with these frameworks. That’s where the problems really start from, because no longer can we say you are a x in this industry, so this is how you have to do business, because if everybody else is doing business that way, there’s no advantage in doing it. That’s where technology is really come into its own. But also we’ve got the vendor-based technologies and the vendor-based frameworks. Those frameworks are things like the Cisco Security Framework that relies on Cisco products, or Strategic Framework if you’re using cloud, or an IT Security Policy, which is a really basic framework about how you are going to protect your business. So we’ve taken all this information and we’ve tailored it down to four pillars of digital security. You need to worry about the technology. The technology in place of how you are going to do business. That technology makes your business so much better and makes you competitive in the industry. You also need to have a management component. That management component takes into account all of the other components and the pillars of security. We then have to have an adaptability component. The adaptability component is not about if something goes wrong, but it also involves having your organization able to change direction without losing impetus. So you can see an opportunity, and if you are adaptable, you can actually grasp that opportunity without having a problem. Then the last one is we all have a government compliance component. That government compliance component is how it’s all based in the industry, or via government, or how you want to do business yourself. So let’s just take a step back and go through each of these areas. The technology. Literally all of the technology components of your business. So you have your operating systems, your hardware, your software, your applications, your encryption, your cloud, BYOD and how you’re going to manage it, firewalls, wireless, VPN, anti-virus, and tie it all together with best practice. Best practice is usually created by the vendors that say “This is the best way of putting my system together.” To me, that is really important, because if you don’t have the best practice of how that system is put together, then it’s not going to work to your benefit anyway. The second component is management. So management process that we need to know, and who is involved in what they are. So we have the three P’s – processes, policies and procedures. Because you don’t want to have your accountant come to the business and go “What is my role?” So that’s part of your procedures, part of your processes, part of your policies. But also on top of that, you need to audit all your technology. You need to have reports coming out of your technology. And you’ve got to be very aware of the reports that come out of technology because they’re only reporting on those systems. So you need to have an overrule reporting system that will help you make decisions at the top level. Then we have the adaptability. So we’re looking at risk assessment, risk management, disaster recovery, business continuity, your cyber and digital resilience and also your culture. Your culture is also just as important as everything else because if your culture doesn’t allow Joe Bob, who’s working at reception, to come to the managing director and say, “We’ve got a problem and this is why.” And the managing director actually accepting that he has a problem, then culture is going to have a big impact in protecting your organization. And then as I said, we have compliance. Compliance is probably the most difficult component to define because all business or industries, and all organizations are unique. They are different from each other, and different from anywhere else because we are all unique and how we do business depends on who you are. So all of these framework components make your framework a lot better and a lot easier to understand. It also means you’re going to be making decisions based on fact, not on what’s coming out of the back end, not coming from the IT department saying everything’s rosy. But as I said, most frameworks are created by companies, and they usually say, “Buy my widget because my widget is the best and it will protect you, and you will be secure.” What a load of poppycock. There’s no silver bullet in the digital world. There’s no way of significantly protecting yourself by using a product. From Cisco all the way through to D-Link and TP-Link, there is a way around every system. You might not be able to get through a FortiGate, or a Juniper, or a Fortinet firewall, but there are ways around it. That’s why you need to have a framework in place. By having this attitude that “My widget is the best,” we’re not having a holistic impact on your business. We are not protecting the business. That is also what this is all about. But a framework has to have certain features to make it all work. It has to have features to a level where we are making sure that everything we’re doing for the framework is actually helping the framework. It has to be agnostic. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got a Cisco firewall, a FortiGate access point, you’re using Symantec on the inside to protect yourself at endpoint protection level. All of those components have to work together. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a FortiGate firewall or a Cisco firewall. It is a firewall, second-generation firewall that does x. So it doesn’t matter what the hardware is. It has to be understandable. All the people in the organization has to understand why you are doing something to make sure your business is protected, and what is in place. We have to have some sort of puzzle that we keep putting a little bit together and making it so that everybody understands that the firewall is there for a reason. The reason why we’ve got these policies is there for a reason, so it has to be understandable by everybody involved. One of the things we find in most technology companies is they want your business to change to support their technology. To me, it’s the other way around. The framework has to support your business, and it has to support your business to a level where you don’t have to change how you do business. Because if you change how you do business, you don’t have the alacrity to go we can swivel on a pin to change direction. So the technology has to be in place to make sure that you can do that swivel if you need to. So it has to support your business, not the other way around. It has to be manageable. What I mean by manageable, someone has to know where all the bits go together and what bits are doing what. Your framework, whether it’s either your technology or it’s adaptability, has to be something that you know “This is what we do. We have a business continuity plan, and this business continuity plan does x.” That is really important for what we’re trying to do with this framework. Most importantly, your framework has to protect. We know there’s no such thing as 100% security, but we can try for it. That’s what this is all about, trying to make yourself as secure as both your money and your capability, and your team, can make you. So it has to protect you. And because we’re trying to protect you, we’re not going to go out and buy—if we’ve got an income, let’s say we’ve got a revenue of $100,000 a year, we’re not going to go out and buy a $50,000 firewall. So we have to have some cost effectiveness in place to make sure that we are getting the best bang for our buck. We all know what the old castles used to be, and why they were built, and what stopped them from being as efficient as what they used to be. Originally, the medieval castle was designed to protect the Lord who was in the castle itself. It lasted up until we started creating cannons and we started firing cannonballs at each other. But your framework has to build defense in depth. The thing about a castle was you had a moat. You had a drawbridge. You had high walls. You had people behind those walls. Because you had people behind those walls, if they got through the first levels of security, then they were up there with the people who were trying to attack you. Most importantly, no matter what we’re trying to do with the framework, each component has to support the other components of the framework itself. So we need to have the right technology in place to make sure that we can have the right management planes in place, and to assist in working out what risk is involved. And one of the things that we push is if you’ve got a system in place for the moment and you don’t want to spend lots of money when you do spend money, that you don’t replace the NetCom router with another NetCom router. You go to the next level. So you replace it with a Linksys, for instance. More expensive, but it does a lot better. But most importantly, your framework has to be stable. It has to allow you to do things that if you unplug things and plug things in, it’s not going to cause the whole system to fall out. That is very important to making sure that your business can do business. And finally, your business framework has to work. If you haven’t got all the components in place, and they’re not all acting holistically, then your framework’s not going to work and it’s not going to protect you at all. So it’s very hard to understand how we get the balance right. The balance is very important and it does depend on how much money you’ve got and how much you want to throw around. Is there a problem with SME’s? So, is there a problem with SME’s and how we protect digital security? Well, yes there is. Because an SME has a number of problems just in its inherent capability itself. We have a problem with money. As I said, if you’re $100,000 business, you’re not going to spend $50,000 on securing that business itself. You might spend $5,000, and if there’s only two or three of you, $5,000 will probably do the job. But because you lack the funds to be able to put a security system in place and create a framework, there are other ways around the framework itself. We also lack the expertise. We don’t understand things like threat intelligence. We understand endpoint protection because that’s usually an anti-virus system. But we don’t understand identity management. Or we don’t understand incidence response or anomaly detection. Because these are words that are thrown around by vendors that really mean the threat intelligence of you being attacked is probably about 60%. That’s not including a targeted attack on you yourself. How are you managing your identity and your internal people? What usernames and passwords are you using? Those are the things that we just haven’t got the expertise to manage. And also, we all know that time and money is absolutely annoying when you’re in a small business because when you are in a small business then you have a problem with making sure that the time and the money that you have are focused on the business itself. Because if you don’t focus on the business, the security doesn’t bloody matter anyway. So you have to focus on money, time and the find out how you can cover the expertise. But it’s not just about digital. The digital component, yes is very important. But also, your non-digital stuff. Have you got locks on your phones? When your phones are sitting in the café, are they locked? Do they wipe themselves if someone puts the passcode wrong five times? That is not a digital solution. It is a physical solution. You have locks on your doors and windows. You have internal doors on specific offices. These are not digital, but they’re just as important to protecting your business. Well the first thing you can do is go back to your office and do a risk analysis. Work out what your risks are. Work out what risks are being created by having not the right technology in place. The second thing you need to do is find some money to upgrade all your non-business related components to business systems. That includes getting a decent firewall or getting a decent access point. The other thing you need to do is educate your users. Because if you educate your staff, then as I said before, it will be delivered to your business tenfold because you have people who are actually looking at the issues. This increases awareness. What you really need is for people to be very aware of what’s going on. And there’s some simple things you need to do. Put some posters up around your organization. If you’ll send me an email, I’ll quite happily send you a PDF of 10 of them that you can put up. Get them printed at Officeworks, off you go. Initiate a training and education program. I’ll just explain between training and education. Education is when you take everybody and uplift their level to a different level from what they are. So you’ve got to educate them inside of digital security. But training is usually based on getting someone to understand the complexities of a piece of technology. That training is really important as well. You also need to run competitions, because competitions increase awareness within your organization as well. Make it fun. Don’t bore people with, “Yeah, you’ve got to have a complex password of 25 characters.” But if you have a competition that runs, the first person who gets the answer every day gets a $5 card from somewhere, and the person who does it the most during the week gets a $30 whatever, then you will see that your awareness will increase across the board. So thank you very much. If you need to get in contact with me, drop me an email at roger@rogersmith.com.au, or give us a phone, or jump on the website. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, all of those places. And thank you very much for your coming to the webinar. Much appreciated. This will be uploaded to Google Hangouts and also to YouTube in the next half hour, so if you want to re-watch it you can. And if you have any questions, just pop them into the system and the system will actually tell me if you’ve got a question. Okay. We don’t seem to have any questions, which is really nice. So thank you very much. I will talk to you next time. Hi. My name is Roger. And today, I’d like to talk to you about what to avoid in an ITC, an internet technical professional. Whenever you are employing a managed-service provider or an outsourcing company, there are a number of questions that you should be asking. And it should not be based on price alone. You need to know if their practical experience is going to suit your business. So, if you use Apple technical, they need to be Apple’s experience. If they are Microsoft, then do they have a Microsoft experience? Do they have cloud-based systems that they understand? The second one is, there is no such thing as one solution fits everybody. I can walk in to anybody and say, “You need to go to cloud.” If I did that, not only am I an idiot, but you’re an idiot for listening to me because every business is different and every business has a requirement to look at what is available and what they need to make sure that going to the cloud is going to be beneficial for you. The third one is there’s no transfer of knowledge between the professional and the business. You need to be in a big situation where you can’t get hold of the professionals and you can actually sort out some of the problems without resorting to really big issues. The fourth thing is, how about sales pressure? “If you buy this, we’ll give you a 20% discount. If you buy this, we’ll send you to Maris Island,” and all of that. These are pressures, or systems put on pressure to make you buy that widget at three times the price that it should be anyway. The fifth thing that you should be looking at is, are they selling smoke and mirrors? It looks pretty cool, sounds pretty cool, but is it going to do to the job that I want it to do? And another thing to look for is you may get a number of small solutions to that go to making the live solutions, and each one of those small solutions has a huge price tag. And if that’s the case, then, you really do not need that professional. But there are other things that you need to look at. How about bribes and collusion? Are they being bribed by their suppliers? If you sell a million dollars’ worth of stuff, we’ll send your troops to a Maris Island because that’s really good. Or they send you incomplete systems. An incomplete system is you get a firewall but if you pay for the firewall, you say $2,000 for the firewall, but all these other components to make the firewall really secure are extra $2,000, $2,000, $2,000. So, you’re getting an incomplete system for what you specified that you want it to do. Then they ignore you. When you have a sales person that ignores your deadlines, ignores your fiscal position, then you also have problem, because they’re not going to respect you to understand what they need to do to make your business more focused. And they have no accountability. The only accountability to themselves is themselves and you do really don’t want to be in that situation. So, to make sure you avoid an ICT professional that has all of those, then why don’t you contact us? The same way that we listen to accountants, solicitors and motor mechanics, the digital security expert has an important role to play in supporting your organisation. Digital security is becoming one of the most important areas of modern business. For some reason we believe technology in business is easy. So easy in fact, that we just install it and forget about it. Like other professions what you do and what you can do are total opposites. An accountant, for instance, can make you more money by legally changing your tax requirements, or a solicitor can get you a reduced fine or jail sentence better than you could if you were representing yourself. So a digital security expert can make your organisation more secure because they have studied business and technology, but more importantly they have a better understanding of what the bad guys are doing. They study the bad guys – being a digital security expert is not about selling the next best thing (if there is such a thing). Being a digital security expert is more about understanding your enemy. The more you study the cybercriminal the better you get at predicting their next move and being able to be one step ahead. They keep abreast of what the bad guys are doing – digital security experts use the same world that the cybercriminal uses to perpetrate their trade. They are in the dark web, watching, recording and documenting what the bad guys are going to do next. They understand business requirements – what most people do not understand is that the digital security expert has to understand business. They have to understand marketing, management and cash flow. They need this information to ensure the recommendations that they give to their clients will not impact their business, or have minimal impact on the way business functions. They understand technology – in most cases a digital security expert is at the same level of technology understanding that the bad guys are. To ensure that your business is not vulnerable to a cyber-attack they have to know the technology to ensure it is safe. There is no such thing as being too small to be a target – if you have a digital footprint,(yes we all have one) no matter how small, then you are automatically a target of cybercrime. If you have a smart device, an email address or an Internet connection then you are a target. There is no such thing as 100% secure – against popular belief, there is no such thing as being totally secure. The digital world is ever changing, so are the tactics, strategies and targets of the cybercriminal. There is always someone else out there who knows that little bit more. Everyone is a target – if you have a smart device – you are a target. If you have an email address – you are a target. if you have a web site – you are a target. The larger your digital footprint the bigger the target you are. The more your footprint will be targeted by the automated systems that are sold by the criminal gangs. Technology is not the only answer – there are four components of being secure in the digital world. Technology is one of them. The other three are management, adaptability and compliance. All four components together make a more secure environment than just technology alone. People are your best defence – your staff and users can be either your best Defence or your biggest problem. If you educate them with proper digital hygiene then you will not only get them to protect themselves but also the flow on effect is that they protect your organisation. Complex, unique and long passwords are good for business – we all hate these. To access the digital world we need a username and password combination. The more we rely on the digital world the more important these components are. All passwords should always be complex (letters, numbers, symbols, capitals), more than 8 characters long and they have to be unique for each site. That’s pretty easy isn’t it? Penetration testing will prove you have it right – penetration testing is one of the best ways to test your defences. Penetration testing should also be carried out across all components of the business. From websites, to cloud Infrastructure, from social media to smart devices. A contracted penetration tester should have carte Blanche across the whole network. You are not on a witch hunt or targeting the IT department, you are finding holes in your organisation and finding ways to resolve the risks before you are compromised or hacked by the bad guy. Think when using social media – social media is great. It is also one of the best systems used for social engineering by the bad guys. Information that is posted to social media sites is there forever. Educate your staff about the dangers of social media. Put a social media process in place to ensure that trade secrets and intellectual property is not posted out there, and each post is checked before going live. In the heated exchange of a social media discussion, think before posting. Get paranoid – paranoia is the understanding that everyone is against you. In the digital world this is truer than our normal world. Does that make you paranoid? Not really but having the understanding that everyone in the digital world is out to get you makes you more secure. Use common sense – everyone remembers the old Nigerian Prince scam, people are still getting caught by it. There are a number of things to remember on the digital world – if it is free then it is not (you always have to give something to get something), if it’s free it could be infected with malware, if it’s free somewhere along the line you will have to pay a lot more than what you expected. Using common sense to make that decision is critical. Email is a broadcast medium – We often forget that although email is targeted, sent specifically to individuals or groups of people, it can go astray. It could be sent to the wrong person via the email fields being filled in automatically. Email can also be forwarded, printed and scanned, sent to people who it was not intended. Like all types of communication be careful with email. Digital security is a whole of business endeavor – we are constantly told that digital security is an IT problem. No it’s not, it is a whole of business endeavor. Everyone and every department has an impact and input on the digital security of the organisation. A digital security expert can and will make your business more secure and like any other profession, what they bring to the table is well above normal expectations. Like accountants and solicitors their expertise can save you substantial amounts of money, sleepless nights and angst, just by them doing their job. Hello my name is Roger and today I’d like to talk to you about what questions you should be asking about your managed service provider or your access source I.T. company. There are a number of questions you should be asking before you even get involved with an outsourcing company. Are they stable? Have they been around for a while? Have they been around for three years or have they been around for three months? Depending on if they’ve been around for three months also depends on what sort of expertise they have. The next question you should be asking is are they scaled. Your business is booming and you have now gone from ten people to twenty five people in a space of three months. So are they going to be able to manage that scale when that happens for your business? Do they have any experience and the expertise within the business? Do they know how to set up a Cisco rather or are they going to play around with it and hope for the best? Do they know how to set up a client based server, or again are they going to hope for the best? Have they got policies and procedures in place to make sure that if John Watts comes into your office to fix something that Peter, the next I.T. person is going to come in and not have to relearn everything that’s been done? This is really important because if you’re paying an hourly rate he’s going to take three hours to do so that he took an hour to do because he doesn’t know what’s been done and that’s a really big impact on a business. Another question you should be asking is also are they helping my business. Are they making sure I have the right technology? I’m using the right technology in the right place. I’m using the right systems to make sure things are going to work. Because if you don’t do that, then your business is going to have problems competing with other businesses and you’re going to have that sort of issues with making sure that you’re competing at the right levels. One of the other things you should be asking is are they nameless and invisible. Have you had an MSP or contract with a company where you haven’t seen anybody? The only person you’ve spoke to is a voice on the end of the telephone. The only person you speak to is a new man. Are they in your office? Do people see them? Are they seen regularly to make sure that your systems are working to the best level, not just invisible to everybody else? Hello my name is Roger and today I’d like to talk to you about how a managed service provider or a managed security service provider can increase your business in efficiency. SMEs have a large problem when it comes to I.T. Not so much that they don’t understand it, but what happens is in a small or medium businesses up to twenty five people, you usually end up with someone who knows computers. They will be doing all of the stuff that they need to do to make sure the business is working. Those people who know computers might be a salesman. Might be the secretary. Might even be the CEO, who have a lot better things to do than looking after the printer or making sure a database is right. You are taking people away from their core business and I know CEOs like to work sixty hour weeks, but I guarantee if you take the I.T. worries away then they have a better way of making more money and it’s a better way of doing business. So an MSP and an MSSP coming to the table as an outsourcing product gives you a large area to be able to work with cause they have better ways of doing business. They understand the technology and they can implement more efficient and effective solutions for your business. They’re not there just to be—to implement stuff that’s not going to work. They are going to make sure that it’s going to benefit your business and take you to the next level.

2019-04-24T20:03:25Z

http://rniconsulting.com.au/tag/managed-services/

This is one of the best days of the month for you. You run around being happy go lucky, and unlike yesterday, as the day progresses it becomes easier for you to concentrate on the issues at hand, and with a happy attitude, you find ways to inspire yourself to take care of business, and enjoy the day all and at the same time. Nothing remains neglected. You crawl out from under the sheets although half-heartedly, but with a little more oomph than you had yesterday. Whatever you have neglected to do yesterday, you know you have to deal with today, which you feel compelled to finish up. You see your home as a spiritual place where you rebound your energy and where you can light a candle and say a little prayer. You understand the power of the collective, and how you all have to be on the same page in order to get along. And although your plans may be a little too restrictive for some, you try to explain the importance of everyone to sacrifice some for the sake of convenience. You learn the importance of bending some and changing your own needs in order to accommodate for the best results for everyone involved. When you think about it, it all boils down to dollars and cents. (Well, not so much cents anymore…) you know what is important and yet it may elude you as monetary transactions are slippery at times and tough to hold on to today. But you are serious and do not take ‘no’ for an answer. Trudging along pushing away difficulties ends up in your favor. Your day will be easier when you slim demands down to the most important issues at the top of your list. The Moon is in your sign and you rule the day. Today, in spite of wanting to have a good time and that’s it, you have the gumption to get down to brass tax and take care of everything with panache, a song on your lips and a shimmy in your step. You are the inspiration for everybody. But don’t let anyone be fooled: You are doing your part for the best result possible. Your heart goes out to anyone with a problem but then you remember that your life isn’t perfect either. Do a charitable action for someone in need and it will make you feel better about life? Get up from under, and speak out loud the things you are grateful for in your life. Get busy preparing for tomorrow, when you will be able to show your smarts and get the respect you deserve. You have to pay less attention to what someone says about you and more to what you think about them. You can make deep connections with someone provided you see the true essence of the person. You are loved today but try not to take advantage of this, because the intention is not clear yet. Enjoy this attention, but remember to get clear before you tattoo someone’s name on your body. You are all business all day with the best intentions to complete your project come rain or shine. You have so much glee in your approach that whoever is in charge can confuse your attitude with not being serious. But no one can dampen your spirit, you intend to do everything to the best of your ability, and still find the happiness you seek in the simplest tasks that others may find intolerable. This is one of the best days of the month for you. You have to pay attention to what is said to you and to what you must accomplish today. Your mind may be wondering and thinking of projects of a creative nature that you would rather do, but once you reign in your thought process, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, plus throw a flair of creativity into the mix, to the delight of the end result. Your home is the focal point in your life at this time of the year. It’s your soft place to fall when things outside are not as understood. The folks who dwell in your home understand you and appreciate you. If you need to make your home ready for the winter, you won’t be able to get a clear estimate reading on how much it will cost. But you will get a clear reading on what will make you happy there. Double talk won’t work with you. You are way too sophisticated for this kind of talk. The question is do you recognize it today, when you have the tendency to pink wash any innuendos that don’t make you feel good. Today, you need to try to get your head clear, and get busy doing the things that work for you in your life, and spend less time trying to figure people out. The understanding of your job rises to the level of a seer. You know what needs to be done and why it must be done, and you rise to the level of the best helping hand that explains it to the rest of the helping hands. Your energy level is through the roof, and you have to make sure that you pay attention to what you are doing so that you don’t accidentally trip on anything in your hurried way, slow down some. In the coming year cycle you will be able to outsmart those who think they have one over you. For one thing, your good luck is happening bigly… and on the other hand you have your own authenticity and unmistakable uniqueness because your imagination matches the abundance of your luck. Family’s assistance can come in handy, should you need a helping hand to help you keep grounded. But you are a creature with sense of duty and you make sure that everything gets taken care of. The Moon makes an easy angle with Pluto, an excellent angle with Mercury and a hard angle with Saturn. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 31, 2017 by michelle. You would rather hide under the sheets for as long as possible, and concoct scenarios to entertain your soul while being horizontal. Alas, you do have to get up, get dressed and face the world with all its ugliness and discontent. You want to be helpful to others, but today, you just want to go through the motions and get back home and do what bears do, hibernate. You can get along much better with people of all walks of life today if you think about being super clear when you express yourself. You think that you come across as being clear, but you may seem evasive to whatever issues they put in front of you, as there is a bit of fogginess in your delivery. Same goes for when you ask someone to do something for you. You stand a chance of getting paid well for your contributions. It may take you much longer today to get there, however, as long as you continue, it doesn’t matter how long it takes. In every step you take, you have to be convinced that you are doing the right thing before you continue. That’s just the way today happens. Go with the flow with the things and enjoy the peace you feel. The Moon is in your sign and you rule the day. Your spirit goes out to play and is out dancing with the vision you see in the mirror. You feel good because you understand yourself and what it will take for you to be happy. Your mind wonders as your gaze drifts out the window into the great yonder. You have to demand of yourself to concentrate on the issues at hand. You don’t have to be the clown every day, do you? You don’t have to try to make somebody spoiled feel better, do you? Well, don’t strain! Give yourself a break. You are human even a strong person, but today you have to remind yourself to have a good attitude and to have a positive outlook. Pamper yourself in some way today. You deserve it. You may elevate somebody to heights they may not deserve. If you are confused about this person, perhaps you need to ask someone about this particular person. Your vision gives them too much leeway. If you have fallen in love with someone head over heels, go to the eye doctor get your vision checked and only then make the commitment you are eager to make. This is one of the best days of the month for you. People seek for you to be the entertainer today. Your face must tell them that that is your intention in the first place. Your mind is as original as the thoughts you have, and you are pleased because they are vivid, full of optimism even though they don’t seem practical at all. Close talks are pleasurable when everyone has their cards face up on the table. However, should one of you intend to deceive, it may succeed for the moment, but not in the long run. You teach people how to teach you and today is a perfect example of what to accept and what not to accept. Do you deserve the responses you are getting? That ought to be the question in your mind. You can’t afford to day dream on the job. Especially if you operate a powerful machine. Your positive attitude is a beautiful thing today, but you can’t afford to get carried away, or your work will be under par. You are there for your peers and for those who aren’t having an easy day. You gladly take over for them, being are a most wonderful person today. In the coming year cycle you will be happy to be alive. You will make every situation into a dreamy lovey-dovey situation. You will be creative to the max and if you are a person who uses creativity as a form of livelihood, you will be prolific as well. The problem may arise when you can get discouraged when reality sets in, that life is not just a dream upon which to build your world around, but that you need to use common sense. If you apply common sense you will see that happiness is not difficult to achieve. The Moon makes an excellent angle with Jupiter an excellent angle with the Sun and conjoins Neptune. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 30, 2017 by michelle. In the coming week the life giving Sun in your sign now, will connect with Neptune and there is going to be an ease about you, giving you the ability to be extra compassionate and yet to remain ambitious and shrewd. The Full Moon on Saturday will bring you and your loved one closer. In the coming week you will be a more subdued and spiritual person who enjoys doing things without anyone looking in your own privacy and finding peace in it. And perhaps a little lazy, even. A compatible love connection can be made with someone who has the same charitable causes that interest you both. In the coming week the spirited Sun’s relationship with Neptune builds up your drive to accomplish your goals, and while not very convincingly, but you will have people to assist you on your ride. You will seek places to socialize and especially when the Moon will be Full on Saturday. In the coming week the illuminating Sun connecting with philosophical Neptune provides information that your success will have a lot to do with your good Karma and good luck. As long as you remain transparent, you will do amazingly well in the money department. In the coming week your ruler the otherworldly Neptune will connect with the radiant Sun and you will be flying as a free spirit. You will look less in your calendar and do things more on the spur of the moment, as the spirit moves you, as much as possible. You can make a substantial amount of money rather unexpectedly. In the coming week you will have certain financial worries that will have a welcome ending, and you will do better than you anticipate. The willful Sun will help in creating situation where you will be impatient with your loved ones, and you will have to generally speaking, get a better grip on your reactive impulses. In the coming week relationships will mean the world to you and some will even be considered sacred, especially on the Full Moon on Saturday. You may have issues with subordinates who may not want to do as you ask them, and be agitated with their tasks; the clearer your interaction with coworkers, the easier. In the coming week your diligence will pay off, however, your tendency will be to be slower and day dreamy. there will be dichotomy there: You will be so into your work, that you may not pay attention to having any kind of fun, which is an important ingredient in life. And when you won’t be hard at work, chances are you will be volunteering to pass the time. In the coming week the nod that Neptune and the Sun send towards you, encourage you that there will be nothing you won’t be able to accomplish with your spunky yet misconstrued spirit, once you set your mind to it. You will be glad to tackle any problem with the same enthusiasm, and celebrate every small victory with a grateful attitude. In the coming week your ruler the noble Sun stationed in your home sector, connects with Neptune and reminds you that you are a metaphysical being, not just a wound up machine that built to work and produce at all times. Create an atmosphere in your home that lends for some super valuable spiritual private time. In the coming week your energy level is high. The glorious Sun connects with Neptune and you become even more of a pleaser than you already are. You will be driven to communicate; with some people you will be very successful in communicating your point of view, with others you can talk until you’re blue in the face. In the coming week the honorable Sun will urge you to remember how much you have sacrificed in order to make your family financially comfortable. Your self confidence will have a lot to do with how you perceive yourself and the time spent time away from them, but for a good cause. They forgive you and love you for it. In the coming year your rebellious nature will come out to play. You will have a demanding year with great outcomes, so roll up your sleeves and don’t be afraid to put major effort into your life. Your inner dialogue will be somewhat harsh, so it’s advisable to that you be the one who takes control and remind yourself that every beginning needs to have good vibrations, especially your own. You certainly won’t allow anyone to disrespect you on any level, however, seek peace at all costs. The Moon in Aquarius makes an easy angle with Saturn and an easy angle with Uranus. The Moon enters Pisces at 7:46 PM EDT. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 29, 2017 by michelle. Today’s strength: Recuperating at home. Today’s weakness: Not being able to stay home. Today’s strength: Making personal private decisions. Today’s weakness: Criticizing yourself harshly. Today’s strength: Socializing boosts your self esteem. Today’s strength: Making a wonderful impression. Today’s weakness: Don’t take anything for granted. Today’s strength: Having a peaceful heart. Today’s weakness: Doubting someone’s story. Today’s strength: Finding a new purpose in life. Today’s weakness: Making mountains out of molehills. Today’s strength: You are appreciated by those who count. Today’s weakness: Some people don’t come up to your expectations. Today’s strength: You can make your vision work for you. Today’s weakness: It’s difficult to stay grounded. Today’s strength: Work on a creative endeavor. Today’s weakness: Your emotions can get the better of you. Today’s strength: Making special time for a special someone. Today’s weakness: Having to fend off somebody’s advances? Today’s strength: Having enough energy to accomplish the impossible. Today’s weakness: Keep gossip to yourself. Today’s strength: Having confidence and exuberance. Today’s weakness: Acting in bad manners. In the coming year cycle you will have an independent attitude that will assist you throughout the year. Your energy level will be geared towards helping those in need. You will draw immense satisfaction in helping those who are less fortunate than yourself. You will be generous towards the folks with whom you work and it will be in yoru favor when somebody helps you in your career. Your caring personality will have the edge over others. The Moon makes an excellent angle with Venus and a hard angle with Mercury. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 28, 2017 by michelle. Your mind wonders all over the place. The road of least resistance for you is when you do not allow yourself to be effected by conditions which are outside of your influence. Don’t stop your reliance on your instinct. No one can give you better advice than you yourself. This can be a day of great changes for you. If you feel a change coming on and you have the idea of how to make it happen, why not show it to the world today? The road of least resistance for you is when you let go of inhibition, think less and do just what you know you can. You can have a change of heart about something that used to be important in your life. Something that was a social thread in your life. You have the right to feel this way, and act upon your feelings. Your road of least resistance in when you remove yourself from the situation. Your love is strong and your passion is high. Yet to tip your hand is not something that you ought to do when the time is right for you to continue developing whatever you are working on. Don’t lose faith in a higher power nor in your ability to conclude this project. Information about a relationship has a clear meaning. The road of least resistance for you is to start a brand new way to approach your daily routine and your mode of operation. Do whatever it takes to enjoy each day at its simplest. You come to a day where you may have enough with issues that you have to deal with on an everyday level. You want to feel inspired and creative, but the sameness makes you upset to the point of it effecting your health. Fire up your imagination and refuse to be anything but happy. Just because you would like to have your way today, doesn’t mean that it will happen. The road of least resistance for you is when you decide to not to act in a diva way, and to slow down and let others be heard. You don’t have to do what they ask, but you do need to listen politely. Stories about somebody you work with need to stop before they get out of control. You may have your opinion, but then everyone has one… The road of least resistance for you today is to stick to working on what turns your imagination on, and what you love to spend your time doing. You see yourself as a warrior person who can do no wrong when you are guarded by armor of intensity and creativity. The road of least resistance for you is when you don’t succumb to whatever your imagination dictates for you to do and say. Reel it in some, and don’t be boastful. You continue to challenge yourself to see how far you can take a certain project. It’s difficult to take on too much today, since there are familial obligations to take care of, and your priorities are becoming more of a challenge. You don’t know who or what to take care of first. In the coming year cycle you will find that what you enjoy most and what you need to do most is to take care of someone else. In your private life, that can be a challenge that requires some sacrifice. In your business life it takes the form of having someone whom you trust to ask advice from. Someone who has your back and who will show that he/she is trustworthy. Also, you will find ways to communicate that may have eluded you before. The Moon in Capricorn makes a hard angle with Uranus. The Moon enters Aquarius at 8:59 AM EDT. The Moon makes an excellent with Mars and a hard angle with Jupiter. Mercury makes an easy angle with Pluto. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 27, 2017 by michelle. The Sun joins forces with lucky planet Jupiter. A day like today happens once every twelve years and today is your day! You are as optimistic as you can ever be. You can take on the world and not think about the possibility of failure. You are going ahead with energy opening to possibilities. Good luck. Your subconscience takes over like never before. If you do not recognize what you are calledto do now, you may miss your calling altogether. You are in tune with your inner being as your ruling planet Jupiter, meets up with the Sun. You accept yourself which is the highest form of intelligence. The Moon is in your sign and you have the power. Your dreams are getting a surge of energy from your point of view as you are ready to tackle your future. You are done with hesitations and compromises. You know what you desire and no one can stop you from pointing in that direction. Someone elevates you to the highest of highs, you deserve this so accept it with open arms. You hit the jack pot of your career, and hopefully you recognize the signs you are receiving today. You recognize them in your psyche. There’s nothing to hide and everything to show. Think about it: most everything worth living for that one can accomplish in life starts with a dream. Today you can’t help but think well into your future and you don’t mind having a little dream attached to it. Do not berate yourself for dreaming, and start thinking of what it takes to get there. Your self confidence does not allow you to think negatively. Keep reminding yourself all day to think positively. You have a lot to celebrate and be happy about in your life. Today, make a decision to get a grip on health or weight issues that may be creeping up, and start on the road to health. This is one of the best days of the month for you. Great opportunities come through people who love and appreciate you. You’ve opened yourself up to the universe and it’s rewarding you today in immeasurable ways. The universe is your teacher, and you are rewarded for your learnings. Your wellbeing, physical as well as mental are most important: It’s in how you deal with every day that makes the difference. You have a goal today and that is to surpass everyone and come up with the highest quota; be the most sufficient. But be careful that quality is equal to quantity here. You want to play at life. You want to have a good time in your life. You have had enough to live in your shell, you are ready to break free for the next twelve month and celebrate at every opportunity. There is a wisdom there that is hard to oppose, if you can pull it off, more power to you. You have the idea that your home is where your opportunities are. You want to shine right from where you are on a daily basis. You are the goddess/king in your own home. But don’t stay stuck in your head, or else your chores will suffer. Get down to earth and concentrate on what’s at hand. This is one of the best days of the month for you. You have many places to go and many people to see, and it will tax you unless you realize that being ambitious is all fine and dandy, but it can cloud your emotions. You need to forget about the world for a minute and be entertained. You are driven to succeed today and you can’t think of anything but ultimate success. Failure is a concept you can’t even comprehend… Remain grounded with your feet planted firmly, and continually all day make sure that you know what you are talking about, and you are a huge money maker. In the coming year cycle you will have no choice but listen to your heart. It will talk to you loudly at all times, and if you follow it and if you will be able to be grounded at the same time, this can be one of the most successful years you experience. You may take up a new interest that may take over your life, to your delight. Your urge to explore territories unknown will give you the spark you want to get up and be a brand new person. You will have to try not to be domineering while you get your way and are being extraordinarily lucky. The Moon makes an easy angle with Mercury, a hard angle with Venus and conjoins Pluto. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 26, 2017 by michelle. It’s super easy for you to get your point across today, so get busy elucidating yourself. You have the confidence to take care of anything that is communications related. You are physically attractive in a caricaturist kind of a way. A financial windfall emanates from your subconscious mind. It happens when you are calm and enjoy your recent psychological growth, coming to term with who you are, and in terms of coming to love yourself as you are. The imaginative way in which you make your money today is hilarious! It’s got a unique quality that creates its own kind of magic. There is an air of mystery about you that wants us to know more about you. You have the imagination to look far into the future and imagine where you see yourself. Now attach a sense of faith to these dreams and you will see that you get there, with time. Faith is the key to any possibility. The subtle influence you have on your surrounding runs deep. Personal observations about your business must be tried. If they work, keep them in your lexicon. If they don’t, what have you got to lose, try anyway? This is one of the best days of the month for you. This is a time of transition, a time of momentum a time of making new connections and creating better conditions for ourselves. You feel the love. There’s a wondrous way about you as you go about your duties, like it or not. One step at a time, step by step, creates a stronger you, even though the road may not be the easiest now. You learn about yourself in relation to others. You are in the presence of someone who likes you, or go there. Somebody who wants to see you be more than your best. Because you are so desirable today that you shine and are attractive. Great connections are made. Your efficiency is something to behold today, and yet you would rather luxuriate somewhere and get the massage to increase and invigorate your health that you deserve. Strategize your day at a more leisurely pace. This is one of the best days of the month for you. Your sweetness comes out on top of the playful side of you, which you take with you into everything that you do and create an atmosphere of fun and creative communications. Home based career or the work you bring home from the office is beginning to show a change of direction, and you that you are changing with it. Easy transitions which pay off financially. In the coming year cycle you will have the ability to convince even people who are difficult to penetrate and bring them on your side. You will be the leader of the pack and have an important position upon which you stand firm. You will put the finishing touches to old issues that you are well ready to let go of, and think of a grand life ahead of you. You will strive to live with moderation. The Moon makes an easy angle with the Sun an easy angle with Jupiter an easy angle with Neptune. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 25, 2017 by michelle. Your inner dialogue is powerfully wistful. You reflect on everything under the Sun and how all that’s in your mind reflects on you personally at this time. You try to push your truths down, however it’s much better to listen to your heart and see you’re magnificent in yourself. You are in an insightful mood aided by someone who knows you well, and who has your interest at heart. Together you take stock and come up with an interesting solution. You feel on the shy side today, and may wait a couple of days to use this new technique. Your business shrewdness can be an illusion, but through which you are clever enough to weave your way into a substantial amount of wealth. Being naïve is no excuse to keep your reputation. Put on your sophisticated pants and show your smarts in a playful and most interesting way. You are in your zone thinking and looking at life from your own perspective. What you see inspires you to have an optimistic outlook, to try to reach for the stars, to not be afraid of anything having to do with the mysterious of all: the future. Allow time to unfold its mysteries. After much trial and tribulations, headaches and minor heart attacks recently, you are still standing. Give yourself a round of applause! By now you have gotten stronger and are eager to face whatever comes your way, as long as the past is in your rear view mirror. You work your magic on someone special and get them to be on your side of the equation. People value you to the highest degree, as you appreciate them right! Will the mutual admiration society last? Only time will tell. And why not? Let love lead the way. Your star is shining brightly today as you are the boss’s pet. You can do no wrong as for as he/she is concerned, and as far as you are concerned; bring it on! You have to come up with the goods by making sure that you understand the intention in what is asked of you to perform. You are the most impressive today when it comes to coming up with the most creative suggestions. It may fall on deaf ears, or you may be in jeopardy for some other reason, but unless you go toot your own effort, it may be lost in space… Just go out there and do it. You are more than ready to settle into your new home, and get to settling down to planting roots. You don’t have to think big and find it impossible for you to grasp. You need to narrow down your concentration to small steps and to grow with time. You tell a story in rose colored glasses, as the reality may be a different story. You have to make sure that you can stand behind what you are saying, only then can you make the world a better place. When everything is out in the open, great commercial success can be achieved. You can become the god/goddess you want to become. Who’s going to stop you? You can live in an imaginary world today, that may or may not be good for your self esteem, and that is where the problem lies: If you stay positive the sky is the limit. In the coming year cycle you will try to live life to its fullest. You will enjoy working hard, laughing hard, playing hard and doing everything in an over the top attitude. It will work for you most of the time, and as long as you try to act in a down to earth manner, you will do so much better than you can even imagine. However, if you become oblivious to your surroundings and to other people, and act in an exaggerated manner, you will miss out on one of the best opportune years in a long time. God luck and God bless you. The Moon in Sagittarius conjoins Saturn. The Moon enters Capricorn at 8:13 PM EDT. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 24, 2017 by michelle. The Sun enters your sign today. Mazal Tov, Have a great run with the Sun in your sign! Lucky Jupiter is already in you sign and good luck is assured. Your personality is on display, it’s a good thing you are bubbly and enthusiastic waiting to see in what direction your life will go. The Moon is in your sign and you have the power. Thinking of what has transpired can either make you strong, or hold you back with anxiety. There is nothing you can do about the past, and everything to do about your future. Today you can do wonders in the money department. You work best in a group setting now that the Sun changes signs, and yet you are not sure how to jump into the heart of the matter and get a little spot all for yourself inside of this group. Rely on your instincts today, and work with the one person who inspires you the most. Trust will follow. Before you ask for more responsibilities, someone beats you to it and asks you to get involved in a business transaction that thrusts you forward, and there’s no turning back. You will appreciate it all in time, but for now, count your lucky stars. You are in for a time of expansion. This is one of the best days of the month for you. You have had it bad and good recently, and it all came with a price. You can get depressed about certain situations that don’t come together fast enough for you. As long as you keep a good attitude good things are sure to continue to come. Recent communications veered your relationship in a different understanding than you have had up until recently. Make sure that it continues within the agreements you have made, or you may be living in a dream world and will get discourage. You teach others how to treat you. As long as you continue to work as you have and to take care of your task one at a time with attention to detail, there’s no reason to get anything but accolades from your collaborators. You work together and together you can accomplish anything you set your minds to. You are creative with any projects you lay your hands on, creative in the way that you perceive your life now: You can be wrong and yet you will go after what you want without paying attention to realistic goals. You need to think practically, even though it’s tough sometimes. This is one of the best days of the month for you. If you stay focused and not get sidetracked by emotional situations that may even have nothing to do with you, then you stand a chance to create the foundation you need for the next few months. Otherwise, you can get stuck in mud. You need to find something to do with your inquisitive mind. The more you feed it, the happier a person you will be now. Study something of substance and it will take you far. Communicate your findings and you may find a person who is on the same wavelength as yourself. Your confidence is running high and hotter still. But you don’t want to fly off the ground, you want to stay grounded and take what you have learned recently and put it into a project that is a money maker. You may shoot too far, but it’s better than not making a stand at all. In the coming year cycle you will you will have to pay attention to detail, when your tendency will be to avoid detail work like the plague; It will take a conscience effort to do so, and it will help you make the most of a very auspicious year. You would think that one become more spiritual or religious when times are tough, however, you will grow more spiritual this year, in spite of the fact that you will be more successful that you anticipate yet. The Sun enters Scorpio at 1:27 PM EDT. The Moon makes an easy angle with Venus and a hard angle with Neptune. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 23, 2017 by michelle. In the coming week the Sun will enter your sign on Monday, and you get excited about the time of year that belongs to you. Possibilities run high on Thursday as you are full of optimism. Friday information you receive makes you take a second look at your progress, and you make swift changes that will work better for you. In the coming week you go along with the flow having a light hearted attitude and a deep meditative energy that will serve you well. Starting on Tuesday, you will be able to see through people and that will be your strong point. Follow your hunches. In the coming week your practical nature will be infused with dreams. A new found energy will push you forward. Someone is in your corner and wants to see you succeed: Friday you will be bestowed with special honors, or you can choose a way that will be good for your business. In the coming week on Monday, the Sun enters your business sector and it comes to life in a robust way. Thursday is a powerful day for your career. Throughout the week, you will receive a lot of information when you research issues, so listen to whatever anyone says. In the coming week you may not like when you get advice, however, on Tuesday, you need to listen and take heed to important messages that come from a loving place. Throughout the week you will set your sights and make plans that are close to your heart. In the coming week you will have a change of heart about a relationship as new realizations will come forth. You will have to make sure that your dietary intake promotes for a peaceful attitude, as your emotions will be a little stressed and in need of calming down some. No sugar? In the coming week you think about valued relationships in your life and see how they have affected you thus far. On Friday, romance is strong as you two will make new provisions to how you want to make the future a happy place, and make plans that are far reaching. In the coming week you consider yourself lucky about your working conditions which are improving by the minute. On Tuesday, have the courage to ask for what you need to make you more productive, and higher ups will listen. Your transparency makes you look trustworthy. In the coming week you will want to do so much to make somebody else happy, but you are nobody’s fool, as your dreams have you front and center in them, and as that person is happy, he/she will have you in mind as well. Your home will be a place of warmth and coziness. In the coming week you can jump start or restart your career and send it off in the direction you see fit for the time. There is going to be talk about you that has to do with your work. Family members will put their two cents in you can either take it or leave it, as you are in charge. In the coming week it will be a great thing for you enroll in a course that will teach you knowledge about subjects that will help you financially in life. Your brain will train easily and this will give something important to invest your money in, mainly yourself. In the coming year cycle you will be amazed at the things you will be doing to entertain your life that you don’t even know you will be a part of. You will be family oriented and choose to do these things with them. You will know how to have lots of laughs, and learn to enjoy every day as precious. You will be a financial wise person and be able to create your wealth with joy. The Moon is Scorpio makes an easy angle with Mars. The Moon enters Sagittarius at 7:58 AM EDT. This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 22, 2017 by michelle.

2019-04-25T20:20:14Z

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Parental obesity is a predominant risk factor for childhood obesity. Family factors including socio-economic status (SES) play a role in determining parent weight. It is essential to unpick how shared family factors impact on child weight. This study aims to investigate the association between measured parent weight status, familial socio-economic factors and the risk of childhood obesity at age 9. Cross sectional analysis of the first wave (2008) of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study. GUI is a nationally representative study of 9-year-old children (N = 8,568). Schools were selected from the national total (response rate 82%) and age eligible children (response rate 57%) were invited to participate. Children and their parents had height and weight measurements taken using standard methods. Data were reweighted to account for the sampling design. Childhood overweight and obesity prevalence were calculated using International Obesity Taskforce definitions. Multinomial logistic regression examined the association between parent weight status, indicators of SES and child weight. Overall, 25% of children were either overweight (19.3%) or obese (6.6%). Parental obesity was a significant predictor of child obesity. Of children with normal weight parents, 14.4% were overweight or obese whereas 46.2% of children with obese parents were overweight or obese. Maternal education and household class were more consistently associated with a child being in a higher body mass index category than household income. Adjusted regression indicated that female gender, one parent family type, lower maternal education, lower household class and a heavier parent weight status significantly increased the odds of childhood obesity. Parental weight appears to be the most influential factor driving the childhood obesity epidemic in Ireland and is an independent predictor of child obesity across SES groups. Due to the high prevalence of obesity in parents and children, population based interventions are required. Copyright: © Keane et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Funding: The Growing Up in Ireland study is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in association with the Department of Social Protection and the Central Statistics Office. This present research is funded by the National Children’s Research Centre, Crumlin, Dublin (http://www.nationalchildrensresearchcentre.ie/project/view/35). The funders of this present research had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The rising prevalence of childhood obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. Currently, one in four Irish children are either overweight or obese . Parental obesity is well established as an important risk factor for childhood obesity –. Having an overweight parent doubles , the risk of child obesity while obesity amongst both parents further increases the risk , , . The relationship between parent and child weight is complex as it is a consequence of both shared genetic and environmental factors –. Socio-economic status (SES) is an important determinant of the shared family environment. Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between SES and obesity . SES can influence lifestyle choices and behaviours, area of residence and food affordability, all of which are factors that have been shown to be associated with obesity –. The inverse association between SES and obesity in adults is well established . However, evidence of a relationship between childhood obesity and SES remains equivocal , –. Variation in the types and definition of SES indicators used in studies may partly explain this. A review by Shrewsbury and Wardle suggested that the association between child weight and SES is dependent on the type of SES indicator assessed. Parental education appeared to be most consistently associated with childhood obesity . However, evidence of an association between household class and household income with child obesity remained less consistent . As the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity continues to increase, it is essential to unpick how shared family factors impact on child weight. Understanding the underlying pathways to childhood obesity will help in the development of effective policies and interventions against child obesity. This present research utilizes nationally representative data containing detailed information on three key indicators of SES as well as objective measures of parental weight status and this provides a unique opportunity to determine the effect of different family factors on childhood obesity. In this present paper we (1) estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity by measured parental weight status and a range of SES indicators and (2) investigate the association between parental weight status, familial socio-economic characteristics and the risk of childhood obesity at age 9. Written informed consent was obtained from a parent/guardian and the study child prior to data collection commencing. Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee (REC) of the Health Research Board based in Dublin, Ireland. The study sample comprised of 8,568 nine-year old children who participated in the first wave (2007–8) of the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study . GUI is a nationally representative cohort of 9 year old children residing in the Republic of Ireland. The sample was collected using a two-stage sampling method within the national school system. Eligible children were those who were born between the 1st November 1997 and the 31st October 1998. In the first stage, 1,105 primary schools from the national total of 3,200 were randomly selected using a probability proportionate to size (PPS) sampling method. In the second stage, a random sample of eligible children were selected from within each school. At the school level, a response rate of 82% was achieved, while at the household level (i.e. eligible child selected within the school) 57% of children and their parents participated in the study. The data was probability weighted prior to analysis to account for the complex sampling design. This involved the structural adjustment of the study sample to the population level whilst maintaining the case base of 8,568 children , . Trained social interviewers conducted computer assisted personal interviews with the study child and both parents/guardians (where applicable) within the home. Parents nominated a primary caregiver (the parent who spent most time with the study child) who was the primary respondent. Mothers were the primary caregiver for 98% of the study children. Responses to sensitive questions were self-reported on a paper questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were obtained during the household interview using validated methods . The interviewers were responsible for height and weight measurements of each study child and each adult respondent. Height was recorded to the nearest millimetre using a Leicester portable height stick. Weight was recorded using a SECA 761 flat mechanic scales to the nearest 0.5 kilogram. Study children and their parents were asked to wear light clothing for the weight measurement. Children were classified as normal weight, overweight (a body mass index [BMI] of 19.46 for boys and 19.45 for girls) or obese (a BMI of 23.39 for boys and 23.46 for girls) using age and gender specific International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) cut off points . Measured parent BMI was classified according to the World Health Organization classifications as normal weight (<25 kg/m2), overweight (≥25 and <30 kg/m2) or obese (≥30 kg/m2) . Parent reported variables were study child’s gender (male/female), family type (one parent/two parents), study child has siblings (yes/no), mother’s current age and SES indicators. Mother’s current age was categorized into four groups (<30, 30–39, 40–49, 50+). SES was assessed using three different indicators: household class, household income and mother’s highest level of education . Mother’s highest level of education (as opposed to father’s highest level of education) was chosen as they tended to be the primary caregiver. The mother’s education variable was coded as follows: lower secondary education or less, higher secondary education, post-secondary education and third level education. Household class was measured using the Irish Central Statistics (CSO) Social Class Schema 1996 produced by aggregating occupations classified using the CSO’s Standard Classification of Occupations. For two parent families where both parents were economically active and were in different classes, the higher of the social classes was assigned to the family . Net household income was self-reported. Net income was adjusted for household composition and size. A separate variable was constructed for mother’s measured BMI classification and father’s measured BMI classification. Both variables were coded: normal weight, overweight, obese, missing. A combined single index variable for parent weight status was constructed by combining the mother’s and father’s measured BMI variables and was coded as: single parent/both parents normal weight (normal weight family), one parent overweight (in a two parent family), single parent/both parents overweight (overweight family), one parent obese (in a two parent family), single parent/both parents obese (obese family). No/low levels (<2%) of missing values were found within most of the covariates. However, where large levels of missing data were observed, methods of representing these values were incorporated into the analysis. Net household income had a high number (N = 626, 7.3%) of missing values. The continuous equivalised net income variable was imputed using the multiple imputation (MI) command in STATA. This variable was then re-coded and presented in quintiles. Measured height and/or weight data was missing for 5.2% of mothers and 6.4% of fathers (where present). Statistical tests suggested that the height and weight data were not missing at random so the data could not be imputed. In order to account for missing data, ‘missing data’ categories were generated for the mothers measured BMI and fathers measured BMI variables. Measured BMI data was available for 95% of the study children. This gave an effective case base of 8,136 children for analysis. Analysis was completed in STATA 12 IC (StataCorp LP, USA). Probability weights were applied using survey data commands to account for the complex survey design. Prevalence estimates for normal weight, overweight and obese children were obtained. Unadjusted multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the risk of childhood overweight or obesity compared to normal weight according to parental weight status and familial SES factors. Forward stepwise multinomial logistic regression was conducted to assess the relationship between parent weight status, SES factors and childhood overweight and obesity. Non-significant variables based on the univariate regression (mother’s current age) were not included in the forward stepwise regression. Mother’s measured BMI and father’s measured BMI were not included during adjustment as they were combined to form the single index variable parent weight status. Each of the nested models presented in the results section were adjusted for socio demographic (study child’s gender, family type and study child has siblings) variables and SES indicators. Model 1 included the social demographic variables and household class; model 2 further adjusted for maternal education; model 3 was further adjusted for household income. The final model (model 4) was fully adjusted for study child’s gender, study child has siblings, household class, highest level of maternal education, household income and parent weight status. Measured BMI data was available for 8,136 (95%) children. Overall, 74.1% (95% CI, 72.8–75.3) of children were a normal weight, 19.3% (95% CI, 18.2–20.5) were overweight and 6.6% (95% CI, 5.9–7.4) were obese. The prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obese children by parent weight status and by indicators of familial SES is shown in table 1. Table 1. Prevalence of normal weight, overweight and obese 9 year old children by parental weight and family socio-economic status indicators. In total, 30% of girls were overweight or obese compared with 22% of boys (p = 0.000). Within each of the SES indicators, there was an inverse relationship between SES and the prevalence of child overweight and obese. Those ranked lower within each of the socio-economic variables (household income p = 0.013, maternal education p = 0.000 & household class p = 0.000) were significantly more likely to be overweight or obese than those ranked at a higher position. A higher prevalence of overweight and obesity was found among children whose mothers were either overweight or obese compared with children whose fathers were overweight or obese (p = 0.000). Overall, 47.2% (95% CI, 45.7%–48.7%) of mothers were normal weight whilst 20.6% (95% CI, 19.4%–21.8%) of fathers were normal weight. Of children from two parent families, only 12% had 2 normal weight parents while 39.2% had at least one obese parent. In total, 11% (95% CI, 8.5%–14.1%) of children with 2 normal weight parents were overweight or obese. This increased to 24.7% (95% CI, 21.8%–28%) when one parent was obese and to 49.2% (95% CI, 43.3%–55.1%) when both parents were obese. Of children from single parent families, 49.2% (95% CI, 45.1%–53.3%) had a normal weight parent and 20% (95% CI, 16.7%–23.9%) had an obese parent. Overall, 18.1% (95% CI, 14.1%–23%) of children from single parent families with a normal weight parent were overweight or obese. This increased to 34.1% (95% CI, 27.7%–41.2%) when the parent was overweight and 41% (95% CI, 32%–50.6%) when the parent was obese. Table 2 presents the results of the univariate multinomial logistic regression analyses. Univariate regression indicates that female gender, one parent family type, being an only child, lower household class, lower maternal education, lower household income and higher parental BMI (mother’s BMI, father’s BMI and parent weight status) were all associated with a child being in a higher BMI category. Having an overweight parent (within mother’s BMI, father’s BMI and the combined single index variable parent weight status) consistently increased the odds of childhood overweight and obesity. Parent weight status was most strongly associated with childhood overweight and obesity. The univariate regression also indicated that a lower household class and lower maternal education were associated with greater odds of childhood obesity than household income. Table 2. Association between parental weight status, family socio-economic status indicators and the risk of child overweight and obesity. Results of the forward stepwise multinomial logistic regression are presented table 3. The social demographic variables, female gender (p = 0.000) and one parent family type (p = 0.000) were significantly associated with childhood obesity. One parent family type was no longer significantly associated with childhood obesity when the SES indicators were added to the model (model 3: p = 0.173). When household income was added to model 3, household income was no longer significantly associated with the risk of a child being in a higher BMI category. However, the association between household class and maternal education with child BMI remained unchanged (when comparing model 3 to model 2). In the fully adjusted model (model 4), female gender, one parent family type, lower household class, lower maternal education and having overweight or obese parents significantly increased the risk of child obesity. Within model 4, children whose mothers were educated to less than a graduate level had at least double the odds of childhood obesity compared with those educated to a graduate level. A lower household class remained significantly associated with child obesity. Although not significant, lower levels of education and a lower household class were associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight. Parent weight status was most significantly associated with childhood overweight and obesity. Children with obese parents were at a significantly increased odds of overweight (OR 3.9, 95% CI, 2.8–5.6) when compared to children with normal weight parents. The odds of childhood obesity were 15.3 (95% CI, 8.4–27.7) when the single parent/both parents were obese. The odds of childhood obesity increased by nearly 3 fold when the single parent/both parents were obese compared to the single parent/both parents being overweight. Table 3. Forward stepwise multinomial logistic regression. Using nationally representative data this present study aimed to assess the association between measured parent weight status, familial SES factors and the risk of childhood obesity. This research has resulted in two principal findings. Firstly, parent weight status appears to be the most significant independent predictor of childhood obesity in Ireland. Children from families with overweight or obese parents were at a significantly higher risk of obesity than children with normal weight parents. Secondly, household class and maternal education are better predictors of childhood obesity than household income. Only 18.9% of children were from families (either single parent or two parent families) with normal weight parents. Having normal weight parents appears to have a protective effect against the risk of childhood obesity. Only 14.4% of children from such families were overweight or obese whereas 46.2% of children with obese parents were overweight or obese. After adjustment for household socio-economic characteristics, children from obese parent families remained at greater than 15 (95% CI, 8.44–27.65) times the odds of obesity when compared to children from families with normal weight parents. This suggests that SES alone cannot explain the association between parent obesity and child obesity. SES indicators appear to only capture some shared familial environmental factors which result in weight gain. We suggest that these results highlight that the shared family environment is a multi-dimensional contributor to the obesity epidemic with both genetic and environmental origins. Within this present study, children who were more deprived were at a higher risk of overweight and obesity, which is similar to results found in adults . Children from one parent families were found to be at significantly higher odds of overweight and obesity than children from two parent families. Some research suggests that one parent families may have greater levels of social deprivation and this may play a role in explaining this . However, our results indicate that parental weight was more predictive overweight and obesity in children from single parent families than SES. There was an inverse association between household class and maternal education with childhood obesity. The association between household class and childhood obesity was more graded. Within the final adjusted model, children from a lower household class were at higher odds of obesity than children with lesser educated mothers. Research indicates that parental education is the SES indicator most consistently associated with childhood obesity , . This may be because maternal education is a more stable indicator of SES over time than household income or household class. Maternal education is likely to influence factors including literacy as well as knowledge of healthy versus unhealthy behaviours which impact on weight status , . As a higher level of education appears protective against child obesity, this suggests that education may be crucial in tackling the obesity epidemic. Overall, variations in odds of obesity by each indicator of SES suggest that household class, household income and maternal education may all influence different behaviours and choices that impact weight gain. Further research is required to fully understand how each SES characteristic predicts behaviours which result in weight gain. In addition, efforts are necessary to standardise SES indicators and definitions used across studies. In this study SES indicators do not explain all the association between parent and child weight. Therefore, other causal pathways for childhood obesity need to be considered. Research from other studies of childhood obesity indicate that the weight status of parents from 2 parent families may interact , . Mechanisms resulting in a positive energy balance in both parents appear to be more predictive of childhood obesity than such mechanisms in one parent. In this current research having 2 obese parents compared with one obese parent resulted in a 2 fold increase in the odds of childhood obesity. A study by Wardle et al. compared food, physical activity and lifestyle patterns in children from lean and obese families. This study found that children from obese families had higher preferences for fatty foods and sedentary activities and a lower preference for fruit and vegetable consumption. Such food and physical activity patterns may have a negative impact on energy balance resulting in weight gain. Such diet and activity patterns may potentially explain the lack of significance for household income in this present study. Parent weight status may be a better predictor of food types purchased rather than income or other measures of household SES. More affluent families with obese parents may have a preference for energy dense food regardless of income available to spend on good quality foods. Grunert at al. suggest that habitual behaviour is difficult to change even if an individual is aware of the negative consequences of their behaviours. Grunert et al. suggest that obese individuals have a greater response to external cues (sight, smell) for food intake whilst normal weight individuals respond to internal cues (hungry). Children may acquire habitual behaviours and responses to dietary and physical activity patterns from that of their parents. Another possible explanation is that genotypes including the FTO gene which impacts appetite may influence control over food intake and choices resulting in children from obese families having a greater predisposition for obesity –. Similar to other findings , , maternal obesity was more predictive of a child being in a higher BMI category than paternal obesity. There are a number of possible explanations for this. Mothers were nominated as the primary caregiver (the person who spent most time with the study child) for 98% of children who took part in this study. This indicates that children spend more time in their mother’s environment and thus may acquire more behaviour’s from their mother. A study by Hannon et al. found that the eating habits of the family food preparer, 84% of whom were mothers, predicted the eating habits of their child. Birth factors including the role of the intra-uterine environment on subsequent risk of childhood obesity is a second possible explanation , . GUI is a large and nationally representative sample. The sample equates to approximately one in seven of all births in Ireland in 1997. The results of the study are applicable at a population level as a result of applying the sampling weights. All objective BMI measurements were measured by trained professionals using validated techniques. The study contains information on three indicators of SES (household class, equivalised household income and maternal highest level of education). Imputing the household income variable decreased the amount of missing data. However, there are several limitations to the study. There was a relatively low response rate at the household level (57%). The data have been weighed to adjust for the sampling strategy and response rate. However, there may be residual response bias. Of the children with measured BMI, there was missing values for BMI for 2% of mothers and 6.9% of fathers. Data was also missing for income for 7.3% of the households. While the missing data imputation procedure has enhanced the study power, it would have been preferable not to have missing data on this key variable. The data analysed in this present research is cross-sectional. Therefore, a causal relationship cannot be inferred though as the children are only 9 years old it is likely that parental and SES factors partly predicted the onset of obesity. Parent weight status is a significant predictor of childhood obesity. Children from lower household class families and those with lesser educated mothers were at an increased risk of childhood obesity. Early intervention is required to tackle the problem of childhood obesity. It may be suggested to target interventions at families where parents are overweight or obese. However, we must consider that in the current study, this includes the majority (81%) of families. Thus, the findings highlight the need for broadly based population level interventions targeting the social, economic and cultural dimensions of overweight and obesity. Further research is needed to assess how behaviours that affect energy balance vary between families with normal weight parents versus families with obese parents. Conceived and designed the experiments: RL. Analyzed the data: EK RL. Wrote the paper: EK RL JH PMK IJP. 1. Whelton H, Harrington J, Crowley E, Kelleher V, Cronin M, et al. 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Lazzeri G, Pammolli A, Pilato V, Giacchi M (2011) Relationship between 8/9-yr-old school children BMI, parents’ BMI and educational level: a cross sectional survey. Nutrition Journal 10(1): 76. 40. Hannon PA, Bowen DJ, Moinpour CM, McLerran DF (2003) Correlations in perceived food use between the family food preparer and their spouses and children. Appetite 40(1): 77–83. 41. Whitaker RC, Dietz WH (1998) Role of the prenatal environment in the development of obesity. J Pediatr 132(5): 768–76. 42. Lawlor DA, Smith GD, O’Callaghan M, Alati R, Mamun AA, et al. (2007) Epidemiologic Evidence for the Fetal Overnutrition Hypothesis: Findings from the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy and Its Outcomes. Am J Epidemiol 165(4): 418–24.

2019-04-19T23:54:42Z

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0043503

Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, Edited by Kevin Klinger. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Liapi, Katherine A., and Jinman Kim. "A Parametric Approach to the Design of a Tensegrity Vaulted Dome for an Ephemeral Structure for the 2004 Olympics." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 301-309. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Tensegrity, defined as “tensional integrity,i is central to the design of a semi-open exhibition space that was submitted as an entry to the international competition for the design of “Ephemeral Structures for the City of Athens,i in the context of the 2004 Olympic Games. The main feature of the proposed exhibition space is a vaulted dome composed of interconnected detachable and deployable tensegrity units. The most challenging aspect in the design of the tensegrity vault was the generation of alternative spatial configurations for form exploration and study. For this purpose a mathematical code has been developed that links all the parameters that affect the design of tensegrity vaults. The code also allows for the parametric graphical generation of the vault by displaying geometric information in a 3D environment. This paper discusses the geometric basis of the code and its usefulness in the morphological study of the tensegrity vaulted dome for the proposed ephemeral structure. The mathematical code has been shown to significantly facilitate the study of various preliminary configurations of tensegrity vaulted structures. Talbott, Kyle. "An Inductive Approach to Digital Modeling Instruction." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 151-157. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. An argument is presented for respecting the studentis process of inductive reasoning in introductory digital modelling instruction. The inductive education methods of Montessori and VanDamme are reviewed, and relevant portions are applied to the problem of digital modelling instruction. Two primary concerns are presented: 1) the need to systematically reorient the student from the physical world to the digital world and 2) the need to sequence the presentation of introductory concepts according to logical dependencies inherent in these concepts. Five principles of inductive digital modelling instruction are established, which could act as the basis for a teaching method that reduces alienation among apprehensive students, eases the transition from traditional media for veteran designers, and speeds comprehension of core concepts of digital making. Bernhardt, Matthew, and Beth Blostein. "Appropriate levels of access: an empirical study on the availability of computers in studio." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 119-127. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. One of the most significant technological challenges facing architecture schools today is how to provide an appropriate level of access to computing resources. As the computer has become a significant tool in the study and practice of architecture, students need to have access to that tool in order to further their studies. But in facing this question of access, what is “appropriate”? Is there such a thing as too much access? Is 1:1 access “ a computer for every student “ the minimum level of access that schools and students should accept? Or is there a point beyond which more resources just means more waste, computers sitting idle and unused, or students using the computer for unproductive ends? These questions were the subject of an experimental series of studios in the spring of 2002, wherein three studios were given varying numbers of computers for a term. The use of these computers was then tracked, and compared with previous terms. In tandem, the quality of work produced by these three studios was compared. While additional experiments are most likely needed to draw firm conclusions, the results of this experiment seem to support defining “an appropriate level of access” at less than 1:1. Anzalone, Phillip, and Cory Clarke. "Architectural Applications of Complex Adaptive Systems." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 325-335. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper presents methods and case studies of approaching architectural design and fabrication utilizing Complex Adaptive Systems (CASs). The case studies and observations described here are findings from a continuing body of research investigating applications of computational systems to architectural practice. CASs are computational mechanisms from the computer science field of Artificial Life that provide frameworks for managing large numbers of elements and their inter-relationships. The ability of the CASs to handle complexity at a scale unavailable through non-digital means provides new ways of approaching architectural design, fabrication, and practice. Fiamma, Paolo. "Architectural Design and Digital Paradigm: from Renaissance Models to Digital Architecture." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 247-253. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Means of expression have always affected our ways of thinking. Designers, who have to interpret signs, languages, and evolution in order to translate into an organised “formi the recurring problems and values of mankind, have left thoughts, projects and wishes to the study of representational techniques. In this way, they have also disclosed a unique view of reality and at the same time a “way of being” towards the meaning of design itself. In the relationship between architecture and representational techniques, Brunelleschi said that “perspicerei was no longer just the science of optics, but also the science that contained the lines of research on geometry and shape that he was the first to exploit in design. Centuries later, in the axonometric representation advocated by De Stijl and intended for factories and industries, the object, shown in all its parts, easy to reconstruct even in the space to which it referred, revealed with extreme clarity the mass-production building and assembly materials and systems. Digital representational media make a great entrance in the heuristic process, invalidate all signs, and promote its quality. The result is an ever-changing, computerised architecture, dominated by curvilinear, wavy shapes that flow from a generative process made of the deformations, additions, and interference of different volumes. Martens, Bob, A. Brown, and Z. Turk. "Automated Classification of CAAD-related Publications: Conditions for Setting-Up a Keywording System." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 365-371. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper deals with the CUMINCAD-repository (Cumulative Index on CAD), which was set up in 1998 and has served the CAAD-community since then as an important source of archived domain related information. CUMINCAD contains over 5,000 entries in the form of publications in the field of Computer Aided Architectural Design. The number has been growing steadily over the years. To date only advanced search mechanisms have been provided to access these works. This may work out well for a just-in-time location of a reference, but is inadequate for just in case browsing through the history of CAAD. For such applications, a hierarchical browsing interface, like one in Yahoo or DMOZ.org is envisioned. This paper describes how the keyword categories were defined and how a moderate, distributed effort in defining the categories will allow machine-identified classification of the entire data set. The aim of the paper is to contribute to building up a wide spread consensus on what the appropriate keyword categories in CAAD are, and what sub-topics should sit below the main keyword categories. Garofalo, D., J. Morgan, and J. Popma. "Block 37." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 433. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The proposal for Block 37 was envisioned to anchor the north end of State Street, forming an implied axis between the Harold Washington Library and the New Media Center. The two buildings share similar educational responsibilities for the public, offering a variety of programs and facilities. In addition, they also assume a related physical presence on their respective sites, due to a similarity in the size of the building programs. Woo, J.-H., Mark Clayton, R. Johnson, and B. Flores. "Case Study of Tacit Knowledge Sharing in a Distributed Design Studio." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 107-116. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper demonstrates the effects of expertsi tacit knowledge on improving architectural studentsi design artifacts in a distributed design studio. In geographically distributed design environments, the Internet is an important medium by which architects can share tacit knowledge in the form of dialogue via online communication technologies, such as online chat and Instant Messaging (IM). In spring 2003, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and 8 schools conducted a collaborative design studio to develop a crew restraint system for space flights. Online chat software was used as a primary communication channel. Throughout the entire design studio, NASA professionals served as knowledge holders while undergraduate students participated as knowledge seekers. An interpretive content analysis and case study methodology were used in this study. We qualitatively observed the interactions between NASA and the students based upon two aspects: knowledge reflection and design improvement. Data were collected using document analysis of all knowledge sources and studentsi design artifacts. The findings of this study indicate that the online chat system is useful in sharing tacit knowledge for the early part of design processes in a distributed design environment. Expertsi tacit knowledge appears to not only influence how students understand problems, but how they initiate conceptual design. This study provides empirical evidence regarding tacit knowledge sharing, and strengthens Schonis (1983) claim about knowledge reflection in design studio. Furthermore, this study introduces architectural practitioners to the practical necessity of tacit knowledge sharing. This study is significant because its findings indicate the appropriate knowledge management strategy for architectural practitioners. Seebohm, Thomas, and Aron Temkin. "Connected courses: methods of network communications." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 94-98. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Where are we now? In the recent NJIT survey of digital media in the design schools twenty-eight out of twenty-nine architecture schools reported to have networked design studios (NJIT, 2003). This would seem to indicate a ubiquity of digital media tools. While the use of these tools is still often limited to design presentation (computer aided drawing and modelling) rather than design generation, the studio is historically a place of discovery and experimentation: with computers so available in this fertile environment we are poised to evolve the medium forward towards improved design development. This evolution is initially apparent in the way presentation methods and presentation processes are shifting. Not only are students becoming increasingly digital in their approach to design, but methods of working and presentation are also changing. Clayton, Mark. "Connecting Digital Tools." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 299. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. A decade ago, Bill Mitchell wrote “Chroniclers of our era may one day write “What was computer-aided design?” To them, it will just be design.” Because of the proliferation of digital tools for design, we are rapidly forgetting that there was ever design before computing. Ask an undergraduate student to describe the design process. There is a good chance that the student will mention using CAD and 3D modelling. Ask a contractor how to practice the profession of building. Anders, Peter. "Cynergies: Technologies that Hybridize Physical and Cyberspaces." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 289-297. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper presents ways in which cybrids depend for their technology upon three existing models of architectural hybrid: display space, environmental computing, and augmented/mixed reality. Cybrids bring these techniques together into a synergistic whole that depends as much on the observer for its consistency as it does on its comprising technologies. This synergy is a product of corroborative behaviour between different modes, which provide cybrid users with a coherent social/spatial experience. The paper notes cybrids similarity to theater, not only for their technological dependency, but also for the tacit yet vital role of the observer in their effect. Luhan, G.A., S. Bhavsar, and B.L. Walcott. "Deep-Time ProbeInvestigations in Light Architecture." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 258-266. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper presentation presents an interdisciplinary research project conducted by a design team comprised of faculty from the Colleges of Architecture, Engineering, and Astrophysics. The title of the project, Deep-Time Probe, Investigations in Light-Architecture, explores the use of an optically active-SETI experiment that centers on the thematic of time, vision, and movement through space. The realm of architecture was the digital glue that united the varied disciplines. The core of the project is broken down into three intrinsically linked components ? data representation ? collection, storage, and modulation, the Project Mission Wall, and the resultant Light Architecture or Deep-Time Probe. A small team of architecture students under the direction of one architecture faculty member designed the Mission Wall while the Robotics Department provided CNC machinery to digitally mill and fabricate its components. This same team assembled the 40ix60ix15i structure in one day. The site of the launch created an adequate interface for the public art structure at the scale of an urban park. The scale of the Mission Wall addressed a variety of places, paces, and scales that mediated between the laser, the context of the surrounding plaza, and pedestrian and vehicular circulation, all while concealing the laser from direct view. The Mission Wall served three functions. It provided a housing for the Deep-Time Probe laser. It created windows and scaffolding for lighting. Moreover, it established a series of “View Corridorsi that provided the onlooker with multiple vantage points and thus multiple-readings of information as architecture. Nearly fifty “Time Probe Reporters” gathered information through oral interviews. In addition to messages linked to the interviews, the Deep-Time Probe contained verbal and graphic information, images depicting the design and fabrication processes. At the time of the launch, the design team digitized, specially formatted, converted, and modulated the data into a special high-powered laser that was “launchedi into space. An advanced civilization in the universe could theoretically receive and decode this information. The Deep-Time Probe project visualized the strengths of each profession, fostered the creative aspects of each team member, and resulted in a unique and dynamic experience. The deep time probe is right now passing through the Oort Cloud, the debris left over from the formation of our Sun and planets, present as a halo surrounding our solar system... a distance of nearly 1.5 trillion miles. Eastman, C., G. Lee, and R. Sacks. "Development of a Knowledge-Rich CAD System for the North American Precast Concrete Industry." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 207-215. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The downstream production sectors of the construction industry are developing powerful parametric modelling design and engineering tools for fabrication modelling. This paper reports an effort by the North American precast concrete industry toward developing such tools. Some implications for architectural design and practice are outlined. Shih, Naai-Jung. "Digital Architecture - What Would 6000 Points Turn Out to Be?" In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 67-73. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper presents students's fulfillment of an assignment that explored the concepts of digital architecture using rapid prototyping (RP) process. A point cloud was given to students, and different representational data were substantiated as real 3D physical models. The presence of RP models and the sequential illustration of working steps in their reports revealed that the control of shapes often differed from what students perceived in VR worlds. The results thus confirm that physical models are useful for visualization as well as in design pedagogy. Cheng, Nancy. "Digital Curricula: Effective Integration of Digital Courses - a Delicate Balance." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 129-130. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. One of the challenges faced by digital design teachers is how to fit our piece into the larger puzzle of architectural education. How can we make computing support architectureis varied endeavors and thinking modes? Students must be able to explore and communicate design ideas fluidly using digital or traditional media, as suitable to specific queries. We need to expose students to a palette of current and emerging techniques and help them develop a personal set of media skills. Luhan, Gregory. "Digital Curricula: Effective Integration of Digital Courses. Stitched-spaces and Digital Permutations." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 128-129. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. If, “the purpose of art is to awaken reality” as Paul Klee writes, what then, is the generative purpose of the digital as it relates to architecture? By uniting the traditional ways of knowing with the more contemporary and technologically advanced ways of knowing, the architect then would be able to develop the capacity to visualize and to understand unseen spatial relationships and exploit their latent characteristics. The computer consequently allows a direct synthesis to occur between the original idea and its formal application, in a sense providing new questions to old answers. Jabi, Wassim. "Digital Design ." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 16. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Describing design as a sequence of steps cannot convey the complexity of social interactions that it embodies. Design is not merely a process, but a co-evolution of efforts and events in various places and times ? both synchronous and asynchronous. Designers share their values, effort and expertise within design settings via artifacts that further the design process. Increasingly, these design settings in academia, research, and professional practice combine physical and virtual modalities such as immersion, projection, and a range of interaction technologies. Peter Anders has described such spaces as cybrids: hybrids that integrate virtual and physical space. In these settings, designers use overlapping physical and virtual artifacts and tools to arrive at a co-operative design resolution. Within collaborative design, these artifacts take on an additional role. As embodiments of design ideas and actions, they become media for communication. Donald Schon asserts that design should be considered a form of making, rather than primarily a form of problem solving, information processing or research. Indeed the line separating creation from design is becoming increasingly blurred. For the design artifact itself may become a part of the design proposal ? its virtual presence incorporated within a cybrid structure or object. We may in the future see a proliferation of cybrid settings that support collaborative, digital design. The technologies for this already exist in collaborative tools, networked computing, scanning and immersive media. However, it will take a creative vision to see how these disparate tools and devices can integrate within the ideal design setting. Sirbu, Daniela. "Digital Exploration of Unbuilt Architecture: a Non-Photorealistic Approach." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 235-245. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper presents a new approach to the digital investigation of unbuilt architecture. A navigable world, emulating the architectis graphic style, is built as a 3D non-photorealistic reconstruction of the unbuilt project. A cinematic journey through this world intermediates the exploration of the architectis possible mental visualizations during the creative stages. The goals of the proposed approach are: to open new avenues for investigating the conception of architecture, to help architectural students visualize and experience important unbuilt projects that have shaped the practice of architecture, and to popularize lesser-known architects to the general public. The approach stems from the idea that architectural drawings are the artifacts reflecting most accurately the architectis creative and thinking processes. Anchored in the concept of multi-dimensional space developed by the author, the proposed method uses the original drawing of the artist as the main artifact on which the reconstruction process is based. The present paper concentrates on those aspects related to extracting information from the architectis drawing and embedding historic knowledge in the 3D reconstruction of the unbuilt project. It calls to attention the idea that technological progress creates tools that the Architect uses to operate with the fundamental concepts of place, space, and time. Kolarevic, Branko. "Digital Fabrication: from Digital to Material." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 54-55. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In the past, architects drew what they could build, and built what they could draw, as observed by Bill Mitchell. This reciprocity between the means of representation and production has not disappeared entirely in the digital age. Knowing the production capabilities and availability of particular digitally-driven fabrication equipment enables architects to design specifically for the capabilities of those machines. The consequence is that architects are becoming much more directly involved in the fabrication processes, as they create the information that is translated by fabricators directly into the control data that drives the digital fabrication equipment. Johnson, Robert, and Eberhard Laepple. "Digital Innovation and Organizational Change in Design Practice." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 179-183. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The real estate and construction industry is among the largest industries in the world. It also is one of the most fragmented industries, with few economies of scale and historically low productivity. Recent technological advances in the use of information and communication technology have the potential for dramatically improving construction productivity. But substantial organizational barriers exist that inhibit the effective adoption of these technologies. This research project (in progress) examines the practices of selected, innovative firms in order to develop an in-depth understanding of the factors that have influenced the effective adoption of information and communications technology in the design and construction industry, and, potentially, provide examples that may provide prototype models for an alternative, future organization of the AEC industry. Marx, John, and Raffi Tomassian. "Digital Practice." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 158. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Technical competence in computer technology has become a conditio sine qua non of landing a job at a respectable architectural practice. By itself, though, this does not imply that all architectural practices are now doing their work in a revolutionary way. In their overwhelming majority they have been forced into the digital domain by the ubiquity of technology itself. The digital file has replaced the drawing as the information backbone in building profession. However, the common convertible currency of this information down the construction process is still lines on paper, albeit physically produced by incredibly sophisticated devices. Senagala, Mahesh. "Digital Theory." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 254. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The computer has gone from being an isolated box to become part of a gigantic digital network of networks that shapes our collective future. The way and pace at which we connect, communicate, memorize, imagine and control the flows of valuable information have changed forever. There are at least six digital phenomena that directly affect the architectural world: miniaturization (of all that can be shrunk), ubiquity (being everywhere, global), realtime (communing globally in realtime, which is 1/10th of a second), noospherization (networking every-thing), virtuality (all that is solid melts into knowledge), and anamnesia (inability to forget). Temporal contiguity and temporal connectivity have taken precedence over spatial and geographical contiguity. The strands that animate our life today emanate from spatially distant but temporally contiguous/connected places. These phenomena have squeezed, stretched, restructured, reconfigured, and redistributed most major human institutions. Consequently, the built worldis role, importance and nature have changed. Architecture as traditionally understood has become more marginalized than before. Many practices, however, have been repositioning themselves to take advantage of the new opportunities beyond the bounds of traditional architectural practice. Design, practice, fabrication and construction are increasingly becoming networked affairs. The new measures of architecture are connectivity and speed. The architecture of a new world needs to recognize these transformations and think differently. Cerone, J., and S. Johnston. "Elementary School: the Design Process." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 430. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Although the final presentation documents were all either generated or processed by computer, the steps leading to a final product were theresult of constant interaction between computer and paper. The processbegan on paper with quick sketches of the main grid elements - the mostfundamental pieces of the “kit of parts”. Hoon, Michael, and Michael Kehoe. "Enhancing Architectural Communication with Gaming Engines." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 349-355. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper makes a case for exploring the feasibility of utilizing the advanced graphics and sound systems of contemporary gaming engines to promote architecturally relevant work. Gaming engines, while developed largely for the PC entertainment industry, have vast potential for application in architecture. This paper will explore the depth of this potential and will outline work demonstrating the advantages and the limitations of this technology. The supporting research and observations examine the technology and reveal its potential usefulness as an instructional or depictive authoring tool. Game engines were selected that had appropriate graphical prowess, but were customizable as to allow the removal of game-specific features (to create a “professional” user interface). Projects were authored that expressed complex building details using the engine for visual depiction. The details, which included constructional components, structural assemblies, or simple design nuances, were modeled with 3D geometry and realistically textured and lighted. The game engine allowed one user or many remote simultaneous users in the virtual environment to interactively explore the presentation in real time. Scripts were developed to encourage end-users to interactively disassemble or reassemble building components as desired. Audile and/or text-based information regarding the assembly sequence were provided by exploiting the game interface features. Furthermore, interactive object scaling was provided to facilitate analysis of component relationships. Wu, Pei-Ling. "Exploring Playful and Effective Digital Design Process with Games: a Framework for Digital Design Studio Teaching and Learning." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 143-149. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The idea of developing a framework, to integrate design studios and computer graphics, is derived from the nature of architectural design, which has always combined creativity and technology. Furthermore, as computers are being increasingly used in design studios, a systematic digital pedagogy, which can take advantage of the strengths of computers in all stages of design, should be developed simultaneously to facilitate learning. This paper attempts to propose a playful and effective digital design process that can be flexibly applied to computer-based design studios and design-based computer graphics courses. The pedagogical framework is based on a set of digital design games that follows a general design process presented by the author. First, the components of digital design games will be defined and the relations of those game components will be clearly depicted. Then, a framework will be proposed, followed by the use of an example demonstrating applications of the framework. Continual advancements in digital technology have created generation gaps among teachers at architectural schools. A structured digital design process can help teachers, with varying levels of computer-capabilities know what, when, and how, adjustments should be made to achieve the goal of digital design education. Kilian, Axel. "Fabrication of Partially Double-Curved Surfaces out of Flat Sheet Material Through a 3D Puzzle Approach." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 75-83. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The topic of this paper is the connection of digital modelling with generative programming and rapid prototyping, to produce physical sketch surface models. The physical surface models are assembled out of developable strips connected through a puzzle-like detail. The use of programming as a design approach allows the generation of connection details that corresponds to the rules of flat sheet rapid prototyping techniques of laser cutting and water jet cutting. With numerically controlled cutting, there is no need to keep the joint detail related to manually achievable forms or to apply a standardized dimension. This paper demonstrates the possibilities of programming to generate cutting geometries that adapt to the local surface properties. The larger perspective of the research approach is the question of how to formulate and capture design intention through programming. What influence does the use of generative modelling in combination with rapid prototyping have on the design language of physical objects? Serriano, Pierluigi. "Form Follows Software." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 185-205. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Software selection affects design outcome. Computer applications externalize in their graphical interface and in their internal logic a set of assumptions about how objects are constructed and space is represented. Accessibility of tools is in direct correlation with their rate of use. Depending on how user-friendly particular functions are, their use will appear with higher frequency than those foreign to the technological frames of the user groups for which software is designed. As each software is geared towards the needs of specific communities, it replicates in digital fashion those disciplinary practices already present in the analog world. However, modelling results are bracketed at its inception the very moment a particular 3D package is chosen from a diverse array of digital offerings. If the application adopted is designed to appeal to the computer animation industry, the modelling results will bear the imprint of those organic qualities: buildings will appear character-like. Since computer programs have built-in slant meant to aid disciplinary specific users, they yield families of designs with formal commonalities. Unquestionably, proficiency of software use also broadens inventiveness of design. Nevertheless some applications make particular transformations harder to achieve, and as a result will be likely to exclude those modelling options from architectsi imaginary world. Anders, Peter. "Four Degrees of Freedom." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 17. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Letting go is hard to do. Remember back to when, after months of trying, you let go of the handlebars of your bicycle and sailed down the street, effortless and assured. It was a freedom born of mastery, balance and technique. You had let go, but were in control. Technique extends to other devices as well and we are here to discuss architectural computation. Here too, as we will see, mastery is shown by letting go. These papers explore new degrees of freedom in design computation. Each is on a separate aspect of architecture, whether it be aesthetics, process, or structure. Two papers inquire into the entities of design and the processes by which they are manifested. They pose important questions. If we can affect the course of design going forward, are we free to change its past? By defining the characteristics of objects at the outset, are we through automation free to choose from a refined spectrum of outcomes? From the evidence of these papers, the answer to both questions is yes. Through the agency of parametric design we can affect the future and past of architectural processes and their products. Rather than being locked into rigid, linear decisions we are temporally free to choose, tweak and modify. Choice and chance play an important role in aesthetics as well. This has become emblematic of design trends as we have seen in recent years. One of our papers addresses the indeterminacy of particle systems in the design of a monument to the victims of 9/11. By letting go of the handlebars of the computer, the author has been freed to new, poetic forms and processes. Another paper opens urban design to its client community by use of a sophisticated web site. In the tradition of populist innovators like Charles Moore and Lucien Kroll, the authors have extended the design process beyond the office walls to the city itself. The designers, by loosening their grip on the project have made the effort democratic and participatory. Intriguingly, at the end of the paper, they note that this use of cyberspace opens the door to a non-physical architecture. Could architecture, then, let go its materialist biases as well? We hope to engage this and other questions shortly.We are pleased then, to share with you these insights and projects. Wassim and I hope that these presentations will be as liberating for you as they were for us. Ceccato, Cristiano. "From Emergence of Form to the Forming of Logic." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 254-255. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Driven by digital design tools and production methods, the interplay of theory and practice in architecture is converging on the notion of process. Process definition and process tools are now an essential part of design, design development, fabrication and construction. The word process itself can be interpreted in different ways, as being deterministic or non-deterministic. Computer programming can be understood as a design process and a structuring mechanism. Rather than making finite designs (products), architects are beginning to understand their roles as toolmakers, developing algorithmic processes that incorporate constraints and intents into software / procedures / programming. New methodologies such as parametric-associative design hierarchies are a clear example of semantic design structuring (a form of grammatical ordering), the creation of hierarchical parametric models can be understood as a form of visual programming. In a deterministic sense, it can be argued that if a process is correct and critical, then by definition so will be the product. Cabrinha, Mark. "Function Follows Form: 10 Sticks (and a Bench)." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 57-65. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. While the introduction of digital media in the design studio often emphasizes virtual realms, the effect of new fabrication technology on the architect brings the architect back to the realm of master-builder rather than distancing the architect from reality. While purely digital projects have pushed the development of form, they have also placed an emphasis on form over material. However, with the intention to physically build a project, the connections between process, form, and material become intertwined. The inception of this project also served as a clear reminder that the tools we use affect the way we think. This project began as a simple idea: how a column becomes animated to form an arch over time. The digitization of this idea took literally minutes in Maya. It was exported and further modeled in AutoCAD, and then rendered and reanimated in 3D Studio-Viz. This was a very brief, two-week introductory project, in a class on drafting and wood light-frame construction. It served to make a greater connection between digital media, the design process, analog drawing, and the role of craft and material. Lim, Chor-Kheng. "G Pen: an Intelligent Designer s Playmate." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 403-409. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In the field of design the pen-based system is a newly developed computer interface that provides the designer with the convenience of a pen in freehand sketches. But these pen-based systems only focus on an interface familiar to the designers and the application of the hardware and software that go with it, treating the pen only as a mouse-like input device. As pen and pad are devices for the pen-based system, the hope is that they can be endowed with more intelligent characteristics to let them interact with designeris gestures and become a creative source for the designers, while simultaneously preventing the design fixation encountered by designers during design process. This research utilizes the unintentional hand gestures made by designers, such as the designeris grip of the pen or movement involved in playing with the pen, putting it down, knocking it, twisting it or shaking it, during the thinking process or when running into a design fixation. From the interaction between the pen and the pad, certain actions may be generated to stimulate the designeris thinking process. This research uses a neural network as the main learning mechanism for the eventual development of a prototype of a pen-based drawing system that provides timely visual stimulation: a G Pen system. Fure, Adam, and Karl Daubmann. "housemc - Mass-CraftingNumerical instructions for construction." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 434. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Craft oriented culture was eventually displaced by mass-production, and it was not until the early 1990is when a new paradigm began to emerge, one of infinite customer driven flexibility. Mass customization promises a flexible and efficient mode of production for customized parts or services at low cost. The catalyst for such a revolution has been computer-aided design and computer controlled manufacturing. Bermudez, Julio, and Stefano Foresti. "Information Visualization." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 346. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Digital visualization addresses representational challenges from within and without architecture. “Disciplinary” digital visualization is used to explore, understand and communicate architectural information associated with the production of buildings. 3D modelling, rendering, animation and VR as well as the power of digital media to permit the seamless integration of various data types are unleashing completely new ways to display architecture. As digital power continues to increase and get cheaper, portability and wi-fi networks take root, and visualization work becomes even more main stream, we can expect growing changes in the way the design process is conducted, buildings are presented and documented, and the public and 3rd partyis demands from professional services. This demands a more conscious research/pedagogies aimed at developing new representation conventions. Swackhamer, Marc. "Inscribe: Questions + Answers." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 428. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. What does it mean to generate activity? A: The majority of visitors to the Olympics are most commonly the spectatorsof the various competitions who not only observe the sports, but are also part ofthe larger experiences of the crowd and the activity associated with that venuein particular. By mapping the conglomeration of a multitude of experiences atdiffering sites, the visitor can be located within the larger collective dynamic ofthe city and the spectacle of the Olympic event. The mere act of documentationand recording text enables an inscription of a memory, thus translating a singularnotion into a tangible, visible object that is infi nitely linked to the city of Athens. While allowing for multiple variables of user groups and ranges of time, thisactivity encourages both individual and group patronage, as well as supportingthree levels of interaction varying from quickly citing a location to a more privatejournaling session. With an issued card, the visitor can electronically documentthemselves within the Olympic park at a multitude of sites by swiping the card,or have the option for journaling briefl y or for an extended period of time. Colopy, Andrew, and Lisa Tilder. "Las Vegas Incorporated:experience +/- commodity = identity." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 431. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In a society dominated by image and the production and consumption of fantasy, Vegas is a modern Mecca. It is in Las Vegas that the image-copy improves upon the referent - with increased entertainment value and merchandising opportunities. The image of Vegas is everything, an adult theme park super-sized menu, with no going back to the value meal. Peng, J., B. Liao, D Glaser, J Canny, and Ellen Yi- Luen Do. "LiQuID: Lighting Quality for Design." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 337-345. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In this paper, we present LiQuID, a tool for seeing lighting quality in design. Photographs are useful vehicles for both describing and making assessments of architectural lighting systems. A significant barrier to using photographs during the design process relates to the sheer volume of renderings that needs to be analyzed. Although there have been efforts to produce novel visualization systems to manage large sets of photographs, this research aims to reduce the complexity by classifying data into representative prototypes. A hypothetical case study is discussed. Malnar, Joy. "Make No Little Plans: Designing the Chicago Lakefront in a Virtual Reality Environment." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 436. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Architects have always needed somewhere to draw. History has seen dirt, stone, wood, and paper each serve in turn as the architectis medium. Every technological advance has helped to manifest these exploratory visions in ever-increasing fidelity, while influencing the way in which the design process is conducted. Computer technology is the latest step in this progression, adding a third dimension to the architectis drawings. Programs like formiZ, 3DS max, etc. allow the architect to build lifelike models and take clients on fly-throughs. Now, virtual reality has advanced architectural drawing to “full body design”, letting architects experience their creations, rather than just seeing those creations in front of them. ShadowLight-Mirage offers a unique environment in virtual reality in which to create rich ambiances of vibrancy, vitality and vigor. Hilleson, Zachary, and Stacy Norman. "Mountain Deflection Reflection." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 438. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The focus of this studio was to understand the impact of digital media on the process of design, collaboration, and fabrication. This design studio brought together Ball State University and the University of Calgary in a joint venture opportunity. The use of digital tools provided fertile ground for the exploration of collaborative methods in design and fabrication. More, G., L. Padgham, I. Mathieson, and Mark Burry. "Multidimensional Presentation Environments with IntegratedIntelligent Agents." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 421-425. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. A Multidimensional Presentation Environment (MPE) is defined here as a digital environment containing spatially located data that can be navigated by a presenter. Given an array of data types and the potential infinity of the associated datascapes, there is an opportunity to develop systems that assist the presenter in the navigation and analysis of complex information scenarios. This research reports on the utilisation of intelligentagent based software for a better understanding of spatial information representation within the MPE. This is achieved by utilising intelligent agent software to aid the presenter in the searching, retrieving, and articulation of datasets, and the application of such technologies in the generation of time based 3D graphical and audio presentations. Tilder, Lisa, and Frederick Norman. "New Media." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 216-217. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. As digital technologies and connective systems begin to redefine traditional notions of place, space and time, how might architecture itself transform? Over the past century, extreme conceptual and spatial transformations have come about in relation to the introduction of mechanical reproduction, computer graphics and redundant systems, however architecture and representation have remained somewhat constant. This is evident in the continuity of traditional architectural representation methods that draw primarily from renaissance models - though the original impetus from which such projection methods evolved no longer bear the same significance to culture. Gerzso, Michael. "On the Limitations of Shape Grammars: Comments on Aaron Fleisher s Article “Grammatical Architecture?”." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 279-287. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Shape grammars were introduced by Gips and Stiny in 1972. Since then, there have been many articles and books written by them and their associates. In 1992, Aaron Fleisher, a professor at the School of Planning, MIT, wrote a critique of their work in an article titled “Grammatical Architecture?i published in the journal Environment and Planning B. According to him, Gips, Stiny and later Mitchell, propose a hypothesis that states that shape grammars are presumed to represent knowledge of architectural form, that grammars are “formable,” and that there is a visual correspondence to verbal grammar. The strong version of “the hypothesis requires that an architectural form be equivalent to a grammar.i Fleisher considers these hypotheses unsustainable, and argues his case by analyzing the differences between language, and architecture, and by dealing with the concepts of lexicons, syntax and semantics. He concludes by stating that architectural design is negotiated in two modalities: the verbal and the visual, and that equivalences are not at issue, they do not exist. If there is such thing as a language for design, it would provide the means to maintain a discussion of the consequences in one mode, of the state and conditions of the other. Fleisheris observations serve as the basis of this paper, a tribute to him, and also an opportunity to present an outline to an alternate approach or hypothesis to shape grammars, which is “nonlinguistic” but “generative,” in the sense that it uses production rules. A basic aspect of this hypothesis is that the only similarity between syntactic rules in language and some rules in architecture is that they are recursive. Pahle, Robert, and Friedhelm Stein. "Online Database for Structural Details - DeTra." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 373-381. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. DeTra is a research project that arose from the question: “How is it possible to assist students and professionals in architecture, dealing with structural details?i Our solution is a structural detail database, which assists by presenting example solutions of similar designs. This research was conducted in two overlapping parts. The first part of the research included the definition of a structure and a language to describe structural details “ flexible enough to enable complex computer based queries, simple enough to be understandable. Major problems were the inclusion of vague terms, different meanings for the same word, and different words for the same fact. The second part was to create internet-based computer software, which utilizes the developed concepts and allows their evaluation. Thereby the system can be used with different access methods to the same data collection. This approach intends to present both standard detail examples and project-related detail examples. For that reason the structural connections will be presented including all available project data. The information includes texts, sketches, drawings, photos, animations, and the database description. Our implementation handles this content. According to the holistic presentation of the search results a strong tool for evaluation is given to the user. Schubert, Frieder, and Philipp Lurz. "Physical Simulation in a VR Tool for Urban Design." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 395-401. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Physical influences on a city, such as noise, light, air flow, and solar energy quantities, can already be simulated on computers, however, these simulations are usually not embedded into the urban planning process. Regarding a broad field of these influences and their correlations will improve the quality of the design. The use of simulations in the sketching stage provides the possibility of reacting accordingly for the urban planner, which is essential for sustainable design. This paper describes the development of a virtual reality tool for the early urban design process, in which we realized a network connection between a software package calculating noise propagation in urban spaces and a virtual reality design environment. In this dynamic VR design tool, it is possible to experiment with simple geometric forms and objects (these objects can be added to constructions, removed, and transformed). Interactively, with each action of the planner, simulations are generated and visualized in the VR environment in real-time. The last part of the paper describes our concept, how this VR design tool should be integrated in the study of urban planning, and how we want the students to get a sense for the impact of their design on physical phenomena in an urban scale. Williamson, Shane. "Process and Individuation: Designing for Controlled Indeterminacy." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 29-37. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Through the presentation of the design of a memorial, this paper intends to introduce an iterative design process that incorporates particle-based animation, parametrically constrained operations, and a variety of rapid-prototyping techniques. This is a project rooted in the generation and interpretation of physical artifacts dependent upon both the generative potential of digital media and the subjective modifications associated with design authorship It is stated in the brief for this ACADIA topic node that “the maturity of design, modelling, visualization, manufacturing and collaboration tools has allowed them to be naturally and comfortably integrated into the design process at all stages.i As such, the design statement for this memorial makes no mention of the incorporation of digital media. Process is subordinate to its result. Simply, the victims families would not find the range of technology incorporated in this design pertinent to the matter at hand: the design of a memorial to honor the victims of the attack on the Pentagon. Within the context of this “Digital Designi topic node, though, it is my intention to expose the digital underpinnings of this project and position it within a discourse somewhere between ars accidentalis and the constraints of fully parametric and geometrically-associative design. Mahalingam, Ganapathy. "Representing Architectural Design Using a Connections-Based Paradigm." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 269-277. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Any making, including a work of architecture, is synthetic in nature and is made by making connections. To base the core of a computational representation of architectural design on connections is to base it on the very core of making. The articulation of the core of architecture, its architectonics, should be based on articulating its connections. This paper probes how connections can serve to represent architectural design. A paradigm consists of a core cluster of concepts that, for a time period, provides a framework to articulate the issues and problems facing a field and to generate solutions. This paper offers a connections-based paradigm to represent architectural design computationally. A number of connections-based strategies for the representation of architectural design have emerged. Modelling frameworks that have been identified include dendograms, bipartite graphs, adjacency graphs, plan graphs, planar graphs, Hasse diagrams, Boolean lattices, and Bayesian networks. These modelling frameworks have enabled the representation of many aspects of architectural design. Is it possible to extract a uniform modelling framework from all these frameworks that enables the computation of architectural design in all its aspects? Using biological analogies, will an integration of these modelling frameworks provide the “molecular” structure of a “DNA” that makes up the architectural “genomei? This paper will attempt to answer these questions. Jabi, Wassim, G. Goldman, and B. Johnson. "Requirements for an effective distributed design review." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 99-105. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. With the wider availability of high-bandwidth communication networks and the maturity of commercial collaboration software, schools of architecture are experimenting with computer-aided distributed design reviews. A distributed design review enables geographically-distant participants to discuss a common design project using computer-supported collaborative technologies such as videoconferencing, voice over IP, and shared applications. While potentially beneficial to students, and attractive to teachers, there are a number of challenges facing the integration of synchronous distributed design reviews into the design studio by technically inexperienced faculty without significant technical support. This paper seeks to make it easier for faculty to make routine utilization of such reviews by examining our own experiences with a number of such reviews, in a variety of contexts, distilling out a set of guidelines for future reviews. Mahalingam, Ganapathy. "Return to Roots: Computational Modeling as a Tool for Architecture." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 298. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In the early stages of their engagement of computer technology, architects approached the technology as an assistive technology that would enhance the practice of architecture. The scope of the engagement was captured in the phrase “computer-aided architectural design.i In the four decades since, the role of computer technology in architecture has gained a marked significance. The scope has now been extended for architects to contemplate “totally computer-mediated architectural design.” The key in the development of digital tools to enhance the practice of architecture has been the facility with which the various tasks involved in the practice of architecture have been represented, enabled or enhanced using computer technology. Tools have always been created for their instrumentality, that is, their ability to assist in performing desired tasks. Given the scope of the engagement of computer technology by architects in the early phases, the assistive nature of tools formed the focus of researchers. The focus on this assistive nature has continued to remain in the minds of researchers who see assistance as the proper role of computer technology in architecture. Hume, Andrew, and Amy Schultz. "SANDbox Urbanism - suggestions for deserting the city." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 426. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This studio sought to examine the unique representational phenomena ofthe city through the design proposal of a Hotel + Experience for Las Vegas. Students were asked to craft their own “realities” - project and program- from research on a series of topics: From all-things-Disney to corporatebranding, from Worldis Fairs to themed environments and utopiancommunities, from simulation and synthetic environments to surface, skinand computer graphics concepts. Students drew upon Vegas culture andthe particularities of site (and non-site) to develop proposals which furtherexplored issues of identity construction, consumption and production, andimage in popular culture. Temkin, Aron. "Seeing architecture with a filmmaker's eyes." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 227-233. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Where do the methods of architectural communication cross over to other disciplines? As digital tools provide greater opportunities to communicate pre-built design in both space and time, in motion and in video, how should our methods of presentation (and therefore our method of seeing) evolve to meet this need? While filmmaking is a much younger art form than architecture, it is already much wiser with regard to motion-based presentation. If we are to evolve beyond the unsophisticated motion of the average fly-through animation, we need to develop a process of seeing and composing in time that better relates to the way we perceive temporal space. A well-edited film detaches us from the confines of the medium: we do not think about how many cameras are used in a scene if it is filmed (and edited) in a manner that is natural to the way we see and perceive. Where can the filmmakeris art inform an architecture studentis processes of presentation and design? This paper will discuss ways that filmmaking can be used to inform the process of architectural design and animation with specific examples from the work of our advanced digital media course. Juyal, M., K. Kensek, and R. Knowles. "SolCAD: 3D Spatial Design Tool Tool to Generate Solar Envelope." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 411-419. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. In this research the concept of Solar Envelope has been used to develop a 3D Spatial Design Tool tool, SolCAD, for generating an envelope over a given site based on various design parameters. The solar envelope can be imagined as a container, whose boundaries are derived from the sunis relative motion. Buildings within this container will not overshadow their surroundings during critical periods of solar access for passive and low-energy architecture. The solar envelope is a space-time construct. Its spatial limits are defined by the parameters of land parcel size, shape, orientation, topography and latitude. It also depends on the time or the period of the time for which it is designed. Its time limits are defined by the hours of each day and the season for which solar access is provided to the land parcel (Knowles 1981). This tool intends to generate an envelope over a site of any shape, size and orientation and for different boundary and height conditions of shadow lines. It is suitable for initial stages of building design process to determine the shape of the building even before the design has been conceptualized. Lee, Ming-Chun, and Ellen Yi- Luen Do. "SpaceMaker - Creating Space by Sketching It." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 311-323. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Creating space is the essence of architectural design. Architects actually work with three-dimensional (3-D) space, although two-dimensional (2-D) drawings are perhaps the most commonly used design medium. It is thus valuable to help architects truly see 3-D space, while making drawings in 2-D. In addition, architects usually use symbols in their drawings to identify architectural concepts. By recognizing the symbols, it is possible to identify architectural configurations of the design. This paper introduces a symbol-based modelling tool “ SpaceMaker “ that allows architects to make freehand floor plans and apply symbols to identify different functional spaces. SpaceMaker then converts those floor plans into 3-D models according to the symbols. Ibrahim, Magdy, and Robert Krawczyk. "The Level of Knowledge of CAD Objects within the Building Information Model." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 173-177. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The first generation of CAD software depended on entity objects that were manipulated and interpreted by the user as meaningful graphics symbols. These entities only represented the geometrical properties of the architectural elements. With the present emerging generation of CAD systems, a new concept shifts a drawing-based model into a Building Information Model with the potential of modelling true architectural objects. Theoretically, these CAD objects will provide all related data to the designer describing the geometry, as well as any related data associated with how the object is actually used. The knowledge required to support an object should have structure to it. Different levels of knowledge need to be included, such as the geometrical information, which should be flexible enough to accommodate any type of shape and modification while keeping the objectis integrity as a unit and maintaining its relations to other objects. The CAD object concept, as remarkable as it is, might also have potential problems. It has some implications over the design process, as well as the architectural profession itself. Maher, Andrew, and Mark Burry. "The Parametric Bridge: Connecting Digital Design Techniques in Architecture and Engineering." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 39-47. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. New design opportunities that are facilitated by cross-disciplinary collaboration in both practice and research are available through the use of high level design software that simultaneously offers real time access to both analysis and design geometry in shared three-dimensional digital models. Here we present a collaborative research project between architects and structural engineers for the design of a pedestrian bridge, conceived to test current digital design processes in architectural and structural engineering practice with those in research through the use of models of parametrically defined associative geometry. In this project, the digital modelis architectural design geometry was constrained by the bridgeis fabrication methods and linked with its engineering analysis. Iterations of the design geometry were then optimised or “solved” to produce variations according to the design parameters offered up for change. The shift of the professions from the plane to digital space exposes the possibilities of new design techniques with the exchange of design parameters potentially operating as a digital dialogue between the disciplines ? a kind of digital version of Antoni Gaudiis funicular hanging model ? a metaphor of the digital space that has been developed for this project. Neidhardt, Lisa, and Gregory Luhan. "The Space of an IDEA: Ideas for Living." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 437. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Studio Issue: The space of an idea resides in the connection between thinking and making. The studio explorations reveal the tension between the private experience and the public perception and investigate new methods of architectural assemblage. By uniting thinking/drawing with seeing/making, an effectual palette engenders a new way of looking at the individual and thus narrows the normative boundaries associated with actualizing ideas. Sanabria, Sergio, and Murali Puranandi. "The Tower of Babel a transformation of vladimir tatlin s monument to thethird international as a new headquarters for the united." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 427. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This studio, subsidized by a grant from the Havighurst Center for RussianStudies, focused on a collective investigation of a visionary early sovietproject of 1918-20 by Vladimir Tatlin for a Monument to the ThirdInternational. The twelve students in this studio decided to use Tatlinisproject as a starting point for a new and greatly expanded headquartersfor the United Nations, to be sited on the Upper Bay of New York City-as aclimactic intermediate between the Varrazano Narrows bridge, the Statueof Liberty, and the profi le of Lower Manhattan. The political aspirationsmetaphorically embodied in this monument seemed appropriate to thelofty goals of the United Nations. Shih, Chien-Hung. "To Proceed Analysis of Dynamic Virtual Environment by Using Physical Model as a Protagonist." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 219-225. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper intends to combine architecture with state-of-the-art software technologies and operational methods of other domains to free architectural rendering from the restrictions of cold, still graphics or unrealistic computer pictures. The author transforms physical models into digital models through industrial design software, and synthesizes these digital models into motion pictures of the environment via film production software. This way, a designer can effectively turn the ideas of his mind into rough handmade models, instead of spending enormous amounts of time building computer models, and viewers will be able to quickly grasp the conditions of the site through the motion pictures. Anders, Peter. "Towards Comprehensive Space: a context for the programming/design of cybrids." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 161-171. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Cybrids have been presented as mixed realities: spatial, architectural compositions comprised of physical and cyberspaces (Anders 1997). In order to create a rigorous approach to the design of architectural cybrids, this paper offers a model for programming their spaces. Other than accepting cyberspaces as part of architectureis domain, this approach is not radical. Indeed, many parts of program development resemble those of conventional practice. However, the proposition that cyberspaces should be integrated with material structures requires that their relationship be developed from the outset of a project. Hence, this paper provides a method for their integration from the projectis earliest stages, the establishment of its program. This study for an actual project, the Planetary Collegium, describes a distributed campus comprising buildings and cyberspaces in various locales across the globe. The programming for these cybrids merges them within a comprehensive space consisting not only of the physical and cyberspaces, but also in the cognitive spaces of its designers and users. Chang, W., and Robert F. Woodbury. "Undo Reinterpreted." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 19-27. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The class of operations known as “undo” has proven to be a valuable addition to most professional work tools. In practice though, its use is frustrating: undo often undoes too much. Its essential informal semantics are that it returns the user to a prior state by recapitulating all intervening states. Why not give the user greater control over which aspects of a design to undo? An alternative is to seek to reuse prior work in any logically-coherent pattern - user input is a precious commodity. The area of generative systems provides insights in a search for alternatives to undo, in particular that prior user and system actions can be changed and reused in new contexts. We contingently introduce a concept we label as design promotions to describe system designs that demonstrate a tight coupling between interactive authorship and system-led generation, that treat past user actions as valuable intentional statements, and that treat alternative user choices as first-class objects of concern. In practice these three properties emphasize reuse. We briefly survey the current state of undo-like operations and potential candidates for implementing design promotions strategies. Through examples, we demonstrate approaches to realizing undo-like operations over specific representations, especially that of constructive solid geometry. Greinacher, Udo. "URBAN FURNITURE: from gazebo to digi-booth." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 429. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Recent years have seen the steady increase of automated kiosks and temporary structures that begin to replace traditional building types. In this course we studied and analyzed the development of the gazebo/kiosk in urban/rural settings both inside and outside over time, assessed its value for commerce and social equity, proposed a forward projection regarding the role digital info-booths/commercial kiosks will play in our urban environment, and developed new spatial models that can become an integral part of our daily experience. Sterk, Tristan de Estree. "Using Actuated Tensegrity Structures to Produce a Responsive Architecture." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 85-93. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. The major theoretical roots of responsive architecture lie within the work of Nicholas Negroponte, and its most inspiring realization, to date, is found in the work of dECOi Architects. The work of NOX, and Diller & Scofidio provide two other built examples of responsive architectures. Each of these works is impressive within its own right. However, all of them have their shortcomings, suggesting that several possibilities for alternative visions still exist. While Negroponteis work identifies the characteristics of a responsive architecture, it does not propose a model that is suitable for implementation. On the other hand, the work of dECOi architects does not address the technical needs of a building envelope designed for real world conditions of weather and structural load. Diller & Scofidiois work, also does not have a functional envelope, and NOXis work lacks physical responsiveness, favoring a palate of virtual responses instead.This paper, after examining the four specific precedents of Negroponte, dECOi, Diller & Scofidio, and NOX, will examine how a fifth precedent ? that of Buckminster Fulleris model of tensegrity structures “ may be applied. The paper will propose that by actuating a tensegrity structure a responsive architectural envelope that addresses real world weather and structural loading conditions becomes feasible. Wai, Lindsay, and Karl Daubmann. "Variations + Versioning." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 435. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. A major holdover from the previous culture of making is that of repetition and modularity. It is true that it is always cheaper and faster to make the same part, component, or building over and over again but then again cheaper is not necessarily better. Luhan, Greg. "Virtual Raves in Synthetic LandscapesHybrid Rave Space." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 432. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. Project Description: The typology of public event spaces has transformed substantially over centuries. Ranges of spatial configurations have been developed with numerous instances and adaptations, many have occurred in our own century as the information needs of the modern society evolved. Bernard Tschumi denotes these phenomena as architectural urbanism where city-generators, functions, and programs combine and intersect in spaces of endless cross programming. Today, derelict industrial spaces [terrain vagues] have become social places that accommodate public activities. New technologies, particularly those associated with electronic media have radically influenced the program and typology of these event-spaces. Yet, in spite of social, technological, and material changes, the essence of the event-structure has not changed, it remains a place of interaction. Dobson, Adrian, and Peter Lancaric. "VIRTUreALITY Digital Urban Modelling as a Community Design Form." In Connecting >> Crossroads of Digital Discourse: Proceedings of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture, 49-53. ACADIA. Indianapolis, Indiana: Ball State University, 2003. This paper describes a practice-led research project that investigates the application of digital modelling and communication technologies in urban and architectural design. The project is being carried out by our team with the collaboration of the architecture and planning departments at local borough council and local community participation. The main methodology for the project revolves around the evolution of an interactive three-dimensional digital urban model, which incorporates a variety of visual, graphic and numeric data. This digital model is utilised within a web site to help facilitate a participatory approach to the physical and social regeneration of an inner urban zone, in terms of both the built environment and the attempted creation of a virtual community.

2019-04-26T00:37:28Z

https://cumincad.architexturez.net/documents/series/ACADIA%2003

Glutathione reduces oxidative stress, decreases inflammation, and modulates T cell responses in lungs. Hence it is an excellent natural substance for treating conditions of lung inflammation, pneumonia, emphysema, cystic fibrosis, etc. and it can also work well with asthma. I used it myself following a bout of severe pneumonia, where it hurt to take a deep breath or inflate my left lung fully. I felt a marked difference after the first session, but after a while, it wore off. However, as the treatments continued, the expansion in my lungs remained for longer and longer periods. You will also get the overall boost to your immune system by inhaling it through your lungs as well. Recently, I had a bout of the flu and having had pneumonia, I didn’t want to take any chances. So I went to my naturopath for intravenous vitamin C, B complex and magensium, along with 20 minutes of inhaled glutathione. My cough was gone the next day. Please take the time to read through the many comments posted below as we have nurses and others who know WAY more about this than me, contributing their valuable information. General guidelines are to use 15 ounces of 3 – 3.5% hydrogen peroxide (MUST be food grade hydrogen peroxide) to every one gallon of water in a vaporizer and just let it run all night. You can also turbo-charge this remedy by adding 1-2 tsp of colloidal silver to the gallon of water. However, there are some risk factors to using colloidal silver for lung infections, so read this detailed article on using colloidal silver in a nebulizer first. *A 3.5% solution of hydrogen peroxide can be made quite easily by first pouring 1 ounce of food-grade 35% hydrogen peroxide into a pint jar. To this add 11 ounces of distilled water (NO tap water!). This will make 12 ounces of 3.5% hydrogen peroxide. Be VERY careful when handling 35% hydrogen peroxide as it will burn your skin instantly on contact. If it’s in a plastic bottle, then direct the opening away from you when you open it, in case it spits some out from the pressure build-up. You can also use hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver in a nebulizer 1 – 3 times per day (takes about 10 minutes with a good quality nebulizer). But again, read this article about the potential risks first. A friend of mine used a combination of food grade hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver in a nebulizer for her nine year old son – who has suffered respiratory issues since he contracted RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) as an infant, and it worked so well he would ask for it every night before bed, for about 3 weeks. It dramatically improved the quality of his sleep and he was able to sleep through the night (without waking due to coughing or lack of oxygen). I have used colloidal silver and food grade hydrogen peroxide – on myself and my kids when needed. I suspect this formula actually works as well (and possibly better) than inhaled glutathione – but I would have to get pneumonia again to test it and be sure! However, these products are much cheaper than the glutathione, so definitely worth a try. Post below and let me know your results. And again, if your gut is not saying “Yes!” about inhaling silver and hydrogen peroxide through a nebulizer, then perhaps using them in a vaporizer would be better for you (less direct and intense). You can also put baking soda (change pH and many bacteria die), magnesium (relax tissues/muscles), or nascent iodine (NOT potassium iodine as this could kill you!) into your nebulizer or vaporizer and this article has good instructions for using baking soda, magnesium, or nascent iodine for respiratory issues. 1. Research shows that many patients with asthma and other bronchial diseases have low magnesium. 2. Both histamine production and bronchial spasms increase with magnesium deficiency. 3. Many drugs used in the treatment of asthma cause a loss of magnesium, only making symptoms worse. 4. Magnesium is an environmental detoxifier reducing the triggers for asthma. 5. Magnesium relieves stress to alleviate the emotional triggers for asthma. 6. Patients treated with simple magnesium supplementation report marked improvement in their symptoms. If you tend towards constipation and would like a little help with your bowel movements, you can take magnesium citrate, 300 mg per day. But if you want to bypass the digestive system (or take a larger dose), then take your magnesium in nanoparticle (angstrom-sized) form, or topically as transdermal magnesium oil – this oil can either be applied directly to your skin, or added to your bath or footbath. For complete details and instructions, see my blog post all about easily absorbed forms of magnesium. Since our soils have become depleted of minerals, it is estimated that up to 60% of the population is deficient in magnesium, so likely ALL people would benefit from adding this essential mineral to their daily intake. I even give magnesium daily to my kids and it prevents them from getting cramps or ‘growing pains’ as they’re both competitive athletes (aged 9 and 11). Here’s a story from one of Dr. Dean’s clients who even used magnesium to cure her dog’s asthma! So personally, I would use both a substance (like glutathione, or hydrogen peroxide/colloidal silver) in my nebulizer AND supplement aggressively with magnesium. Here’s the nebulizer I use. And for a killer cough one winter, I used food grade hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver (as instructed above) three times per day and within 2 days was no longer coughing at night (I had been able to lie down to sleep for 2 weeks!). I started with nebulizing the silver/hydrogen peroxide once per day, but that did not have much effect. As soon as I ramped up to 3x/day the effect was immediate. And here’s a nebulizer Dr. Sircus recommends (less than $30 with 5 year warranty). Dr. Sircus has a great article here on nebulizing a number of different substances – including magnesium. I had the treatments done at my naturopathic doctor’s clinic. You can rent nebulizers and do it at home – but you’d have to do an internet search for where to purchase the glutathione. Also, get the one in the baking soda base – it’s more soothing for the lungs and is also anti-fungal, so there’s a double benefit to the baking soda base. If you decide to do it on your own, please post here again and let people know where your sourced things from. I’m on my second round of glutathione treatments with a nebulizer 3x a day for a week which I did rent. 200mg.. Given to me by my naturalpathic dr. I will probably purchase one as this will be something I do for the rest of my life. Its a fantastic way to get this anti-inflamitory anti oxidant into your body. I’ve been an asthmatic all my life, 45 yrs., and the first time I did this I was free of all my meds for three months. Couldn’t believe it. This is a miracle substance and I will share this with all I know suffering from and lung ailments. Well done and good for you for searching and trying natural treatments instead of more drugs. I have been using Sublingual Immunotherapy. The allergens are collected from the patients home, etc. Both airborne allergy patients and asthma patients with airborne triggers have been greatly helped – some completely symptom free for more than 15 years. The glutathione taken via a nebulizer is most interesting to me. Did you take 200mg each treatment, three times a day for one week? I had 600 mg (3 cc) per treatment. Intitally, I had one treatment per day, for 5 days. Then 1 treatment every 2 days for 2 weeks. A year later, in the winter, after a particularly stressful period, I felt the same tightness/end of breath wheeze so I went in for one more treatment and have been fine ever since. Is the sublingual immunotherapy homeopathic? Sadly, I cannot get my asthma under control like the first time I used it back in Sept. Last year. It does help some after each session of 2cc in a seringe.( i think thats how to explain it) I do about 3 sessions a day through my rented nebulizer. Also, an occasional altering with H2o2 liquid which helps kill pathegens.. Will be seeing the natural dr. in a wk. Having to use my inhalers again. I’m very sad about this. Thought I finally found the natural help I needed to control my asthma brought on by an illness back in early Jan. But I will find the problem and it will be fixed. The SLIT that I employed for my patients is not homeopathic; although the initial dose is unpotentized 1X. Naturopathic SLIT can be done homeopathically. Homeopathic pharmacuetical companies do sell potentized allergens. Boiron is one and may be available in your health food store. Unfortunately, allegens specific to your region and activating your immune system may not be included. Today’s, About.com/allergy has info on SCIT and SLIT. Mark – thanks for posting that, so others can find out more too. Debbie – you have a great attitude. Yes, there is a natural solution to your asthma and you will find it if you refuse to give up. Tips: look into whole-body health, not just lung/asthma treatments, since asthma is a very multi-layered problem (in my opinion). Also, have you tried EFT? Go to http://www.emofree.com and type in “asthma” and it will pull up some very interesting articles for you. I’m sure you’ll get some ideas from that. Just phone them and I’m sure they can help you out. The other thing I recently read about that’s great for lung conditions – actually, I will add it to the original blog post above, so everyone can read about it. Hello, I too have asthma, (adult onset). I used a nebulizer with xopenex as I don’t want steroid inhalers but 3 days ago I stopped breathing and went to emergency and have to take a Prednisone burst, Xopenex and Flovent 2 x day plus I was given Oxygen. It’s scary. I cried because the Doc said I have lung damage or scarring and 2 months ago I was told my lungs were perfect. I caught a very bad cold and have been fighting it for a while and it got worse suddenly that’s why my asthma worsened I believed. I went to a Naturopathic Doctor but I don’t believe this one was that knowledgeable. I don’t eat dairy at all, a total vegetarian and eat healthy, lots of probiotics, etc., I feel great, energetic but my lungs need help. I tried to get the Naturopathic Doc to prescribe me Glutathione, but she wouldn’t and of course the Medical Doctor wouldn’t give me something that’s harmless that would possibly help me. Can I get it myself? Or, can I make it myself with glutathione supplements and put it in my nebulizer? I am not going to give up either, I will find a cure for this! Thanks for this great forum! Hi everyone – my wife has a severe breathing problem, which the doctors are calling asthma, and wanted to treat with prednisone, flovent, etc. Being a student of kinesiology and EFT, she didn’t feel this was the right answer and started oral H2O2 treatments, and then found a doctor who prescribed liquid glutathione in a nebulizer. I’m curious as to how long you have experienced the treatments taking before you feel the effects (and see improvement). She has been taking them now 2x/day for about a month and is miserable, her condition has worsened, she’s up all night coughing, wheezing, and it’s incredibly painful to watch her suffer and be powerless to help. The cough now racks her entire body, and she has to force the inhaled glutathione down. As soon as she starts to breathe it, her body reacts with a hacking cough. She has to control her breathing to limit it to only the lower parts of her lungs (belly breathing) or else she cannot get the medicine in. Any experience you can relate would be greatly appreciated. At this point she’s stumped all medical professionals (traditional, naturopaths, and otherwise). No, she should not be reacting like that. I would say that the glutathione is not helping her and she should stop it. The oral hydrogen peroxide will only help if her problem stems from pathogenic infection – if not, I would stop doing that too. Personally, I would focus on SERIOUS EFT work, from a very skilled therapist. Trust me, there is a world of difference between doing it yourself, and also results obtained from practitioner to practitioner. This I know from experience. She should book a free 30 minute consult with my therapist – Annabel Fisher ( http://www.efthealingcentre.com ). As Annabel has healed herself of a chronic illness (she was wheelchair-bound with CFS) she REALLY understands the layers and different facets that come into play with a condition like your wife’s. I would encourage her to commit to 10 sessions and really go for it. This is what I have done with Annabel and seen phenomenal results – my husband even goes to her now (and you know how resistant guys usually are to anything like this). If she has more than 3 bowel movements per day, then she must use the powders only, not the capsules. I have asked a Naturopathic Doctor here in Shasta County to prescribe Glutathione but she wouldn’t and of course the Medical Doctors won’t either. I ended up in the emergency two times for asthma and not being able to breathe, short of breathe. They wanted me on steroid inhalers, which I refuse. I found a natural medication called “Intal” or Cromolyn Sodium. I first purchased it over the counter in a Nasal Spray call Nasalcrom and it worked for me. It was created by a Doctor that had asthma. He discover an herb called Khellen and found that a derivative from that herb would stop the allergic reaction (Mast Cell Stabilizer) that caused asthma attacks. It is now a prescription and it works for me. I too coughed all night and had shortness of breathe of an on, kept up constantly by coughing. It takes about a week to work but I have no side effects from this medication and since I began have actually been sleeping every night without asthma. The last week I have had a little shortness of breath but never like before. I believe the over the counter version was discontinued because it was so effective. I know a guy with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who went from 66% lung function to 98% lung function. He used something that helped his body make glutathione. This is much more effective than taking glutathione directly either with oral pills, patches, or intravenous injections. The benefits of having glutathione INSIDE each cell, where the mitochondria are and ATP is produced, are much greater than bathing the extracellular areas. This same product, by raising intracellular glutathione, has broad spectrum positive benefits. I have another friend with Hepatitis C who takes the same product and feels better than he has in 33 years (the length of time he has had Hep. C). I’m working with several doctors to expose them to this new nutriceutical and encourage them to provide it in their storerooms. What is this product that helps the body make glutathione? And where do I purchase it? I found the answer for me. I had asthma severely, in the hospital 2 x in April and just September almost went back. As a result of taking all of the Albuterol (Xopenex) and other inhalers I began getting anxiety attacks. A vicious cycle with Clonzepham (the Dr. said it was not addicting) I quit in September, against the Doc’s advice and felt better quite rapidly after that. First, in September when I was at my lowest point, I found a “Precursor to Glutathione”, it helps your body create the Glutathione which is the bodies master antioxidant and in every cell we have and the company took 25 years to find out how to create a safe product to stimulate the creation of glutathione in our own bodies. . I found a product that has been scientifically studied and has 70 patents and is still being studied in longitivity trials. You can find at my site at http://www.immunocal.com/shasta (I joined for the 30% discount as it is expensive). It gave me energy again. Look at the testimonials all over for asthma, copd and emphysema. It is a bit expensive, it’s from Spain, created by a group of forward thinking physicans and one here in the USA. The good news is that it will be here in the USA soon! I believe the compound you’re referring to that helps the body produce glutathione and used to both protect the liver and reduce lung inflammation (particularly for cases like COPD and asthma) is N-acetyl cysteine (also just called NAC). Jini,comment #19what is the something this guy used to help his body make glutathione?I have 48% lung function sure would be nice to use this.Thank you,and inhaling glutathione is this a good thing????? Organic aloe (Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f.), Sea water, Green tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Royal Jelly, Ginseng (Panax ginseng CA Meyer), Propolis, Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), Zinc gluconate, Extract of Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), Glutamic acid, Cysteine, Glycine, Vitamin A, preservatives [Nipagin (E216), Sodium benzoate, Nipasol (E218)], Grapefruit Seed Extract (Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merrill), De-ionized water. Sorry this is so long but the ingredients are wonderful too. I love this product! It has literally changed my days. I can hike, ride my bicycle and even get a bit out of breathe. Some days are better than others, but I am improving all the time. Please know that I also eat very healthy. (I mess up too) but I eat dairy products, no white sugar, no sodas of any kind, I drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, I take Chlorella 2 times a day, I am a vegetarian, eat lots of fresh veges and sometimes I juice. My oxygen went down to 46, I was on oxygen, now it’s in the closet, so I know there is help for all of us! I took charge of my health and made a decision that living was more important than my taste buds. Yes, I have heard (for some people) that inhaling glutathione can also work wonders, for some not. What is this inhaler spray called and where would I purchase it? Its for my husband who has suffered too long with asthma. Sorry, I meant to say, I eat NO dairy products. I will eat a bit of goats cheese and real organic cream one x per day in my one cup of delicious coffee (my treat for the day). Sharon, looks like Jan has answered your question. And Jan – thanks for sharing so much info and detail! Some people inhale glutathione with a nebulizer. This is for people with severely diminished lung function, like Emphysema or COPD. Some people get glutathione injections. The only problem with all these therapies is that the glutathione cannot get inside the cells, the molecule is too big, so it literally bathes the extracellular fluid only. This has some positive benefits. But it is preferable to actually make glutathione inside the cells, so it can go to work protecting the mitochondria, making more ATP, and basically doing its antioxidant function. It does this better than any other antioxidant in the body. Yes, “Ashes,” one of the precursors in our product is N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), the rate limiting factor in glutathione production. We have other precursors and cofactors that help our product be preferentially absorbed through the intestinal walls. There is no glutathione in our product, because, as many of you know, glutathione taken orally is broken down and eliminated. Our product is the raw materials to allow your own cells to make glutathione. Our product has a Composition Patent, very unusual in the supplement market, and Clinical Studies on humans to back up its claims. I’d be glad to discuss this further with anyone who wishes to know more. I’m in the Alaska time zone, one hour past Pacific time zone, 907-457-8080. Please only call between 9 am and 9 pm. Thanks. You really can’t eat your way to enough glutathione, or take fully formed glutathione and have it work efficiently for you. As we age, we make less and less glutathione, while at the same time, our oxidative stress is rising. I just looked at the Immunocal link provided above. The claims from this company are that Immunocal raised glutathione levels 35.5%. The average rise in glutathione in our study subjects with our product was 292% over the full Clinical Trial. That’s more than 8 times better! Our product has the greatest opportunity to effectively raise glutathione in not only people with disease, but in normal, aging adults who are looking for better health. This is why so many medical professionals are beginning to use our product and recommend it to their patients. See phone number above. What product are you speaking about Kathy? I use Immunocal and I love the product. The company is in Canada and the product has been proven to boost Glutathione, has 70 USA patents as well as over 25 years of research and clinical studies, 80 international patents worldwide and has over 80,000 scientific clinical studies completed and is still going strong. Immunotec Immunocal is listed in the Physicians Desk Reference as well as The Canadian Drug Reference for Health Professionals so it has been written as a prescription. I am curious to know what product has all of these credentials and more. Do you have a web site? Immunocal really helped me, increased my energy levels, made me feel more balance, however the product that really changed my life, totally, was the Refensal. It gave me almost immediate results that I could feel (I could breathe -hooray) and even though it doesn’t have all patents, the product has worked wonders for me and I am now seeing the same thing happen to a dear friend with COPD who is on oxygen 24/7. She was actually able to stop the oxygen for the first time in over a year for 6 hours, to play with her grandson! I am so happy for her. Refensal has been a gift, and honest there has been nothing that I have tried that has given me such results, so quickly. I can’t say enough good about it. You are also welcome to call me regarding Refensal at 530 605-3353 or you can read about it at http://www.naturalbalancecore@gmail.com/balance, click on Refensal at the top and then Clinical Cases. Hi everyone and thanks ever so much for all of your posts. My mother has been helped profusely by the inhaled Glutathione. I guess after reading what has been posted here, she may be able to take it more often than 3 x a week. Nothing helped her asthma and emphesema for long until she was put on Glutathione by her natural doctor. Due to the changes it makes for her on the days she takes this, I will ask her doctor if he will bump up the prescription to every day. After taking Glutathione, she actually can go 12 hours without her breathing meds. Her drugs have side effects which she could do without. The Glutathione relaxes her as well which tends to lessen the asthma attacks. Please help us. Our mother is 87 years old and has asthma, emphysema, 3 open heart surgeries; quadruple by-pass year 1992; ahorta replacement 2001; tricuspid and matrivalve 2007, pace maker plus diabetes and high cholesterol. She does not sleep well. Mikki, I’m sorry your mother is uncomfortable. Can I call you? List your number here and include what time zone you are in. My phone number is 907-457-8080 in Alaska, one hour west of Pacific time zone. Please call only between 9 am and 9 pm. There are several different ways to get glutathione into the body, but minimal ways to actually allow the body to produce its own glutathione. This last method is the preferential way, as putting “glutathione” into the body does not get any glutathione inside the cells where it is needed the most. I am new to this site. One of my specialties is respiratory health and have worked with high tech babies (all are on ventilators or breathing machines) and I have to say, the little science about what I am going to suggest is really positive. So here is first the old complimentary alternative medicine and then the new. Only thing, I am just starting to research the new and do not have any data to present. But you can do the research yourself. Everyone should know that the lungs and the mucous membranes are the only way to absorb glutathione. Otherwise, in the gut it is broken down and of little benefit. Yes, glutathione is used by doctors. There are a few alternatives to glutathione that involve taking the cofactors. On http://www.glutathionediseasecure.com/inflammation-in-the-lung.html you can find some of the options. Actually, using the various forms of cysteine (NAC or N-acetylcysteine is a supplement and a rescue med in the hospital and in asthma medications) does work good. If you are taking it on your own, make sure and take vitamin C to prevent kidney stones. I feel supplements are essential. Not a single patient in the hospital is not on some kind of supplement. Some of the doctors I have worked under even prescribe gum chewing and black strap molasses, yes, actual doctors orders in the hospital. And these are big teaching hospitals. It has to do with diet. By avoiding the pro-inflammatory foods and increasing the foods that boost glutathione and other nutrient needs, it may be possible decrease if not eliminate the respiratory problems some are facing. I have just started the research but if interested, start by looking at the live raw food diet. When I first heard this I was thinking, hmmmm, eating live raw vs dead raw chicken. Actually, you can still eat dead animals. Only thing, you need to eat a 75% raw and live (uncooked) diet. I put this out to all of my friends who are into the supplements. They said naaa then said that they had various raw food delicacies and they were fantastic. Things like unbaked apple pie and chocolate moose with out any milk. Everyone agrees that the were surprised. More importantly, the health benefits were also there for those who started this kind of diet. As to the supplements…there is a theory…unless as a treatment or as a rescue med, do not take them every day. A dependency builds up and then you cannot get the nutrients from foods as needed because they are so easily obtained from the supplements. The raw food movement backed my theory up as they do not eat the same food for more than a few days in a row. Best case, only eat any one of several of your foods for the day once in seven days. We will always need and benefit from supplements. However, there is a new weapon in the arsenal of disease fighting armaments. It is called raw food. Jonathon, Your additions to this site are interesting, but the rate limiting factor in glutathione production within our cells is cysteine. You cannot eat your way to get enough of this fragile molecule. Call me (907) 457-8080 or (907) 888-9437 to see about a Clinically proven supplement that raises glutathione intracellularly up to almost 300%. It is the precursors and co-factors (in a specific composition) that allow your cells to make glutathione, and this supplement is one of less than 15 in the country with a Composition Patent, which the US Patent Office awarded because it is so unique. I live 1 hour west of Pacific time zone. Call 9am-10 pm. There are over 91,220 articles on PubMed now about the importance of glutathione, which begins to decline significantly at age 20. Am already familiar with your MLM product. Actually there are several Glutathione (GSH) boosting products on the market right now. One, a crystal that you use tape to your skin even claims to boost GSH. As to not getting enough nutrients from food, well, that is a logical fallacy that is promoted by the MLM industry. Actually, there are no high level studies that prove or disprove how much we actually get from food. Are foods depleted in nutrients? Absolutely according to the studies. But, as a scientist, I have to ask, who did the studies? What were the studies. So how do we go about making a hypothesis? We look at anecdotal evidence. In the hospital for instance we know that some foods will totally negate the effect of warfarin sodium (Coumadin). Hmmmm, foods are depleted but studies show that, at least in this case, they can mess up the medicine. We look at black strap molasses. There may be only one other food that has more iron. There are no studies that says it will boost your iron count although Geissinger Health System is considering doing such a study. Even though it comes from the same sugar cane fields that have been growing sugar cane for generations it still works to boost iron stores. How do we know. We give it to our patients who refuse blood and their counts come up. They come up drastically. They come up as good as and in many cases I have seen, even better and safer than when given the IV form or iron supplementation. Even better, unlike the iron pills, which are one of the leading causes of poisoning in very young children and binding up older people with little absorption, this food serves as a stool softener while providing more absorbable iron and is safe for children. The reason for the profound effect is phytochemicals. Supplements cannot include these. These are only in live foods and are fragile. We also know that processed foods have lots of chemicals we need to get rid of. OOops. Eliminate the chemicals and you eliminate part of the problem. Now, as to how good your product is. Do you know what the best supplement to boost your glutathione is? By far, the absolute best, bar none, is the one you will take and the one you can afford. If you will not take it, then it is of no value. If you can not afford it, then you will not take it. Don’t get me wrong here. I believe in supplements. Especially for treating and as rescue medications. Especially using them instead of drugs. But in the hospital I see the side you never see. I see what happens when people overdose on nutraceuticals. I see what happens when people self medicate with supplements and get it wrong. It is not often but at least once a month. Remember, if they got into the hospital, it has to be bad. And I have seen people die from the misuse of these (not yours). Also, there is a credibility concern. In science, we need peer reviewed studies. I have done studies and my employers have done studies. But non of these are published by peer reviewed journals. This is because to have a high level study it needs to meet some serious requirements. One PhD doc friend of mine created an all natural allergy lozenge that was clinically trialed at my hospital. I read the results and it was 100% successful. The requirements were that the patients could not have been on any allergy medication for the past six months. I even interviewed some of the people. Only thing, this study is worthless as it is not peer reviewed. Remember when things cost $19.95 on the TV. These companies are all about marketing, the right price point and making a new crop of MLM millionaires. Feel free to contact me and tell me more. I love learning about GSH. I would be happy to add this to my list of ways to boost GSH. But my money is on improving our dietary intake. Just starting to research it but it seems to make a lot of sense. Jonathan – thanks for sharing your great info/experience! Can I get some more details on the blackstrap molasses usage? How much do you give adults/children? Do you give it straight off the spoon, or dissolved in warm water? What times of day and how many times per day do you give it? Is it better to take it on an empty stomach? Is your PhD friend selling the allergy lozenge anywhere? If not, is he willing to share the ingredients for people who want to make their own? Dr. Jonathan V. Wright does this with formulas he invents or discovers – he doesn’t bother with the clinical trial process, he just makes it available to his patients and sells the ingredients needed in his dispensary. When people find it works, they will tell tons of others! Jonathan, There are peer reviewed studies to support the research I mentioned above, and phytochemicals can be in supplements. Flavonoids are phytochemicals, and these are in several of our formulations. Glutathione supplements that are transdermals, patches, intravenous, or glutathione pills do not raise glutathione intracellularly, where 97-98% of it is needed. This is where the mitochondria are; the ATP producers of the cells, as you know. If you want to discuss this further, email me or call me: kathy.tayloryokel@gmail.com 907-457-8080, or 907-888-9437, one hour west of Pacific time zone. Medical professionals from diverse disciplines are embracing our glutathione enhancer because there is irrefutable science to prove its efficacy. The US Patent Office awarded it a Composition Patent, usually reserved for ethical drugs. Good luck with improving your diet to help your health. Many people are already doing this and need assistance with the potholes in their nutrition to improve their health. Complex information cannot be given or digested in a 30 second TV commercial, hence the reason for our business model. This forum is a valuable tool for people to get more information that they can then follow up on. I only post information that has Clinical Studies and peer-reviewed articles. For those who are open to improving their health, there is hope. Contact me. Great. Post the studies right here. I did a check again and could not find any specific to the product I assume you have on PUB med or any of the major journals I read from time to time. Please post them here. Everyone will appreciate the science. As to the patch and the crystals, I am not promoting them. However, although they are not in this country, their pitch sounds like they plagiarized it from your pitch. Only thing, they were out before yours was. One has been around for a long time. Again, I am not promoting them and they (dont know if they still exist) are from the other side of the world from the US. Remember, you are preaching to the choir. I am already on board, lecture about it and teach it. The difference, I have no economical interest in promoting it as I do not make any money from promoting it. My interest is economically unbiased. My interest is only in the science. I have personally used a few of the products and have got doctors to prescribe the ones that are in the physicians desk reference. The results were outstanding and had the doctors and nurses bewildered. One said she had never seen anything like it. Unfortunately there are no studies so far. One Pennsylvania Hospital is thinking of doing a study since they use it with their patients. Here is the best part…how many people do you know who are suffering with low red blood cell counts? Could this be a simple solution. One word of caution…if you are allergic to sulfa drugs, get the un-sulfured. However, it may be that the sulfured helps with the increase in GSH as well which may be a part of how it works. All the treatments and supplements, what if it was just increasing our intake of foods that were rich in sulfa compounds and we could boost our GSH just from our diet. We just do not know. We give one table spoon black strap molasses mixed with one table spoon of peanut butter (protein) three times a day. I try to get the families to bring in organic if possible. It can be taken however it is best liked. Also, vitamin C, B6 B9 (folic acid) and B12. Here I have been after the docs to just give a B complex but for what ever reason, it does not happen. Now, 200 mcg of selenium is being given. If you like Brazil nuts, two a day will do the trick. One of my hightech babies was given it by her mom. It was a teaspoon in the morning when she was 1 1/2 years. About the same time as this doc told me, I had my first bloodless patient with a blood count of 2.9 (13 to 15 is normal), the lowest I ever case managed. The EPO or Procrit was not working. I suggested it, got the doctors order it, ran out on my lunch break and bought it from a local grocery store, got the pharmacy to OK it and gave it. His count came up by 1 gm per/dL in less than 24 hours and in just two days he was starting to get some color (from being white as a sheet). Even the hematologists were impressed. You need to understand something here. There is a joke, “Do you know the difference between God and a doctor? God doesn’t think he is a doctor.” Well there is a version that a doctor will tell, “Do you know the difference between a hematologist and God?” (at least at the hospitals where I have worked). The next patient, a hour drive away (I was called in as consultant and Patient advocate) and she came up 1 gm a day every day till she hit 8 which was safe for her and as high as she ever got. The rest of the stories are about the same or better. If the teaching is up to me, unless it is critical (blood count less than 6.5) I tell the patients to only do this two to three days on and two to three days off. This prevents the body from getting used to getting the iron from this source so that it works less to get it from others. Remember, it is the other natural chemicals in foods that also have a part in our health. To eat or not to eat at the same time…do not know. Generally, I tell patients not to do this within 2 hours of coffee. Coffee is great, esp if without cream or sugar. But it does affect the absorption of some things, so this is just a best guess. No science. As to the science, there are studies that show that iron can improve the creation of GSH. So this is a win win with out the nasty side effects or risk of iron supplements. Dr. Bruce Laird, PhD created ACF Complex, the allergy cold and flu complex. He is planning to market them. He does not have a website up. I will try to get his address and post it. I live an 1 1/2 hours away so will have to wait till I am in the area. He has a bunch of interesting natural inventions. Many doctors use him. His breast cancer “cure” rate is slightly above my previous hospital employers. They were 80% and he was 82%. That is not what is interesting. One of his patients did both his treatment and the chemo at the hospital. Her CA numbers were within the safe zone in 6 weeks instead of the normal 13 of chemo therapy and she never lost her hair, she never got nauseated. More on Dr. Bruce later. Jonathan, While I am glad you are interested in learning and researching glutathione further, this is how I make my living, and I’ve been busy working with medical professionals, athletes, and business people since I posted the last time. I can’t attach documents here, but since there are over 92,000 peer reviewed articles about glutathione and only about 44,000 about Vitamin C, the evidence is huge. In a nutshell, the research about the importance of glutathione to human health is overwhelming, and the Double BIind Placebo Controlled Clinical Studies prove our product raises GSH. Direct any further correspondence to my email as noted above. Kathy – is your product MaxGXL? Jini, Yes, that’s one of 4 nutriceuticals we have. I put some calls out and one hospital is indeed looking into doing a serious study about the use of Black Strap Molasses. The decision will be made by the winter time. The hospital is in Pennsylvania and is a Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Center. As to the NAC / Max…Check out tric. There are a number of studies that show NAC helps with this. No doubt you have worked with someone dealing with this. Max is a far better way to get the NAC in my opinion. Even if you bought the various ingredients separate, it would cost about the same but be a whole lot more trouble than just going with the Max. Because of the age of many affected, it may require getting their doc on board. Now on to the Max studies issue…..or lack of studies. Please do not take this as anything more than a scientific opinion. Max (which has NAC in it) is fantastic. I love it. It works wonderfully for me. I do not sell it nor do I profit from its sale. I highly recommend it with the exceptions mentioned below. Unfortunately, there are no high level studies on MAX in the medical field. For one, it is because the only study was released after the author, Dr Keller died. So, although there is a study, it is not accepted as scientific proof. Oh yea, it is curiously missing some data usually in a high level study or even low level study for that matter. You mention studies. I am only aware of the one specifically on Max. Also, since he has a bias, it is not as good as say if Cleveland Clinic did a trial. Hey, the doc I mentioned above did a clinical trial at LVH Hospital and it had a wonderful result for a study. He never reefers to it. He is now trying to get Cleveland Clinic to do a double blind placebo clinical trail. They call me when they do not know what to do and I am, after all, an expert in my field. Raising GSH is part of my expertise. As a consultant, I am required a very high standard of what acceptable research is. Max, as wonderful as it is and as much as I love it, does not meet that standard. To put it in another light…here is how I would have to present it. Again, the focus is really on the n acetylcystiene side effects. Also, neither my librarian nor I was able to find any clinical or scientific studies or peer reviewed medical articles specifically on Max GXL published in the National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE) when using the PubMed search. Note: I have done scientific research, numerous times. Some of what I have been in was double blind placebo controlled studies. Yet, none of those studies means anything until they are published and reviewed and scrutinized by other experts in the field. Again, think Max is great. As a scientist, I cannot promote it with out the science, even though I use it myself. I can use marketing speak to sell it. But to present to doctors, there is nothing legit to share. There are a ton of studies on NAC, the main ingredient in MAX. This is what we use in the hospital when someone has an overdose of acetaminophen as well as other things. To say NAC is and does there for Max is and does…well…it is not science. It is an assumption. It may very well but then, maybe one of the ingredients on its own is doing the same only with out the NAC. NAC also works on pain although it is poorly studied. I know because of recommending it and hearing that it works in those who take it. I am wondering since it has such neurological benefits ( NAC that is) when high level studies are done, we may find that it helps with the delta receptors, the holy grail of pain management that has been hidden from mankind. However….again, I love Max…..yet there is an ethical dilemma it presents. How would you feel if you recommended it to someone and it harmed them? You would have to lock me away if I did that. You are no doubt aware that it is contraindicated in organ transplant patients. It is also not approved for 16 and under unless under the doctors order. This is what I was told from the Max people. Yea, I used to sell it but no longer do. It is not recommended for those on chemotherapy. I know this because I called the office and also spoke to some of the scientist about this. One of the perks of being a scientist. What I was not told is…. It has some ingredients that can cause anapahlaxis (rarely according to literature) Not a problem unless you are the rare one. Imagine giving a supplement to someone and they died. I worry about this every time a give certain meds to patients and I know what to do. One ingredient, D-Glucosamine is made from shellfish. Those with a shellfish allergy should be aware of the source of this ingredient. If you know you are allergic to any of the ingredients of Max, it might be best to avoid it. What scares me is when I see zealous promoters (not you) who say this (what ever they have, not just Max) is totally safe and in reality it has an ingredient that could kill a small child. Thank God for vigilant moms. This just happens this past year with a friend who was recommending a different supplement (again not Max). Turns out it had a wheat product in the ingredients. The child was deathly allergic to the ingredient. Again, this was not Max but it shows a flaw in the industry. The Physician’s desk Reference (PDR), states that alpha lipoic acid (a MAX ingredient ) should be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing. If you are a diabetic or have glucose intolerance, it should be used with caution. This is because of no long-term safety data is available. The Physician’s desk Reference (PDR), also warns that acteylcysteine (NAC, an ingredient in Max GXL) should be avoided in nursing mothers and should only be used in pregnancy on the advice of a physician. Overdose can cause severe health ( I believe specifically heart ) problems and possible death. Again, so you don’t get upset with me, I take Max, I believe in it and think it is wonderful but as above, there is no evidence based medicine that it is anything more than the stories you hear. For my wife, it did nothing. For me, it is the best thing since sliced bread. There it is….my reply for those Mad about Max and my n acetylcystiene side effects concerns. If you can afford it and it is not contraindicated, it is great, go get it. PS. You are the first person I have ever spoke to from Alaska (that I know of). Going there is on my list of lifes things to do. I had been reading about a new inhaler that had been tested in Australia for COPD called Bronchitol. The active ingredient is Mannitol (aka D-mannose), a simple sugar alcohol. Not wanting to wait for it to get to the U.S. (not to mention the costs, and other possible side effects from other added ingredients that pharmeceutical companies are notorious for adding) I decided to order 2-3 lbs of it online at a cost of $35. I have chronic bronchitis–mucous forms in my lungs but not much of it wants to come out, so I was constantly coughing and hacking and losing my voice for a moment mid-sentence until I could clear it. This had been going on for several years, and my lung function was down to 43%. When I got the Mannitol I decided that the easiest thing would be to make sure it was strained nice and fine, then took a very thin straw (the kind you would stir coffee with) and put it towards the back of my mouth and inhaled the powder so that it would quickly reach my lungs. I would keep a plate with the mannitol on it at home, and every hour or so I would inhale a bit more (I was probably inhaling about 1/2 gram at a time). Within a day I could tell that I was having amazing results. I immediately scheduled another follow-up visit with my physician and he was astounded. My lung function had doubled to 86% in a single week, and the incessant wheezing, although not necessarily acute, at the back of my lungs had disappeared. I don’t think many people have figured this one out yet so if this helps a few people it will make me feel very, very good. In the meantime, I have been taking the Glutathione in capsule form but realize that I should be inhaling it, so many thanks for the apothecure website, where I will order some! Additionally, after making Xylitol my sweetener (and toothpastes. mouthwashes and chewing gum made with it) of choice for many years, I discovered that not only had it cured me of my gingivitis (and stopped any new cavities from forming). What I also realized was that it cured me of my most nasty allergies….I have 2 cats to which I was horribly allergic two years ago….runny nose, red swollen eyes, sneezing, etc. Gradually the runny nose and sneezing stopped and only putting my fingers near my eyes after holding them would bother me. Now not even that happens any more. Then I read about the use of Xylitol in curing allergies and put it all together. I have been taking 40g of Xylitol in my diet for several years now, and I can’t say enough good things about it (the rule of thumb is 1 gram per day for every 3 lbs of body weight). I am also now taking a supplement called policosanol which is a substance made up of a wider array of sugar alcohols. I have heard that there are some supplements with up to 24 sugar alcohols contained in them. Our bodies often stop manufacturing them naturally in the quantitites that they did while we were young, so some people react very very well to these substances, and they are not likely to have any negative effects on the body so it’s worth trying. Regarding emphysema, would drops of 35% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), in an enhaling machine help in treating this desease? If so, how many drops would one use? If you use Hydrogen Peroxide as mentioned above, it should be food grade. There are other things in the drug store version of H2O2 and these could be harmful if breathed in. For both pneumonia and chronic bronchitis, one more thing to add to your arsenal of treatments is alkalized water. It can be obtained in a number of ways. There are expensive machines that convert the water (these work best for treating chronic bronchitis) and at the other end of the spectrum is baking soda. On the side of the baking soda box you will find the Drug Facts on how to use baking soda as a medicine. These are not the cure all but they will help the other things you do to improve your health. I should add, you drink the alkaline water. This will help your body become slightly alkalotic which will inhibit the inflammation process, reducing mucous buildup. Another thing that will help your body make the alkaline shift is lemonade. Science does not know why but it works as a paradoxical effect, the citric acid making your body shift to alkaline. But, there can be no sugar in the lemonade. Likewise cayenne pepper will too but it has to be raw. Do not drink after 3pm or you may be unable to sleep for much of the night. it will both give you energy and help your body become alkalotic, fighting the inflammation process resulting in the health problems mentioned above. One MD I knew of prescribed this for stomach ulcers, way before the current knowledge of why it works. Sometimes chronic bronchitis is misdiagnosed by doctors. It could be cough variant asthma or it could be chronic sinusitis. The above treatments work for these as well. If you can, get an asthma consult to find out for sure. The difference is that the more traditional treatments will not work for these. Is it possible to buy inhaled glutathione without a prescription? I don’t have health insurance anymore and am desperate to find COPD relief without the use of inhalers. I have had COPD all my life and do not smoke. I read somewhere of dissolving pure glutathione powder into distilled water and inhaling this instead. Ok, it seems the people in the comments are having success in relieving COPD with non-inhaled, glutathione precursor products. Immunocal, Refensal?, MaxGXL are all such products. Unfortunately, none of them are really cost-effective for long-term use. I was wondering if anyone has had luck with undenatured whey protein? It has also been claimed to be a great way to boost glutathione levels. But I can’t find much linking it to COPD or asthma relief. I may just try it for a while and report back here. Eugene, The data on undenatured whey protein show a 35.5% rise in intracellular glutathione using this method. Using N-acetyl Cysteine, 16 capsules at 500 mg each will result in a little more than doubling that rise in glutathione. The company that has MaxGXL has a second generation glutathione accelerator with the highest rise in glutathione available anywhere, around 276%; and it is 300% more effective than using the 16 capsules/day of NAC mentioned above. There are 17 peer reviewed articles on PubMed supporting this. There are a variety of ways to raise glutathione, but most don’t raise it enough to have a significant benefit. Even eating asparagus daily will raise glutathione, although immeasurable. It’s a Drive Medical Power Neb II Nebulizer and it works great! A warning: coincidentally, I ordered the Power Neb II from CSN Stores (WheelchairSelect is one of their front stores). They are only a distributor of Drive Medical products and do not have an inventory of them. So DM sent the nebulizer straight from their warehouse. Unfortunately, it was a different or older model with a copyright date of 2005 and a 1-year warranty. It seems the reason the item is cheap is because they’re getting rid of old stock. DM tried to spin things and said I received a new model that was not reflected on their site yet. But I wasn’t fooled. It looks like some generic nebulizer and DM just slapped some “Power Neb 2” stickers on it. The manual’s text contains no reference to a company or product name. Very disappointing, avoid! Two of the most popular nebulizers are the Omron NE-C25 and PARI Vios. I received the former yesterday and while it’s rather loud during operation, it seems to be doing the job. Many thanks to the ones who posted information on glutathione. My COPD stabilized enough that I deferred investigation until now. Currently, I’m going to inhale diluted hydrogen peroxide (without fillers) for a week or two and will observe the results. It happens to be the least expensive solution as well. If there are no benefits, I plan to move on to glutathione. I may even give iodine a go in-between. I had a lung infection (severe flu two years ago). It was so bad I thought I would have to be hospitalized (I suspect it was the swine flu as this is when everyone was getting vaccinated and very contagious as a result with it; I don’t do vaccines as they are filled with too many genetically altered organisms, mercury, aluminum etc.). I could hardly breath and breathing took effort as my lungs were so filled with fluid. What worked for me was to make some colloidal silver in my generator (www.silverlungs.com) and use a nebulizer to breath in the colloidal silver as steam into my lungs. I did this every two hours for 10-15 minutes and in two days it was all gone. I also put fresh lemon in water all throughout the day and lemons have the highest content of limolene in them and this breaks up phloem in the lungs. To: Charlie #44 Have you found how many drops of H202 you would put into Cpap machine? I have Hepatitus C and have been researching the effects of using Glutathione which is what Immunocal produces in the body. However, from the three sources that I have gone to so far, The Purple Book on Microcompletion (Starved Gene) on foreign (N) boxes=you got this, your not feeling good. This is what is happening to my body with Hep C now..and I am feeling not good. But the three sources, also a report from a Doctor studying Immunocal shows all good on most of these problems but not on Hep C, it works on Hep B though. Anyway….does anybody have any information more to give me on using Immunocal? I mean I need it for my brain and for my lungs, etc..but I need to know if it would by chance work on someone with chronic hep c and now a fatty liver and I am feeling problems! My study on Glutathione has been great since it does so much as the Master Antioxident and is the major nutrient needed by the immune system to even function…and it even works on Alzheimers..I am very impressed with it…But I also NEED to get whatever WILL WORK on HEP C. Please post here if you have any ideas/suggestions…. Thanks! I have other suggestions, as per my postings above, and I have people w/Hep C using these products and pleased with what’s happening with them. Immunocal can raise glutathione 35.5% intracellularly (their own findings), whereas what I would suggest would raise your intracellular glutathione almost 300%, as per numerous peer reviewed Clinical Studies on PubMed, funded by the National Institutes of Health. I started my mom on the glutathione and when she is finished with her treatment she coughs alot. Is this normal. Has anyone had this happen. Hi wow I’m overwhelm by all that I have read. 🙂 I have scaring on my lungs and now something going on with my lymph dr said not cancer but not sure what it is,they want to do biopsy my oxygen level runs 82-89%when I move around with oxygen on at 3meters. I had the h1n1 in 2009 and the pneumonia shot ..ugh I got really sick for 3weeks I couldn’t stop coughing,they gave me many antibiotics none worked.and I have gone down hill since then.I need Help ! I have changed my diet to veg soup/juice and some fruit.tried several herbs. Son wants me to go to the clinic in Mexico,but their has to be something I can do here at home.I’m scared 🙁 thanks for listening ! Jini, When I use the hydrogen peroxide in the steamer, do I still add salt to it? Also, Penny, yes, it is normal for your mother to cough a bit when she first tries the l-glutathione. Even for a while thereafter. She should take it slow at first and easy and if she feels irritation, I would stop. I also use l-glutathione in my nebuizer and it really works and helps my breathing when I am having asthma exacerbations. I add sterile sea water to the solution and if it is irritating, I just add more. One more thing, there is no magic cure. I tried Immunocal and yes, indeed it helped me, but what helped me most was changing my whole diet. I believe that our diet is the key to our health and healing. Also, supplements, but diet first, Nothing will help us unless we change that first (my opinion only). JAN – I agree with you, getting rid of the sugars (and perhaps using a broad-spectrum anti-pathogen agent like wild oregano oil to help things along) and then balancing your gut terrain with a therapeutic probiotic (like Natren) and then keeping things healthy ongoing with fermented foods, homemade yoghurt, kefir, etc. is the foundation for health throughout the body. Re the hydrogen peroxide and salt… I don’t know. Go to this post and download the “detailed instruction manual” and I’ll bet that will give you the answer – and then let us know here please! Hi Jini~ Thank you so much for the link. I will go through it later and let you know about then salt if I can find it. Looked at it briefly, lots of good info. I appreciate it. It’s a keeper. I also use food grade hydrogen peroxide, sometimes in my neb if I have a chest cold or feel it coming on. Coincidentally, I also use Healthy Trinity Probiotics by Natren, they are excellent! Also have wild oreganol oil which I just started to use again. I was using Olive leaf extract and making my own because I feel that my asthma is caused by mycoplasma bacteria and read they are so resistant to treatment but that olive leaf works wonders, but ironically found out I am allergic to Olive! I still have a hard time believing it because I have used all my life and never had a problem and feel no different without it. So decided to use the oreganol on a regular basis, 3 to 4 times per day to see if that will help. Also eating lots of fermented foods lately!!! Just found a great recipe for sauerkraut and have been making yogurt for my mother and she loves it!! She is 91 and not taking any medications Jini. I make coconut keifer for myself and my husband as we are vegans and I also have been making Kombucha, which my husband loves and drinks 2 x per day. Also I have been experimenting with keifer grains and making coconut water keifer and delicious green tea with pomegranate keifer. This is my favorite! It really gives so much energy too. Are the tests accurate Jini? I had blood drawn and was told that I was also allergic to peanuts, oaks (surrounded by forest of oaks, haha), alsom Maple, russian thistle and ragweed! All around me. I was going to go get tested at a place where they sell herbs,.They use a biofeedback machine to test to see what the body is lacking as well. Have you ever heard of this before? If so, do you feel these machines are accurate. Thanks for all of your valued advice Jini and for this great site!!! Sorry, I wish I had at least edited this post. I meant to ask you if you felt blood tests for allergies were accurate. Hi Jini, Thanks for telling me about that link, it is very helpful! However, I didn’t find anything about adding salt to the steamer, I went ahead and added a heaping tsp of Celtic Sea Salt and it worked very well for me. I am wrestling with a cold that has settled in my lungs and want it gone!!! I have one more question, does one have to see a Naturopath to have Vit C given IV and B shots like you had done? There is no one in the area I live that does that! Is there another way that can help? I am reading about “Primal Panacea” by a cardiologist named Dr. Thomas Levy who recommends IV Vitamin C and has cured people from impossible situations by it’s use. He has also done research on nutrition and how toxic dental materials play a role in many immune challenges and how they have contributed to a new frame of reference for epidemic disease in this day. He is the author of “Curing the Incurable”. There are several videos on You tube about it. Good to see some Allopathic Docs doing something different!!! Yes, to have IV treatments administered you have to see a qualified doc – naturopath, integrative physician, perhaps a nurse. Are you telling me there are NO natural health professionals where you live? If there are any, call them up and ask them who could administer this, because you can buy the vitamin C in IV bags from the Internet – you just need someone to administer it. Orthomolecular Medicine org has a lot of free info on Vitamin C, so you may want to check there as well. Thanks for the info about Thomas Levy – I’ve read some of his stuff through Ortho Med. but will check out his vids as well. In addition to Glutathione and Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide, there is an inhaler that has had some success in Australia (not available in the U.S. yet) where the active ingredient is Mannitol (d-mannose, a sugar alcohol). When I read about it, I decided to order the Mannitol powder. I chop it up very finely and inhale it into my lungs. It really helps in a major way with expelling trapped mucus in the lungs. Great stuff! Thanks for the info, I didn’t realize that you could purchase the C from the internet. There is one licensed Naturopath here. We move here in 2008 and it is a shock as we lived in Sebastopol, CA and it is quite a different place. It seemed as though we had more natural health practitioners there than allopathic docs. I did call a new ND here and he doesn’t do that, and knew of noone. However, upon doing a bit of searching, there are chiropractors, some herbalists, I believe there is one nurse practitioner that may also do this. I didn’t realize it was that commonplace, but will def check around. BTW, we are moving back to Sebastopol, soon, I hope, at least we are trying to. I think it was easier to leave then to return!!! Thanks again, will keep you posted! I have copd and have been looking at every possible treatment on the web . I do see the need for Glutathione in the body. My question is can DMSO be used with liquid Glutathione to get it into the blood stream? Or should I just use the nebulizer ? DAVE – I get my inhaled glutathione from a naturopath, no prescription required. re. usage with DMSO… I really don’t know. I would be very careful and research it thoroughly. All great ideas above. I have tried some and more. For asthma I found that over time using xylitol in my diet instead of sugar (1 gram per day for every 3 lbs of body weight) got rid of my asthma and allergies. Replacing the shower head with a filtered one or getting a whole house water filter was very important. Many people get asthma from Chlorine. Unfortunately, although these things helped my asthma, allergies, sinuses and nasal passages so that I was able to breathe well through my nose (and can now cuddle with my cats!), none of the things above helped with the horrible mucous production coming out of my lungs that made me sound and feel like an old lady…..the sad situation with chronic bronchitis. However, I discovered a MIRACLE recently….ACUPUNCTURE!! I knew very little about it. After one session I felt 50% better….after 4-5 sessions my chronic bronchitis, 8 years non-stop of it, was GONE!! I am still going for treatments (now every other week), and I’m not sure what will happen if I stop for a month or two, but my chronic bronchitis/COPD is literally GONE!! And they told me that it was INCURABLE!!! If you try this route make sure you can find somebody that is highly recommended, because not all Acupuncturists have the same level of knowledge and skills. In my case I was told that it was my kidneys that weren’t working well (from stress) and the lungs were working overtime because the kidneys weren’t doing its job. Now the kidneys are starting to heal and the lungs no longer have to do the job that my kidneys weren’t doing. It’s my understanding that Acupuncture in general works best with respiratory and digestive disorders….who would have known? Please pass this news on….you do NOT necessarily have to live with COPD forever! reduced Glutathione ( L-Glutathione ) ? Hi Dave B. I know I am not Jini, but this is what I know about the 2. Glutathione is a protein made from three amino acids: glutamate, cysteine and glycine. It is a powerful antioxidant formed in the liver, and it supports a wide variety of immune functions throughout the body. Glutathione can exist as one of two different forms: glutathione and L-glutathione. L-glutathiuone is composed of a single glutathione molecule with the addition of sulfhydryl. L- glutathione is the active form. It donates electrons to free radicals, or molecules with unpaired electrons. And also Dave B. you can order l-glutathione for your nebulizer without a prescription at Theranaturals. Raising glutathione is extremely important for anyone suffering from a lung condition such as COPD. You really want to raise glutathione (GSH) inside your cells, not just in your blood stream. 97-98% of the GSH is needed inside your cells, where your mitochondria are located. Only 2-3% of the GSH is needed in the blood serum. GSH is a large molecule and it cannot get inside the cells once it is made. It is made in every cell of the body; the problem is that people over the age of 20 years old don’t make enough, and if people have any condition associated with decreased GSH (COPD is on this list from PubMed.gov) then they are really behind game. I do know of a way to raise GSH INSIDE the cells that is safe, effective, proven and a breakthrough technology. Reduced GSH is the form your body uses in quenching free radicals. Oxidized glutathione is the spent form. GSH is the only antioxidant that is recycled in the body. FYI– if you buy reduced glutathione or L-glutathione and put it in the body (examples: orally, transdermals, patches, creams, or IV) you will not raise GSH inside the cells. Feel free to contact me directly: C 907-888-9437, one hour west of Pacific time zone. I wish you the best of luck. I work directly with doctors and nurses who use these glutathione enhancers with their patients to improve their health. Glutathione/Vitamin C/DMSO 15ML 1.25/1.25/6.25% in a nebulizer. so apparently they can be used together. Jini are you using L-Glutathione ? Power or liquid ? A little more detailed info if you please. It kinda sounds like you might be selling a product. Any opinions about colloidal silver? I have heard a lot about this. As to your second question– as you can see from reading all the postings above, several people promote products. I work with people as they begin a new regimen and detoxify at the cellular level. I will try to get in touch with Apothecure and let you know. today the cough is gone and the bad wheeze I had is almost completely gone. It appears the HP is helping. I just talked to apothecure, they said you need a prescription for Glutathione for the nebulizer. Is there a place to get it without a prescription? I don’t know if I can get my doctor to write one for this product. Since he never brought it up he nay have no idea what it is, Also its not cheap a ten day supply using it twice a day is $ 63.21. ouch ! oh and the formula I stated above she said was eye drops Using DMSO although it was listed under nebulizer uses. DAVE – sorry, I meant glutathione! I have changed it above. A friend of mine also used hydrogen peroxide in a nebulizer for her son with good results. How much of what concentration have you been using? Also, another cost-effective treatment would be to mix it with colloidal silver. I’ve heard of people using that in a nebulizer too. Yeah, glutathione is expensive no matter where you buy it. You may need to see a naturopathic doctor for a prescription. I checked out the naturals website and found the L- glutathione ( reduced ) plus seems to be the powder version that you can mix with water , dump the capsules in to water, and into nebulizer. and its 1/2 the cost of the prescription one. with all the different treatments out there something has to help copd besides the inhalers I get from the doctor, They don’t do beans. Hi Dave and Jini, Apothecure’s prices are too high and every Comnpounding pharmacy has very high prices. I checked the prices in 2007 when I had heard about glutathione for asthma and COPD by Dr, Whitaker. Please read one of my posts above as Therenaturals has the l-glutathione for about $35.00 for 100 capsules and each capsule I put in 5 ml sterile saline, (there is already sodium bicarbonate mixed in so that it dissolves in sterile water, I was using sterile seawater when I can get it. When I am have bad asthma, it does help and it does make one cough, but it’s good to get everything out of the lungs! In addition, something new that really works with that is large doses of vitamin c (absorbic acid), as well as quercetin, together. When I was very ill with bronchitis and asthma, I began taking the vitamin c 100 mg with quercetin and I kicked the upper respiratory infection out. This is the first year since I became deathly ill (in -07) that I didn’t need to go to the hospital! And so far, my immune system is getting stronger and stronger! Now I am juicing organic greens and fruits, kelp, dandelions, carrots, apples, boysenberries, strawberries, blackberries, pineapple, flax or chia seeds sometimes mango, coconut kefir, organic tumeric, ginger, cinnamon. I am going to do this for 30 days. So far, I feel great! Asthma is not an issue for me now. I don’t take any medications except I do have a nebulizer and a rescue inhaler. Just wanted to share that because not only do we need to take care of ourselves everyday and not wait til we get sick, or worse, but we need to feed our bodies health, not our illnesses, I read everything I eat and realize that most of the food we eat here is sadly, [processed. And our bodies don’t recognize priocessed foods. I am definitely not selling anything, just would like to see people get healthy and live vital lives. Also, please tell Theranaturals that I referred you, if you do purchase the glutathione as he gives me a small 10% off. Thanks. His name is Mike Parrish. L-glutothione Plus I do believe is the product your referring to. The pluse is 200 mg per cap and the straight L-glutathione is 500 mg but is made for oral use only as it states. The plus version can be nebulized. The 500 mg is $50 for 100 caps. the plus is $35 for 100. I have read were others have used the plus version for nebulizing. but needs to be done. Hi Dave, Yes, then l-glutathione plus is the one that can be nebulized in 5 ml of sterile water, it suggests distilled, but sterile is always best as the lungs are so delicate. It is already to go and has a buffer to assist in reducing the acidity of the glutathione, Taking orally has never worked for me, but I do take NAC everyday as a precursor to the glutathione. Diet is important for everyone, there are no quick fixes, but proceessed food, smoking, environmental toxins, pesticides, herbicides, the list goes on all contribute to dis-ease and imbalances in our bodies. Nurturing should be easy, but we are so use to the foods and bad habits that it all becomes such a challenge, but I find it gets easier as time goes on because I feel good! And I want to feel good…One step at a time is the easiest way to approach the diet sometimes, because I was diagnosed with an iminent death diagnosis, I changed everything quite quickly. I guess you could say “I became as willing as the dying could be,” Good luck to you!!! I have a question about Glutathione. Does it help with increased energy ? I have done a lot of reading on it but didn’t see that mentioned. The HP doesn’t seem to be doing much for me now, in fact it seems to make me wheeze more now than I was before. I’m going to give it 1 more week then switch over to the Glutathione. I have ordered it and will start it soon. Make glutathione in every cell of every organ in your body. Glutathione (GSH) is produced by every cell in your body. It is the primary protector and detoxifier of the cell. For years, scientists and medical professionals have looked for ways to effectively raise glutathione levels. Because glutathione cannot be effectively absorbed through the intestinal tract, it must be supplemented via its essential building blocks, the amino acids cysteine, glycine, and glutamic acid. While glycine and glutamic acid are readily available through regular diet, it is much more difficult to absorb the required amounts of cysteine. Glutathione supplemented intravenously, orally, or via patches, etc… will never get inside the cells where it is critically needed. It must be MADE within the cells. Until recently, N-acetyl Cysteine (NAC) was the most consistent means of enhancing the body’s ability of maintaining optimal glutathione levels. To be effective, NAC supplementation required large steady doses that were inconvenient and overly expensive. Now, with the release of RiboCeine, the game has changed. Today my Mothers primary care physican visited her at home. I requested a thorough blood test to understand her chemical dispositon and how I can assist Mom by incorporating daily supplements into her daily drug regiment used to stabilize her COPD/pulimary hypertension. (1) Potassium chloride 10 mEq, (1) Sidenifil (Viagra) 25mg. Doctor wants her to take Sidenifil twice daily but after the blood test results this week. I am reading about nebulized administration of glutathione for COPD sufferers. Would like Mother to give it a try. She resides in Queens, New York. Any good solid leads on where I can obtain this therapy for her? Or can I do it? She has a new nebulizer kit unused. She always told me that it never did anything for her (Albuterol Nebulized Treatments) when given during her two hospital visits in the course of these two years. Ma just celebrated her 75th birthday and for over ten years was medically treated by various respiratory and heart specialist for every other ailment except what she had. Mild emphysema. She quit smoking three years ago upon learning of her actual stage. 1. Hi – I have found a lot of info on here and am seriously thinking about trying the glutahione in my nebulizer (will probably purchase from theranaturals.com and Janet Green I will tell them you referred me. I wanted to respond to the woman with Hepatits C. Look into getting a “Hulda Clark zapper” (don’t get imitations) and this will get rid of the virus for you. There are two companies I found that make quality zappers, bestzapper.com and drclark.com (Dr Clark Research Association). Immunocal, et. al. are just undenatured whey protein powder. You can get the same results from a non-MLM source. Jarrow brand works well for me and only costs $20/month vs. $100+/month for these MLM “miracles”. I mix it with orange juice. Whey protein contains cystine and other proteins that are glutathione precursors. It is important to buy undenatured whey protein as heat treating destroys many of the good proteins. It does “smooth” me out. It is not a miracle but I my lungs feel generally better when on it. Stay away from NAC as it has been linked to PAH (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension). The only thing worse than having COPD or asthma is having PAH. I like it so much I’m now stocking it in the LTYG Shoppe. For a product like this, it is not just the issue of using the correct RATIO of silver to hydrogen peroxide, but it is also specially blended in a laboratory to avoid any burning side effects, that may result from home-blended hydrogen peroxide. Hi, Struggling with some emphysema and have had some help from NAC I think. I have bought some of Theranaturals Glutathione Plus, can I dissolve it in distilled water. Looking forward to hearing from someone. I have still to buy a nebuliser. I’m afraid we cannot comment on the use of that product as we do not carry it ourselves so it would be best to contact the manufacturer directly for instructions. Hi Justin, I shall contact the manufacturer though Janet mentions it on april 21st 2012 and JINI makes reference to it too. I was interested in speaking with someone who is using it at present. I do wonder about the distilled water too as people use it with the inhaled H202. Thank you for your inquiry and interest in our products. Most doctors will mix the glutathione with distilled water due to it’s availability however, some doctors prefer sterile water or saline solution. Any of these is adequate and works well. Latest recommendation is minimum, 1 ml distilled or sterile water or saline/capsule. Simply break the capsule open and empty contents into a sterile container. Mix in water and the solution is ready to be used however you choose. Let me know if you need anything else. I look forward to hearing from you again. Thank you so much for chiming in – we really appreciate your contribution to the discussion! Thank you for your inquiry. For lung issues, we recommend 600 mg/day min. Most doctors agree that 2 capsules in the morning and 1 capsule in the even is a good schedule. This said, you may modify, i.e. take more or fewer capsules as needed without negative effect. The sodium bicarbonate is a buffer with the sole purpose of neutralizing the acidity of the gLutathione. In this dosed form, the liquid will mimic the fluids naturally found in the body and facilitate a more comfortable therapy. Without the buffer, there have been cases of lung and soft tissue irritation and in extreme cases, bronchial constriction. As such, it is highly recommended to use the buffered form for any soft tissue contact. Let me know if you have further questions. i look forward to hearing from you again. I have sarcoidosis stage 3 but with stage 2 similarities. Doc says I have a 50% chance of going into remission and with my healthy choices he really beleives it will go into remission. I am on Pretnazone and I take Chlorella, Serra-Gold, and I juice. I eat yogurt and herring for breakfast and a 16 oz mixture of beet, carrot, shard, onion, pepper, ginger, celery and cucumber juice. Always looking for more advice, as I intend to beat this. I am doing inhaled glutathione that I bought by prescription for $100. I saw one of these comments reccomending theranaturals and am excited to save the money and not have to deal with prescriptions. I’m afraid there isn’t much we can help you with when it comes to sarcoidosis as Jini’s protocols are mostly geared toward people suffering from IBD and IBS. However, we wish you all the best in your efforts and would love to hear how it works out for you! I’m also taking the glutathione treatments as i’m suffering from Emphysema… any tips for me ? We don’t have any tips about emphysema, specifically, but you may want to take a look at the previous comments on this post (if you haven’t already) as some people have shared information about using glutathione with emphysema. Hi, Sadly for me it did not really work. My lungs felt a bit coated and my breathing not too good so I stopped after a week. Out of the blue I woke up to a dry incessant cough. The X ray showed I had pneumonia. Then, the CT Scan revealed emphysema. I inhaled and drank hydrogen peroxide with great results for my COPD. My pneumonia was gone in 3 days with inhaling the hydrogen peroxide. After I began drinking it, I could actually run up a flight of stairs, my toe nail fungus and tendonitus disappeared and my energy level and mental clarity were vastly improved. However, I developed an acute aversion to the taste. I then wanted to switch to taking the hydrogen peroxide intravenously. Unfortunately this procedure wasn’t successful due to a myriad of reasons. My homeopathic Dr. suggested nebulized Glutathione which I have recently begun. My questions are; Can I combine hydrogen peroxide with the Glutathione in the nebulizer? I also bought DMSO to be used in the IV. Can I combine DSMO with the Glutathione? I don’t notice any difference yet with the Glutathione (Day 3) but I KNOW the hydrogen peroxide has wonderful results. Thank you for any help in this matter. I am loathe to give up on the hydrogen peroxide. The P73 and Joy of the Mountains wild oregano oil are great and we recommend both. We aren’t able to comment on using the oil along with a blood thinner and aren’t qualified to speculate, I’m afraid. Wild oregano oil is a powerful, natural antibiotic so you’ll definitely want to consult with your mother’s physician before proceeding. Jini would love to hear how it all works out! I’m confused by your post #46 in which you state “there can be no sugar in the lemonade” and the Speechmastery link you provide in that post which states “traditional lemonade with real lemons sweetened to taste.” May I ask what your exact recipe is for your “Ice Cold Hot Lemonade?” Thanks much. Your blog is great ! I don’t speak well english, sorry. I have an emphysema, i would like to try the glutathione in a nebulizer. I found glutathione capsules in pharmacy but contain no Bicarbonated soda. For glutathione 600mg how should I add to Bicarbonated? We’re not sure if you can add baking soda to glutathione… and we’re not sure if they are compatible. But you may be able to find a method with a google search. If you end up finding out how to do it and it works well for you, we’d love to hear about it! I use this Glutathione which has bicarbonate.Its the L=Glutathione Plus by Thera Naturals and is ready to mixed with Saline for Nebulizer. No script required. They are a pharmacy in Sarasota, Florida. They are the leaders in preventative medicine. They sell high potency bio-available glutathione. Doctors all over the world use them for their products. I get my amino acid injections, vitamin cocktail and glutathione from them. No more asthma, no more hyper pigmentation and no more insomnia because of their products. Their direct line is 941-388-0800. Was told by pulmonary Dr I have LAMs disease of lungs. Any ideas on how to fight this disease or known natural products that may help eliminate cysts from lungs? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! I wish I had a better answer for you but I’m afraid that we don’t have any information to share about that condition as we do not have any protocols or experience with it. We wish you all the best and would love to hear how it works out for you. Hello, I was wondering how is this different from advair??? Could I stop taking my normal medication with this treatment? Right now I buy generic advair online but even with my half off code it would be too expensive to have two treatments. Would the advair interact with this new treatment? Please help!!! I’m afraid we cannot comment about prescription medication as we are not qualified to do so. We recommend speaking with your doctor if you are interested in the treatment from the blog post above and how it might work with your specific medical condition. I have the L-Glutathione Plus but now need saline…..is it okay to nebulise the solution sold for contact lenses. … .? It says that’s sterile saline…..I’m struggling to find anything else here in the uk without a prescription. If you definitely want to use saline solution instead, you should avoid contact lens solution unless you can 100% confirm that the one you have doesn’t contain ANY other ingredients aside from sodium chloride and distilled water. Most contact lens solutions contain a variety of other things as well. I have COPD and was wondering about regular 3% peroxide in my nebulizer along with the albuterol. Also, at night I use a cool mist humidifier—-can I put peroxide in that? This helps me sleep all night long. Thank you for any help you can give…I so appreciate the comments from others and your response. So we recommend just being cautious of that if you decide to make your own formula. As for combining it with the albuterol, we are not qualified to comment on the use of it with a medication and recommend consulting your doctor on that. Also we have only used this formula in a vaporizer, which is different from a humidifier, so can not comment if it will work as well, but you can try it out and see if it will work out for you. I could never find glutathione suitable for my nebulizer, though everyone keeps talking about it. I found Jarrow pharm grade, but it has stuff in it that I do not think good for my lungs. Hello, I have a 6 month old who has an upper respiratory infection, lots of coughing. I would like to know of there is anything out there that is natural and safe for me to give him. I will appreciate your help everyone. We aren’t qualified in recommendations for that condition in babies. We recommend you contact your doctor concerning it. Sorry we can not be of more help, but please let us know if there is anything else be can help you with. The link for the Resp-Aide no longer works, and searching the store gives no results. Is it still available? Has the name changed? Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Unfortunately, the Resp-Aide has been discontinued. If Jini has any further recommendations other than this, we will update the information and let you know. We apologize for this inconvenience. Please let us know if you have any further questions. Is anyone familiar with methotrexate lung? My husband diagnosed with this in January. He was overdosed by dr for R A using this drug along with 3 other meds he was giving him. He was hopitalized for 27 days. He is off all of the drugs now. Doing several natural herb treatments and the ssential oils. I am considering glutathione plus in the nebulizer. Any info would be appreciated. I will be glad to share my experience living a near normal life. I have a few other suggestions as well for herbal stuff. Btw, my diagnosis is Sarcoidosis. Pervetion and treatment of emphysema is to stop smoking and avoid smoke in any way. Emphysema Natural Treatment that helps for better breathing. Bronchiectasis can occur if your airways become damaged. Bronchiectasis Herbal Treatment is to prevent lung infections and relieve its Symptoms and Causes with proper Diagnosis of Bronchiectasis.

2019-04-23T11:07:48Z

http://blog.listentoyourgut.com/inhaled-glutathione-for-lung-inlfammation-pneumonia-emphysema/

This link takes you to Ovetta Wiggins, the Washington Post reporter who exposed the story of Maryland Delegate Mary Ann Lisanti using a racial slur to refer to residents of Prince George’s County. Perhaps you’ll want to give her a follow on Twitter. This link takes you to an article by Luke Broadwater and Pamela Wood in the Baltimore Sun about where things stand on this issue right now. This link takes you to a Change.org petition calling for Lisanti to resign. Using the word that she used disqualifies her from public service. Regardless of her stage of inebriation, that word would not come out of her mouth if it hadn’t already been in her head and in relatively common usage. It shows that she does not view all constituents equally. Period. And now her constituents know it. And the citizens of the State of Maryland know it. And if we do nothing we might as well endorse racial slurs ourselves. We must not be silent. I read the news a bit wistfully: the old Durgin-Park Restaurant was no more. Back when I was in high school and our class visited Boston on the American History trip, a visit to Durgin-Park was a must. They were known for classic New England dishes and for their waitresses who were, to be blunt, rude. That’s right, people flocked to Durgin-Park to be insulted by the waitresses. They wouldn’t bring you dessert unless you cleaned your plate and, even then, might give you the once-over and ask if you really needed it. And people just adored it. Somehow there was a market for humiliating people in a social setting. Durgin-Park was the best of the best. Now it’s gone. So, too, is the humor of comedian Don Rickles who made quite a successful career out of insulting people. Whatever will we do without them? Don’t fret, though. I’ve found a local joint where you can go to get insulted and it won’t cost you a cent. No cover charge, no tipping a surly waitress. Just pure, unadulterated disrespect. Here’s what you need to do. Just go to the Facebook page for the Comptroller of the State of Maryland and disagree with one of his views. It’s that simple. One differing opinion is all it takes and you will receive prompt attention. The Comptroller’s social media staff will spring into action and put you in your place. Even better, they’ll even throw in a patronizing tone, gaslighting, and general, all-purpose sexism absolutely free! If you want the deluxe, VIP (Very Insulting Package) just persist in defending your point of view beyond a sentence or two. As if by magic, two of the Comptroller’s staff will appear and play with you like a cat plays with a small rodent. They certainly spare no expense at demeaning the taxpayer over there. If you stick around you can see the two of them practically high-five eachother after each cringe-worthy encounter. Ordinary social media accounts for ordinary elected officials have it all wrong. They try to be respectful, entertain the views of supporters and detractors alike, and take the high road when things get unpleasant. But what kind of fun is that? Don’t you just get a rush seeing guys tell it like it is with no filter and no consequences? Isn’t it exhilarating? If I were you I’d pay a visit to this establishment before it goes the way of the old Durgin-Park. This kind of good, old-fashioned fun just can’t last forever. I have a drying rack that I use for those items that shouldn’t go in the clothes dryer. The last time I took it out I noticed that one of the joints/hinges is just not right. It won’t open all the way, so the entire rack doesn’t open and sit properly anymore. My husband and I both fooled with it to see what the matter was but: no dice. What great timing! I wonder if they can fix my poor drying rack? This all takes place at the Other Barn in Oakland Mills this Saturday from 1-4 pm. Not only does it sound like there’s lots to learn, but I think it would be a great opportunity to learn more about Time Banking and Transition Howard County. And you might discover that you have a skill that can help somebody else. FYI: If you have something you’d like to have repaired, pre-register it here. You may have seen that the Columbia Association is proposing a change in status, through state legislation, from an HOA to a Community Benefit Association. What does that mean, exactly? CA should never have been a homeowners association. It is so much more than a homeowners association and quite frankly a lot of the random bills regarding homeowners associations really shouldn't apply to CA or, for that matter, the villages. CA spends a fortune in lobbyist fees to exempt CA from these regulations. It seems to me that, in this context, CA is moving to correct its status to one that fits better with who they are. An important note: this legislation applies to CA itself. The Villages will need to make their own decisions on this change. The Columbia community is invited to learn more about the proposal at an information session on Tuesday, March 5 from 7-8:30pm at Wilde Lake Interfaith Center, 10431 Twin Rivers Road. There will also be a CA Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, February 28and a CA Board of Directors work session on Thursday, March 14. In the mean time, I have some work to do in learning about Community Benefit Associations. CA appears to want to get this accomplished during the current legislative session, so I guess we need to put this one on the front burner. MDGA2019 has already passed the halfway point. All in all, I don’t find this announcement something to fear or get angry about. I do think it’s important to learn more and get a good handle on what this would mean going forward. One of the local notables I follow on Twitter is Matthew Winner, a librarian/media specialist in the Howard County Public Schools. In addition to his day job, Mr. Winner hosts a podcast about children’s books and maintains an active social media presence. Yesterday I noticed a discussion in his feed about Dr, Seuss. It starts here. Now, you may have already known about this; I hadn’t. But as I read it I knew it to be true. Dr. Seuss books are completely centered in whiteness and view anything that differs from this norm as exotic, humorous, less competent, sometimes malevolent. He has a history of wearing blackface in minstrel show activities, and, try this on for size: there are absolutely no girls of color in any of his books. The Power of a Girl with a Book. I was happy to hear from reader Sarah Russo, herself a school librarian/media specialist, that Read Across America has moved away from centering the works of Dr. Seuss in their literacy celebrations. But individual school systems may still be using that old tried and true Dr. Seuss framework. Havana Chapman-Edwards’ school in Virginia is. She’s trying to get them to make a better choice that takes into account all of their students. I highly recommend that you read A Critical Race Reading of Dr. Seuss and watch The Power Of a Girl with a Book. Once you do I think you’ll understand why Ms. Chapman-Edwards is advocating for a whole lot less Dr. Seuss and an intentional increase of Black Girl Magic. I came across something on Twitter this morning that stunned me yet somehow didn’t surprise me. It’s about Dr. Seuss. You may think that Dr. Seuss doesn’t have a local connection, but if you’ve ever had a child in a local school you know that Dr. Seuss is on the menu annually. More about that tomorrow. Here’s a piece I wrote for Columbia Patch in 2013. I was surprised to see you can still find it. I suppose this qualifies as my very first Benign Unpopular Opinion. Cat in the Hat? No, Thanks! I hate Dr. Seuss. No, I don't. I dislike the work of Dr. Seuss. I hate the Cat in the Hat. It is easy to get confused since Dr. Seuss' birthday, Read across America Day, and the Cat in the Hat character have been fused into one giant educommercial-edutainment complex. I taught Preschool, I taught Kindergarten, I have two children, and I hate the Cat in the Hat. I hated it when I was little, and I still do. Let's look at it from a child's point of view: a smiling stranger gets into your house, takes complete control and you are helpless. Powerless. And you are supposed to like it. Although it doesn't really matter if you do or not. And, from an adult's point of view: two parents leave their children unsupervised for an indefinite amount of time. The children allow a stranger to come in the house, who smilingly, charmingly, takes complete control. In the process he very nearly kills the only character who passes for parental stability--the fish. In fact, the fish really stands for the voice of their Better Judgement, doesn't he? Am I the only one who sees child abuse written all over this? Horton Hears A Who is a vivid and painful account of torment, mockery, bullying. Of hearing and believing an inner truth but being disbelieved. Horton is good, kind, helpful. And helpless. As a child I cried when the tiny Who folk cried out, "We are here! We are here!" I still do. The happy ending in no way makes up for the abuse, to my mind. Now, it is true that I was very shy as a child, and that I was seeking a safe, comforting world view. The illustrations of Eloise Wilkin in My Little Golden Books were restful to me. The Doctor Seuss books always felt ugly and threatening. The additional insult was that everyone said that children just *loved* them. Theodore Geisel had a great facility for word play. He was given the task of writing vocabulary-controlled readers. He did what he did very well. But let us not confuse that with a deep love for or compassionate understanding of children. Let us not make of his work our only blueprint for a religion of childhood reading. Then I'm glad that you like it. Insult you? I won't. No, absolutely not. There’s no way I’d drink two gin and tonics on a school night. Well, alright. Yes, yes I did. And before all that lovely joie de vivre wears off I’m going to write a blog post. Motivation tomorrow morning may be nil. If you know me well, you’ll know I was there for this week’s taping of Elevate Maryland. This particular episode was the second in what I hope will be an ongoing History Makers series. I do think we are making a lot of history these days in Columbia/HoCo, and not just of the political variety. So, stay tuned. The evening’s guests were the newly appointed Chief of Police and Fire Chief, Lisa Myers and Christine Ulhorn, respectively. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of what they said but I do think that we’re all in good hands with these two capable women in public safety leadership roles. The combination of their deep knowledge of their departments combined with a sincere desire to build bridges in all areas of the community impressed me. public good, in particular, the public schools. I discovered this evening that smart phones can have powerful flashes. If you see a picture of me online I will probably look startled. I finally found a good choice on the Lupa menu that suited my appetite and wallet. They have a lovely burger which, when paired with a side arugula salad, hits all the right notes. The salad has a lemony yet sweet dressing which is a lovely contrast to the heartiness of the burger. Now as to the aforementioned gin and tonics. I must relate to you an experience which has happened to me twice recently in two separate establishments. The first drink is fine if a bit weak. I decide I can swing another one and then the second is knock down, drag-out strong. Is this a thing? Is this a ploy to get me to order the second drink? I don’t recall this ever happening before. I’d definitely recommend that you give this particular episode a listen once it’s up and available. Some words to be on the lookout for: cruise, pancake batter, fire helmet, fish tacos, and sixth grade. I stepped in with a bit of Mom Wisdom. She gave me the look of a teenager enduring adult advice. But, guess what, devoted readers? Karma is a comin’ in for Mom this morning. I woke up with that old familiar feeling: I can’t do this. You have to have at least some commitment to the concept of community service. Liking your neighbors helps. If you are getting into it as part of some personal/political advancement scheme (I have seen this and it is painful to witness), people are going to figure that out quickly. Take a look and see if you feel motivated. Oh, if you do? Send some of that extra motivation my way. I might need it tomorrow morning. Newly elected Board of Education member Dr. Chao Wu made no secret of his support for STEM education during the election campaign. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.) Yesterday Dr. Wu unwittingly became a prime example of why Humanities education is so important when he chose to share an anonymous post which essentially justified segregation in Howard County Schools. It has since been taken down and replaced with this. Here is the original. What Dr. Wu shared with his readers is essentially a piece that attempts to justify segregation. It provoked concern, anger, and a deep sense of hurt from members of the Howard County Schools community. Only after the damage had been done did Dr. Wu retract the post and state that he had only been trying to start a discussion on the topic. Well, he did start a discussion. Let’s have it. 1. The humanities help us understand others through their languages, histories and cultures. 2. They foster social justice and equality. 3. And they reveal how people have tried to make moral, spiritual and intellectual sense of the world. 4. The humanities teach empathy. 5..They teach us to deal critically and logically with subjective, complex, imperfect information. 6..And they teach us to weigh evidence skeptically and consider more than one side of every question. 7. Humanities students build skills in writing and critical reading. 8. The humanities encourage us to think creatively. They teach us to reason about being human and to ask questions about our world. 9. The humanities develop informed and critical citizens. Without the humanities, democracy could not flourish. He published the author’s work anonymously so they wouldn’t have to bear responsibility. He published information that conflicts with HCPSS policy 6010 without acknowledging that. He did not perform the due diligence of checking their “facts” to see if they held up. He didn’t make his intent in sharing it completely clear. He showed absolutely no awareness of how such a post would negatively impact the community and actively damage hcpss relationships with people of color. Dr. Wu is a member of the Howard County Board of Education. I think it is fair to expect him to interact with the community in a way that shows empathy, weighs evidence skeptically, and helps develop informed and critical citizens. He didn’t do that. While STEM education is a valuable course of study it shouldn’t be seen as more practical and, therefore, more valuable than the Humanities. A quick look at what happened here proves how wrong- headed that would be. Having a bad case of the Mondays. On a Tuesday. Plenty of ideas swirling but none of them will hold still long enough to be written about. Let’s try this on for size: does anyone know the history of the Lark Brown Restaurant Park? It exists in that mythical place I like to call “the other side of town”, so we don’t go there often. At the entrance there is a cluster of permanent “flags” that have such a decidedly dated feel that I have often thought one risks going back in time merely by turning down that road. I Googled them to find a photo, but no luck so far. Unpopular benign opinion: the Lark Brown Flags are a local landmark. We found ourselves looking for a place to eat dinner last night while “on the other side of town” and ended up at TGI Friday’s. It’s at the end of the road. We passed a now-deduct Exxon station, a McDonalds, Olive Garden, Bob Evans, and the ever-popular Royal Taj to get there. It is kind of wonderfully subversive to have a true local mom and pop restaurant in there amongst all the chains. There’s also some kind of apartments or perhaps an extended stay hotel? Back when my daughter was little I used to wish that they’d build a playground in that space, because nothing screams playground more than antsy young children in restaurants. However, playgrounds do not generate revenue so something else was built there instead. This was my first visit to this particular TGI Friday’s and I was stuck by how huge this space is and how few people were there. Of course, Monday night isn’t exactly prime dining-out time, but this place seems to have been built with the idea that it was going to be the only restaurant in town. It’s enormous. You could have a blog party and a political announcement event there and still have space for walk-in dining. cathedral to something that didn’t exist anymore. Just like the ever-perky “flags” at the Lark Brown Restaurant Park entrance. Dear readers who have lived here longer than I, please share your knowledge of the Lark Brown Restaurant Park. I’d love to know more. I should’ve taken more pictures. Well, if I had gone with the intent of writing about it, I probably would have. But my motivation for attending the Clarksville Commons Great Chili Cookoff was to support the charity, Grassroots, and to support the folks at Clarksville Commons. They are working really hard to be a community hub and I like that. First off, the event was held in the Porch Room of Food Plenty, which is the Farm to Table/local foods restaurant located upstairs at Clarksville Commons. I had never been there so I enjoyed getting a chance to explore the space. I don’t have a lot of adjectives at my disposal right now to describe it but how about: fresh, calming, simple. Now for the chili. Five of the merchants from the Common Kitchen participated: Great Harvest Bread, Koshary, Namaste Foodie, Scoop & Paddle, and Trifecto. The sixth entrant was event host Food Plenty. My tasting experience was enhanced by the fact that I just happened to be sitting at a table alongside celebrity chili judges Tonya Kennon of the Howard County Library System, and Timothy Banks, Chair of the Culinary and Hospitality Department at Howard Community College. I did not get to meet Ms. Kennon’s lovely dining companion but I can tell you she was rocking an impressive hair bow. My personal favorite was the lentil chili from Koshary. A close second was the Italian Firehouse Chili by Nadine Crisitello of Scoop & Paddle. (Did you know she used to be a personal chef?) The Food Plenty chili was quite fancy with numerous components, different flavor notes and textures. All of the chilis were very tasty and came with special toppings to enhance your tasting pleasure. The Indian-influenced “chili” from Namaste Foodie came with its own adorable individual-sized naan bread. Nice touch. The Duckpin pale ale from Union Brewing Company which I picked up at the bar (along with a large glass of iced water) got me through my spicy samplings. If this post has put you in the mood for 1) community involvement 2) charitable giving or 3) chili, I’d like to invite you to the Great Chili Cookoff at Abiding Savior Lutheran Church. It’s on Saturday, March 2nd and the proceeds will benefit Bridges to Housing Stability. You probably won’t get fancy toppings and I know you won’t be able to buy a beer, but the chili is always great and the Lutherans are welcoming and full of fun. This week County Executive Calvin Ball signed an Executive Order to create an Office of Human Rights Review Committee. One of the recommendations made from my Transition Team is to thoroughly review the operation of the Office of Human Rights and review the existing investigation process. OHR is responsible for administering and enforcing provisions of the Howard County Human Rights Law, investigate complaints and attempts to eliminate violations by conference, conciliation, and persuasion. Therefore, I signed an Executive Order this morning creating an Office of Human Rights Review Committee. This is an opportunity to identify ways we can strengthen the office, so it becomes the gold standard for all local Civil Rights Agencies. 1. Anything Calvin Ball does must be bad, so let me condemn this. 2. omg he used the term Civil Rights. This is an opportunity to identify ways we can strengthen the office, so it becomes the gold standard for all local Civil Rights Agencies. It is clear to me from reading the comments that many folks read this entire statement and came out thinking that the County Executive is changing the Office of Human Rights to the Office Of Civil Rights. I am disheartened that reading comprehension is so poor in Howard County. No such change has been made. A review committee has been appointed to examine the Office Of Human Rights and see if and how we can make it better. That’s it. 2. Human Rights are for everyone and Civil Rights are just for Black people so this move is exclusionary. Aside from the fact that the Executive Order has nothing to do with this, perhaps a bit of Googling is in order here. rights, in which people acquire rights inherently, perhaps from God or nature, civil rights must be given and guaranteed by the power of the state. Human rights, rights that belong to an individual or group of individuals simply for being human, or as a consequence of inherent human vulnerability, or because they are requisite to the possibility of a just society. Here is where it gets interesting. In Maryland the state and county agencies are called Human Rights agencies, but they are partner agencies of the EEOC to enforce civil rights. At the Federal level they are called Civil Rights offices. So, no matter what our friends the commenters think, in Maryland the two terms mean the same thing. I’m not quite sure how to respond to people who are angry about something the County Executive said that he didn’t actually say, something he did that he didn’t actually do, compounded by not understanding the definitions of human rights and civil rights. I mean, where do you start? Do me a favor. If you hear any of this sort of talk around the proverbial water cooler, set folks straight, won’t you? As promised, I’m returning to the subject of teens and voting. I got some thought-provoking feedback after “Minors Go Major?” last week. More than one respondent pointed to the activism of young people following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkand, Florida. It is certainly true that we saw teens motivated, educated, active, and involved in the election process over the last year. Some pointed out that many folks over the age of 18 are woefully uninformed about candidates and issues yet we do not use this as a reason to prevent them from voting. Everyone agreed that America could do a much better job educating children, teens, and adults about the political process, how our government works, and a citizen’s responsibility to vote. Several people tactfully pointed out that the areas of concern I raised about sixteen year olds voting have been used in the past a barriers for the right to vote for the disabled, African Americans, and women. That certainly gives me pause. Let’s look at some of the age demarcations that bestow certain rights and/or responsibilities. If we say a young woman of 16 is not able to freely consent to get married, then must we also say that she is not able to make her own decision about birth control and whether or not to terminate a pregnancy? You may say that those two are not comparable, but it’s that tricky concept of capability and consent. How old is old enough? Who gets to be empowered? Who is protected? And why do we make the decisions we do about who gets to be empowered or protected? It’s complicated. And you thought we were talking about sixteen year olds getting to vote. I seem to have a lot of things on the back burner right now. Maybe they’ll all come to fruition over the weekend. Can competition lower gas prices in Columbia? Is a bag tax the end of the world in Howard County? Everyone I know is in the news. What’s up with that? If you’d like to read something more coherent today I recommend this Valentine’s Day post by HoCoBlogger Mike in ThrewMikesEyEz. Lots to think about and his photos always make me smile. The weather pattern that brought snow and ice across Maryland this week is forecast to resume this weekend, bringing light snow and likely some slush around the region. Me: Why don’t we talk about Summer Reading? I asked Christie Lassen from the Howard County Library about the annual summer reading program. Summer Reading helps stop "summer slide," the tendency for students, especially those from low-income families, to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous school year. Howard County Library System's free summer reading program encourages kids, teens, and adults to read over the summer by offering prizes for reading any types of materials (e.g., books, magazines, news articles) and/or completing various types of activities. This year's theme relates to space (an especially great tie-in to this year's Evening in the Stacks Otherworldly theme), and our staff is planning a fun and educational space-related line up of classes and events throughout the summer. Watch hclibrary.org later in the spring for news about the summer reading kickoff on June 1. As I recall there’s a grownup component as well. Why should kids have all the fun? Right now seems like a good time to imagine warm weather, trips to the pool, hearing the sound of the ice cream truck, and delving into a pile of great books. Want to support Summer Reading? Buy tickets to Evening in the Stacks, buy raffle tickets, or join the Library’s Friends organization. Plus, if you join the Friends and make a donation before February 15th, you’ll be entered to win two tickets to Evening in the Stacks! More Winter weather may be on the way but we can still think Summer if we want to. It looks like the Maryland General Assembly just may return the control of school calendars to local jurisdictions. I am in favor of this move, to put it mildly. I will not go over my reasoning point by point today. We’ve been there, and done that. There is just one thing. (Cue Columbo in the doorway.) The biggest reason I have seen for starting school after Labor Day is “We did it that way when I was young.” I have now officially reached my limit with that argument. Girls were required to wear skirts or dresses to school regardless of the weather. Airplanes caused “sonic booms” over residential areas. Women smoked cigarettes and drank alcohol while pregnant. Women could get fired for being pregnant. One could be fired/arrested for being gay. Women couldn’t get credit in their own names. Lead paint was legal and widely used. The Buddy Deane Show was segregated. Fatalities from car crashes were increasing towards an all-time high. Please, oh please do not tell me that starting school after Labor Day is the right choice because “those were the days.” Some of those days were not as sunny as they seem to be in the nostalgic haze people keep them in. Or maybe they were sunny for you, but not for others. If you want to sell me on a change that will have an impact on students, parents, and teachers statewide then tell me this: how does this change enhance student learning and well-being? How does it show understanding of parent/family needs? How does it support teachers as they strive to do their best for their students? Your childhood and mine, for that matter, aren’t all that relevant here. It’s 2019 and we need to be making 21st century choices that put today’s children at the center. Rant over. And tomorrow’s post will be cheerier, I promise. I’m way behind in listening to my favorite local podcast, “Elevate Maryland”. I’m only about a third of the way in to the episode featuring my new Council representative Opel Jones. And there’s still this week’s episode with Council member Christiana Rigby to delve into. Ah, weekend. I intend to do some catching up in the listening department. An issue that Jones raised that surprised me was a goal to lower the voting age to 16. He cited the interest and activism of local teens in his reasoning to change the law. Maybe I’m just an old fogey, but I don’t agree. I think sixteen year olds are still in a position to be so heavily influenced by their parents vote as to compromise the independence of their choices. When we think about how minors are in a position to be abused by those in a greater position of power, it is the difference in age and status that puts the young person at risk. I’m inclined to believe that this puts a teen voter at risk, as well. Does granting sixteen year olds the vote essentially give their parents/guardians an additional vote? Perhaps not always. But, in many cases, I think it would. Of course I believe that teens have their own ideas and are capable of doing research and getting involved in the political process. I’d love to see Council Member Jones push for expanded civics education in our schools from middle school onwards. There’s a good deal more we could be doing to prepare our young people to be involved and educated voters. Honoring them by making voter education a priority would have a more comprehensive long term effect than granting teens the vote. I just want to sleep. My alarm went off at five am, as it always does, and I just want to sleep. I’m already pausing between sentences to close my eyes. “I don’t really have to write,” that little voice inside my head tells me. I could take a day off. I could run an old post. My eyes close again. On January 31st, five members of Start School Later Howard County testified at the Budget Hearing to ask for the necessary transportation money to ensure healthy, safe, and age-appropriate school hours for ALL Howard County Students. If the BOE doesn't ask for transportation money, neither the County executive, nor the County Council can fund improving school hours. Please email the board at BOE@HCPSS.ORG to add your voice to the discussion. If you agree that our students deserve safe and humane school hours, you can write them and urge them to include funding for the necessary transportation in their budget. The public is able to submit written testimony until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 8, 2019, at BOE@HCPSS.ORG. I wrote about this two years ago in “Minutiae”. Early school start times and the resulting sleep deprivation are linked to chronic tardiness, discipline problems, more motor vehicle crashes, obesity, depression, illicit drug use, lower academic outcomes, and a lower over-all quality of life. Study after study shows that no one should be starting school before 8:00, and that most teens do better with an 8:30 start time. We say we would do anything for our kids. We love them. But then we wonder if getting up at an ungodly hour is just one of the rite-of-passage things we need to let them go through. The science on this issue is clear. We need to align our priorities with the needs of our kids. If you agree, send the BOE a note. And now I’m going to close my eyes for two minutes before I I have to wake my family. I don’t always write blog posts. Sometimes I write letters. This one went out last night to all the members of the Howard County Delegation. My name is Julia McCready and I live in Columbia, Maryland in District 13. I am asking you to support Howard County Bond Request 05-19 for $250,000 towards the Butterfly Guest Services Building and Visual Arts Museum. I support the Inner Arbor Trust developing Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods into a center for arts and culture. I have advocated for Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods since the beginning of the Inner Arbor Plan. I have written letters, blog posts, and appeared at public meetings over and over again to support the creation of an arts and culture park in the heart of Columbia/Howard County. I have attended a variety of events in the Park, and I volunteer my time in the summer to present dance parties for young children on the Chrysalis Stage. I’m a parent, a teacher, a community activist, and a supporter of the arts. People should not have to leave town to experience the arts. We have a responsibility to our community to fulfill the Inner Arbor’s promise as an arts park for all our citizens. Some, like the medically fragile young girl who came out to dance accompanied by her service dog, and the special needs adult in a wheelchair with her companion, may not always be welcomed or accommodated in traditional arts environments. But they were more than welcome to be themselves in the Park this past summer. Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods is more than the Chrysalis. The Trust has raised money for and is building a pathway network, and is working on the Butterfly Building - with much-needed bathrooms as well as visual arts space. Howard County deserves this type of amenity and regional attraction. Supporting this bond request supports the arts, but it also supports businesses in Downtown Columbia as the Park is an attraction to keep people coming to Downtown Columbia. Please vote yes for this $250,000 bond bill to help the Trust continue to bring arts to Downtown Columbia. I hear that the vote will be this morning. I’m hoping for the best for our community. Think some good thoughts, won’t you?

2019-04-19T12:44:48Z

http://villagegreentownsquared.blogspot.com/2019/02/

Every country in the world displays some diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo River to the penguins waddling on the Cape, takes some beating. It befits its position at the southern end of the world’s most epic continent, with more types of terrain than photographers can shake their zoom lens at. There’s the deserted Kalahari, Namakwa’s springtime symphony of wildflowers, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, Kruger National Park’s wildlife-stalked savannah (scene of the famous lion-buffalo-crocodile battle watched more than 40 million times on YouTube) and, running through the east of the country and into Lesotho, the Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park alone has five distinct ecosystems, attracting both zebras and dolphins. If you’re interested in another kind of wildlife, hit the nightclubs on Cape Town’s jumping Long St or sample African homebrew in a township shebeen (unlicensed bar). When it’s time to reflect on it all, do it over seafood on the Garden Route, curry in Durban’s Indian Area, a sizzling Cape Malay dish, or a braai (barbecue) in the wilderness – accompanied by a bottle of pinotage produced by the oldest wine industry outside Europe. Of course, it’s impossible for travelers to South Africa to remain oblivious to the fact that, despite the rise of ‘black diamonds’ (middle-class black folk), racial inequality persists here. Black and coloured townships face problems such as a horrific HIV/AIDS rate and xenophobic tensions caused by economic refugees from nearby countries. Nonetheless, South Africans are some of the most upbeat, welcoming and humorous folk you’ll encounter anywhere, from farmers in the rural north who tell you to drive safely on those dirt roads, to Khayelitsha kids who wish you molo (‘good morning’ in Xhosa). If you’re out to experience the ‘real’ Africa, Zambia is that diamond in the rough. The country boasts some of the continent’s best wildlife parks, and shares (with Zimbabwe) some of the region’s major highlights: Victoria Falls in Southwestern Zambia, Lake Kariba as well as Lower Zambezi National Park in a Southeastern Zambia. It is also an angler’s dream, as fishermen hail from all over the world to try their luck on the mighty Zambezi River with the hopes of landing a toothy tiger fish or the rare, giant vundu. Avid birders also flock to Zambia to glimpse its fabulous diversity of birds, most notably Chaplin’s barbets. Zimbabwe is one of southern Africa’s most beautiful countries, despite its notoriety as a country of political upheaval. Throughout it all, Zimbabweans still somehow maintain their tremendous strength, humor and resolve. As so few visitors come into the country, when they actually do, they are treated as absolute royalty. Tourists are still able to see the stunning sights and sheer beauty of Zimbabwe – the wilderness of Mana Pools National Park, the Save Valley Conservancy, the Chimanimani National Park, the famous mystical ruins of Great Zimbabwe and the stunning views from the mountains looking over Mozambique in the Eastern Highlands. Be treated to fine dining in Harare and bungee jumping over breathtaking Victoria Falls, white water rafting, elephant rides and amazing safaris, Zimbabwe caters for everyone. Mozambique is one of Africa’s up-and-coming hot-spots, with stunning beaches, excellent diving and magical offshore islands. Go snorkeling around the Bazaruto Archipelago, sail on a dhow through mangrove channels or laze under the palms in the Quirimbas Archipelago, take an off-beat safari in the wilds of Gorongosa National Park wonder along cobbled streets past stately colonial-era buildings on Ilha de Mozambique, sip a café espresso at one of Maputo’s lively sidewalk cafés (or maybe a caipirinha at one of its jazz bars), watch the silversmiths at work on Ibo Island or dance to the country’s trademark marrabenta. For almost two decades, many of these attractions were inaccessible due to a protracted guerrilla war. Now dark times are in the past, and Mozambique is one of Africa’s rising stars, with an upbeat atmosphere, overflowing markets and a 2500km coastline waiting to be discovered. If you’re inclined to something tamer, stick to Southern Mozambique, where roads and transport links (especially with neighbouring South Africa) are good and accommodation options abound. For more adventure, head across the Zambezi into the wilds of Northern Mozambique, one of Africa’s last frontiers. Botswana is a land of unique, diverse beauty, and is ideally located in the very heart of Southern Africa. Its attraction lies in its vast wilderness, diverse wildlife, captivating deltas and cultural diversity. A large percentage of Botswana’s land area is dedicated to national parks and game reserves. Visitors can explore the lush green of the Okavango Delta in the north to the surreal red desert dunes in the south. There is an incredible variety of wildlife species and birdlife in the most picturesque of surroundings. There are camp sites within the national parks and game reserves, some very basic, whilst other areas have formal ablution blocks. Hiring a 4×4 is highly recommended to navigate some of the trickier roads. The country focuses on high quality, low volume tourism to create a sustainable industry that employs a large percentage of its people, while still preserving the natural environment. Take the opportunity to view the unique San rock art, geological wonders, and traditional art found in various parts of the country. Botswana offers a truly unique African experience. Wedged between the Kalahari and the South Atlantic, Namibia enjoys vast potential as one of the youngest countries in Africa. In addition to having a striking diversity of cultures and national origins, Namibia is a photographer’s dream – it boasts wild seascapes, rugged mountains, lonely deserts, stunning wildlife, colonial cities and nearly unlimited elbow room. A predominantly arid country, Namibia can be divided into four main topographical regions: the Namib Desert and coastal plains in the west, the eastward-sloping Central Plateau, the Kalahari along the borders with South Africa and Botswana and the densely wooded bushveld of the Kavango and Caprivi regions. The tiny mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland, sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, has been dubbed the ‘Switzerland of Africa’. African culture and traditions flourish here alongside some modern luxury hotels and excellent wildlife reserves. Swaziland is the smallest country in the southern hemisphere, but it has a big heart despite its depressed economy. The capital, Mbabane, lies at the northern end of the lush Ezulwini Valley: a small, unpretentious town that caters well for tourists. Among the country’s main attractions are Mlilwane, a well-established game sanctuary; the magnificent Mantenga Falls; the casino resort of Piggs Peak; and the annual ceremony of the reed dances at the Royal Kraal in Lebombo on the country’s eastern border. Lesotho is called Southern Africa’s ‘kingdom in the sky’ for good reason. This stunningly beautiful, mountainous country is situated island-like in the middle of South Africa and it is a fascinating travel detour from its larger neighbour. The country offers superb mountain scenery, a proud traditional people, endless hiking trails, and the chance to explore remote areas on Basotho ponies. The ‘lowland’ areas (all of which are still above 1000m) offer some craft shopping and dinosaur footsteps, while the highlands in the northeast and centre feature towering peaks (over 3000m) and verdant valleys. Escapes the rest of the world in Eastern Lesotho’s remote Sephlabathebe National Park, or hang out in the pleasant capital Maseru, where a slow pace and friendly locals ensure a memorable stay. Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world. In the long and disturbed history of the African continent, Ethiopia remains the only country which has never been colonized. Ethiopia was a founding member of the UN and is home to the African Union’s headquarters. The Old Testament of the Bible records the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Jerusalem. In fact, historians believe that Ethiopia may well be the beginning of mankind. The fossils of the oldest living mankind or “Lucy” was discovered in the northern section of Ethiopia. The remains of the fossil are said to be 3.5 million years old. After a long and difficult period under self-declared “communist” rulers, the country is now back on its feet. The long history assures that there are many historic sites in the country. The natural beauty, with high mountains, lakes, waterfalls as well as arid deserts are among the natural attractions of Ethiopia. Highlights in Ethiopia include the towns of Axum, Gondar, Harar, as well as the rock churches of Lalibela. Rafting on the Omo River is spectacular too. Beware of crocodiles. There are numerous excitingattractionsin neighbouring Eritrea. Tourists can visit the religious places located in the country – Eritreansfollow Islam and Christianity. The peaceful coexistence of the religious places like the mosques, churches and cathedrals reflect the unity among people of different religion. The architecture of the mosques and the churches are fascinating. One can also visit the synagogue of the Jews in Eritrea. There are many memorials and monuments located in the country. Tourists can also take time out to visit the national parks in Eritrea. In the Dahlak Islands tourists will love to see the different species of sea animals. After checking out with the tourist destinations in Eritrea, tourists will love to visit the market places in Eritrea. They can also go to opera and theaters. Tourists can take accommodation in the Eritrea hotels and plan trips to the Eritrea attractions. Somaliland is home to what is often considered to be one of the most interesting attractions in the Horn of Africa, the Laas Geel cave paintings. The paintings are situated on the outskirts of Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Somaliland is full of other natural attractions including Naasa Hablood Mountains, the twin hills located on the outskirts of Hargeisa. Other notable sights include Mount Daallo, the most beautiful mountain in Somaliland, the Sheikh Mountains & bypass, Berbera beach, and the various attractions in Hargeisa city centre. Hargeisa is the capital and the largest city in Somaliland. For a country of its size, Kenya sure packs a lot in: mountains and deserts, colourful tribal culture, beaches and coral reefs, and some of Africa’s best wildlife attractions. In fact, to say Kenya is Africa in microcosm would not be stretching the point. There are a million different reasons to come here, and picking just one is nigh impossible. Stunning landscapes set the scene, from Kakamega’s rainforests to Indian Ocean beaches by way of Mt Kenya National Park; the rolling grasslands of the Masai Mara to searing deserts on the shores of the Jade Sea; with The Rift Valley, home to Hell’s Gate National Park, cleaving a massive gash through it all. Wildlife safaris have been the mainstay of Kenya’s tourism for decades, and several Kenyan parks, like Tsavo National Park, are among the best places in Africa to see lions, elephants, leopards and the famous wildebeest migration. Kenya rates as one of the top five bird-watching destinations in the world; other activities for outdoor enthusiasts include trekking the glacial ridges of Mt Kenya, ballooning over the Masai Mara, snorkeling at the Marine National Park in Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast, and much more besides. Kenya’s biggest city, Nairobi, with the baddest of reputations, is sidestepped by many visitors, but, in fairness, has an interesting urban appeal with its cafes and nightlife. The people, too, represent a wide cross-section of everything that is contemporary Africa, and everyday life brings together traditional tribes and urban families; ancient customs and modern sensibilities. Swapping the latest political gossip with the switched-on locals is just one more small pleasure that comes with the culture. Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar… The names roll off the tongue like a roster call of Africa’s most alluring destinations, all packed into one country. Resonating with hints of the wild and exotic, these four alone are reason enough to justify packing your bag and heading off to Tanzania. But the list isn’t finished. Bagamoyo, Tabora, Ujiji – stops on the 19th-century caravan routes into the heart of what was then an unknown continent. Mafia and Pangani – once famed ports of call for merchant ships from the Orient. Kilwa – linchpin of a far – flung Indian Ocean trading network. Kigoma, Kalema, Kipili, Kasanga – bustling outposts along the remote Lake Tanganyika shoreline. Selous – Africa’s largest protected area. Ruaha and Katavi – insider tips for serious safari-goers. Mahale and Gombe – prime destinations for seeing chimpanzees in the wild. Within the space of several hours, it’s possible to go from lazing on idyllic beaches to exploring moss-covered ruins of ancient Swahili city-states; from climbing mist-covered slopes in the Southern Highlands to trekking through the barren landscapes around Ol Doinyo Lengai, guided by a spear-carrying Maasai warrior. Yet, despite its attractions, Tanzania has managed for the most part to remain unassuming and low-key. It has also remained enviably untouched by the tribal rivalries and political upheavals that plague many of its neighbours, and this – combined with a booming tourism industry – makes it an ideal choice for both first-time visitors and Africa old hands. Throughout, Tanzania offers travellers an array of options, set against the backdrop of a cultural mosaic in which over 100 ethnic groups amicably rub shoulders. While most visitors head straight for the famed northern wildlife-watching circuit, followed by time relaxing on Zanzibar’s beaches, Tanzania has much more to offer anyone with the time and inclination to head off the beaten path. Zanzibar’s allure is legendary. One of East Africa’s great trading centres, the archipelago has been for centuries a crossroads of culture, a melting pot of influences where Africa, India and Arabia meet, a complete change of pace from the mainland, a place where life’s rhythms are set by the monsoon winds and the cycles of the moon. While Zanzibar gets most of the attention, the archipelago is also made up of Pemba to the north, plus numerous smaller islands and islets. Each of the main islands has its own distinct character. Zanzibar’s major attraction is Stone Town, with its whitewashed, coral-rag houses, quaint shops, bazaars, mosques, courtyards and squares. Another draw card is its spectacular sea, edged by fine, white-sand beaches. Although many places have become very developed, there are still some quiet spots left. Verdant Pemba, in contrast, is hilly, densely vegetated and seldom visited. Voodoo flourishes amid its hilly terrain, winding creeks lace the shoreline, and the mangrove-lined coast opens occasionally onto hidden, pristine coves and bays the colour of emerald. It is Malawi’s variety of attractions that is its greatest asset. Whilst Lake Malawi dominates the country, this is not a country of a singular attraction. It is the mixture of beautiful landscapes, fascinating wildlife, the alluring Lake Malawi, and rich culture that combine to make this small country such a wonderful place to visit. The Malawian people are, without doubt, its greatest asset: friendly and welcoming to a fault. Every visitor is met with a smile and the warmth of the welcome is genuine and long-lasting. Alongside a number of places of particular cultural and historical interest, and all travel will include some element of cultural experience as interaction with local people is very much part of any stay. The jewel in the crown of the country’s tourist attractions is Lake Malawi, “discovered” by the missionary-explorer Dr David Livingstone just over 150 years ago. Although totally landlocked, Malawi is not denied its “inland sea”. This vast body of freshwater fringed by beaches of golden sand is not only a scenic wonderland but it provides water sport opportunities for those looking for something beyond sun, sand and swimming. Malawi has a massive diversity of beautiful landscapes. The highest peaks in Malawi touch 10 000ft (3 000m) while the lowest point is barely above sea level. This range of altitudes in a small area help to make the landscape of Malawi one of the moist varied in all Africa. It is generally a green, lush country, with plateaux, highlands, forests, mountains, plains, escarpments and dramatic river valleys. The variety of scenery is a major attraction to visitors and many of the highland areas and forest reserves have good accommodation options, and plenty of outdoor activities available. Malawi is blessed with a rich diversity of flora and fauna and has no less than nine national parks and wildlife reserves. Whilst it may not have quite the sheer numbers of large mammals (particularly predators) as some of its better known neighbours, it makes up for this in other ways. Malawi provides intensive and exclusive wildlife viewing in unspoilt areas of genuine wilderness. Rwanda is a mountainous area which lies in the central part of Africa and is divided by the Rift Valley. There is an extensive mountain range extending from the north to south. There are many attractions in Rwanda which are spread throughout the country. Rwanda attractions mainly include national parks, museums, falls and lakes. Kigali, the capital does not have many tourist attraction spots. The most interesting Rwandan attraction is the A’ Kagera National Park, which is located on the eastern part of the country. The national park comprises of a variety of wildlife animals and is the home of more than 500 kinds of birds. Park attractions include Lake Mungesera and the Rusumo Falls. The Parc des Volcans is one of the last sanctuaries where one can find the mountain gorilla. This region also has two active volcanoes. Lake Kivu is another popular Rwandan attraction which provides the opportunity for a variety of water sports and excursions on the lake. The Rugege Forest has some rare species of wildlife animals. The surrounding city of Butare also a host of Rwandan attractions and one can find some interesting craft shops, a botanical garden and museums. Beaches also form an essential part of Rwandan attraction. Tourists can visit an extensive range of beaches in Rwanda and have lots of fun. “For magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life – plant, bird, insect, reptile, beast – for vast scale… Uganda is truly the pearl of Africa” were the words used by Sir Winston Churchill, in his book “My African Journey” to describe the beautiful tourist attractions of Uganda. Therefore, Uganda is no ordinary safari destination but an experience worthy living. Uganda is where the East African savannah meets the West African jungle. This impossibly lush country offers one a unique opportunity to observe lions prowling the open plains in the morning and track chimpanzees through the rainforest undergrowth the same afternoon, then the next day navigate tropical channels teeming with hippopotamus and crocodiles before setting off into the misty mountains to stare deep into the eyes of a mountain gorilla. Uganda – with its unique blend of savannah and forest creatures, its rare wealth of mountain and lake habitats – is simply dazzling. Uganda’s offers the most stunning scenery on the continent that includes sparkling lakes, lofty mountains, mysterious forests and game parks swarming with game. The private sector is encouraged to set up new tourist facilities in these locations bearing in mind the need to blend in with the contiguous scenery. Uganda’s eco-friendliness is attested to by the recent mushrooming of community-based eco-tourism projects at the grassroots level. Uganda’s reputation as ‘Africa’s Friendliest Country’ stems partly from the tradition of hospitality common to its culturally diverse populace, and partly from the remarkably low level of crime and hassle directed at tourists. The country’s population is united in providing a warm welcome to foreign guests, so even in the smallest of villages local people will go out of their way to make tourists feel at home. Despite all the glamour outlined about, Uganda is a relatively newcomer to today’s international tourism scene, which has benefited both the country’s natural environment and the tourism experience it offers. Mauritius is a fascinating, world-in-one-island slice of paradise. Its very name of conjures up images of tropical luxury and stupendous extravagance. While in many destinations famed for cobalt-blue seas, white sandy beaches and luxury hotels, you may eventually find yourself wishing for something to do besides sunbathing and swimming, it’s often hard to know what to do next in Mauritius. The island is loaded with historic sites, cultural diversity, geographic variation and almost limitless activities to distract you from the daily grind of beach and pool. But perhaps its single biggest asset is the relaxed charm of its warm and welcoming people. Mauritius is the most developed of the Mascarene Islands, but with a bit of effort and resourcefulness you can escape the crowds and find your own patch. The smells, noises and bustle of the mercantile capital Port Louis, Africa’s wealthiest city, are never far away, while the busy garment markets in the Central Plateau towns of Quatre Bornes and Curepipe and Black River Gorges National Park’s dramatic virgin forests give the lie to Mauritius being just another beach destination. But what beaches! From the stunning sand-rimmed lagoons and popular wide public beaches to the picturesque islands off the country’s coastline, there’s truly something for everyone here. Add to this the joys of Chinese, Indian, French and African cuisine, the rousing beat of séga music and the infectious party spirit of the locals, and you soon understand why Mauritius really is so many people’s idea of paradise on earth. Lemurs, baobabs, rainforest, beaches and desert, trekking and diving: Madagascar is a dream destination for nature and outdoor lovers – and half the fun is getting to all these incredible attractions.Madagascar is unique: 5% of all known animal and plant species can be found here, and here alone. The remarkable fauna and flora is matched by epic landscapes of an incredible diversity: you can go from rainforest to desert in just 300km. Few places on earth offer such an intense kaleidoscope of nature. Making the best of it, however, can be challenging (and expensive): Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island and its roads are dismal. But those who relish an adventure will come into their own: the off-road driving is one of a kind, and there are national parks that only see 100 visitors a year, regions that live in autarchy during the rainy season and resorts so remote you’ll need a private plane or boat to get there. With 5000km of coastline, 450km of barrier reef and 250 islands, no stay in Madagascar would be complete without a few days on the island’s shores. Divers will revel in the choice of sites, from underwater ‘cathedrals’ to shipwrecks, and will relish the chance to see rays, whale sharks, reef sharks and many other kinds of sharks. Snorkellers will be awed by the sheer grace of turtles and marvel at the rainbow of colours displayed by corals and fish. For those keen to keep their heads above water, the idyllic beaches will prove hard to resist. And once you’ve swayed in your hammock to your heart’s content, you can join a local fisher for a pirogue (dugout canoe) trip, go sailing to explore nearby islands or board a whale-watching boat to admire humpbacks breaching – one of nature’s most majestic spectacles. Madagascar has been populated by successive waves of migrants from various corners of the Indian Ocean, each bringing their own customs and beliefs. Seychelles is an extremely popular destination that has been praised by critics as one of the best tropical islands in the world. Seychelles, which is in fact comprised of 115 islands and is located approximately 1,500 kilometres east of the African continent, is famous for its beaches and constantly warm weather along with its raw beauty. It is indeed one of the few places in the world to have so far been spared man’s destructive tendencies. Although the Seychelles beaches and the great weather have been huge factors in establishing the islands as a popular destination, there are also great attractions that are a must-see for all travelers. While most people will only care about the beaches when they reach the Seychelles, there are several attractions that are quite unique in the world. Whether you are staying in a luxury Seychelles hotels or a simple self catering Seychelles accommodation, you should absolutely take the time to visit all the main islands. Since it is a tropical island, it is no surprise that Seychelles boasts a few parks and reserves that provide incredible thrills. The main park is the Morne Seychelles National Park which will enthrall visitors with its almost savage beauty. The Vallée de Mai is another exciting reserve that seems out of this world as it boasts an exquisitely green forest where all kinds of fauna can be observed. The Seychelles islands are also ideal for travelers who love exploring the artistic history of a country. In Seychelles’s case, a few art galleries are located in Mahe, which is one of the most important islands of the Indian Ocean archipelago. The exhibits in these Mahe galleries tell a lot about Seychelles’s culture and have even often received media coverage for including some extremely interesting pieces. The most important art galleries in the Seychelles are the Antonio Filippin studio and the George Camille Gallery, which are always quite crowded. However, there are also other artistic attractions such as the Craft Village which is always the first place to visit if you are into buying small hand-made souvenirs of your holidays. The craft industry in Seychelles is indeed quite big. Finally, in spite of its small size, Seychelles is also home to a few museums and monuments that also tell a lot about the island’s history. The national monuments include the Dauban Mausoleum, the Bel Air Cemetery, and Le Jardin du Roi (literally translated as The King’s Garden) which will allow you to get a better insight in the island’s culture. In addition to these, you can also visit the museums which include the Natural History Museum and the Marine National Park which are both coincidentally located in Mahe. You are looking for a destination able to astonish even the most blasé, an easily accessible tropical island with a guarantee of quality welcome, security and modern facilities together with a total change of scenery? No need to search any further, Reunion Island is just the right place to go and it offers even more. This piece of France 10,000 km away from Paris, the former Bourbon Island is a godsend, a marvel of nature with breathtaking landscapes, and shelters a population with rich traditions. Africans, Indians, Malagasies, Comorans, Chineses, each of these groups has brought a bit of their own culture to enrich this only French overseas department among four to be located in the South hemisphere. The sights are magical and you’ll have many options to choose from: a long stretch of white sand beaches, the mountains of Cilaos, Mafate, Salazie and the volcano’s mysterious landscapes. In the course of your trip, you’ll be astounded by the cultural treasures, ethnic diversity, tropical fruits, the smell of exotic flowers and the music that paces off the life of the islanders. Saint Helena, named after Saint Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British Overseas Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, which also includes the Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena measures about 16 by 8 kilometers (10 by 5 mi) and has a population of 4,255. The island was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in 1502. One of the most isolated islands in the world; it was for centuries an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa. The British also used the island as a place of exile, most notably for Napoleon I, Zulu King Dinuzulu ka Cetshwayo and more than 5,000 Boer prisoners after Anglo-Boer War. Saint Helena is Britain’s second oldest remaining colony (now termed overseas territory), after Bermuda. At the end of 2014, new International Airport will start operating on the island, so there are two weekly regular flights planned from South Africa to St. Helena Island. Have you ever wanted to be the one to say that you have actually observed polar animals in their native habitat? In order to do this you need to come to Antarctica. Being Earth’s most southern continent, Antarctica is considered, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on earth. But due to many natural wonders found there, it can contain some of the most beautiful scenery untouched by man found anywhere else in the world. Even with all of the snow, Antarctica is actually a desert, averaging only 8 inches of rain per year. There are no permanent human residents, but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people a year stay at the research stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted animals and plants survive there. These would include seals, penguins, many types of algae, and tundra vegetation and certain varieties that can be found nowhere else in the world. These life forms provide tourists a reason to visit this desolate continent. There are helicopter tours that will take you to the habitat of Emperor Penguins, whale watching tours that if you’re lucky, will allow you view one or more of the eight different species of whales that migrate there, and hiking tours that will allow you to see the variety of Antarctic seals. Since 1957, small-scale “expedition tourism” has existed in Antarctica. Travel is mostly done by small or medium ships, focusing on specific scenic locations with observational concentrations of Antarctic wildlife. A total of 37,506 tourists visited during the 2006–07 Austral summer. The number is predicted to increase to over 80,000 by 2010. So for something different, a little more adventurous, come visit Antarctica, and have that once in a lifetime experience. Russia offers a wide range of opportunities for traveling on vacations. This beautiful and enigmatical country welcomes you and invites you to dive into amazing time. Every traveler who plans to visit Russia wants to see Russian top attractions, which include Moscow Kremlin, St. Petersburg Palaces, Russian Orthodox Cathedrals and Churches and natural landscapes. If you haven’t planned your trip to Russia yet and you are looking to include unforgettable experiences, consider to visit 2 capitals of Russia as a must-see: Saint Petersburg and Moscow! You can visit Russia in every time of the year. All year long you can find many interesting places to see and things to do. If you come in winter time you can visit all the museums, theatres and places of interest, participate in the Russian National Festivals and spend unforgettable time. Moreover, accommodation in winter is cheaper than in other seasons, so you can save money. Hotels in Russia offer a wide range of opportunities both for business and leisure travelers, comfortable rooms and irreproachable service. Russian vacations will give you a lot of impressions that you will keep in your memory for all your life. The climate is quite in different seasons and areas of Russia. Because of that there’s a different places you would want to visit in summer or in winter. Russia is rich in beautiful and unusual for cities, villages, resorts, lakes, rivers, mountains, so you have a wide range of places to visit. The largest and most famous cities are Moscow, the Capital of Russia, and St. Petersburg, that also is called “The Northern Capital”. The travelers have a great opportunity to visit magnificent palaces and theatres there. Residences of the Russian Tsars will open their doors for you. Pushkin – Tsarskoe Selo, Pavlovsk, Peterhof (Petrodvorets) are the best places to have rest and enjoy summer time. You can also make the famous Golden Ring and Silver Ring tours and get acquainted to such Russian cities as Vladimir, Kostroma and Sergiev – Posad, Rostov Veliky, Uglich, Yaroslavl, Tihvin, Vologda, Veliky Novgorod and many others. There are a lot of possibilities to get to know Russian nature. For example, you can go to Lake Baikal – the longest and the deepest lake of the world. If you want to get memorable impressions, enjoying traveling and discover for yourself a lot of new and interesting things, Russia is waiting for you. Have you ever dreamed of travelling around the globe, visiting the most exotic locations, and exploring the most distinct cultures? The people of a country known as Georgia, believe in your dreams. We hope that when you pin your choices on the map, our country will fall among the must-see destinations. Visit Georgia and explore its cultural diversity. Travel to Georgia to experience the amazing gastronomic and enological tourism – Georgia is an acclaimed wine producing country and is famous throughout the Eastern Europe region for its delicious and exquisite cuisine. Find the rave inTbilisi, the capital of our country. Travel around ancient settlements in the mountainous villages and enjoy the beaches of the Black Sea. As tourism in Georgia is peaking, make sure to catch the authentic magic of this place before it becomes just another overcrowded touristic place.

2019-04-25T22:30:45Z

https://abcafrica.co.za/destinations/

Unredacted, the blog of the National Security Archive, has a nice find this week - a 1994 reporting cable from U.S. Consulate General Peshawar, Pakistan, on the origin and formation of the Taliban. Today’s document is one from our growing Afghanistan collection and is an example of what happens to the “raw” wikileaks field reports after they are “digested” and melded into more comprehensive (and we hope) accurate reports. This 1994 cable is entitled “New Fighting and New Forces in Kandahar.” The “New Forces” are the Taliban. It’s a gripping read. The cable reports that the Taliban, described as a “new phenomenon” which was “largely drawn from religious students that did not fight in the Jihad,” had captured the key border town of Spin Boldak and gained control of the highway to Kandahar, Afghanistan’s second most populous city. It also tried to explain the Taliban’s origins, motivations, and backers. The Taliban, according to the author, was a “new phenomenon” in the Afghan calculation. Moreover, this “new phenomenon” was a formidable fighting force. After taking over the important border crossing at Spin Boldak (likely with the help of Pakistani mortar fire), the Taliban quickly “cleaned up” the strategically-critical Kandahar-Herat highway. And “cleaned up” meant summarily hanged persons operating “independent toll [bribery] stations.” Just a month after taking their first town, the Taliban was poised to capture Khandahar. And who was funding this formidable force? Probably Pakistan. According to “some sources,” the Government of Pakistan provided the Taliban with weapons so new that “they were still in their grease.” It’s also likely that the Pakistani army provided rocket fire while the Taliban captured Spin Boldak. The Taliban, for its part, claimed it was acting independently. Other documents [here] confirm that the ISI was essential to the Taliban’s rise. The U.S. State Department might owe someone up to $5 million, which is the reward it offered for the Mexican bandito Ignacio Coronel-Villareal, also known as "Nacho Coronel," and sometimes called "the King of Crystal" because he ruled methamphetamine trafficking from Mexico to the United States. Mexican troops have killed a top drug kingpin known as the "King of Crystal," in a shootout as he tried to escape from a wealthy suburban hideout. His death is a rare victory for President Felipe Calderon's struggling war on drug cartels and organized crime. Meanwhile, dozens of police officers in the Mexican border city of Tijuana have been arrested in an anti-corruption sweep, and 15 bodies with marks of torture were discovered just over the border from Brownsville, Texas. The U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, where drug hit men were blamed for killing three people connected to the consulate in March, abruptly closed today [TSB note: that's now yesterday, July 30] for security reasons. It's unclear whether any of the developments are related. In my opinion, it is entirely possible that some of those developments might indeed have been related. p.s. - I might have accidentally deleted a comment I received last night concerning the late Nacho Coronel. At least, I can't find that comment posted today. My apologies. The U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez is closed on July 30, 2010 to review its security posture. American citizens are advised [to] avoid the area around the Consulate General until it reopens. Authorities are investigating the situation. According to The Cable, Jack Lew answers to a higher authority. Jack Lew, the deputy secretary of state who is President Obama's nominee to head the White House Office of Management and Budget, is coming under fire today because of a $944,578 bonus he took from Citigroup just before he joined the administration last year. But those who know him in the State Department defended him Thursday as a man who is above reproach and argued that his actions were completely on the level. Citigroup paid the hefty bonus to Lew about two weeks before he joined the State Department as deputy secretary of state, the Washington Times reported. Lew had already disclosed a $1.1 million compensation package covering his Citigroup work in 2007, but the amount of the newly disclosed bonus, which covers his work for the banking conglomerate in 2008, wasn't known until today. In answers submitted to the [Senate Foreign Relations] Committee and in his 2009 ethics filing, Lew said that the bonus was coming, he just didn't know the amount at that time, the official said. According to today's Washington Times story, records disclosed yesterday by the State Department show that Mr. Lew received the $944,578 bonus four days after he filed his 2008 ethics disclosure. Evidently, Mister Above Reproach did not see any reason to file an amended disclosure statement back in 2008, or to fill in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the size of Citigroup's payout to him one day sooner than he had to. Modesty must be among his many virtues. It's a good thing this is 'On the Level' Lew we're talking about, otherwise people might put an ugly interpretation on his unhurried disclosure. I'm sure he's a busy man. Moreover, those who know Lew, an observant Orthodox Jew, say he's even more kosher in his professional dealings than he is when separating milk and meat at dinner time. "If this city and government were filled with Jack Lews, we wouldn't need ethics rules," the official said, "because, like Hebrew National, Jack holds himself accountable to a higher authority." A higher authority? You mean like Citigroup? H/T to Secrecy News. It appears the U.S. Senate might have a leaker in it's ranks. At least, it's cooperating with an investigation. I was at a staff meeting this morning when a colleague remarked that today is the 221st anniversary of the founding of the U.S. State Department. Under the Article II of the Constitution of the United States ratified in 1789, the President has the power to make treaties--as long two-thirds of the Senate concurs--and to nominate ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls with the advice and consent of the Senate. These provisions placed the conduct of foreign affairs principally in the hands of the executive branch, but certain powers conferred upon the legislative branch--to declare war, appropriate funds, and advise and consent on treaties and appointments--gives the Congress significant ability to influence foreign policy. On May 19, 1789, then-Representative James Madison of New York introduced a bill to create an executive Department of Foreign Affairs headed by a Secretary of Foreign Affairs. On July 27, 1789, President Washington signed legislation to that effect. Congress passed another law giving certain additional domestic responsibilities to the new Department and changing its name to the Department of State and the name of head of the department to the Secretary of State. Washington approved this act on September 15, 1789. The domestic duties assigned to the Department of State were receipt, publication, distribution, and preservation of laws of the United States; custody of the Great Seal of the United States; authentication of copies and preparation of commissions of executive branch appointments; and, finally, custody of the books, papers, and records of the Continental Congress, including the Constitution itself and the Declaration of Independence. Funny that no one makes a fuss about the date, or even observes it. I saw no Department Notice, no DipNote post, nothing except a lousy tweet, and not even an official tweet! Remember the ten Russian intelligence agents the United States deported a couple weeks ago? Now we know what happened to them after they arrived back home. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he had met with Russian spies deported from the United States following Russia-U.S. spy scandal and sang patriotic songs with them. "I met with them," Putin said, answering the journalists' questions whether he met with 10 Russian spies deported from the United States after Russian-U.S. spy scandal. Ten people were arrested by U.S. law enforcement on June 29 on suspicion of being part of an espionage ring. After the spy swap deal they were deported from the United States. Putin, as a former KGB officer, said he had talked for life with the spies. The premier said they sang songs accompanied by the live music. Among the others, they sang a famous patriotic Russian song "What Motherland starts from". Commenting on the spies' future, Putin said "they will work". "I am sure they will work in the decent places, I am sure they will have interesting and bright life," Putin said. Of course, I had to find out about that song. You can download it here, at a site that describes it as a song about a homesick Soviet secret agent in Germany during World War II. We have no one to take away. By bending the wind is rising. Makes no end in sight. Do it in your heart brought. I have a tear in my eye right now, and I'm wondering whether I have any vodka in the house. We're Still Using Fax Machines? It seems that 21st Century Statecraft and techy-geeky communications have not yet arrived for mundane statecraft matters like consular notifications. At least, not unless you consider the fax machine a 21st century tool. Fun fact: the fax machine predates the telephone. The first patent for a fax machine was awarded in 1843, and the first commercial fax service was established between Paris and Lyon on 1860. Alexander Graham Bell didn't invent the telephone until 1876. (CNN) -- Russian officials did not receive immediate consular access to a Russian citizen now in American custody because U.S. officials notified the wrong embassy, a State Department spokesman said Thursday. K.V. Yaroshenko is one of five defendants arrested in late May in Liberia under a Drug Enforcement Administration operation designed in part to stem the shipment of cocaine from West Africa, according to a Justice Department news release. Justice officials have described Yaroshenko, 41, as an "aircraft pilot and aviation transport expert who transported thousand-kilogram quantities of cocaine throughout South America, Africa, and Europe." He is currently in a New York prison. "We tried to do everything we were supposed to do," a senior administration official said. "They just pressed the wrong button on the fax machine and sent it to different embassy. ... They aimed for the Russia button. They hit a different button." There was a "process failure," the official said. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the U.S. government has apologized to Moscow. "Normally, we try to arrange these consular notifications within 72 hours," he said. "We didn't discover our error until it was after that period of time." Russian officials have argued that Yaroshenko's apprehension and incarceration "directly violate norms of international law." "We are talking about kidnapping [TSB note: otherwise known as the "arrest"] of a Russian citizen on the territory of a third country," a Russian Foreign Ministry statement said this week. "The actions of the U.S. special services at forcibly and secretly transferring [TSB Note: otherwise known as "extradition"] of our citizen from Monrovia to New York can be qualified as outright lawlessness" [TSB Note: otherwise known as "law enforcement"]. The Russian statement said that Moscow is "closely watching developments in this case, as well as whether [Yaroshenko's] human rights are observed during the investigation conducted by the American authorities." It noted that Yaroshenko's relatives had "found him an experienced local Russian-speaking lawyer who specializes in criminal cases." Russian authorities have reached out to their American counterparts on three occasions -- both in writing and in person -- seeking information about the case and criticizing American actions, according to the statement. During a July 8 meeting between Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States, and U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns, "it was emphasized that [the] procedural rights of our citizen should be strictly observed," the statement said. "It was also pointed out that while the U.S. State Department in its reports is teaching the entire world how it should observe human rights, the American special services abroad are getting themselves involved in actual abductions of people." Yaroshenko, along with the four other defendants, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine, knowing that it will be imported into the United States, according to the Justice Department. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Two Skeptics Ask: Is Twitter a Tool of Statecraft, Or Just An Entertaining Outlet? First, The Economist's technology columnist is suspicious of the phrase “21st-century statecraft” as it is used by people like Alex Ross and Jared Cohen. See the recent New York Times Magazine article (here) for Ross and Cohen's rosy interpretation. I can't define it, even though I've listened to Alec Ross speak about it twice. (Mr Ross is the senior advisor for innovation at America's Department of State.) Is it a new kind of state-run broadcaster, a digital Radio Free Europe? Is it a new kind of public diplomacy? Is it a new kind of foreign aid, a digital USAID? Is it a quicker, less centralised way of determining America's public response to an international event? Does it signal a focus on the role the internet plays in human rights and international trade? I've now encountered it for a third time, in a profile of Mr Ross and a colleague, Jared Cohen, in the New York Times Magazine. And I've decided that “21st-century statecraft” is just a grab-bag; it means all of those things. Some of them are good ideas. Some of them are not. And all they have in common is that the internet exists. Over the last twenty years, industry by industry, young men and women have made a living by saying “You don't get it, old man, this is the internet. Everything's different now.” I don't blame Mr Ross for wanting this gig; it's a good one. (It was mine, once.) The problem with “you don't get it, old man” is that it fails to distinguish what about the new is good, and what is bad, and it often fails to recognise that much of what you can do on the internet is not new at all. Or take another idea: digital public diplomacy. Mr Ross has been working with Farah Pandith, America’s new special representative to Muslim communities. He wants to help amplify her physical presence with an online one, telling her “There should be a trail of Muslim engagement behind you.” But there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between what Ms Pandith is expected to do and what Karen Hughes did as the ambassador for public diplomacy during the second Bush administration. Ms Pandith, who was born in Kashmir, might be easier for Muslims to relate to than Ms Hughes, but both set out to solve the same problem: The world just doesn’t seem to understand how great America is. This is the central problem of public diplomacy, which is expected to fill in the gaps between America’s policies and its self-image. I’m not sure how Twitter is going to help. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has repeatedly stressed Washington’s commitment to such programs as part of President Barrack Obama’s call for greater engagement between the United States and Islamic societies. Millions of young people communicate with each other digitally, express their views and identities, and sometimes mobilize for causes as disparate as promoting a new movie, arranging a dance party, sharing photos or bemoaning a tired old dictator. In some countries like Iran and Egypt, we are told, tens of thousands of bloggers are at work expressing their independent views and challenging the established order. But what do young people actually do, or aim to achieve, with the new media? Are the new digital and social media a credible tool for challenging established political orders and bringing about political change in our region? My impression is that these new media today play a role identical to that played by Al Jazeera satellite television when it first appeared in the mid-1990s — they provide important new means by which ordinary citizens can both receive information and express their views, regardless of government controls on both, but in terms of their impact they seem more like a stress reliever than a mechanism for political change. Watching Arab pundits criticize Arab governments, Israel or the United States — common fare on Arab satellite television — is great vicarious satisfaction for ordinary men and women who live in political cultures that deny them serious opportunities for free speech. Blogging, reading politically racy Web sites, or passing around provocative text messages by cellphone is equally satisfying for many youth. Such activities, though, essentially shift the individual from the realm of participant to the realm of spectator, and transform what would otherwise be an act of political activism — mobilizing, demonstrating or voting — into an act of passive, harmless personal entertainment. We must face the fact that all the new media and hundreds of thousands of young bloggers from Morocco to Iran have not triggered a single significant or lasting change in Arab or Iranian political culture. Not a single one. Zero. This is partly because the modern Middle Eastern security state is firmly in control of the key levers of power — guns and money, mainly — and has learned to live with the digital open flow of information, as long as this does not translate into actual political action that seeks to change policies or ruling elites. How should interested foreign parties engage in such an environment? The antidote is simple, but humbling: lower the contradictions in Western policies towards Middle Eastern governments and activists, and grasp more accurately the fact that young people use the digital media mainly for entertainment and vicarious, escapist self-expression. For their part, Ross, Cohen, and their Girl Geek colleague Katie, show no signs of doubt whatsoever. A whopping 98 percent of Pakistani college student visa-seekers submit at least one fake document in their misguided attempts to scam U.S. consuls. This interesting fact of the day is actually from last week (since I am still catching up on my reading after spending most of last week trying keep my head above water during a workshop about embassy architecture and space planning), and it comes to us from U.S. Consul General Carmella Conroy in Lahore, Pakistan. Ms. Conroy offered Pakistani students at Government College University some good advice - cut out the fraudulent documents. They aren't helping you. She went on to note the steps the U.S. has taken to promote education in Pakistan, and the assistance it is offering to exchange students and others, which includes inviting hundreds of Pakistani students to attend U.S. colleges and universities under the Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Program (here). The lesson for Pakistani student visa applicants is clear: we are trying to work with you, so cooperate and stop fighting us. I'm doing a domestic business trip this week, and I can't get myself out of the habit of checking my pockets for my passport. Not that I'm in a particularly foreign-seeming city, it's just that my TDYs are all foreign travel except for maybe one a year, and it seems so strange to travel and not go through customs and passport control. Worst of all, there was no expediter at the airport and no white Suburban to pick me up outside my hotel each morning. I have to get my own rides here? What's up with that? I'm here tagging along with some OBO design professionals to meet with a firm of architects for an intense workshop on an overseas embassy building matter. By which I mean, the architects do the intense work while I sip coffee and occasionally make a comment. In architect-talk, this is called having a charrette. A few years ago, during the reign of General Williams, my OBO colleagues would have been prohibited from using the word "charrette," which was banned by Williams after he was embarrassed when someone corrected his mispronunciation. He had a problem pronouncing foreign words, and he handled that by banning them from his presence rather than learning how to pronounce them correctly. Foreign place names also gave him fits, but there was no way to ban those from use within OBO. The O does stand for Overseas, after all. Williams just had to suffer through and try to avoid the need to pronounce the difficult ones. But I think that made him even more determined to stamp out the elective use of a foreign word where a domestic one would do. I make a point of saying "charrette" at every opportunity when working with OBO, just for the pleasure of exercising my freedom of speech. When I saw the headline of today's WaPo story about Harvard revoking a degree it had awarded to a man who turned out to be a Russian spy, I immediately thought of Alger Hiss, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1929. Did Harvard revoke his degree after the Venona decrypts were made public? Harvard University has revoked a degree in public administration it gave to a man who turned out to be a Russian spy living in Massachusetts under a stolen Canadian identity. Andrey Bezrukov, who went by the name of Donald Heathfield while in the U.S., was one of 10 Russian agents arrested June 27 and deported as part of a spy swap with Moscow. Harvard spokesman Doug Gavel said Friday the John F. Kennedy School of Government stripped Bezrukov of the master's degree for violating its policy on misrepresentation in his application. Too bad for Andrey Bezrukov. No football weekend alumni tailgate parties for him! p.s. - Regarding the Venona project, there is a piece of historical trivia that I thought everyone who has ever gone to the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, located at what was formerly the U.S. Army installation known as Arlington Hall, already knew, but which I have learned many of them do not know. The original building on the NFATC campus, now called the Old Main Building, was where the U.S. Army Signals Intelligence Service broke German and Japanese military codes during World War II, and decrypted Soviet intelligence messages in the 1940s and 1950s. See the chapter on Arlington Hall in this guide to Washington area military intelligence history, From Coeds to Codewords. The next time you walk around the NFATC campus, give a thought to the generations of linguists and cryptanalysts (like this guy) who worked there in anonymity for 47 years providing a vital national security service. These charts on US air strikes in Pakistan, courtesy of The Long War Journal, really show you where the action is happening in our remote-control air campaign against al Qaeda and the several Taliban factions in Pakistan. Of the 144 strikes conducted since 2004, 62% have hit targets in North Waziristan, and 32% have hit targets in South Waziristan. The rest of Pakistan is almost entirely uninvolved. We should just call it the Waziristan War. (In case you were looking for the song by Blue Oyster Cult, click here to download the MP3 free from MediaFire.com. But at least he gets to serve his life sentence in the U.S., near his wife and children, with air conditioning and internet access, and all the prison geriatric care he needs. It could be worse. What if Castro had wanted to trade one of his prisoners for Myers? Then the poor old guy would have to spend his golden years in Cuba, where American ex-spies have been known to die from botched surgery. A retired State Department intelligence analyst was sentenced to life in prison and his wife got more than six years on Friday for spying for Cuba for nearly 30 years in a screenplay-ready tale of romance and espionage. Walter Kendall Myers, 73, and Gwendolyn Steingraber Myers, 72, agreed to forfeit $1.7 million in cash and property, including all of Kendall Myers's federal salary over the years. He did not have to give up 38-foot sailboat he once said they might use in retirement to sail to the communist country. "If someone despises the American government to the extent that appears to be the case, you can pack your bags and leave," U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton said, "and it doesn't seem to me you continue to bear the benefits this country manages to provide and seek to undermine it." It was a grim ending to the Myerses' idealistic embrace of the Cuban revolution, with one slight comfort. Handing down punishment for Walter Myers's guilty plea in November to conspiracy to commit espionage and two counts of wire fraud, Walton endorsed the couple's request to be incarcerated near each other with easier access to their siblings, children and grandchildren. The judge's sentence for Gwen Myers fell halfway between the 72 months to 90 months she had agreed to in her deal with prosecutors, for gathering and transmitting national defense information. Her lawyers cited her age, failing health -- including a heart attack since her June 2009 arrest -- and secondary role in the scheme. The couple, wearing blue jumpsuits over long-sleeved white shirts, held hands while the sentence was read. "We did not act out of anger toward the United States or from any thought of anti-Americanism," Myers said in at 10-minute statement in seeking leniency for his wife. "We did not intend to hurt any individual American. Our only objective was to help the Cuban people defend their revolution. We only hoped to forestall conflict" between the countries. The sentencing continues Washington's summer of serial spy intrigues. Barely a week after the United States and Russia completed the exchange of 14 agents allegedly planted in each other's country in a diplomatic maneuver reminiscent of the Cold War, the Washington couple's sentencing cast a reminder of unresolved tensions across the 90-mile-wide Straits of Florida. Myers, an Ivy League-educated Europe specialist who made his home in Northwest Washington's diplomat-friendly precincts, began working for the State Department as a contract instructor in 1977 before joining full time in 1985 and becoming a senior analyst with a top-secret clearance in the department's sensitive bureau of intelligence and research. Starting in 1978, however, the recently divorced Myers visited Cuba for two weeks and was soon recruited by a Cuban intelligence agent. When Myers spent a two-year-long sabbatical in South Dakota, where he was living with then-Gwendolyn Trebilcock, a former aide to senator James Abourezk, the agent met Myers again, an he agreed to become a spy. Over the next three decades, the couple would communicate with their Cuban handlers via shortwave radio, exchanging shopping carts in a grocery store and sending encrypted e-mails from Internet cafes. Traveling overseas, they met clandestine Cuban operatives in Brazil, Ecuador, Jamaica, Italy and Cuba via Mexico. Myers, code-named "202," and his wife -- "123" -- never accepted money but would pass along secret information that he later said earned him several medals and a trip to meet Fidel Castro himself in 1995. "Everything I hear about Fidel suggests that he is a brilliant and charismatic leader," Myers wrote in his journal in his 1978 Cuba visit, where he also rued the "systematic and regular murdering of revolutionary leaders" by the United States. His enthusiasm seemed undimmed 31 years later, when he confided to an FBI agent posing a Cuban contact, "Fidel is wonderful, just wonderful." Tipped off to the presence of a Cuban spy in 2006, U.S. investigators by April 2009 tracked down Myers outside Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, where he was a part-time faculty member. It was Myers's 72nd birthday, and an undercover FBI agent posing as a Cuban intelligence emissary gave him a cigar. The gift led to a string of recorded meetings, revelations and the couple's ultimate confession and sentencing Friday, which happened to fall on Gwen Myers's 72nd birthday. The State Department and intelligence community officials have not publicly assessed the damage done by Myers to the U.S. government, but experts said he would have had years of access to intelligence reports from the U.S. and its allies, as well as to databases with information from the CIA, the National Security Agency, the military and U.S. embassies. In the last 15 months before his retirement in 2007, Myers amassed more than 200 sensitive or classified intelligence reports in his computer. After the couple's arrest, Castro was quoted in a Cuban media report stating his admiration for "their disinterested and courageous conduct." The FBI said that although Myers generally was cooperative in more than 100 debriefing sessions, he at times gave inconsistent answers or withheld information, adding that the "limited value of defendants' cooperation" did not warrant lighter sentencing of Gwen Myers. "For nearly 30 years, Kendall and Gwendolyn Myers committed one of the worst crimes a citizen can perpetrate against his or her own country -- espionage on behalf of a long-standing foreign adversary," Ronald C. Machen Jr., U.S. attorney for the District, said in a brief urging the judge against leniency. The Myerses felt no remorse, motivated by communist sympathies and a "rose-colored picture" of Cuba, Machen said. "Kendall Myers was born into this world with every conceivable advantage," Machen wrote, describing the son of a heart surgeon, grandson of the National Geographic Society's head and great-grandson of inventor Alexander Graham Bell as a child of privilege. Machen added, "Kendall Myers could have been anything he wanted to be. He chose to be a Cuban spy." In their behalf, the Myers presented statements from relatives, colleagues and friends describing them as kind and deeply idealistic. Myers's offense, his lawyers wrote, "was born not of hatred, greed, vengeance or desire for power, but of compassion for a struggling people desperately seeking to throw off the legacy of a brutal and corrupt dictatorship and chart an independent path to social justice." His lawyers asked that Myers be allowed to teach inmates and continue his writings, including a biography of former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain. Whether misunderstood or misguided, Myers told the undercover FBI agent in 2009 that the couple missed their spying days. "You, speaking collectively, have been a really important part of our lives, and we have felt incomplete," Myers said, according to the government. "I mean, we really love your country." The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad might want to hang a "No Vacancy" sign at the front door every so often, according to auditors. As if the tight space and small staff wasn't bad enough, embassy workers are devoting a significant portion of their time to the hundreds of lawmakers and senior administration officials who visit each year, the State Department Inspector General said in a new report. Dignitaries made almost 700 visits in fiscal year 2009, requiring the embassy to hold hundreds of planning meetings and make use of more than 300 vehicles. It also had to provide drivers, note takers and beds for all of the visitors. The visits put a special strain on the embassy's reporting and public diplomacy officers, who have to devote time to the visits despite "Washington’s voracious reporting and outreach requirements," the report said. The influx led embassy officials to clamp down on visits by administration officials in December, but it still permits Congressional delegations in order to maintain support for ongoing operations, auditors found. Only arguably the most dangerous diplomatic post in the world? There is no argument about it, at least, I've never heard anyone argue that it isn't. Peshawar displaced Karachi from the #1 spot a couple years ago. A Mexican narco group employed a carbomb - pardon me, I mean a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or VBIED, to use the clumsy phrase that all the experts prefer - in a complex attack on police in Ciudad Juárez last night. It wasn't much of a bomb, at least not by Middle Eastern standards, but it was a very big escalation in the war the narco groups are conducting against state authorities in Mexico. The use of explosives, and, even more ominously, the use of guerrilla warfare tactics (shooting a police officer in order to draw in response forces who were then attacked with the VBIED), marks a further militarization of the conflict. At some point, a crime wave is no longer merely crime but war, and our neighbor to the south has passed that point. An explosive blasted Mexican federal police and rescuers when it detonated as they went to the aid of a wounded police officer in Juárez on Thursday night. Authorities said it had not been determined if the blast was caused by a grenade or a car bomb, but the attack appeared to follow the tactics of terrorists in the Middle East. Late Thursday night, federal police said a federal police officer, a municipal police officer and a rescue worker were killed. The attack occurred about 8 p.m. near the intersection of Bolivia and 16 de Septiembre streets in downtown Juárez. First, a municipal police officer was shot and killed, and when federal police arrived to the scene there was an explosion, an official said, citing initial information. Seven to 10 people were injured, including a cameraman for Channel 5. Footage from Channel 26-KINT (cable Channel 2) showed a street covered in debris. Something appeared to be in flames. A uniformed police officer lay dead and a man sat on the street bleeding heavily and holding his head. Late Thursday night, police said the blast was in retaliation for the arrest of a cartel leader. Graffiti later appeared on a wall stating, "What happend on 16 (de Septiembre avenue) will keep happening to all the authorities who keep supporting El Chapo. Sincerely - the Juarez cartel. We still have car bombs." The use of explosives, including the possibility of a car bomb, would be an escalation in a drug war that has bloodied Juárez for more than two years. The use of car bombs by narco-traffickers is not unprecedented since they had been used in Colombia by drug cartels in that nation. Federal police earlier this year replaced Mexican army soldiers patrolling the city. Patrols are regularly done in groups of at least two vehicles, with several officers in each armed with assault rifles. There were eight homicides Wednesday in Juárez. More than 1,500 people have been slain in Juárez this year, and more than 5,700 people have died since 2008. The Sinaloa and Juárez drug cartels have been fighting over lucrative smuggling corridors into the United States. It is not uncommon for drug traffickers to target police claiming they are working for rival groups. Those numbers are staggering. More than 1,500 people killed in Ciudad Juárez this year?? Are there any cities in Afghanistan that have had that many killed this year? Or in the past ten years? I think not. The only silver lining in this cloud is the small and primitive nature of the VBIED. In the post-blast videos I've seen there was almost no damage done to the structures surrounding the site of the bomb, even though some of them were only a few feet away. Here's a tip: you can get a sense of the size and efficiency of a bomb blast by looking at the damage it did to surrounding objects, and in particular, from the transition zones where one type of damage ends and a lesser type begins. For example, if you see windows shattered and blown out of their frames for 100 feet in all directions around the site of the blast, but windows more than 100 feet away are only cracked and retained in the frames, then there was a transition zone at 100 feet that can be a useful clue to assessing the size of the blast. In this case, the blast appears to have been puny. There is no structural damage evident in the masonry buildings a few feet away from the blast, metal shutters on stores are intact, no street signs are blown away or even bent, windows are shattered but I see one part of a storefront glazing still hanging on to its frame. Bits of the vehicle that carried the bomb are scattered around the street and those were no doubt dangerous shrapnel, however, I saw no indication of fragmentation added to enhance the anti-personnel effect of the bomb, such as nails or ball bearings embedded in the walls of surrounding buildings. I would guess that this means the narcos lack the expertise with explosives that has been acquired by more established Mexican insurgent groups such as the Popular Revolutionary Army (see this) and so they face a long learning curve before their VBIEDs can become a major threat. The blast tore through an intersection in Ciudad Juarez across the border from El Paso, Texas, late on Thursday in what the security ministry said was retaliation for the arrest of a drug cartel boss. "There were 10 kilos (22-pounds) of explosives, activated from a distance by a cell phone," Enrique Torres, spokesman for the army in Ciudad Juarez, told Reuters. The cell phone makes sense, since there is no indication of a suicide bomber, but I don't believe the estimated size of the bomb. Check out the photo below. Those overhead street lights would not still be intact and working after a 22-pound bomb blast from below. "Now, Let's Get It On!" The State Department just sent out a press release about DS's "Operation Death Match". I hope whoever came up with that name was thinking of my guilty pleasure, the old MTV show Celebrity Deathmatch. Its referee, the claymation Judge Mills Lane, had a highly practical sense of law and order. His usual ruling was "I'll allow it." Federal authorities arrested British citizen John Skelton at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Monday night on charges of identity fraud, false statements, and being an impostor to a U.S. citizen. U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) investigators discovered that Skelton, 41, of Yorkshire, England, allegedly stole the identity of U.S. citizen Kurt Branham, who died in 1994. DSS teamed with Customs and Border Protection officers to apprehend Skelton after the Brit presented a fraudulently obtained U.S. passport to re-enter the country after a trip to the United Kingdom. Skelton, who resides in Baltimore, will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. The specific charges Skelton faces are for violations of 18 USC 1028, 18 USC 1542 and 18 USC 911. DSS detected the potential fraud using investigative techniques employed during Operation “Death Match.” A passport had been issued in 2005 in the name of Kurt Branham, who died more than 10 years before, a cross match of records indicated. More than 150 individuals have been charged with federal passport fraud and related offenses as a result of Death Match investigations. CBP, DSS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were at BWI when Skelton disembarked his flight from London at 7:45 p.m. Monday. During questioning, Skelton allegedly admitted he was a United Kingdom citizen and that he obtained Branham’s identity. CBP officers paroled Skelton into the United States for prosecution and turned him over to DSS agents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will prosecute Skelton. CBP issued a detainer on Skelton to be returned to CBP at the adjudication of his charges. The U.S. Department of State is number 3 on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Job Satisfaction Index for 2010, that is. It's also the most improved agency in job approval since 2008. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is monopolizing the number 1 slot in all four categories of the Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework (HCAAF) that OPM uses in its Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. Smug bastards. I wonder if they're cheating? Several pistols belonging to bodyguards of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took an unexplained cross-country U.S. detour this week before four of them went missing altogether, officials said on Wednesday. A U.S. source familiar with the matter told Reuters that two suitcases bearing seven handguns in all -- four in one bag, three in the other -- arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York with Israel's security detail and were rechecked for a flight to Washington. But neither bag made it there. Instead, both bags were later retrieved at Los Angeles International Airport, then were flown back to Washington through Chicago. When the two suitcases were reopened in Washington, the four guns from one bag were discovered to be missing, but it remained unknown where along the line the firearms were taken, the source said. This embarrassment would never, and I mean never, have happened to The Zohan. Ten individuals pleaded guilty today in Manhattan Federal Court to conspiring to act as unlawful agents within the United States on behalf of the Russian Federation. As part of their plea agreements, those defendants operating in the United States under false identities disclosed their true Russian identities. Each of the defendants also agreed to be immediately expelled from the United States. The United States and the Russian Federation agreed that the United States would transfer these individuals abroad and turn them over to Russian authorities. The Russian Federation, in turn, would release four individuals incarcerated in the Russian Federation. This case is the result of a multi-year investigation conducted by the Department of Justice. The network of unlawful agents operating inside the United States has been dismantled. A determination to seek a rapid and comprehensive solution was made on national security and humanitarian grounds. No significant national security benefit would be gained from the prolonged incarceration in the United States of these ten unlawful agents. The United States took advantage of the opportunity presented to secure the release of four individuals serving lengthy prison terms in Russia, several of whom were in poor health. The U.S. and Russia have agreed to the first swap of accused spies in 24 years, and the exchange will begin to take place by the end of Thursday, according to U.S. officials and lawyers for the suspects. As the U.S. and Russian governments scramble to put together a huge spy swap before the 10 accused Russian spies are arraigned this afternoon, the children in the middle are caught in a very real chess game being played out between the two countries. "That's the most unfortunate aspect of this," said Jeffrey Burds, a professor of Russian history at Northeastern University. "I cannot imagine a scenario in which the children, however smart they were, would have been clued in as to the existence of or the nature of their parents' relations." I'm not so sure the kids are really caught in the middle here, or that any of them will try to stay in the U.S. Let's not overlook that one of the deportees - Anna Chapman (AKA Natasha Fatale) - is a second-generation Russian Intelligence Service officer. As a child, she presumably benefited from her father's overseas assignments to become acculturated to the West, and that no doubt facilitated her assignment as an illegal in New York. I'll go out on a limb and wager that some of the children heading to Mother Russia tonight will be back someday. I don't suppose anyone managed to get their fingerprints or a DNA sample? It's just that simple? Tell people to indefinitely retain evidence of their crimes so that it will be handy in case the feds ever catch up with them? Okay. The case of Bradley Manning, the U.S. Army Private and intel analyst who was arrested last May for downloading classified materials from his work station in Iraq, has now been charged. Read the statement of charges here. Manning reportedly downloaded a great many State Department cables, and he has evidently leaked at least some of them. But exactly how many cables did he steal? The original news reports mentioned 260,000 cables, but the news media is today using the figure of 150,000, as in this New York Times story. The Army charged Manning with improperly downloading "at least 150,000" State cables but, interestingly, it charged him with transmitting only "more than 50" cables to unauthorized persons. So may we assume that he selectively leaked the fifty best of his 150,000-cable haul? Given the mundane nature of nearly all cable traffic, I can believe that only fifty in 150,000, or a ratio 0f 1:3000, were really worth leaking. In a comment I received to a post on the drug-fueled insurgency that is going on in Mexico (here) there was a link to a song I'd never heard before - The Free Mexican Air Force. The commenter rightly pointed out that every war needs a soundtrack. I like the reasoning, especially because the song is from the point of view of the Gringo stoner, who is a necessary but often-overlooked party to the conflict. One nickname for weed is "chronic," and that's how the Mexican drug war is shaping up, as well. Yeah, the Free Mexican Air Force is flyin' tonight! Sayin', "Shoot down all gringos and wetbacks who dare wear sombreros!" Yeah, the Free Mexican Air Force is flying tonight! Well, the borders of evil will fall to the smugglers of light! We're the Free Mexican Air Force and we're flyin' tonight! But no one can stop us! My vision is clearly in sight! And freedom for us is a prison for the rulers of might! Yeah, the Free Texican Air Force is flyin' tonight! Have you been paying attention to the war in Afghanistan? The situation is hopeless. Military forces have been chasing insurgents around the mountains and high deserts for years, but to little effect. The police are outmatched and intimidated, and so corrupt that they would be a net loss even if they were effective. Elected officials are worse than the police. Rival gangs fight each other as well as the state forces. Drugs flow across the border to neighboring states and weapons flow back in. Peasants are caught in the middle and have no hope for a better future. Since December 2006, when the President called the armed forces into the fight against drug trafficking organizations, an estimated 23,000 troops and civilians have been killed, over 5,000 of them so far in 2010. The increasing militarization of the drug war has failed to stem the flow of drugs, despite $1.4 billion spent by the U.S. on training, equipment and intelligence. All of the following incidents occurred there in the last month. -- Gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire on the motorcade of a political candidate as he headed to a campaign event. This incident followed the shooting deaths of a mayoral candidate and of a political activist during a get-out-the-vote effort. Explosives were also thrown at two separate campaign offices. The central government offered to provide candidates for elective office with ballistic-resistant vehicles and bodyguards in the future. -- Between last Thursday night and Friday morning, attacks between rival drug trafficking organizations left 85 people dead in places across the country, making it the bloodiest 24-hour period in the President's term of office. -- In a single incident on Thursday, a showdown between rival drug and migrant-trafficking gangs resulted in a gunfight that left 21 people dead. -- At least two dozen assailants raided a medical clinic in a provincial capitol city, rousting the patients and ordering them to lie face down, then executing 19 people and wounding at least 4 others. The authorities recovered 184 ejected rifle casings. -- The bullet-riddled bodies of 18 men and 2 women were found Friday in five different parts of a major city. Authorities suspect a drug-related motive. -- On June 29, gunmen killed 15 national police officers Monday in separate attacks, marking one of the bloodiest days for security forces since the government stepped up its fight with drug cartels. -- On June 30, a large force of unidentified attackers stopped a police motorcade on a major highway, disarmed the police officers, executed a prisoner the police were transporting, then drove off with all the police weapons and gear they had seized. -- Small arms fire from a gun fight in a border city struck the main government building in a city all the way on the other side of the border. -- A drug trafficking organization has threatened local police officers in a small town, saying they will be targeted for retribution if they conduct drug busts. The police chief told reporters that the threats stemmed from an incident approximately two weeks ago, when off-duty officers surprised marijuana smugglers while riding horseback in an unincorporated border area outside the town. -- The national army reported that nine insurgents and three of its soldiers have been killed in clashes in a remote border area, and that an army patrol in another border area came under fire with three soldiers and eight insurgents killed. -- Police reported that last Sunday gunmen invaded the home of the mayor of a border city located in the no-man's land of the country's violent drug war, and killed him. -- That border city, once a manufacturing center, has become the bloodiest front in the President's war against drug traffickers, with more than 5,500 people killed there since 2008. In 2010, there were 1,300 murders, including some 200 in June. (This is in a city with a population of 1.5 million. For comparison, New York City, with a population of some 8.5 million, had 471 murders in 2009.) The President has staked his political future on reining in the drug killings and has sent 8,000 soldiers and federal police to the area to try to restore order. Despite that security presence, people are abandoning their homes and politicians have been too intimidated to campaign for the upcoming elections. -- Last week, in another border region, eight "narco-camps" were raided by the national army. Over the next few days, twelve men were killed in apparent retaliation in various incidents. Among the dead were six charred bodies and two decapitated bodies of provincial officials. -- According to the Fund for Peace/Foreign Policy Magazine, the country has risen two places (meaning that it has gotten even worse) in the index of failed states. All of that and much more occurred in Afghanistan in just the last month. Where does President Karzai go to surrender? Because it's over. Oops! Did I say Afghanistan? I meant Mexico. All of that happened in Mexico, our neighbor to the south, where American tourists go to play and expats go to retire. Links are here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. CNN Mexico is reporting that Mexican Federal police have made another arrest in the murder of an employee of U.S. Consulate Ciudad Juarez, her husband, and the spouse of another employee, last March. The very brief and sketchy report is here, and you can see more in the CNN Mexico video report (in Spanish) here. Mexican authorities have arrested a drug gang suspect accused of planning the shooting deaths in March of three people connected with the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez and participating in the killings of 13 teens at a party in the city a month earlier, federal police said Friday. Jesus Ernesto Chavez Castillo, known as the Camel, prepared the logistics and secured the weapons used to kill consulate employee Lesley Enriquez and her husband, Arthur Redelfs, said federal police spokesman Ramon Eduardo Pequeno Garcia. Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of another consulate employee, was killed in a separate attack that day. The 13 dead people at the January party were mistakenly believed to belong to a rival drug gang, Pequeno said. Update - CBS News is running a story (here) quoting Mexican federal police as to the motive for the murder of Lesley Redelfs. The purported motive makes no sense. Lesley Redelfs was a locally engaged employee and therefore did not issue or approve visas. Moreover, she was, I believe, assigned to the American Citizen Services section of the consulate. That doesn't mean she might not have been solicited by drug cartels. As a dual U.S.-Mexican national, she might, in fact, have been the target of their special interest. But she could not issue anyone visas, so the miscreant now under arrest in Mexico is making up a story. A drug gang leader says he ordered the killing of a U.S. consulate worker because she gave visas to a rival gang in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, federal police said Friday. Jesus Ernesto Chavez, whose arrest was announced on Friday, leads a band of hit men for a street gang tied to the Juarez cartel, said Ramon Pequeno, the head of anti-narcotics for the Federal Police. Pequeno said Chavez ordered the March 13 attack that killed U.S. consulate employee Lesley Enriquez and her husband as they drove in the violent border city, and he said Chavez told police that Enriquez was targeted because she gave visas to a rival gang. A U.S. Embassy official said there would no immediate comment on the allegation. Enriquez, who was four months pregnant, and her husband, Arthur H. Redelfs, were killed when gunmen opened fire on their sport utility vehicle after they left a birthday party. Their 7-month-old daughter was found wailing in the back of the vehicle. Jorge Alberto Salcido, the husband of a Mexican employee of the consulate, also was killed by gunmen after leaving the same event in a separate vehicle. President Barack Obama expressed outrage over the killings at the time, and Mexican President Felipe Calderon said he was indignant and promised a swift investigation. Chavez told police that gunmen opened fire on Salcido because the two cars were the same color and the hit men didn't know which one Enriquez was in, Pequeno said. TSB Note: It is preposterous to claim that the cartel gunmen fired into Salcido's car out of confusion. Multiple gunmen stopped Salcido's car before firing into it with AK-47s, so they had plenty of opportunity to see who was inside. If Chavez's story was correct, they knew they were looking for a woman, but there were no women in that car, just an adult male and three young children. Pequeno said Chavez belongs to Barrio Azteca, a gang that works for the Juarez cartel on both sides of the border. The State Department has authorized U.S. government employees at Ciudad Juarez and five other U.S. consulates in northern Mexico to send their family members out of the area because of concerns about rising drug violence. The cities are Tijuana, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros. Second Update - Thank You, New York Times. The Mexican police said Friday that they had arrested a gang leader who confessed to ordering some of the most horrifying killings in the border city of Ciudad Juárez, including the killing of a pregnant American consular employee and her husband. Jesús Ernesto Chávez Castillo, 41, confessed that he ordered the murder of Lesley A. Enriquez at the command of La Linea, the enforcement arm of the Juárez drug cartel, the federal police said. The motive, he said, was revenge, because the consulate had issued visas to members of a rival gang. Mr. Chávez’s story — that Ms. Enriquez’s killing had been ordered because she helped members of a rival gang obtain visas — contradicts both her official job description and the motive offered by another suspect. American officials have said that Ms. Enriquez worked in the office that helps United States citizens and had no authority over visas. I guess the NYT really is the newspaper of record. Here's an indicator of our current level of border security. During one week, at only five checkpoints, in only one border state, the Feds found 47 fraudulent or altered passports or visas, and another 60 persons using false identities. According to the below press release, 2,238 U.S. passports and 11,712 border crossing and legal permanent resident cards were seized in the San Diego sector in a recent six-month period. Authorities seized 107 fraudulently obtained or altered travel documents including 60 U.S. Passports during a week-long, joint operation in Southern California by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego. From June 7 through June 13, “Operation Goalkeeper” targeted persons attempting to use stolen, lost, counterfeit, or altered travel documents to illegally cross into the United States at ports of entry along the California/Mexico border: San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico, and Andrade. CBP officers stopped 47 individuals with counterfeit or altered passports or visas and 60 imposters, persons with a genuine document that does not belong to them. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting 27 cases of passport fraud and eight cases of visa fraud brought by special agents of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and 12 cases that CBP’s Criminal Enforcement Units, working with DSS agents, prepared for prosecution. Approximately 60 individuals using U.S. passports or visas illegally were formally deported to Mexico in lieu of criminal prosecution. The documents were seized and the violators will never be granted lawful entry into the United States. According to federal officials, the joint enforcement operation disrupted smuggling and trafficking efforts along the California-Mexico border and developed information on illegal travel document vendors, trafficking cells, and border smuggling methods and operations. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), implemented June 1, 2009, requires U.S. and Canadian citizens, age 16 and older to present a valid, acceptable travel document that denotes both identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. by land or sea. WHTI approved-travel documents include a valid passport, a U.S. passport card, a Trusted Traveler Program card, or an Enhanced Driver’s License from a participating state or province. Under WHTI, CBP is able to run automated checks against law enforcement databases more easily. CBP also can validate the travel documents against information from their issuing agency, thereby substantially increasing the ability to identify fraudulent documents and the fraudulent use of legitimate documents. CBP officials note that Tijuana and Mexicali serve as key transit points for illegal aliens seeking entry into the United States. From October 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010, CBP officers in the San Diego Field Office seized 2,238 U.S. passports and 11,712 border crossing and legal permanent resident cards that were used by aliens attempting to enter the United States illegally. "The success of this investigation and enforcement operation – more than 100 cases of documents seized – shows that the Department of State and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) are committed to protecting the integrity of U.S. passports and visas – the most sought after travel documents in the world,” said Garth Pettijohn, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the DSS Los Angeles Field Office. The agencies look forward to conducting regular joint enforcement initiatives in the future. These initiatives are important to maintain control and security at the international border. U.S. citizens or legitimate document holders will be prosecuted in cases where it has been determined they sold or made their documents available for others to use, officials said. Those convicted of passport and visa fraud face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. Offenders also may be charged with aggravated identity theft, which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of two years to be served consecutively with the underlying offense. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the U.S. Department of State’s law enforcement and security arm. The special agents, engineers, and security professionals of the Bureau are responsible for the security of 285 U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel protect the U.S. Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States, investigate passport and visa fraud, and conduct personnel security investigations. In 2008, DS participated in 2,487 arrests globally, primarily for passport and visa fraud, including 586 arrests overseas in cooperation with foreign police. Read more in the U.S. Department of State’s Visa and Passport Security Strategic Plan at: http://www.state.gov/m/ds/rls/rpt/79895.htm. Additional information about the U.S. Department of State and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security may be obtained at www.state.gov/m/ds. So long as the Russian Spy Saga is playing itself out, this is my favorite soundtrack. I just love the idea of a Reggae version of the old Soviet National Anthem. What a total contrast of images! One calls to mind a militaristic motherland of rigid ideologues in the frozen tundra, and the other, a bunch of laid-back Jamaicans playing guitars and drums between bong hits on a beach. That song was a fantastic way for a couple of Ukrainian students to tweek the Russians. Their website is here, but it's in Ukrainian only. My favorite tweeter was mentioned in the New York Times, but not favorably. When two young State Department officials took a delegation of Silicon Valley executives to Syria recently, they billed it as a chance to use the promise of technology to reach out to a country with which the United States has long had icy relations. Instead, the visit will be remembered for a series of breezy Twitter messages that the two colleagues sent home, riffing about how visitors can buy an American-style blended iced coffee at a university near Damascus and how one of them had challenged a Syrian communications minister to a cake-eating contest. The messages raised hackles on Capitol Hill, where some Republicans were already leery of the Obama administration’s efforts to engage Syria. They also embarrassed the State Department, which normally conducts its dealings with Damascus behind a veil of diplomatic politesse. Their pithy musings raised no objections until they did it from Syria, a country that has not had an American ambassador since the last one was recalled in 2005. President Obama has made cautious overtures to Damascus, appointing a new envoy, Robert S. Ford. But several senators have put a hold on his confirmation, saying that engagement is naïve. In that context, Mr. Cohen’s June 16 Twitter message, typos and all — “I’m not kidding when I say I just had the greatest frappacino ever at Kalamoun University north of Damascus” — seemed off key, officials said, as did Mr. Ross’s report about Mr. Cohen’s proposed cake-eating contest (he called it “creative diplomacy”). The messages caught the State Department’s attention after they were posted [see this] by Josh Rogin of The Cable, a blog on the Web site of Foreign Policy magazine. In the end, the trip may prove most useful as a lesson in the risks of using social media as a tool for diplomacy. The State Department assigned one of Mr. Ross’s staff members to film Web videos and send Twitter messages about Mrs. Clinton’s recent trip to China, and the department’s spokesman, Philip J. Crowley, uses Twitter daily to report on Mrs. Clinton’s activities. This is all a tempest in a coffee pot. At least @JaredCohen liked that Syrian Frappuccino. What would have happened if he had said that it sucked? Would the Syrians break diplomatic relations with us? I don't think so. And did the Syrians even know what he was talking about, since "Frappuccino" is a Fratalian word? Fratalian being the fusion of French and Italian that Starbucks created, in which the words "frappe" and "cappuccino" are combined. Anyway, with [Ambassador-appointee] Ford kept in the hatch and [Senator John] Kerry having done the trip at least two times, Hillary Clinton has dispatched two of her young men, Policy Planning Staffer Jared Cohen and Special Adviser on Innovation Alec J. Ross, to lead the enticement mission. Cohen has written a book, Children of Jihad, the basis of which is that the new defining demographic is the roughly 60% of the "Muslim world" who are under 30. According to him, youth is the liberating factor in Islam. He has told this tale excitedly on Colbert, CBS, Glenn Beck, the BBC, and MSNBC. Peretz doesn't sound like a believer in the Twitter Revolution, does he? I guess he, like Phillip Crowley, won't be sharing his lunch plans with the world.

2019-04-24T04:41:39Z

http://skepticalbureaucrat.blogspot.com/2010/07/

Posted on September 29, 2017 at 2:25 pm. This week we learned all about what respect is, and using our manners. Throughout the week, we had discussions about what is a peacemaker and what a peace breaker does. We also made our own classroom rules as a group. Together as a class, we also created a listening chart. I was super proud of how well the children grasped this concept! Our friend here is working on the Geometry Cabinet. With this work the children discriminate their geometric shapes. They are also learning new vocabulary. Our kindergartners are working on their weekly journal entries. When children are journal writing they are able to write about personal experiences, and their reflections. It also teaches children that their thoughts, feelings, and words can be transferred from their minds to paper. This week our friend worked really hard on the trinomial cube. The purpose of the amazing material is for the preparation for mathematics, working on three dimensional patterns. This is also an introduction for algebra. Take a Peek Into Next Week ! Next week is all about apples! We will be focusing using on the life cycle of an apple, learning about Johnny Appleseed, tasting different types of apples, and making homemade applesauce! Posted on September 22, 2017 at 6:03 pm. We had so much fun this week learning about our families! All week long we had a variety of activities which gave a better understanding of what a family is. We had many discussions about who is in our family, brothers and sisters, special traditions families celebrate together, and how all families are different. We also shared our family trees. One of our kindergartners working on the South America Map. With this material they are learning how countries fit together into a continent and learning about the different countries. They are gaining fine motor skills but tracing and coloring the map. Sharing our family trees! The children take so much pride in talking about their families. A Peek into Next Week: We are learning about Respect! -What does respect look like? Posted on September 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm. This week we had so much fun learning about ourselves. We made different graphs that focused on the letters of our name, eye and hair color. We also lead discussions about what makes us so unique and special! We started out the week by reading a special book about how everyone in the world is special. We then lead a discussion about what makes each of us special. Our sweet friend is working very hard on the number rods. The aim and purpose for this material is to help memorize the sequence of numbers from 1 to 10, to show that each number is represented by a object, as a whole, and separate from others. During our one on one time, our friend has been working super hard on his sandpaper letters. The direct purpose and aim from this amazing material is to teach the child the sounds of the alphabet by means of muscular and visual memory. Next week we will be focusing about our family. Throughout next week your child will be able to share their family tree to their classmates, create different charts about who lives in their home, and what a family is. We will also be discussing our different family tradition, and creating a family portrait. Family trees are due next Week! Posted on September 8, 2017 at 3:35 pm. This week we focused on friendship. Throughout the week we had so much fun learning friendship songs, making a kindness quilt, learning about being a bucket filler and a bucket dipper. We also created a chart about how we can be good friends to others. This week we had a lesson on cutting. The children were able to pick a shape out, color it, then cut it out. This work is great for their fine motor skills! One of our friends was copying our basket of red sight words. With this activity she is gaining fine motor skills, letter recognition, and copy writing skills. Literacy is super important to have in the classroom. It promotes letter and sound recognition, as well as word recognition. Reading also sparks imagination! A Peek into Next Week! Posted on September 1, 2017 at 3:41 pm. We had a great first week back to school! This week our class had so much fun getting to know each other and learning about the rules of our classroom. The children became familiar with our chores, Grace and courtesy lessons, and how to be respectful to one another. We are looking forward to a great year ahead! During our line time I gave a lesson on how to interrupt other’s in the correct way. The direct purpose of this lesson is to teach the children Grace and courtesy in the classroom. This week each child learned their chore for the week. By giving our children chores inside the classroom it helps build a lasting sense of mastery and self – reliance. It also increases concentration and independence. This week I gave a few lessons on how we place our works on our math the correct way. This shows the importance of how we treat our works and the space around us. This prepares them for independence and also teaches them organizational skills. Next week will be all about friendship. We will focus on what friendship is, how we treat our friends, and singing new songs about friendship. REMINDER: There is NO SCHOOL on Monday for Labor Day! Posted on June 7, 2017 at 4:18 pm. May was such a busy month! Our class learned about insects and jumped into a space shuttle and flew into outer space. Our class also had fun learning about plant life cycles and had a blast during Grandparents Day and at our field trip to the zoo! The first week was all about the different life cycles. The first life cycle we talked about was about frogs. We formed a chart that showed the different stages in their life. I also made a new three part card work with objects to go a long with the cards. We then learned all about the butterfly. With this lesson I brought in a butterfly kit so that the children were able to see the whole cycle of a butterfly. The children were so fascinated by this. Next to the caterpillars we placed a basket full of journals so that the children were able to chart what they see on a daily basis. We then discussed the life cycle of a plant. For the children to get a better understanding of this lesson the children grew their own beans in zip lock bags so that they were also able to see all of the changes. The children loved watching the plant go from seed, to sprout, to growing a stem with roots, to the full plant! We then had fun learning the life cycle of a chick. The children made a small booklet that showed each of the phases of a chicks life. It’s so important to have hand on things that go along with the lesson. I feel as though it clicks with the children when they can actually see what is read to them in a book. We then focused on outer space. During this time we learned about the solar system, stars and constellations, galaxies, the eight planets, the sun and moon, the space shuttle, and the first man who walked on the moon. Wow, what a busy couple of weeks! We first stared out by creating a web of the solar system. Throughout our space lesson the children added the information they have learned onto the web. During our lesson, the children learned about the eight planets since the 9th planet is now a dwarf planet. They learned the order of the planets and neat little facts about each one. They loved learning about Jupiter and its famous hurricane like storm. They thought it was pretty cool that Mars is called the “red planet” due to the red dirt, dust and sky. We also learned about how there are thousands of different galaxies and how the spiral shape is the most common type. The children also learned about night and day. For this activity I had one child stand in the middle of the circle and pretend they were the sun. I then had another child pretend to be the earth. I explained to them that the Earth takes 365 days to orbit around the sun, but as it’s orbiting it is also rotating. The kids loved this activity!! During this time we talked about what stars are, the lunar eclipse, the different constellations, and about observatories. We then talked about Neil Armstrong and how if they went to the moon they would still see his footprint. Near the end of our outer space lesson the children learned about life in space, gravity, and astronauts. I showed a video of a launch and what it is like for astronauts up in space. The children loved it!! The third week we focused on grandparents. I thought this would be a good way to have lessons with them since it was our grandparents week at our school! Everyday we read a different book on grandparents. We had fun telling them all the different ways you can say grandma and grandpa in the different countries. The children also enjoyed making charts about why their grandparent is so special to them. For example, Levi said “ They make my favorite food!” Brooklyn said “ When I go and visit them they buy me toys.” And Alitza said “ My grandma makes me smile.” We also made a chart about how Grandparents can be, what they have, and what they are. It was such a special week that week. Thank you to all of the grandparents that came and spent time with us! For the grandparents who want to keep a young and fresh looking skin, leonardmillermd.com has a certified doctor specializing in mini facelift in Boston, MA. To schedule a consultation, call (617) 735-8735. With the last two weeks remaining, the children had a blast learning about different insects. The children discovered that insects have six legs but spiders and other arachnids have 8 legs. We also created a web together that was all about dragon flies. We read such a detailed book about them and the children had to tell me fact that they learned. Throughout the week we talked about Bees and why they are important, and why we need them. We also had fun learning about ladybugs and making a fun craft! I can’t believe how fast the school year has gone by. I have truly enjoyed watching my kiddos grow throughout the year. I will miss them so very much. Also, thank you to all of my families, for everything that you have done this year. I wish the best of luck to those families who are going to new schools and look forward to seeing everyone else next school year! Have a great summer!!! The beginning of May we looked at the preposition. I explained the the preposition is a “where word” not a “werewolf”. The we got really excited about the Interjection. Interjections added a bit more to the sentence by showing excitement. Either this excitement is a little or a lot of emotion. We came to the end of the sentence and learned about the period, question mark, and explanation mark. Then we learned when to capitalize words. “I” not eye, proper nouns, and words at the beginning of a sentence. Our Handwriting Lessons this month focused on learning about different types of poetry. We focused on writing acrostic poems, couplets, haikus, and shape poems. I loved how creative the children have become with their writing! The topics ranged from poems about their best friends to penguins, to basketball. We also had journal prompts such as, ” What animal are you excited to see at the zoo?” and ” What did you do over Memorial Day Weekend?”. I have been amazed with how the children have progressed from the beginning of the year to this point! They have become amazing writers! During the month of May our reading group had a lot of fun! We focused on the story called Feraj And The Magic Lute. I loved this story because each lesson was something different that O thought really stood out to all of the children. The first activity we read through the story and talked about any of the words they weren’t certain about. They then had to complete the picture about where the bag of gold was hidden. We then went over the My Questions and lead a wonderful discussion on all of their questions. Having group discussions really make the children think, be creative, and get a better understanding of the story. Later on that month the children had the most fun acting out the different parts of the story. The children then came together and formed a group creative writing lesson. The children came up with a song about the magical lute. They brainstormed all of their ideas and we charted them on paper. Lastly, the children made a treasure map of where the gold could be hidden in our school! What a fun month!! I truly enjoyed teaching this bunch of amazing kiddos this year! This past month during Science class the Kids enjoyed about 4 different experiments but their favorite one was on the last day of school! This is done by using 1 bottle of Diet Coke and 1 pack of Mentos. When Mr. John dropped candy Mentos into a bottle of Diet Coke the Coke shot up into the air and dropped down the side of the bottle. Why? because a bottle of soda is filled with Carbon Dioxide. The Mentos fall to the bottom, forming lots of bubbles. When this gas is released it forces the liquid up and out in a GIANT exploding geyser of sticky soda. The Children loved watching this and screeched with delight. This past month in art was inspired by spring. Ms. Michele had the students make paper flower sculptures. The students made a circle out of a strip of paper for the middle, and then made tear drop shapes for the petals. They could use a pattern with the colors, use warm colors, or cool colors. The flowers turned out beautiful with all the different patterns and colors the students used. The next spring inspired artwork came from butterflies. The students learned about symmetry and how to paint a butterfly with symmetry since butterflies are identical on each side. Ms. Michele had them paint with watercolors. The third week we painted Vincent Van Gogh inspired flowers in a vase. The students learned about his painting technique. Vincent painted with short squiggly paint strokes because he wanted it to seem like is art was moving and alive. Ms. Michele placed vases with flowers in the middle of the table, and had the students draw on paper first, and then she showed them how to paint like Van Gough, and had them return to their seats to paint. The paintings turned out looking just like Van Gogh’s painting called Sunflowers. To end a wonderful year filled with art, Ms. Michele had a Claude Monet inspired artwork planned for the young artists. They looked at his painting called Bridge Over Pond of Water Lilies. They learned about Impressionism, which is what style Claude Monet used. Impressionism is the use of dabs or small brush strokes of unmixed colors to simulate the actual reflection of light. The students did a wonderful job of recreating the outdoor scene, and I can say I was quite “impressed”, pun intended. Thank you Ms. Michele for all of your hard work this year, and we hope you have a wonderful summer! In music class during the month of May, Ms. Lisa reviewed many of the concepts that she taught throughout the year. This month the please and thank you song was played and our students love it and the movements to the song. The bells were used and much fun was had! We also sang the forgiveness song. The children talked about the meaning of forgiveness and sign language was introduced as part of the song. The instruments used were the rhythm sticks. The life lessons learned were so terrific. She reviewed what staccato and legato mean, sang about having a choice for your behavior, sang about being kind, sang about telling the truth. Ms. Lisa also taught us a new song this month called Let the Sun Shine In! Diligence was also a characteristic talked about through music and movement. The instruments used were the triangles, tambourines and the maracas. Music and the important values taught is so much fun at AMMS! Posted on May 9, 2017 at 6:09 pm. Bonjour! Spring is finally here! I love seeing the warm sunshine and the colorful flowers in bloom! This month has been super busy getting ready for the International Festival and learning about all of the different continents and countries. The children also enjoyed our guest speakers from different backgrounds and cultures. The first week I introduced the seven continents to the children by showing them our continents puzzle. We discussed the four main countries in North America, which are The United States of America, Mexico, Canada, and Greenland. The children also learned about our flag, which consists of 13 horizontal stripes, which are red, white, and blue and represent the first colonies and states in the union. The flag also has 50 stars, which represent the 50 states in the Union. The children also learned about Christopher Columbus, the climate, and cultures of North America. The second week we focused on three countries from Europe. We learned about Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. First I Introduced our map of Europe to the children. I then showed them were Italy takes place . We then talked about their flag and what each of the colors represented. Green means hope or the hills, white means faith or mountains, and red represents charity or for the bloody wars. We then colored our own flag. The next day we talked about all the different kinds of food that come from Italy. We talked about the famous pizza and the history behind it. We then had so much fun creating our own pizza out of construction paper, scissors, glue, and marker’s. We then enjoyed learning about Germany. I started out by showing the children where Germany was located in Europe. I then showed them the flag and went over what each color represents and then they were able color their own flag of Germany. The next country we talked about (which is one of my favorites) was the Netherlands. I showed them a short video on the world famous tulips and windmills. We then created our own tulip made out of different colored tissue paper. The third week we went over the two countries Spain and France. I showed them where both countries were located on the map and what each of their flags looked like and what they represented. Both Ms. Ame and I showed them short clips about the Eiffel Tower, French food, and the importance of family. The children loved learning about the different traditions they celebrated, festivals they have, and the different languages that they speak. We had fun coloring an Eiffel tower, learning about snails that they eat. It was such a fun week! Throughout the week we also had fun learning about Ireland and why we celebrate St. Patrick’s day, and the meaning of the shamrock. We also lead a discussion on the country Belgium and made a beautiful windmill for our International Festival! Our last week was all about Farms. We first discussed why it is extremely important that we have farmer’s. We read a short book then we lead a group discussion about all the things that they learned from our book. I loved that they really payed attention and were able to talk amongst each other about farmer’s and what they do. The next day we reviewed all about farmer’s. We then moved on to the machine’s that they would find on the farm. As a group we talked about what each machine did and how it helped the farm, animals ,and crops. Throughout the week we did different activities that talked about the different typed of farms you can find such as, crop farms, poultry farms, dairy farms, and grain farms. Ms. Ame had a blast with them talking about the different animals you would find on the farm, then the kids constructed a barn out of colored popsicle sticks, and glue. Lastly, we discussed the food we get from the different animals and farms, and where they go to. We had such a busy but fantastic month! I’m so very proud of how hard the children worked and their songs and lines!!! We started out the month by looking at the pronoun. We learned the pronoun takes the place of the noun and at times makes our lives a bit easier. I stressed NEVER call a person “it” because it is rude. Moving forward we discovered the adjective. The adjective describes nouns but we did not leave out the verb(what describes the verb?) an adverb of course. That is it’s main job but it can also describe adjectives and other adverbs. We closed out April with learning about the conjunction. It serves as a bridge for two separate sentences bringing together these two sentences as one. Ask our Kindergarten Students about adjectives and adverbs! This month in handwriting, we have continued to focus on forming complete sentences. The Kindergaten students also enjoyed correcting my capitalization “mistakes” in example sentences. We continued journaling together. Our kindergarten students continue to impress me with their handwriting and creativity! For the month of April we focused on a poem called Seashell. This poem came from Spain and is spoken by someone who has been given a seashell. We had fun talking about what happens if you hold up a huge seashell… you can hear the light sounds of the ocean. We first read the poem in English and then lead a short discussion on what they think it meant to them. We also went over any vocabulary words they weren’t sure of the meaning. Next, I read the poem in Spanish. Seashell in Spanish is “ Caracola” After the poem was read, the children then drew a picture of themselves walking on the bottom of the sea and what they think it would look like. The children then stood up and shared their drawings with one another. I can see such a difference in their confidence with standing up and sharing in front of their peers. We then had such a fun time acting out our drawings! It was such a fun poem! In April, Ms. Lisa focused on singing songs about our character. The students sang and did motions to songs about telling the truth, about cooperating, saying please and thank you, and about being kind. The students participated in partner dances, and even learned a new song from Africa called Roll and Rock. Ms. Lisa always incorporates gross motor movement into her lessons. She sang Have You Ever Seen a Lassy, and the students picked a movement, such as skipping, galloping, and hoping to move around during the song. Another activity Ms. Lisa had for the students was to review what Staccato and Legato mean. Staccato notes are short and jumpy, whereas Legato notes are smooth and long. The students were given a castanet and a scarf to walk around in a circle while listening to a song. When the music played Staccato notes, the students played their castanet and ran on their tiptoes. When the music played Legato notes, the students moved in slow flowing motions with their scarves. Thank you Ms. Lisa for sharing all of your instruments for us to learn! Our favorite science experiment from the month of April was the Tea Bag Hot Air Balloon! These are some of the questions Mr. John and the scientists asked themselves: What will happen when you set an empty, unused teabag on fire? We had many hypothesis given by our students! Mr. John cut open the unused tea bag and dumped out the tea. Then he made the tea bag into a cylinder. Next, he put the cylinder shaped tea bag on a kitchen plate and set fire to it. As the tea bag burns, it floats up into the air. WHY? When the tea bag burns down it gets lighter and the air around the flame gets hotter. Hot air rises and once the burnt tea bag is light enough it gets carried up with the hot air. All the children giggled with delight during this experiment and asked Mr. John to do it again. This is one of our most favorite experiments of the school year! Ms. Michele had students finish their wooden frames that they painted one color, or monochromatic. To finish their frames, they picked out objects and painted them the complimentary color of the color they chose for their frames. Once the paint was dry, the students glued it on the frame to create an abstract piece of art. The next week, Ms. Michele introduced Pablo Picasso to the students. Pablo Picasso is known for his Cubism art works. He wanted to draw facial features from different angles and that is why the features on his people look different. To create their own Cubism inspired art works, Ms. Michele printed out pictures of facial features for the students to cut out and glue onto faces. Some of them had two noses, an eye looking sideways, and an eye looking forward. The students let their creativity flow, and created some great Picasso style faces. To close up the month of April, Ms. Michele reviewed the color wheel with the class. They reviewed warm and cool colors, primary colors, secondary colors, and complimentary colors. The young artists drew an owl using different shapes, and they had to use primary and secondary colors to fill in the shapes. After the owls were finished, the students drew details on their pages like a branch for the owl to sit on, or the moon in the background. We always look forward to what Ms. Michele has planned for art each month. Thank you for your hard work Ms. Michele! Posted on May 1, 2017 at 8:09 pm. -Join us for Moms N Muffins! Thursday, June 1st: FIELD DAY! Posted on April 4, 2017 at 6:08 pm. March was a busy month for us. The children had fun talking about Dr. Seuss, learning about different artists, and exploring the our five senses, and also learning about spring. We also had fun celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. The first week was celebrating Dr. Seuss. The children had a blast this week! Throughout the week the children were able to wear silly socks, mismatched clothes, have crazy hair, and wear a crazy hat! The first day we read The Cat In the Hat. After we read the story, the children were able to create their own cat in the hats out of red and white paper. We then took a silly picture! The next day the children were given a plain sock template and they were able to draw their silly sock they wore. We then made a silly sock graph. Having graphs is super important for children because they provide meaningful opportunity for children to represent and communicate important mathematical relationships. Later on we made green eggs and ham and had a taste test. Lastly we created another graph using all of the books we had read that week, and then graphing our favorites. The theme for our second week was, Art Appreciation. This week we focused on different artists and their works. The children were able to create their own works from the artists they learned about. The first day we learned all about Claude Monet. We discussed landscapes and why he chose to only draw them. We also learned about oil pastels and how to blend them. The children then created their own landscape while using oil pastels. On the second day, we discussed Pablo Picasso and his different Periods. The children learned about his Blue period and how he was very sad. We also talked about his Rose period where he fell in love and became very happy and all of his paintings were a rosy hue. We then went over his angry period, where all of his paintings were a bit scary. I showed them how he would drew faces in a different way and how all of his drawing were different. The children then drew self-portraits, cut their pictures up and created their own Picasso with Ms. Ame. The next thing we learned about was Vincent Van Gough. The children learned the history behind his art, they were also able to explore his different paintings and why he painted certain paintings the way he did. The children then created their own 3D Sunflower portrait! They also had a lot of fun learning, exploring, and doing different types of art with Ms. Ame! Our third week was all about spring and the different things that happen during this time. To start out the week we discussed the four seasons. We created a chart that was sectioned into four groups. We then went over the different weather that we get with each season, the clothes we might wear, what the trees are doing, and what the animals might be doing with each of these seasons. We then lead a discussion about the adult animal and what their baby animal is called. We read some wonderful books and then we played a fun matching game where we had to place the baby animal next to its mother. Matching games are great for children’s brain development because it provides an opportunity to master a skill, it also brings in deep concentration which is calming and deeply satisfying for the child, and it also demonstrates that they are capable of making the connection between the real item and the pictorial representation. We also went over the parts of the flower, and the life cycle of a chick! The last week of March we had fun learning about our five senses. The first day the children learned about hearing and how the ear works. We also listened to an awesome CD that played different environmental sounds where the children had to guess what the sounds were. We then learned about touch and the children had to place their hand in the mystery bag and guess the item that they were touching. We also had fun learning about taste where the children got to taste something sweet, salty, sour, and bitter! We then played a take away game that explained all about sight, and lastly the children had to place a blindfold on while smelling different smells such as bananas, vanilla, lemon, peppermint, orange, and cinnamon. I loved seeing all the children’s facial expressions! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe spring break! See you in April! The kindergartners started their section in Language. We will be learning about the parts of speech until the end of the year. We went over vowels/consonants, and nouns and verbs. A noun is a person, place, or thing. A verb is an action word or something you do. We the learned there are three articles. They are A, An, The. We learned rules when we use those articles. “A” hooks up with consonants, “AN” hooks up with vowels, and “THE” hooks up with anything. My line time and the kindergarten class count to ten in 28 different languages (English, Sign Language, German, French, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Russian, Tagalog, Polish, Irish, Welsh, Hebrew, Arabic w/the Lebanese dialect, Japanese, Hungarian, Swedish, Swahili, Korean, Serbo-Croation, Hindi, Flemish/Dutch, Malay, Cebuano, Farsi and Turkish)! The children learned how to write vowels and consonant blends in cursive this month, such as ” oo”, “ee”, “th”, “sh”, etc. We also ventured into more creative journal writing, answering questions such as ” If you could go on vacation anywhere, who would you take with you and why?” and ” Tell me two things you plan to do over your Spring Break”. I’m daily impressed with their creativity and excitement for writing! For the month of March our Reading group read two wonderful stories called The Frog Prince, and Guinea Fowl and Rabbit Get Justice. With each of these stories the children were able to illustrate and write about what was happening in each of the stories. By illustrating, the children are visualizing the characters and setting of the story. As they make their own decisions about what the hardest thing is, they are learning that their individual perspectives on a story are important. They also had so much fun acting out the stories. Dramatizations can make it easier for students to take in detail and get plots straight! The children really enjoyed these stories! Density: What happens when you put a lemon and a lime in a container of water? The lemon floats and the lime sinks. Why? because the lime is denser than the lemon, the lime has more water by weight in it, it is also guessed that lemons have more air in them which makes them float. Density: What happens when we mix oil, water and Alka Seltzer in a plastic clear bottle? But first we pour water into bottle about 1/4 full. Then pour vegetable oil into bottle until full, wait until it separates. Add 10 drops food coloring. Break a seltzer tablet in half drop into bottle. Watch it sink to the bottom and the bubble greatness begins, bubbles start wildly going up and down the bottle quickly almost in a dancing like fashion, truly entertaining. This fantastic experiment is because the oil stays above the water the oil is lighter than the water. Oil and water do not mix, the structures of the two molecules do not allow them to bond together. When the tablet pieces are added, they sank to the bottom and created a gas, As the gas bubbles rose, they took some of the colored water with them. When the bubbles reach the top, the gas escapes and down went the water. This was for sure one of the Children’s favorites this month because of all that it does, so fun to watch. Carbonation: What will happen when you place raisins in a fresh glass of ginger ale? The raisins sink to the bottom of the ginger ale. Then after just a few minutes the raisins get covered in bubbles and rise to the top. Then fall to the bottom. They repeat this pattern for several minutes. Why does this happen? The raisins are heavier than the ginger ale. When enough bubbles attach to the raisins they become” lighter” than the ginger ale. The bubbles raise the raisins to the top. When the bubbles reach the surface they pop dropping the raisins to the bottom again. Up, up the dancing raisins go! Music is so much fun! This month was all about good manners! A song and game about sharing was played! While listening to the directions in the song, the children passed and shared a ball, and had a lot of fun! The magic words “please” and “thank you” were reinforced through song and by using movement and castanets. “You Have a Choice” was a song played during class, which taught the children that they had a choice to be kind. The children enjoyed using bells, tambourines and rhythm sticks as well this month. The children also learned the difference between forte and piano or loud and soft. They loved raising and lowering their voices with the music. Songs about forgiveness and telling the truth were also shared this month. Ask your child to share all these great songs! The first week of March Miss Michele felt much better and brought some (much needed) sunshine into our rooms using modge-podge glue with different colors mixed in! The students each created their own sunshine using different colors. These masterpieces will look fantastic in a window that gets a lot of sunshine. The next week Miss Ame stepped in when Miss Michele was sick and taught an abbreviated art lesson on Andy Warhol, that’s what all those colorful cats were about! The students learned a bit about his life and the definition of pop art. The next week Miss Michele taught the students about the definition of monochromatic. Monochromatic means only using a single color. The students each created their own “house” or creation out of gluing popsicle sticks. Then they painted their creation only one color. It was difficult to pick only one! The next week Miss Michele talked about complimentary colors and introduced the color wheel once again. The students had to identify the complimentary color to the color they painted their creation the previous week. Then Miss Michele provided small boxes full of all sorts of treasures! The students had to be very careful to pick out only the complimentary colored items and glue them onto their monochromatic creation! They turned out so beautiful! If you see yours on the art rack, feel free to take it home! We can’t wait for April and see what multicultural projects Miss Michele will have us make to display at the International Festival on the 21st! Posted on April 4, 2017 at 3:45 pm. Italy- We will have fun looking for Italy on our Europe puzzle map. Italy- Italy- We will have fun talking about Italy and making our own English muffin pizzas! Germany- As a class we will go over Germany’s flag, and then make a tissue paper flag. Netherlands- We will explore the Europe map to find where the Netherlands is located. We will then create our own special tulip! Ms. Ame will be doing a variety of crafts, and activities about Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. France- Creating a flag from France out of paint chip samples. We will also explore France on our map. Ms. Ame will be doing a variety of fun and engaging activities about France and Spain. Take a nature walk and collect different things you see. Come home a create a piece of art with all of your nature treasures! Visit a farm and see all of the baby animals. You could also bring a journal and write and draw all of the animals you see. Try to spot any of our rhyming words in Dr. Seuss books. Be adventurous and try a new meal or snack together. Go the library and go exploring with the different continent books.

2019-04-20T01:03:11Z

http://thesmarterkids.com/author/katecase/page/6/

SUMMARY Inspect, fabricate, repair, modify and install aircraft structural components, assemblies and subassemblies on operating aircraft. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Fabrication, modification and repair of sheet metal and structural components of operating aircraft Installs, removes, and replaces aircraft components Repairs and maintains operating aircraft Ensures that all inspections, preventive maintenance, modifications and documentation to the aircraft are completed Corrects discrepancies using information from engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, or other documents as required Uses manufacturing planning, tech manuals, written instructions, schematics, blueprints and other applicable technical data to assemble, install or replace aircraft components Documents all aircraft maintenance actions using the required maintenance forms Uses manufacturing shop stamp or test stamp to sign off completed work to include manufacturing planning, test procedures, inspection discrepancy records, product assurance records and applicable program documentation Maintain a clean, safe and healthy work area Up to 10% travel nationally and internationally Other duties may be assigned SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None SKILLS AND ABILITIES Must have fabrication, modification and repair experience on operating aircraft. Must have experience riveting sheet metal and be able to perform a layout and drill conforming holes. Must have the ability to read and interpret blue prints, engineering drawing and technical publications. Ability to use and maintain various pieces of ground support and test equipment as required. The ability to understand and follow instructions and the ability to concentrate is required. Excellent written, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills. The ability to get along with others or to be part of a team. Access to Export Control Information. Regular attendance at the worksite. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE This job requires a minimum of high school education and 3 to 5 years work-related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. This document does not create an employment contracts, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS A& P desired not required WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is designated by the employer to be a safety-sensitive position. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about facilities. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. SUMMARY The Avionics Light Helicopter Technician installs, test, troubleshoots, repairs, modifies and maintains aircraft avionics and electrical system components in accordance with testing, engineering, maintenance and installation directives on operating aircraft. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Perform operational checkouts of avionics and instrument systems Remove and replace aircraft electrical components; troubleshoot and implement corrective actions Fabricate and modify control panels; Install wiring, coax cable and electrical components Uses manufacturing planning, tech manuals, written instructions, schematics, blueprints and other approved technical data to assemble, install or replace electrical/avionics components Ensures that all inspections, preventive maintenance, modifications and documentation to the aircraft are complete for each task performed Document all aircraft maintenance actions using the required maintenance forms Uses manufacturing shop stamp or test stamp to sign off completed work to include manufacturing planning, test procedures, inspection discrepancy records, product assurance records and applicable program documentation Repairs and maintains operating aircraft Maintain a clean, safe and healthy work area Up to 10% domestic/international travel may be required Other duties may be assigned. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None SKILLS AND ABILITIES Must have the ability to read and interpret blue prints, engineering drawing and technical publications. Experience in the use of digital multi-meter and other related test equipment along with the ability to strip, crimp and solder wiring, coax cable and electrical components. Prior experience building and installing wire harnesses required. Prior experience in Garmin products programming. Ability to use and maintain various pieces of ground support and test equipment including following: Christie RF80 Battery Charger, Artex Model 453-2000 ELT Programmer, Castleberry Model 337 Pitot-static Tester, Aeroflex IRF4000 Nav Com Tester, Aeroflex IF 6000 Tester. The ability to understand and follow instructions and the ability to concentrate is required. Excellent written, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills. The ability to get along with others or to be part of a team. Access to Export Control Information. Regular attendance at the worksite. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE This job requires a minimum of high school education and 5-8 years work-related experience, with at least 1 year commercial avionics experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. This document does not create an employment contracts, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS None WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is designated by the employer to be a safety-sensitive position. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about facilities. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. SUMMARY Perform full range of technical tasks in assignments requiring high degree of original thinking as they relate to aerospace electrical and avionics systems and equipment. Applies advanced theories and technical concepts in specific discipline or technology in order to solve problems of complex nature. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Must be knowledgeable of and have the ability to design and integrate numerous electrical and avionics installations (i.e. electrical power distribution systems, engine installations, EFIS system installations, weather radar, micro-wave communications, aircraft intercom, search light systems, aircraft and non-aircraft radios, and airborne imaging systems). Define entire aircraft and subsystem wiring packages. Ability to solve complex technical problems. Application of complex concepts, practices and methods related to helicopter systems and installations in a design environment required. Performs electrical and system wiring analysis in support of aircraft certifications. Define avionics & electrical testing, write test plans and test reports. Knowledgeable of and the ability to use AutoCAD, Unigraphics version 16, NX5 or better. Familiarity with Federal Aviation Regulations as applied to qualification of aircraft avionic and electrical systems. Performs of SSA, FHA and EMI testing. Other duties as assigned SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None SKILLS AND ABILITIES Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Project. Knowledge of avionics and electrical design, integration and analysis. Intermediate level of proficiency to work on assignments of standard difficulty. The ability to understand and follow instructions and the ability to concentrate. Excellent written, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work in teams to support both engineering and production as well as address various projects concurrently. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations and apply knowledge to projects as required. Ability to write detailed test plans, test reports, process control documents and avionics and electrical engineering reference manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers and general public. Ability to construct correspondences. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients and other employees of the organization. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exits. Ability to interpret and apply a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Access to Export Control Information. Regular attendance at the worksite. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Electrical Engineering from a four-year College or University and 9-13 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employee(s) will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. This document does not create an employment contracts, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS None WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about facilities. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. Position Summary The Instructor Pilot – Military Specialized is primary responsible is for programs of instruction, courseware and flight instruction for both aviators and instructors in military applications of helicopter operations and missions. The Instructor Pilot – Military Specialized assists the Director of Aviation & Maintenance Training with developing the aviation training curriculum and syllabus specific to assigned contract customers. He/she is the technical expert responsible for writing all POI syllabus in appropriate format to meet 1) ITARs compliance requirements 2) courseware and publications requirements for student instruction and 3) FAA and/or other USG entity requirements as well as the supported customer. He/she is also responsible for all in flight instruction of the flight curriculum and syllabus to successfully train customer aviators as specified by the contract and the Director of Aviation & Maintenance Training. The Instructor Pilot – Military Specialized is also responsible for assisting the commercial & civil flight instruction Essential Duties and Responsibilities In addition to the essential duties and responsibilities (listed below) the Instructor Pilot will: Flight instruction to student aviators in all environments including: day, night, Night Vision Goggles, gunnery, desert, mountain, overwater in all US Army tactical profiles. In-depth knowledge of MD helicopters capabilities and limitations and their application to military tactics, techniques and procedures. Maintain an understanding and workable knowledge of risk management practices and risk mitigation to safely conduct training in difficult, challenging and harsh environments. Plan, implement and coordinate curriculum and syllabus programs in accordance with written regulations, procedures and policies. Maintain all departmental syllabus POI in priority to meet contract requirements. The Tactical Instructor Pilot is responsible for coordinating syllabus requirements across the spectrum of MD departments to ensure syllabus is appropriately coordinated, synchronized and vetted throughout MD and across appropriate departments. Assist the Director Aviation & Maintenance training in development of all curriculum, syllabus and instructional material to train military student pilots in accordance with contract requirements. Assist the director with integrating POI development to meet the department’s timelines. Develop and assist in resourcing aviation training plans and work with maintenance personnel to assure training is completed on time and within budget. Develop all syllabus and POI in support of Army Regulation 95-20 requirements. Perform other qualified duties as assigned by the Director Aviation & Maintenance Training Supervisory Responsibilities Supervisory roles of student pilots in a classroom environment and in the cockpit. Minimum Required Education, Qualification and Experience Those required to successfully accomplish each essential duty (above), to include: 15 years US Army aviation experience as an Instructor Pilot and/or IFE. Basic knowledge of MDHI aircraft or similar types armed with similar weapons. Aerial Gunnery qualification is required. Tactically proficient in military tactical skills & capable of coordinating and identifying FARP requirements. Ability to take and follow direction with minimum supervision. Excellent communication and team skills. Fluent in the English Language Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Must be able to travel both CONUS and OCONUS. Willingness and capability to travel for work. Required Licenses, Certificates, and Registrations CFI and/or CFII certificate. Current FAA Medical certificate. Prior gunnery experience with M-134 minigun, any series .50 cal. gun, 2.75 inch rockets and familiarity with the Hellfire missile system. Preferred Additional Education, Qualifications, and Experience Bachelor’s degree is preferred. This document does not create an employment contracts, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship. WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is designated by the employer to be a safety-sensitive position. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach, climb and move about facilities. Travel up to 25%, domestic and international. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES The National Field Superintendent is responsible for inspections, estimates, and construction project management of new residential rental home purchases across multiple states. This employee must be able to quickly assess the physical attributes of residential home and make sound real estate investment decisions in a fast-paced work environment. ESSENTIAL DUTIES • Travel to various offices in multiple states to perform assigned job duties • Inspect homes to create a scope of work that will be the basis of a budget on new property acquisitions • Onboard and train new vendors to perform residential renovation work • Plan and schedule renovation projects for homes prior to home purchase • Create and review budgets using an Excel template • Coordinate and schedule inspections with the acquisitions team lead • Manage 15-40 ongoing residential remodeling projects in various phases from estimation to final quality control inspection • Manage a vendor base to complete projects within the company’s expected pricing, quality, and timeframes • Negotiate pricing on vendor-assigned work • Complete and submit change orders for variances to initial budget • Update project and work order tracking systems • Review and approve invoices weekly • Update the local management team on the status and progress of projects • Communicate with the other property management team members on project completion status and upcoming move-in inspections • This brief summary is not an all-inclusive description of job duties. Other job duties and responsibilities may also be assigned by the incumbent’s manager at any time based upon Company need. Performs a full range of technical tasks assignments which will require a high degree of original thinking. Applies advanced theories and technical concepts in specific discipline or technology in order to solve problems of complex nature. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following: Manages mass properties data base for the entire product line. Participates in the design process to define weight bogies, predict weights, and define center of gravity envelope within the product development cycle. Establishes monitors and tracks fleet weights. Develops processes for and participates in all aspects of mass properties including detail part and aircraft weighing. Develops and supplies mass properties data to both internal and external customers. Participates in bid and proposal efforts to define configuration weights. Works independently on engineering problems and methods, and represents the organization to customers and suppliers to resolve important issues and to plan and coordinate work. Actively works to improve daily processes and ensures all work meets customer requirements. Maintains a current knowledge of developments in the field of specialty in order to recommend innovations to improve the quality economy, and effectiveness of the company product. Familiar with aircraft systems. Familiar with FAA rules and regulations. Familiar with SAWE 7 & 8, MIL-STD-1374, and MIL-W-25140B as necessary. Ability to work in teams to support engineering with internal and external customers. Complete tasks as assigned with minimal supervision and guidance. Communication Skills Other duties as assigned SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None Qualifications SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED Must be proficient and responsible for the estimation and control of air vehicle mass properties from conceptual design through aircraft delivery. Knowledge of Siemens NX 11.5 preferred. Knowledge of Helicopter systems and general specifications - Familiarity with MD Helicopters product line is beneficial. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Requires strong team-orientation and the ability to work several assignments concurrently. Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access. The ability to understand and follow instructions and the ability to concentrate. Excellent written, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills. The ability to get along with others or to be part of a team. Access to Export Control Information required. Regular attendance at the worksite required. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Bachelor of Science degree (B. S.) from four-year college or university; and 2 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS None WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about facilities. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. Responsible for the management of strategic suppliers and supporting Major Subcontracts. Coordinates and supports purchasing activities including request for proposals, purchase orders, supplier development actions, new supplier qualification support and other supply chain management support as assigned. Execute purchase orders <10% Distribute RFQ's/RFP's 20% Negotiation 15% Expedite material/update/communicate procurement status 10% Lead supplier development <5% Project Management 30% Mentor or train procurement professionals <5% Travel Required <5% DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Manages the purchase of MDHI custom and complex individual parts and assemblies from strategic providers. Identifies major cost reduction opportunities and strategies including the development of suppliers new to MDHI. Accountable for significant supplier cost reduction and cost avoidance commitments. Identifies opportunities for long term agreements and implements strategies to get them in place. Spends a significant portion of their time planning, preparing, and implementing negotiation strategies. Leads and manages all aspects of contractual agreements and/or bid and proposal activities with suppliers (interfacing with legal as needed). This includes: coordinating pricing efforts with Program Managers, Finance, Engineering, Manufacturing and other buyers; preparing requests for quotations/bid/proposal to support an effective competitive bidding process; conducting bidders' conferences; analyzing and evaluating proposals; negotiating; selecting or recommending subcontractors/suppliers/partners and writes awards After award monitories/tracks performance of procurement to budget/priced bill of material. Manages pertinent purchase activities and information regarding part shortages, alternate suppliers, and build and delivery schedules. Maintains accurate records of all purchasing actions, in compliance with company and departmental policies and procedures. Packages subcontract specifications, terms and conditions, as well as modify, add or delete portions of the subcontract to suit MDHI or vendors' specifications. Develops and manages supplier performance measurements, solves procurement discrepancies and resolves issues (e.g. pricing, quality, timing, claims, liens, etc.) and deliverables by working with Accounting, Engineering, Manufacturing, suppliers and other internal departments. Analyzes inventory levels, demand/spend profiles and lead times for components involving purchasing decisions Participates in the development and creation of policies, procedures and process improvements Serves as primary point of contact with major subcontractors by coordinating the acquisition of materials and services. Including establishing/maintaining effective relationships with business stakeholders and ensuring connectivity between the business and the supply base. Conducts market analysis, price, and cost modeling activities. Reviews supplier procedures and practices to identify opportunities for cost and schedule improvements. Balances end-user demands, preferences and pressures against functional goals and objectives and professional procurement standards and practices to ensure that business and procurement objectives are met. Responsible to ensure that suppliers meet targets for quality, delivery, and total cost of acquisition of the products and services the company requires. Interfaces between supplier, manufacturing, quality, and engineering regarding product enhancement and concurrent engineering process. Maintains a positive and professional approach and addresses multiple objectives in a fast-paced environment. Qualifications SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES No direct responsibilities but on occasion, trains and mentors procurement agents. SKILLS AND ABILITIES Experience and complete understanding of a MRP / ERP system (preferably JD Edwards) required. Experience purchasing complex aerospace parts (machine/composite/sheet metal parts preferred) required. Knowledge and understanding of contractual law for external supply and development agreements required. Knowledge and understanding of leading purchasing practices required. Demonstrated advance negotiation skills. Multiple years of experience planning, managing RFPs & RFQs and executing all elements of contract negotiations including but not limited to cost reductions and pay terms expansion. Capable of training and coaching others in negotiation techniques. Experience with supplier development. Thorough working knowledge of purchasing policies, processes and procedures. Advance skills in and proficient with Microsoft Office Suite to include (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) Candidate has management aspirations and potential. Ideally could take the lead if/when upper management is absent. Subcontract Administration experience preferred. Strong knowledge of business, economic, and accounting principles and practices Procurement experience associated with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), AS9100, Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) and Government procurement regulations preferred Demonstrated aptitude for process improvement and use of Lean and Six-Sigma resources and tools. Ability to read, analyze and interpret MRP reports, purchase requisitions, RFQ's, and supplier contracts. The successful candidate must be aggressive but yet professional on behalf of the company and comfortable in an entrepreneurial environment Ability to generate quantitative improvements in supplier delivery, quality, and costs is very desirable Ability to work in a global environment and build trust with variety of cultures Self-motivated, persistent, hands-on, result oriented, well organized with ability to handle multiple projects within expected time frame Must be proactive and have a sense of urgency to meet the demands of all customers and have the ability to think ahead of potential problems Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists Excellent interpersonal, communication, planning, and organization skills are required. May need to attend meetings within multiple buildings across the campus. Available for consultation after hours. Domestic and international business required. The ability to get along with others and be part of a team. Access to Export Control Information required. Regular attendance at the worksite required. EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE Bachelor's Degree from four-year College or University required, Masters Degree preferred with 7+ years of work-related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Preferences will be given to: 1) Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, Business, Finance and Accounting Degrees. 2) Specific military or commercial Aerospace or OEM airframer procurement experience. This document does not create an employment contracts, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Purchasing and supply management profession certifications such as: Institute of Supply Management's CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager), CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management), CSM (Certified in Supply Management) preferred. WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Work performed in an office and factory settings. Exposure to shop environment such as noise, dust, odors and fumes. Occasionally required to lift up to 20 lbs. Regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about facilities. A review of this position has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties. All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbent(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. MD Helicopters, Inc. is an equal employment employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, females, veterans, and disabled individuals. VERIZON AUTHORIZED RETAILER - GOWIRELESS Looking for a rewarding sales opportunity? Like to be rewarded for your efforts? How about an uncapped earning potential? GoWireless has it all. We are offering retail sales professionals an exciting opportunity to become a valued member of our successful sales force and growth with one of the leading providers of wireless products, services and accessories in the US market. As a Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer, we offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay plus unlimited commission potential, excellent advancement opportunities, Health, Dental, Vision, and Aflac benefits, Flex-Time off, 401(k), Product Discounts, Top-notch Training, and a fun, success-driven work environment for Full-time and Part-time shifts. We pride ourselves on offering superior customer service, as well as having the best locations throughout the state. If you have the drive; we have the tools to further your career. If you’re looking for a competitive workplace where an unlimited earnings potential exists, look no further! Position Overview : The Wireless Consultant is responsible for the providing excellent customer service and selling GoWireless products to patrons. This position reports to Store Manager. Core Duties and Responsibilities Responsible for selling products and services to new and existing customers Responsible for meeting current sales metrics Responsible for adhering to all sales processes and procedures as established by region and by Corporate Responsible for executing promotions and meeting or exceeding established sales goals as established within District Responsible for handling customer service issues Responsible for monitoring store merchandise to maintain optimum inventory level Responsible for maintaining store standards and appearance as established by Store Manager (SM) and District Manager (DM) Responsible for providing data as requested by SM/DM and completing weekly reports as required Flexible to work stores within District and outside of District as needed Responsible for adherence to all Company policies and procedures Responsible for cold calling and supporting sales cross-promotions Must be able to work independently in a retail storefront Other miscellaneous duties as assigned by the SM and DM Only those with a strong desire to succeed and make money need apply. Most of our sales management team has been promoted from within, so those wanting to further their careers have the environment to succeed at GoWireless. NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Minimum Qualifications: High School Diploma or equivalent required. Two (2) years of relevant field experience may be substituted for every one (1) year of required academia Strong sales skills and the ability to ensure customer satisfaction on a daily basis while maintaining operations within a retail store environment Strong interpersonal and communication skills Self-motivated, prioritizes tasks and works independently with minimal supervision Professional appearance and the ability to work early evenings and weekends Willing and able to attend New Hire Orientation (A one week training within the first 30 days of employment) Punctual and on time to all work related activities Coachable and willing to apply techniques and knowledge Provide an exceptional, best in class, customer experience Current on company communications, promotions & products (review all internal company emails daily) Willing to prospect customers via warm calls Capable of adapting quickly to industry and company changes Maintain minimum sales goals and expectations Physical Requirements: Extended periods of time standing Lifting up to 50 pounds Occasional bending, stooping, pulling Repetitive motion tasks while doing computer work Exposure to active wireless equipment, signals and transmissions EEOC and utilize Everify Candidates for Los Angeles, CA: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. By agreeing to this policy, you are providing express written consent to receive communications, including text messages, that may be generated by automatic telephone dialing/texting systems by or on behalf of GoWireless at the cellular telephone number you provided in connection with your application. You understand and agree that these communications may concern your application and employment interests with GoWireless. You do not need to consent to receive these communications as a condition of participating in the application process. If you wish to withdraw your consent and to unsubscribe from receiving communications through GoWireless recruiting platform, please text "STOP" in response to a text or call 1-877-761-9777. VERIZON AUTHORIZED RETAILER - GOWIRELESS Looking for a rewarding management/sales opportunity? Like to be rewarded for your efforts? How about an uncapped earning potential? GoWireless has it all. We are offering retail management/sales professionals an exciting opportunity to become a valued member of our successful sales force and growth with one of the leading providers of wireless products, services and accessories in the US market. As a Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer, we offer a competitive compensation package that includes base pay plus unlimited commission potential, excellent advancement opportunities, Health, Dental, Vision, and Aflac benefits, Flex-Time off, 401(k), Product Discounts, Top-notch Training, and a fun, success-driven work environment for Full-time and Part-time shifts. We pride ourselves on offering superior customer service, as well as having the best locations from coast to coast. If you have the drive; we have the tools to further your career. If you’re looking for a competitive workplace where an unlimited earnings potential exists, look no further! YOUR SALES MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY Obviously the wireless industry is booming and now is the perfect time to get in on this rapidly developing business arena. GoWireless is seeking a management-level retail professional responsible for driving sales volume of wireless products, services and applications. The ideal candidate will supervise staffing, sales and inventory functions in the region and surrounding areas. Position Overview: The Store Manager (SM) for GoWireless manages an assigned retail store. The SM is responsible for running their assigned store, managing the employees and ensuring goals for each store are met. Additionally, the SM will be responsible for assets and inventory, customer service, and ensuring the integrity of all policies and procedures of the company. This position reports to the District Manager. Core Duties and Responsibilities: The Store Manager's primary duty is to manage one store location with a range 3-9 employees Responsible for a minimum sales quota and Individual Gross Profit (IGP); this will be a minimum in order to receive commission payout. Also, responsible for meeting additional sales metrics according to posted commission plan. Achieve sales quotas for both the store and individual goals Acts as the gatekeeper of the store; this provides the opportunity to save sales, survey/enhance customer experiences and coach the sales team on effective sales skills Works a scheduled shift within assigned store Provide hands on coaching to Wireless Consultants Will partner with District Manager in regards to employee relations issues and performance management Must ensure that all cash handling, till reconciliation and bank deposits are conducted according to company policy Responsible for overseeing organization of store schedule, employee time sheets and payroll of store personnel Responsible for overseeing operational functions of store in conjunction with DM Responsible for inventory reconciliation, control, and delivery in conjunction with DM’s goals and objectives; must comply with inventory aging policies Conduct and coordinate new hire orientation in conjunction with the training department, to ensure a professional, consistent training program for all new employees within the store Responsible for conducting regular meetings with all sales staff to assist them in achieving their goals as defined by management Responsible for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with all Wireless Consultants while continually updating them on products, promotions and/or procedures as related to sales, service and support. Other duties as assigned by the District Manager and/or General Manager (GM) NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization Minimum Qualifications : High School Diploma or equivalent. This position requires 1 year of experience in a retail environment, previous wireless industry experience preferred. Experienced in supervising, managing and training of employees. Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Strong organizational and time management skills. Self motivated and works independently with minimal supervision Proven successful sales track record Positive attitude, creative thinker Typical working conditions are standing for extended periods of time. Occasional lifting up to 50 pounds Typical equipment used will be computer, printer, cash register/computer terminals & working with the various technical products sold by Go Wireless Reliable transportation, valid driver's license and clean driving record Must work a minimum 5 day work week to include Fridays and Saturdays Punctual and on time to all work related activities Willing and able to attend New Hire Orientation (One week training course within the first 30 days of hire) Remain current on company communications, promotions & products (Review internal emails daily) Willing to prospect customers via warm calls Capable of adapting quickly to industry and company changes Maintain minimum sales Goals and Expectations Physical Requirements: Extended periods of time standing Lifting up to 50 pounds Occasional bending, stooping, pulling Repetitive motion tasks while doing computer work Exposure to active wireless equipment, signals and transmissions EEOC and utilize E-Verify Candidates for Los Angeles, CA: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring. By agreeing to this policy, you are providing express written consent to receive communications, including text messages, that may be generated by automatic telephone dialing/texting systems by or on behalf of GoWireless at the cellular telephone number you provided in connection with your application. You understand and agree that these communications may concern your application and employment interests with GoWireless. You do not need to consent to receive these communications as a condition of participating in the application process. If you wish to withdraw your consent and to unsubscribe from receiving communications through GoWireless recruiting platform, please text "STOP" in response to a text or call 1-877-761-9777.

2019-04-22T02:17:27Z

https://hireveterans.com/jobs/?state=Arizona

Ambassadors’ Week in Paris - August 24-28, 2015 - France in the United States / Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. France is preparing to host the Climate Conference, and this has been the focus of your work since Monday. It will be a major event; we are mobilized at the highest levels of government. All government agencies, all public actors and all actors who bear responsibility in this area—and there are many of them—are also mobilizing their efforts. We have a duty to succeed, because this is a global issue and because France is the country that is hosting this major event. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, under the leadership of Laurent Fabius, is again taking the initiative. Because of its position, its role, its influence, our country has been tasked once again with participating in negotiations that will be critical for the future of the planet. But the planet isn’t just threatened by global warming: it’s also facing terrorism that hasn’t reached this level of barbarity, this level of severity, for decades. Our country was itself attacked in January. It reacted calmly and in a united manner. It benefited from exceptional international solidarity following this tragedy, because France represents freedom for the whole world. We are still exposed, and the attack that took place on Friday on the Thalys Amsterdam-Paris train—which could have deteriorated into terrible carnage without the courage of several passengers, notably the American servicemen whom I honoured yesterday—is further evidence that we must prepare ourselves for other attacks and therefore protect ourselves. Our security within our borders is at stake first of all. That’s what prompted us to implement Operation Sentinelle, which is mobilizing, in addition to police officers and gendarmes, 7,000 soldiers. That’s why we have increased the number of intelligence agents and modernized our legislation in order to take more effective action while ensuring that freedoms are respected. This is also necessary in order to tackle foreign fighters and to locate, identify and follow individuals associated with the fundamentalist movement. Our security outside our borders is also at stake. Daesh [ISIL] poses the greatest danger. The organization controls vast areas in Syria and Iraq and has considerable resources linked to all forms of trafficking, with ramifications across the globe. The organization recruits, indoctrinates and controls individuals, with the aim of killing on a greater scale. Muslims are the main victims in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and Libya, but minorities are systematically persecuted and tortured. That’s why I will open the conference on Eastern Christians and religious and ethnic victims, organized by Laurent Fabius in Paris in a few days. Daesh is also destroying the heritage of humanity; in Palmyra, the former head of the archeological site was savagely beheaded and on Sunday the Temple of Baalshamin was reduced to a pile of rubble. The intention is the same: to remove all traces of humanity, to use images, acts of terror and horror to terrorize people, to show that there’s no limit to the barbarity. Again, we need to take action: 10 years after the signing of the UNESCO Convention on Cultural Diversity, I decided to entrust the President of the Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez, with a mission to protect cultural property in armed conflict. France will take all necessary action to improve the protection of artefacts and sites as well as to combat the trafficking that sustains the financing of terrorism, because behind the destruction of cultural sites, there is also trade, which means there are buyers, if there are sellers. In Africa, terrorism takes the name of Boko Haram. Its brutality, its suicide attacks have resulted in numerous deaths: 10,000 since the beginning of the year. Last year 14,000 people were killed, mostly women and children. All countries in the region are affected, especially Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and we must show them unwavering solidarity because these are friendly countries and because the stability of the whole of West Africa is also at stake. In a few days, I will host a meeting with Nigeria’s new president, Muhammadu Buhari, and I will confirm to him that France is ready to bring together all actors involved in the fight against Boko Haram, as we did a year ago. This will involve coordinating our services, exchanging information, as well as taking joint action in the region. The Minister of Defence has been sufficiently alerted to this issue and knows what we need to do. The intervention in Mali demonstrated this. Yes, it is possible, with the help of the African Union, the European countries and the UN, to curb terrorism. In a different format, we will work through Operation Barkhane towards the same objective: to drive back terrorism. But we are calling, more than ever, on Africans to establish an intervention force as swiftly as possible. We stand ready to support, train, and—along with the European countries—contribute to funding this force. Similarly, we are aware of what’s at stake in Tunisia. The Arab Spring started there. An exemplary democratic transition is taking place there and this friendly country suffered terrorist attacks in Bardo and Sousse, depriving it of the tourist income essential to its economy. I therefore called on the European countries to go even further than the Deauville Partnership and to give it a security dimension, because we cannot leave that country alone to face an enemy that is also ours. The use of force is necessary in the face of terrorism. That’s why I called on our armed forces to address the situation in Mali and to take part in the coalition in Iraq. The increased threat level, which is not likely to go down any time soon, also prompted us to update our military estimates act, to commit even more resources, including during this period of budgetary constraints. And to ensure that we can provide our armed forces with equipment and human resources over the long term. Because two conditions must be fulfilled in order to ensure that France always leads the way: we must shoulder our responsibilities when necessary and have the capabilities to do so. We may want to but if we no longer can, what’s the point of political action or public discourse? We must therefore have the means to shoulder our responsibilities. But at the same, time military involvement will never be enough in itself, because terrorism is fuelled by political chaos. It’s therefore up to our diplomats to find ways to resolve the crises we’re experiencing. In Syria, the world took a long time to respond. Too long. France had sounded the alarm in the summer of 2012, and in fact, had from the outset declared its support for the opposition. Indeed, I was the first to consider it the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. A year later, we were ready to punish a regime that had beyond the shadow of a doubt used chemical weapons against its own people. The international community’s inaction, after a red line had been deliberately crossed, had a heavy cost. A very heavy cost. Daesh, which did not yet exist in its present form, established itself in Syria, and Bashar al-Assad continued to massacre his people. Sadly, he is still providing a few examples of this. What should we do? We must lessen the grip of the terrorists without saving Assad, because the two are linked. At the same time, we must seek a political transition in Syria; that is essential. The Security Council recognized this by adopting a statement last week, the first in two years. This is a step in the right direction, and it’s an important step. Russia signed up to it, so dialogue can be instituted. The conditions must be established. The first is the neutralization of Bashar al-Assad, the second is to offer solid guarantees to all moderate opposition forces, particularly Sunni and Kurdish, and to preserve state structures and Syrian unity. The last condition, which will no doubt be decisive, is to engage all the stakeholders in finding a solution. I’m thinking of the Gulf States. I’m also thinking of Iran. I’m thinking of Turkey, which must be involved in the fight against Daesh, and institute—or rather resume—dialogue with the Kurds. On this major issue, which has been so important in recent months, I am calling for an increase in general awareness. Terrorism is threatening all the region’s actors, not just a few powers but all of them, and resolving the Syrian crisis requires everyone’s participation. France is ready to play its part. We will continue, in the meantime, to help the Syrian opposition—the opposition we consider moderate—and to participate in the coalition in Iraq, but work to improve its effectiveness, because there is no question of committing forces, of having a presence there, if we are not sure of the objectives and the means to achieve them. We will also support the reforms carried out by Iraqi Prime Minister Abadi to strengthen institutions, maintain a state structure and Iraq’s unity, and bring all communities together. In short, to do what was not done a few years ago in Libya, where we are paying a high price for the failure to shore up a state after a necessary armed intervention. Libya is a vast, resource-rich area. Its resources haven’t disappeared; they are being removed for purposes that do not foster the country’s development, to say the least. It is a country that has fallen prey to the utmost disorder, and which is notable for having two governments. That’s at least one too many! I support efforts by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to bring about the formation of a national unity government that, with the international community’s support, will be capable of isolating extremist groups, securing the territory, controlling population movements, and combating every sort of trafficking. As far as population movements are concerned, migratory crises have reached a level unmatched since the end of World War II. These migratory movements, these waves of refugees that concern Europe but not only Europe, are the tragic consequences of mounting conflicts. Specifically, these are Syrians and Iraqis who have fled and who initially sought refuge in the countries of the region. Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey are dealing with the arrival of at least five million refugees. Then you have the devastating situations in Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia that are adding to the volume of migration, itself facilitated by the chaos in Libya. Thus, more than 350,000 illegal entries into the Schengen Area have been reported in recent months. Indeed, it’s very difficult to get accurate figures. Germany, for its part, has reported 800,000 refugees in one year. This is said to be an exceptional situation, and it is: exceptional in its magnitude, exceptional in its gravity, exceptional in its consequences and exceptional in the tensions that exist. Here in Europe we are once again seeing walls go up, armoured vehicles being mobilized, barbed wire being installed, refugee reception centres being attacked—that’s the situation today, and in all likelihood it will unfortunately continue, given the conflicts that are involved. Now, some would have us believe that restoring national borders would be a miracle solution. That’s just smoke and mirrors, although it might fool people for a short time. France must act humanely, at the European and international levels, towards those who are fleeing crises and wars, but also firmly, as not all types of migration are alike. We must respond to humanitarian emergencies, which do exist, organizing the intake of refugees and shouldering our asylum obligations, but we must also repatriate migrants who have been rejected and combat all criminal people-smuggling networks. Europe took decisions in June, not without difficulty, to make sure that migrants crossing the Mediterranean were rescued. There was a certain degree of success, which led more and more migrants to cross the Mediterranean, and unfortunately gave rise to more and more smugglers, including some who abandoned their boats with refugee families on board, putting their lives in extreme danger. Today, the disparities in how different countries take in refugees are creating instability in the countries confronted with masses of new arrivals. Those countries, as we know, are Italy and Greece. They are also creating instability in the countries that accept many of these refugees, or which, like France, are dealing with situations at the Schengen borders, as in Calais. France and Germany are making proposals to ensure Europe provides responses commensurate with the problem we face. The French and German interior ministers have worked together to develop a number of recommendations. Yesterday, I discussed this with Chancellor Merkel in Berlin, and we presented our partners with a number of proposals. First, we want accelerate the establishment of reception centres in Italy and Greece, whose task—it’s their obligation, incidentally—will be to distinguish between asylum seekers, who must be registered, and migrants who come for other reasons, but who cannot be accepted as such. Our second proposal is that we must ensure the fair distribution of refugees. There are European countries that currently refuse to take them in. We must also repatriate with dignity those individuals who entered illegally. This is a precondition in order to have effective rules that also protect refugees and asylum seekers. Finally, we must have a unified asylum system with a quicker turnaround, harmonized rules and care, and, among Europeans, we must also establish a common list of safe countries, as conditions in some counties do not justify the right to asylum. We must pool our resources to fight people-smuggling networks, and with the Frontex agency we must put European border guards in place. These proposals, which are both in keeping with our obligations and firm in relation to the risk generated by this situation, must be the subject of a European Council meeting, after which they can be promptly implemented. The solution also requires an active development policy. That will be on the agenda of a Europe-Africa summit we called for, scheduled for this November in Malta. France wants to create funds, as proposed by the European Commission: for the Sahel, we are talking about €1 million to bolster the economies of regions affected by migration and enable the young people in those areas to stay in their countries. Beyond the tensions that migration may generate in each of our countries here in Europe, this issue can pit North against South in a way that could be seriously destabilizing. We must eliminate this risk. We must work on common development, on the training of personnel, on bringing Africa up to standard in terms of energy, on growth and security. France, which has solid, friendly ties with Africa, must take the initiative in cooperation with its European partners. That is what we are going to propose. Likewise, France is sparing no efforts for peace. Only a few weeks ago, the big question all diplomats could be asked was whether it would be possible to reach an agreement with Iran to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. That agreement has been reached. And we believe it’s a step forward. France made sure to set the conditions guaranteeing the solidity of the compromise, particularly on two points which, for us, were major: monitoring and verification on the one hand, and the lifting of sanctions on the other, necessarily conditional on Iran fulfilling its obligations. Is the crisis definitively behind us? We’ll see. We must make sure of this, but it’s clear that, compared with what was regarded as a major threat a few months ago, it’s been averted for the time being. I reaffirm here my full support for the agreement, and my desire for it to be swiftly implemented by all the parties. A new relationship with Iran is possible; it raises hopes, which mustn’t be transformed into illusions or innocence. The word “innocence” can also be misunderstood. Some people are in a hurry; we ourselves must ensure our bilateral relationship can be resumed, and we must also ask Iran to get involved in resolving the crises devastating the region. I said this to President Rouhani when I met him for the first time, following his election: in order for an agreement to be possible, Iran must not only renounce nuclear weapons but also be a constructive player in the region, as justified by its place, its history and its culture. That’s the gist of the dialogue I suggested having with President Rouhani. We’ve established a relationship of great trust with Saudi Arabia and all the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as shown by my participation as a guest of honour in the meeting they organized in May. France has also chosen to regard Egypt as a major player in the Middle East. Its stability is essential; Egypt expects a lot from France. I had fresh confirmation of this during the inauguration of the New Suez Canal. All these signs of appreciation for our country—coming from very different countries, sometimes opposed to each other—are the result of the policy we’ve been conducting for the past three years. This recognition places on us a responsibility in the Middle East: to work to ensure the Middle East peace process can be our goal again. There’s no alternative to the two-state solution. The Oslo deadlock produced only a string of crises and violence, as in Gaza last year and, a few weeks ago, unspeakable acts that led to the tragic death of a child in the West Bank. The status quo is not only intolerable, it’s dangerous; it plays into the extremists’ hands. So France strives to keep a window open for peace. That’s the purpose of our proposal to broaden the field of international responsibility by means of a support group that would include the Quartet, the United States, Russia, the European Union and the UN, as well as those Arab and European countries that would like to give the process a strong push. It’s also the purpose of our action at the United Nations. The goal is to get the two sides to make the necessary compromises to ensure negotiation can resume and succeed. War—yes, war, which we thought was far from Europe—has also returned to our borders. It’s what has happened in Ukraine over recent months. We must bear in mind the lessons of history. When the very foundations of collective security are called into question, a swift and firm response must be provided. That’s what we did with Chancellor Merkel, to prevent the Ukraine crisis from degenerating. It all started on 6 June, on the beaches of the [Normandy] Landings. That was where we conceived the Normandy format. It was this Normandy format which enabled us to reach—it took a night—the Minsk agreements in February. It enabled us to save lives—not all of them: there have been more victims in recent months—and mark out a path. However, we must be clear-sighted: the ceasefire isn’t being fully observed, the withdrawal of heavy weapons hasn’t been completed and the Ukrainian people’s living conditions are tragic, in both the east and the west. The implementation of the Minsk agreements absolutely must be speeded up. That was the aim of the meeting I had in Berlin yesterday with the Chancellor and the Ukrainian President, Mr Poroshenko. The goal is to be able to organize elections in eastern Ukraine, as provided for in the Minsk agreements. I’ll have to talk to the Chancellor again and to President Putin to consider a new meeting, which could be held in Paris, in the Normandy format. The Ukraine crisis is having detrimental effects politically. Economic relations between Russia and Europe are frozen, with sanctions that are having consequences for Russians, but also for Europeans. We can see it clearly in terms of agriculture and at humanitarian level, with a situation that is continually deteriorating. France wants to maintain sincere dialogue with Russia, in keeping with history and with the nature of our relationship and the common interests we have in the world. France wants to act as it always has, both in solidarity with its partners and fully independently. In September 2014, I suspended the delivery of the first Mistral ship to Russia, because the situation was one of conflict. One year on, in the present context, France clearly couldn’t deliver a force projection instrument to Russia. The matter has been handled with a great sense of responsibility on both sides, with mutual respect. I’ve discussed it several times with President Putin. We were able to negotiate favourable conditions as far as we’re concerned, avoiding penalties and leaving us a free choice of new buyers, a number of whom have also come forward. I also invite those—there still are some—who were announcing an end to France’s credibility as an exporter of military hardware to consult the figures. Never have French products—and not only Rafales—been so sought-after for their technology. Nor are we talking—because we’re a country that manufactures and exports arms—about abandoning our convictions and our principles. Human rights, democracy and the fight against corruption are recalled on every occasion in my visits, by myself, the Prime Minister and the members of the government. They’re what makes our country respected, in a central position, capable of talking to everyone. It was no doubt this status that earned us the honour of organizing the Climate Conference. So making this meeting a success is a major challenge. The positive signs are there: we’re making progress. The United States has presented a brave plan; President Obama has personally committed himself to the energy transition, the low-carbon economy. The Chinese Premier announced in Paris, in this very hall, a serious contribution by his country to reducing CO2 emissions. Europe made commitments which reflected our goals. The Energy Transition Act was regarded as a model piece of legislation. At the time of speaking, 56 countries, accounting for over 60% of greenhouse gas emissions, have submitted their contributions. I call on all the others—there are still a lot—to do so. There’s also awareness-raising, and the Pope’s voice was particularly heeded through his encyclical. The fact that he’s able to come to the United Nations General Assembly to reiterate his appeal lends significant support. There’s also the mobilization of many players, non-governmental organizations; we had no doubts on that score. Major voluntary organizations, civil society and also local authorities—many of them—have taken the initiative. Businesses are now aware that it will be a key to their competitiveness and their future. This mobilization has produced results, but it isn’t enough. We mustn’t relax our efforts on anything. I’m aware of Laurent Fabius’s efforts in going wherever necessary. Ségolène Royal also went to Africa; the ministers are fully committed and I know that, here, our network of ambassadors is determined to convince and inform people. I myself shall be going to Beijing at the beginning of November to work with the Chinese President on taking a new step forward. I’ll also be going to Seoul, where the Green Climate Fund is based, because we know that the issue of finance is going to be essential. As far as the negotiation itself is concerned the working group’s co-chairs, responsible for presenting the draft agreement, submitted a better structured, condensed text on 24 July which will enable a discussion to be held at the session opening in Bonn in a few days’ time. There you have it; we’re making headway. As I’ve said, the toughest part is yet to come, i.e. the agreement itself. So we’ve got to move more quickly. During the United Nations General Assembly, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon—who will be with us today—and I want to organize a meeting of heads of state and government which, precisely, mobilizes people and provides the necessary impetus. The goal isn’t for us to replace the negotiation itself but to set the level of global ambition and means to achieve it. At the Paris conference, I thought it best to invite the heads of state and government right at the start of the conference, not the end. At the end it’s sometimes too late and even their rhetoric isn’t enough to convince people and wrap things up any more. So it will be at the start of the conference; that’s the lesson we learnt from Copenhagen. Nevertheless, I know the obstacles which still lie ahead of us. Firstly, many developing or emerging countries are worried about the effects of fighting climate change vis-à-vis their own growth. So we’ve got to reassure them and provide them straightaway with technological solutions, for energy in particular. We must demonstrate that solutions exist for reconciling all the goals. With India, for example, we’ve put in place a solar energy plan, because we know that that great country wants to make solar energy its priority. We’ve also got a major renewable energy plan with Africa. We’ve got to listen to the vulnerable countries too. A few months ago, I was in the Philippines with Nicolas Hulot, whose tireless commitment I salute. We quite rightly wanted to issue an appeal, the Manila appeal, to show that these disasters may hit the most vulnerable countries first, but every continent is affected. I also went to the Pacific and to the Caribbean, to convey the message of island states, for which the Paris Conference isn’t any old negotiation, since it concerns their own future in 10 or 20 years’ time. If we want to make Paris a success, there will undoubtedly have to be political commitments, an agreement and financing. This is where we have to actively seek all solutions and mobilize people to act. $100 billion for 2020. This is already one promise which hasn’t been kept; it must now be an obligation. It’s absolutely essential for there to be an agreement. Without $100 billion there won’t be an agreement in Paris, because that sum is absolutely essential for adaptation efforts and technology transfers. We also had the Addis Ababa summit, which, again, was important for development financing. Here too, there will be an impact on the Paris conference. I want to take this opportunity to say that our development policy must evolve, must be reformed, and that the tools employed to serve this policy today must be strengthened further. So I’ve decided, in liaison with the Foreign Minister and the Finance Minister, on an important reform, by bringing the French Development Agency closer to the Caisse des Dépôts [French savings and banking institution] group. The Agency will draw on the combined financial might of the Caisse des Dépôts and the state. In this way, we’ll have—moreover, other countries have done this before us: Germany, Italy—a genuine financing agency, which will be better funded, better equipped and also linked to local authorities and businesses, following the example of what the BPI [Public Investment Bank] already does for domestic finance. The French Development Agency will gain an anchorage and also resources from this, and be given a new project with new means to benefit the development of the energy transition and France’s global reach. The world we know is experiencing crises and—sadly—wars, it has challenges to take up and remains profoundly unstable. We’ve had further illustration of this with the stock market movement over the past few days affecting Asian countries, particularly China. The subprime crisis left deep scars; it was overcome only with time and with corrections which were costly for people in terms of growth and living standards. Decisions were taken, firewalls were installed in Europe with banking union, but today it’s the Asian markets which are most exposed, following a wave of speculation which was—like any speculation, as it happens—disconnected from the real economy, but powerful, in China and the Asian countries. We have to look closely at this problem, not deny it, and at the same time be able to know what it can represent both in its duration and geographically. I have confidence in the Chinese authorities to overcome this stock market crisis. They have the means to act, and Chinese growth, although it’s slowing down, remains at a particularly enviable level. I don’t want to give the growth rate, in order not to influence ours too much! We would like to get China to commit to shouldering all its responsibilities when it comes to global governance and putting mechanisms in place. China is the world’s second-largest economy; obviously it has to adapt itself as well, adapt its capital markets, adapt its organization and also tailor its growth to targets which may be those of the whole world, particularly for currency regulation and the regulation of financial flows. China must be involved in global governance. It’s also going to hold the G20 presidency next year, and France has decided to join the Asian Infrastructure [Investment] Bank, a new multilateral bank, precisely because we want to be involved in present and future development and the investment in China. I want to end by talking about Europe. I’ve said what the main challenge is today: to be capable of controlling migration, in the context of an international crisis that we must resolve. To be capable of facing up to tensions which exist and which may be exploited—as we well know—by extremist movements. To be capable at the same time of reassuring and protecting. It’s our duty to protect. To protect our territories, to protect our people and at the same time to be in keeping with our principles: humanity and firmness. To do so as a country that has to shoulder its own responsibility, to do so in Europe, for Europe, with Europe, and that’s the purpose of the European Council meeting, which must take the decisions required, on the basis of the proposals which we’ve drawn up and which others can still build on. There’s also growth in Europe. The signs of improvement, again, are perceptible. There’s been a reordering of priorities, more towards growth than was hitherto considered. The Juncker Plan has been launched. And at the same time Europe experienced a new crisis—at any rate new agonies—with Greece. The choices that were made, after lengthy discussions—again for whole nights—reflected the principles I set out at the beginning of the negotiation. Greece has remained in the Euro Area, a financial programme has been established by the institutions to encourage its return to growth and ultimately limit its indebtedness. Alexis Tsipras took some brave decisions; he could have made other choices; some suggested that he leave the Euro Area, devalue a currency that would have been reintroduced, a national currency, be obliged to conduct a programme, make even more severe adjustments, remove his country from the common path and seek improbable alliances with countries that would not—beyond their solidarity—have been able to provide him with the necessary funds. He didn’t want to give up his principles of justice, reforms and progress, and France didn’t ask him to, because Europe can’t seek to impose a political line: merely the need to take reality into account. So Alexis Tsipras took brave decisions both economically and politically; he referred the matter to his people and he’ll get an answer. We must learn lessons for ourselves. I’m not talking about lessons on whether or not to adapt to the reality, whether or not it’s necessary to govern; at some point politics exists to govern and lead—otherwise it’s another concept: resistance and protest. But we must also learn lessons about what Economic and Monetary Union must be. We can’t simply make do with an economic area, with minimal rules and with solidarity that can be expressed only in crises. We must provide a new way forward for Europe—otherwise, we can clearly see that nationalist withdrawal will prevail, and the rise of self-centred interests, so it will be the abandonment of the European project. So it’s up to France—always in its place, with its partners, and particularly Germany—to make proposals and move forward. I mentioned the formation of an economic government, so that it can have the power not only to ensure that the commitments, the rules accepted by everyone are honoured but also to act in the Euro Area’s interests. Initially we must remain in the framework of the current treaties, especially at a time when some are demanding to renegotiate them. I propose setting ourselves the goal of ensuring in the Euro Area the best conditions for investment and finance that Europe can present to the world. It’s excellently placed to do this if it harmonizes its provisions. Banking union is a first pillar. We must also give the Euro Area more ability to act, which means mechanisms that must be simplified, made coherent, and governance—particularly the Eurogroup—that must be more effective, more transparent and, in a way, more democratic, with the goal of majority [voting] rules. In this framework, there can be fiscal and social convergence between the economies and we can also demand extra rights, particularly in the area of labour law, so there can be common rules in Europe and dumping can be prevented. In a second phase, Europe, through the Euro Area, can have an additional budget, its own budget, to make the necessary investments for the energy transition, digital technology and youth employment. So we must think about new resources, safeguards, to fuel this Euro Area budget, with parliamentary control being obviously necessary, given that resources and investments are envisaged. Of course several countries may not embark on that path: first of all those which aren’t in the Euro Area and don’t intend to join it, and also others which are in the Euro Area, which don’t necessarily want to go as fast as us. It’s what I’ve called “differentiated integration”. At the same time, we must provide a way forward for Europe as a whole. This way forward is about the possibility of being an area of rights, of principles, but one which protects: protects people, protects jobs, and also gives more opportunity for growth, which means investment, competitiveness and innovation. There’s also the issue of the United Kingdom. It’s not a new issue, but it’s been rekindled through the [EU] referendum proposal. France’s position is simple. It would like the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union. I believe it’s in its interests and also in the EU’s interests, but all this must be done on the common basis of the treaties. Ladies and gentlemen ambassadors, France’s external action serves the goals we’ve set for our country’s success. There’s no dissociation between foreign policy and domestic policy. What we want, beyond our own sensitivities, is to ensure our country’s global reach, its influence. We’re still one of the few nations in the world capable of setting a direction, taking initiatives, triggering processes, sometimes preventing the worst and finding solutions. Our country’s role is to ensure its influence, but also its economic interests and its security. Two and a half million French people live abroad, and I pay tribute here to the people representing them. Those expatriate citizens rely on us, the diplomatic and consular network, to defend their interests, not only when they’re in distress but also when they’re on the move, for their projects. It’s important to address their demands, because those French people, who are far from France but deeply rooted in France, ensure our country’s economic development, its cultural influence, and are a strength for France. They must feel fully supported. Thanks to our businesses—and this was the challenge of economic diplomacy—we’re conquering markets that strengthen our economy, and I ask you to fully exercise your authority over all the services and operators available to you, to support entrepreneurs’ efforts on a daily basis. I also welcome the role of the cultural, scientific, educational and academic network abroad. With the Prime Minister and ministers who pay visits, we have the opportunity to pay tribute to these institutions and the staff dedicated to them. It’s significant; few countries have this ability. Ours has more ambition, because it wants to spread the influence of Francophony, but it’s more than that: to get people speaking French, writing in French, to welcome every culture, including in our institutions. It’s about ensuring France can be fully welcome, esteemed, eagerly-awaited, and from this viewpoint what you do, what this network is capable of promoting, is essential for the idea of France. We also want to welcome artists, students, researchers and entrepreneurs. We’ve simplified the visa system; I thank the ministers who took this initiative. Even though it’s confronting terrorism, even though it must control migration, even though it must do its duty for refugees, France has a universal role. It mustn’t curl up into a ball, it mustn’t be afraid to ensure the best minds come to us to provide us with what they’ve devised in their countries and want to offer the world via France. What’s at stake is the battle of ideas, and once again France must be at the forefront. The promotion of our country is a component of diplomatic work; I know that’s the work you’ve been entrusted with. The country’s attractiveness must particularly encourage investment that brings innovation and jobs. There’s also tourism, which is quite simply about making the most of our landscapes and our heritage, but also the professionals who are dedicated to them, and I’m not forgetting gastronomy. More than 85 million visitors this year. A record year is being heralded, and France is the world’s leading destination. We must make this situation—which is ultimately also the product of all the professionals committed to it—a strength and an asset. Laurent Fabius has begun a reform of our external action, and I want to mention it here. It’s an important project, because France conducts a foreign policy that goes beyond the defence of its own interests. Because of history, the place we occupy, our own volition and our status as a role model—I mentioned the energy transition—, we have an ability to act, provided we put in the resources. To act for us, for our interests, for French people’s security, and also to act for the ideals we uphold and the protection of the planet. That’s what we are doing through the Climate Conference. I come back to it because this success is inseparable from our action for development, security and peace. It’s because we uphold these values that the terrorists want to strike us, but it’s because we’re guardians of this great idea of progress, or I could say this great idea of France for the world, that many countries signal their solidarity with us and many peoples express their gratitude to us. It’s because we’re aware of our responsibility that we must still work to ensure France’s influence abroad. This year, we wanted to put the spotlight on climate disruption for two reasons, which are extremely simple to understand. It’s one of the major problems for mankind and we know that last year and the first few months of this year were the hottest on record. And this has a whole series of absolutely devastating consequences. And when I say “devastating”, I mean literally. Consequences both as regards extreme phenomena – typhoons, floods, droughts –, consequences as regards biodiversity, food, health, migration and consequences as regards peace and war. These are things which are becoming familiar to everyone. As you know, if there’s no powerful action, the IPCC scientists have explained to us – and this isn’t disputed any more – that climate disruption risks getting even worse, with terrible consequences for mankind, in terms of climate, poverty and conflicts. This was the main reason why the fight against climate disruption had to be foremost among our concerns. And it was also particularly essential given that France, as you know, after Peru, has been chosen to host the conference, called COP21 – which we’ll call the Paris conference for short. All French diplomats are mobilized, as are many worldwide, to make this conference a success. The President is at the forefront of efforts and I myself will have the honour of chairing it. THE MINISTER – (…) Greenhouse gases (CO2, methane) are being emitted on too massive a scale, that’s the crux of the problem. But when you emit them, they don’t dissolve. Some of them are going to stay in the atmosphere for a few months, a few years, a few dozen years or a few thousand years. So we’ll never get back all the time we waste through not taking sufficient action. We risk finding it physically impossible, if we don’t manage [to solve the problem] quickly enough, to get what is essential, namely staying below 2ºC. (…) There’s no plan B, because there’s no planet B. So this isn’t just any old negotiation. We can’t say: “this year it isn’t possible, we can start again in three years”. No, because if we don’t take very swift, very powerful action, then we make it impossible for ourselves, because of the accumulation of greenhouse gases, to find a solution. This is a scientific point that isn’t always borne in mind but is decisive in this negotiation./. A year ago, in this same place, I broadly outlined our “omni-crisis” world. I emphasized the violence and concomitance of those crises: security, political, economic, climatic and health crises. Together with the French President and Prime Minister – who spoke to you on Tuesday and Wednesday – I set out to you the guidelines of our diplomacy, as the President and Prime Minister have done this year. One year on, what’s the situation? First of all there are – we mustn’t hide the fact – several positive aspects. They’re not the most numerous, but there have been several positive changes, particularly thanks to France’s efforts. They prove that diplomatic action – I mean our mission – can actually, unfortunately not always but often very significantly, change the course of things. The Iran nuclear issue, first of all. For the past 12 years this issue has occupied and preoccupied the international community. For the past 12 years it’s been the focus of doubts, fears, negotiations and equivocations. An Iran equipped with an atomic bomb would not only have been a considerable danger in itself, we’re also convinced it would have triggered a deadly nuclear arms race, in an already explosive region. Given these risks, France, with a really outstanding team of negotiators alongside me, adopted a position of “constructive firmness”: yes to an agreement, but an agreement which removes Iran’s access to a nuclear weapon in a certain – i.e. a verifiable – way. This firmness, which is legitimate given what’s at stake, governed our stance through to the very final hours of negotiation in Vienna. It enabled us to achieve a robust agreement on 14 July. If it’s approved, then honoured – and we’ve provided ourselves with the means to verify that it is –, it may potentially facilitate more peace and stability in the Middle East. That’s the message I sent during my visit to Tehran at the end of July: for once, the term “historic agreement” isn’t overused when it comes to the 14 July agreement. Another major international step forward was the agreement on reconciliation and peace in Mali. Let’s not have too short a memory. Less than three years ago, the interim authorities were under threat of death, with terrorists moving around freely and just a few hours away from harshly appropriating the whole of Mali. The French intervention of January 2013 put a stop to that. We didn’t make the mistake of believing that the solution would be solely military and that the “follow-up” didn’t concern us. From experience, we knew political, military and development support was necessary. Hence our support for the efforts by Mali and the Africans to organize democratic elections. Hence our mobilization of the international community – Europe first and foremost – for the necessary funding for Mali’s reconstruction and, beyond that, the Sahel’s development. We supported peace efforts between the government and the northern groups, which led, with the skilful support of the Algerian mediation team, to the June 2015 agreement. Not everything has been resolved, and acts of violence, sometimes serious, continue and must be combated, but in Mali – as in the Central African Republic, where elections are due to be held in a few weeks’ time –, France, its diplomacy, i.e. you yourselves, and its armed forces – let’s be clear – did its duty as a power of security and peace. In another context, I want to talk about the Greek crisis: thanks in particular to the personal involvement of the Head of State and the Chancellor, we were able, over recent months, to get the Euro Area countries to take the necessary difficult decisions with that country, in line with the principles of solidarity and responsibility that must govern the European Union. The French government was aware of the considerable risks – not only economic and financial but also geopolitical – that a Grexit would have posed. By getting our partners to share this analysis – with Michel Sapin and Harlem Désir at the forefront in efforts to achieve this –, and even though we’re still being vigilant, because uncertainties remain, we contributed greatly to preparing a European compromise. And we’re drawing more general lessons from this by suggesting the necessary ways to consolidate the Euro Area. Still on the subject of successes, I also want to emphasize the discreet but determined and tremendously effective action to release our hostages and, in an entirely different vein –again, quickly engulfed in the great river of oblivion –, our initiatives against the scourge of Ebola in West Africa. In a very short period, under the impetus of Minister of State Annick Girardin, we supported care staff and the establishment of treatment centres, thus saving many lives. We’re still there alongside our African partners, to help them overcome a crisis whose consequences are considerable, including on development itself. But obviously, for the sake of clear-sightedness, I must also mention several areas where, despite all our efforts, the situation remains extremely difficult and the prospects of a solution uncertain. First of all, a few words on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Our strong belief is that the status quo would mean running the twofold risk of conflagration and deadlock. France – sometimes too alone in this stance – refuses to stand idly by. That was the purpose of my visit in June to the region, where I pressed the case to everyone for a change of method, proposing that an international support group, bringing together in particular the Europeans, the Arabs and the permanent members of the Security Council, should support the necessary resumption of negotiations, and then – let’s hope – their completion, by incorporating them into a credible framework and timetable. When the time comes, we’ll need a commitment from the Security Council. I want to repeat here that France will abandon neither the demand for security for Israel nor that of justice for the Palestinians. who can’t be his people’s future, precisely because of his crimes – and, on the other, what I’ll describe as the non-terrorist opposition. The agreement will have to respect every community and every inhabitant. This approach isn’t intellectual stubbornness on France’s part. But to enable Syria to be saved and the terrorists to be defeated, if there’s still time for it, it’s the only solution, if there’s still time for it. We’ve discussed it, we’re discussing it, particularly with the Arabs, the Americans, the Russians, the Turks, the Iranians and the United Nations Special Envoy, Mr Staffan de Mistura. The fight against Daesh [ISIL], too, is a subject of extremely serious concern, with repercussions on our own soil. For the past year, our armed forces have been taking part in the international coalition’s airstrikes in Iraq. This action is necessary but not sufficient. Additional efforts are essential at not only military but also political level, with an increase in “inclusive” gestures by the Iraqi government to rally, as far as possible, the Sunni and Kurdish populations. In June, at the international coalition’s meeting in Paris, we set out everyone’s responsibilities. We were very clear during the Security Council debate in March, devoted, on our initiative, to the minorities persecuted by Daesh, particularly Christians. On 8 September in Paris, in the presence of the French President, I’ll be chairing a conference with my Jordanian colleague to draw conclusions and propose an action plan: again it’s a matter of urgency, and again France, despite these difficulties – indeed because of these difficulties – won’t stand idly by. It’s the same determination that drives us in the fight against Boko Haram, those religious fakes and genuine criminals. The African countries which are victims turned to France first; we were the first to be spurred into action, organizing a summit at the Elysée as early as last year. We drew in the international community, and some progress has been made: exemplary elections in that great country, Nigeria, and military operations against Boko Haram. We’re supporting cooperation between Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin. The terrorists still hold sway; with our international partners, we must strengthen support for the countries affected and for the African force that is being deployed. The President of Nigertia brings a lot of hope; he’ll be in Paris in mid-September, and we welcome that. Looking away would be an unforgiveable mistake, given our commitment to human rights and peace. And we won’t make that mistake. This disorder in the world, combined with the poverty of many African countries, is behind the serious migration crisis Europe must confront. Only today, an appalling tragedy occurred in Austria, and once again it rings the alarm bell of inhumanity. We’ve started providing responses, but let’s acknowledge that they’re still very insufficient and, above all, poorly implemented. In Libya, we’re supporting the efforts of the UN and Special Representative Bernardino León to establish a national unity government, combat terrorism and bring stability. On European territory, regarding migration issues, solidarity must be applied towards the migrants’ countries of first entry. Solidarity and firmness: the European Union has resolved to combat people traffickers; implementation must be speeded up, with support for transit countries and more support for the source countries’ development. Ladies and gentlemen ambassadors, when your country of residence is concerned, I’d like you yourselves to strengthen the coordination of services and take personal charge of this difficult issue. Finally, in Ukraine, to halt the spiral of war and create the conditions for a return to peace, we proposed the Normandy format with Germany last year, then took action in February 2015 for the Minsk 2 agreements to be signed. Thanks to intense diplomatic efforts, they enabled a certain de-escalation, but the situation on the ground remains unstable, and the implementation of the political part of the agreements has yet to be improved. The withdrawal of weapons is essential. A timetable has been set: elections in the autumn, including in Donbass, and the completion of the process at the end of the year, with the return to full control of the border by the Ukrainians. We remain firm on these goals, recalled in Berlin at the beginning of the week. If they’re achieved – and they must be –, it will finally make the desirable lifting of sanctions possible, and this will be largely due to the diplomatic action of Germany and France. we’ve already helped make progress on major COP21 issues: the need for an agreement which is both lasting and dynamic, the equal importance – you’ve all become experts – of adaptation and mitigation, and the strengthening of the financial and technological aspect. Several points still need to be settled, but I for one have high hopes. The President is at the forefront on this and as future president of the conference, I’m devoting a major part of my activity to it. The ministers concerned are all mobilized. Our diplomatic network is powered up. The challenge, I want to emphasize, is even more enormous than all the others I’ve mentioned previously because, if you think about it, firstly this is a problem which of course has no limits in either space or time. Secondly, because these aren’t conventional negotiations which can be put off until later if they fail, but rather a race against the clock, since every year which goes by without results or negotiations means the emission of further greenhouse gases accumulating for decades, centuries or even millennia. Finally, climate disruption is a problem on whose solution life itself on our planet and the solution to all the other problems depend. When you talk to your interlocutors, ask them to think about what a temperature rise of 4 to 5 or even 6ºC would spell for migration, with consequences for droughts, famines and floods. It wouldn’t be hundreds of thousands of people who would be tragically affected by migration, like today, but hundreds of millions. In reality, it’s perhaps the greatest trigger for future war or peace. For all these reasons, on the evening of 11 December 2015, following the negotiations, it is so important for me to be able to utter these six words on France’s behalf: “The Paris agreement has been adopted”. If we manage it, obviously not everything will be resolved, but it will be a genuine historic turnaround, a turning point. It will probably be the greatest diplomatic step forward of the early 21st century. What lessons are to be drawn from this picture which each of you could add to, nuance, enrich, particularly our parliamentary friends – whether they represent Metropolitan France, Overseas France or French nationals abroad –, to whom I particularly want to pay tribute because they’re really supporting us in what we’re doing in a huge way. I draw at least three lessons from this. Firstly, without being naive or blindly optimistic, we must always have in mind the prospect – even if it’s distant – of diplomacy’s successes. Your occupation, the difficult occupation of diplomat, by definition comes up against the disorder of the world. But diplomacy’s raison d’être is precisely the idea that war, nuclear proliferation, poverty, climate disruption and human rights violations aren’t inevitable. This isn’t about naïve hope, but a firm belief we share based on experience and which probably motivated you to get involved. I’ve talked about subjects which are a stumbling block for us, crises we aren’t managing to resolve. But I’ve also deliberately mentioned magnificent successes. The difficulties mustn’t discourage you, us, but, on the contrary, encourage us never to give up, despite the obstacles. Jean Jaurès, as he often did, summed it all up in his famous Discours à la jeunesse [Speech to the youth] over a century ago when, talking about courage, he wrote: “courage means taking action and getting involved in the great causes without knowing what reward, if any, the deep universe has in store for us”. A fine definition of diplomacy! Another lesson concerns, more mundanely, diplomatic formats. Because of the number and variety of the groups France belongs to, we enjoy a favourable position of influence and vice versa. Some traditional frameworks, such as the P3, the P5, the Eurogroup, La Francophonie [international Francophone organization], the G7 and G20, are obviously very useful, but we must also contemplate and develop ad hoc forums, adapted to circumstances, modelled on the “Normandy format”, created to deal with the Ukraine crisis. By acknowledging the special power, in these circumstances, of the Franco-German duo, we must increase diplomatic solidarity in Europe. We must also be creative in building new strategic structures which don’t undermine the United Nations but add to existing set-ups, with the emerging countries. I’m thinking particularly, however bold it appears, of India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Nigeria. We must make sure we don’t let ourselves be overwhelmed by competing formats, in which we don’t feature. A final lesson focuses specifically on French diplomacy. Given this difficult, dangerous world, France is a power which holds its own. In a time when our fellow citizens have doubts about their leaders and, more broadly, are losing confidence in the ability of the government to produce results, I think that the concrete action of our, your diplomacy, is likely to restore a good deal of confidence. (…)./. Strong diplomacy, then, in the service of a strong France. That, in a few words, is the message I want to send you today. And France is duty-bound to be strong, first of all – as the French President recalled yesterday – in the face of the global terrorist threat and radical jihadism. We must show the greatest vigilance, the greatest firmness and the greatest mobilization against this multiform, domestic and external enemy, whose modus operandi is constantly changing, as the events on the Amsterdam-Paris Thalys [train] a few days ago showed once again. Above all, we must call a spade a spade. We’re at war against a new but equally bloodthirsty totalitarianism – a totalitarianism that wants to destroy civilization here in Europe, in Africa and in the Arab-Muslim world, to replace it with terror and tyranny. Combating this terrorist threat will take time. It’s a long-term battle. We owe it to our fellow citizens, our compatriots, to be truthful in our language. But we’re not unarmed or powerless in the face of this threat, which can strike at any moment. Our strength is a conviction: first of all it’s the Republic, a Republic determined to provide itself with every means, in accordance with the law – that’s the weapon and pride of democracies – to fight implacably. Here in France, of course, but also in the Sahel and the Middle East, where our armed forces are deployed. Following the January attacks in Paris, the government took the requisite decisions. We increased our intelligence services’ staffing and resources: a few weeks ago we got a very important intelligence bill adopted, giving our services a legal framework and providing them with the legal means to hunt down terrorists more effectively. And I ask you to go and explain to your interlocutors the measures being taken by France in its fight against terrorism. But we can’t fight alone. International cooperation against terrorism is more of a necessity than ever. Moreover, it’s even a condition of its effectiveness. We must also closely follow the initiatives taken on the fight against radicalization. Our absolute priority, of course, is to arrest those individuals who could take action. It’s also to detect sufficiently early those who, particularly via the Internet, social networks, are about to switch to jihadism. Many of our partners have set up projects involving families, social actors and local authorities which could inspire what we ourselves are putting in place in France, and I ask you once again to be especially mindful of initiatives taken in your respective countries and inform your authorities of them. Fighting terrorism also means protecting our interests abroad, because they’re under threat, because you yourselves may be under threat. I want to tell you that we’ll never compromise when it comes to the safety of French people abroad or the protection of the state’s representatives and our embassies. Laurent Fabius has rightly made this a priority for the Foreign Ministry’s budget. And whenever it’s necessary, the resources allocated to the state’s security abroad will be adapted. A strong France is also a France that carries weight in Europe. Europe faces considerable challenges. There is, of course – and it’s the urgent priority – the migration challenge, with its daily tragedies. There’s also the challenge of growth and employment. Finally, there’s the growing challenge to a European project that no longer speaks to people’s hearts, no longer speaks to the young generation. Each of these challenges is huge in itself. Their combination places an historic responsibility on European leaders, on public officials. Of course, people will say that Europe has always faced challenges since its beginnings, and that basically there’s nothing very new about that. After all, wasn’t it a challenge to have that wild dream, in the 1950s, of establishing lasting peace on a continent ravaged by war? A challenge to want to reconcile history and geography through enlargement? A challenge to throw ourselves into the creation of a single currency? The challenges have always been there, of course. But today there’s something more – something more serious. The European project is no longer a clear requirement. We must fully grasp this situation, and it’s up to France, a founding country, to reaffirm this aspiration, the European enterprise. Not all alone, of course! Together with the others, starting with Germany. But I’m struck by the fact that, in all the discussions I have with European leaders, our country’s voice on Europe is irreplaceable. This does us credit. Above all, it imposes a duty on us. Europe must resist the temptation, which still exists, to confront difficulties by centring on its national interests and questioning what has been so patiently built up by generations of visionary leaders. The ambition must be to go further, to learn lessons from the repeated crises we’re experiencing, because when I see that the negotiations on the third programme of financial assistance to Greece ultimately went well in August, and that it now has the opportunity to turn a new page in its history, with new financial and economic resources, I can’t help thinking that we were 100% right to put all our country’s political might, on the President’s initiative, into keeping Greece in the Euro Area. Something crucial was played out in July which isn’t without consequences, either in the European debate or in the debate in France. Going further for Europe first of all means making growth, investment and employment central to our policies. That’s the prerequisite. The Juncker Plan, in which France has been greatly involved, is being implemented. The initial funding is available and the first projects, including in France, are starting to be conducted – for example, in the field of renewable energy production, or to support innovative SMEs. But it’s only a first stage. The investment needs in Europe are considerable. And we wanted this; the subject is now a central plank of the European Union’s economic strategy, alongside structural reforms and the necessary improvement of public accounts. Europe must also prepare the future, invest massively in its research capabilities, human capital and new technologies if it doesn’t want to be left behind by the big American and Asian blocs. Going further for Europe means preparing the next stage: growing integration of the Euro Area, to make it more effective and, above all, more legitimate. Finally, it’s necessary –as the Head of State recalled yesterday – to provide the Euro Area with an economic government. The Euro Area must be able to build a genuine economic, financial, fiscal and social convergence policy. And as the President announced, France will make concrete proposals on all these subjects in the coming weeks. Finally, going further on Europe means never hesitating to encourage European solutions wherever they’re necessary. Europe isn’t the solution to all our ills. It can’t do everything, and states must fully shoulder their responsibility in conducting public policy. But not making a full commitment at European level and doing things only by halves – because it would be politically sensitive or because the public wouldn’t understand – isn’t the solution either. Timidity never pays at European level. Only boldness will enable us to move forward. This is why it’s essential to close the loopholes which end up working against the European project itself. I’ll take just one example, the one which obviously comes to mind: that of migration. It’s together, with a spirit of solidarity, firmness and also responsibility that we must move forward. Among other things, a European border-guard system must be created, a system which – let’s say it straight out – is essential for the Schengen Area’s very survival and credibility. And in this same spirit, the European Union must equip itself with an asylum policy fully consonant with the values Europe advances in the eyes of the world. It’s in this way, by continuing to take the European enterprise forward, that the EU will be able to affirm its position as a major trading, industrial and cultural power. This requires energy, conviction and determination – and you’re in the vanguard for this. (…)./.

2019-04-22T06:39:29Z

https://franceintheus.org/spip.php?article7004

A vapor barrier is any material used for damp proofing, typically a plastic sheet or as seen in the picture above, Luxury Vinyl Tile can also become a vapor barrier to proper water mitigation. Many of these materials are only vapor retarders as they have varying degrees of permeability. Vapor barrier is often found behind drywall or between the drywall and studs. Another type of vapor barrier is floating flooring such as laminate or LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile). When excessive water damage occurs, water can get trapped underneath laminate or LVT, making it impossible to properly dry as it becomes a vapor barrier that traps water underneath. In the event of water damage, they can prohibit drying of wet insulation or sub-floors because the water cannot travel through the plastic vapor barrier. In these situations, we need to remove the vapor barriers so we can effectively dry the insulation in framing and sub-floors. With regards to floating flooring such as laminate or LVT, often times these new products, that are potentially waterproof, don’t show signs of damage in the event of water loss. However, if there’s been a larger amount of water intrusion into the space, water is most likely trapped underneath this flooring and the flooring will need to be removed in order to dry the structure properly. Some of the Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring types could potentially be reused, but often times they cannot be removed without damaging the flooring. The LVT adhesive often rips the LVT apart when removing it, thereby requiring new flooring to be placed. Moisture or water vapor moves into building cavities in three ways: 1) With air currents, 2) By diffusion through materials, 3) By heat transfer. Of these three, air movement accounts for more than 98% of all water vapor movement in building cavities. A vapor retarder and an air barrier serve to reduce this problem, but are not necessarily interchangeable. Vapor retarders slow the rate of vapor diffusion into the thermal envelope of a structure. Other wetting mechanisms, such as wind-borne rain, capillary wicking of ground moisture, air transport (infiltration), are equally important. The industry has recognized that in many circumstances it may be impractical to design and build building assemblies which never get wet. Good design and practice involve controlling the wetting of building assemblies from both the exterior and interior. So, the use of vapor barrier should be taken into consideration. Their use has already been legislated within the building codes of some countries (such as the U.S., Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland & Wales). How, where, and whether a vapor barrier (vapor diffusion retarder) should be used depends on the climate. Typically, the number of heating degree days (HDD) in an area is used to help make these determinations. A heating degree day is a unit that measures how often outdoor daily dry-bulb temperatures fall below an assumed base, normally 18°C (65°F). For building in most parts of North America, where winter heating conditions predominate, vapor barrier are placed toward the interior, heated side of insulation in the assembly. In humid regions where warm-weather cooling predominates within buildings, the vapor barrier should be located toward the exterior side of insulation. In relatively mild or balanced climates, or where assemblies are designed to minimize condensation conditions, a vapor barrier may not be necessary at all. An interior vapor retarder is useful in heating-dominated climates while an exterior vapor retarder is useful in cooling-dominated climates. In most climates it is often better to have a vapor-open building assembly, meaning that walls and roofs should be designed to dry: either to the inside, the outside, or both, so the ventilation of water vapor should be taken into consideration. A vapor barrier on the warm side of the envelope must be combined with a venting path on the cold side of the insulation. This is because no vapor barrier is perfect, and because water may get into the structure, typically from rain. In general, the better the vapor barrier and the drier the conditions, the less venting is required. In areas below foundation level (subgrade areas), particularly those formed in concrete, vapor retarder placement can be problematic, as moisture infiltration from capillary action can exceed water vapor movement outward through framed and insulated walls. A slab-on-grade or basement floor should be poured over a cross-laminated polyethylene vapor barrier over 4 inches (10 cm) of granular fill to prevent wicking of moisture from the ground and radon gas incursion. Inside a steel building, water vapor will condense whenever it comes into contact with a surface that is below the dew point temperature. Visible condensation on windowpanes and purlins that results in dripping can be somewhat mitigated with ventilation; however, insulation is the preferred method of condensation prevention. When extreme storms leave you basement or building flooded and damaged, SERVPRO of Dane County West can perform a flood cut to start the restoration process. A flood cut involves removing a minimum of at least 12 inches and sometimes up to four feet of drywall starting above where water damage ends. This procedure opens the structure so that walls may be dried and it ensures that all contaminants are removed both internally and externally. The contaminated insulation has to be removed to get rid of accumulated bacteria. SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals can then bring in industrial fans and dehumidifiers to dry interior wall structures. Once dried we can repair the wall to it’s preloss condition. A flood cut is not always necessary, but it is common. Usually, professionals recommend flood cuts when flood water is categorized as two or three flood water. Category two water refers to water that contains known contaminants, such as water from a dishwasher or washing machine. Category three water refers to black water, or water from sewage backup. The goal of drywall cut is to get rid of contaminants and ensure that a home or building is safe to return to after a flood. What determines doing a flood cut? When contaminated water invades your home from storm damage flooding it may contain sewage, chemicals and/or biological contaminates. This water is known as black water, the most severe category and requires a flood cut. SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals will perform a flood cut if they believe any insulation behind your home’s walls has water damage. Because insulation cannot be properly dried a flood cut will be needed to remove any wet material. Once the interior wall is cleaned and dried, new insulation can be installed. After flooding, mold can begin to grow behind interior walls and spread quickly if it is not addressed. SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals will perform a flood cut to check for mold and treat the area if any is found. Because mold does not need sunlight to grow, it can spread from interior walls to other areas. A flood cut is the first step to mitigating the issue and restoring your home or business to preloss condition. SERVPRO of Dane County West was able to extract over and inch of standing water in an unfinished basement in Verona, WI. Using the portable extractor, we were able to remove over 100 gallons of water from the structure. The benefit of portable extractors is that we can use them anywhere and are not limited by the length of hose on the truck mount. The portable extractor can store up to fifteen gallons of water at a time. This unit also has an auto discharge that allows us to extract uninterrupted until the water is removed. With a portable extractor, we can expedite the removal of water and moisture from floors and carpet to help restore it to preloss conditions, reducing the potential of having to replace damaged materials or belongings. An extractor has three major components: a heater, a pump, and a vacuum system. Our technicians use this machine for variable heat-controlled cleaning, including to heat the rinse solutions to clean more effectively. The vacuum system and waste recovery tank remove soils and moisture from the surface and collects it in tank. At SERVPRO of Dane County West, helping our customers and returning damaged areas and items to preloss conditions is our number one priority. To do this, SERVPRO of Dane County West understands that using the proper equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing claims loss expense. When time matters, technology and equipment must be counted on to perform. With that in mind, we will take you through a behind the scenes look at some of the equipment we use to help get your property and structure to preloss condition. Each machine and piece of equipment has a crucial role in the restoration process. SERVPRO of Dane County West Restoration Technicians are trained to use each piece of equipment to its highest potential. Here are a few of our most commonly seen and used machines, and their purpose. PORTABLE EXTRACTORS: Extractors are used for cleaning carpets, cleaning upholstery, and removing water from floors after a water loss. An extractor has three major components: a heater, a pump, and a vacuum system. Restoration Technicians use this machine for variable heat-controlled cleaning, including to heat the rinse solutions to clean more effectively. The vacuum system and waste recovery tank remove soils and moisture from the surface and collects it in the tank. With this machine, we can expedite the removal of water and moisture from damaged materials and textiles to help restore it to preloss conditions. In doing this, the potential of having to replace materials or belongings is lowered. THE OZONE GENERATOR: The portable ozone generator eliminates a variety of odors caused by animals, cigarette smoke, mold and mildew, fire, and water damage. This machine generates “ozone”, which consists of unstable oxygen molecules (containing three oxygen atoms). Ozone chemically reacts with odor-causing molecules to oxidize residues and remove the odors. When using this piece of equipment, we follow the absolute and necessary guidelines of use with the purpose of all people and pets should be removed from the environment during the ozone process for health and safety reasons. Once the deodorization process is complete, ozone quickly reverts to the normal oxygen molecule, leaving no residues. Once the odor is gone, the results are permanent. One of the features of the ozone generator is that it is made to be compact and portable, yet also be a durable and professional unit. WEARING AND FIT CHECKING OUR RESPIRATORS: Safety for not only our Technicians, but also our customers, is a priority at SERVPRO. We enforce that respirators must be worn during all times by our technicians during exposure to hazardous situations. To be safe, we follow one rule of thumb: if the work environment is unpleasant or if it makes you dizzy, our crew is to wear their respirators. No if’s, and’s or but’s. If we are using respirators, we inform customers in the general area of this and advise them with the necessary precautions associated with the work going on for their safety. DEHUMIDIFICATION EQUIPMENT: By extracting water vapor from the air, dehumidifiers lower the relative humidity, which in turn increases the rate of evaporation. Our Restoration Technicians position dehumidifiers strategically in a water-damaged structure so the moist, humid air moves through the unit while dry, warm air is discharged from the unit circulating back into the wet areas. Did you know that dry air acts like a sponge to absorb moisture from wet materials? Since it does, we use the dehumidifiers especially because it provides a continual source of dry air to enhance the restoration process. Refrigerant dehumidifiers remove water vapor through condensation, and based on the specific job, we will use a small commercial refrigerant dehumidifier because it removes approximately 8 gallons of water per day from the atmosphere, while an extra-large commercial refrigerant could remove as much as 20 gallons per day. AIR MOVING EQUIPMENT: Air movers are used in water damage restoration to enhance evaporation at the surface level and reduce drying time. These machines introduce airflow at the surface level and replace the highly saturated air with drier air to enhance evaporation. Our crew has gone through specific training on the science of drying to know how many air movers they will need and how to position them to create airflow across all wet surfaces. In some cases, when the lower portion of multiple walls are wet, involving wet drywall behind baseboards, enough air movers are positioned to create a vortex of circular airflow around the walls. Our technicians operate the air movers in several different positions, offering flexibility in how to direct the airflow with the best possible outcome. TRUCK MOUNT EXTRACTOR: A truck-mounted extraction unit consists of several smaller components, which work together to make one of the best pieces of cleaning equipment in the industry. The pieces are made up of the engine, the vacuum, the chemical pump, the water pump, and the heating system. The vacuum system extracts water, soils, and cleaning solutions. The chemical pumping system meters cleaning solution into the extraction tool. The water pumping system pressurizes the water used for cleaning and/or rinsing. The heating system heats the water used for cleaning and rinsing. This equipment setup is crucial and is used for various disaster clean ups. Due to the required training of this equipment our technicians know the specific environment needed for this piece of machinery to work and how to maintain it appropriately for health and safety reasons. The SERVPRO® Equipment Department tests all equipment, including the truck mount, before putting the items in the product line. To provide the best service to our customers, we must know how the truck mount works, how to set up and maintain the unit, how to use it safely, how to clean the vehicle interior, unit, tools, hoses, and so forth as needed, and how to inspect all equipment and accessories for any damage, leaks, or wear. There are many other machines and equipment accessories we use, but for today’s behind the scenes look we are proud to show you some our most commonly used pieces of equipment. These machines help us get your personal disaster back to preloss condition and to make it “like it never even happened!” because SERVPRO of Dane County West is always here to help! Floods are one of the most common and widespread natural disasters in the United States. Recently in Monticello, WI, SERVPRO of Dane County West was called to a local café to mitigate extensive water damage from flood damage caused by the Sugar River overflow. The café was next door to the river and despite having a 5-foot berm protecting the structure, water unfortunately still got in. Up to 8 feet of water flooded their business and SERVPRO of Dane County West is diligently working “to make it like it never even happened”. Fema.gov reports in the last 5 years, all 50 states have experienced floods or flash ?oods. Just because you haven’t experienced a ?ood in the past does not mean you won’t in the future. In fact, nearly 20% of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas. According to the American Red Cross, floods cause more damage in the U.S. every year than any other Weather-related disaster. The American Red Cross offers the following ?ood safety tips. Stay away from ?oodwaters. If you come up on a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around, and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet. If you approach a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are s rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water. Keep children out or the water. They are curious and often lack judgment about running water or contaminated water. If a flood does strike your home or business, contact your local SERVPRO of Dane County Professionals. Even minor ?oods have the potential to cause major damage to a structure when not treated quickly and properly, and the cleanup is often an overwhelming task. The SERVPRO System is prepared to handle any sized disaster. When ?re and water take control of your life, your local SERVPRO of Dane County Professionals will help you take it back. Moisture Sensors accurately test drywall, flooring, subflooring, carpet, insulation and any material that may have come in contact with excessive moisture. Moisture Meters are used to measure the percentage of water in a given substance. This information can be used to determine if the material is ready for use, unexpectedly wet, or otherwise in need of further inspection. The moisture meter provides accurate readings, enabling SERVPRO of Dane County West professionals to accurately monitor the drying process. Thermohygrometers measure temperature and relative humidity. When armed with this information, SERVPRO Dane County West can calculate and create an environment most conclusive to drying. When facing a contaminated water loss, it is not only important to dry the structure, but the structure must also be disinfected and often deodorized. Ultra Low-Volume (ULV) Foggers will atomize liquid deodorizing agents, producing a fine mist that can easily penetrate the site where odor-causing residues may accumulate. This device can also be used to inject fungicides and disinfectants into wall cavities and other hard-to-reach areas. Thermal Foggers dispense solvent-based products by creating a dense fog. The fog consists of tiny particles of deodorant solution that attach to and neutralize odor-causing particles. Your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals have the training and equipment to help make it "Like it never even happened." Exterior Walls- Water pipes that are located along the exterior walls of a home can be vulnerable to freezing. This is because they may not have the adequate amount of insultation protecting them from the exterior temperatures. Proper equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing the damage expense during a fire or water loss. When time matters, technology and equipment must be counted on to perform. Your SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals will answer your call with rapid action and a full arsenal of drying equipment. Moisture Sensors are used to detect moisture in carpets, baseboards, and walls. Moisture Meters are used to determine the actual moisture content of various materials. The moisture tester provides accurate readings, allowing SERVPRO of East Baton Rouge professionals to monitor drying process. Thermohygrometers measure temperature and relative humidity. When armed with this information, SERVPRO of East Baton Rouge professionals can calculate and create an environment most conducive to drying. When facing a contaminated water loss, it is not only important to dry the structure, but the structure must also be disinfected and often deodorized. SERVPRO of Dane County West's highly trained technicians will begin the water removal process almost immediately. Depending on the amount of water, they may use powerful submersible pumps in addition to industrial strength, wet/dry high-volume Extractors, like the one shown in this picture. This step helps to reduce drying time and helps to prevent mold and secondary water damage. Use Submersible Pumps and Industrial Wet/Dry High-Volume Extractors (HVE) can be portable or truck-mounted. The former can be taken into the building and allows access to hard-to-reach areas, but the latter is more powerful and has its own power sources. Truck-mounted extractors are designed for both restorative cleaning and water removal in a water damage scenario. At SERVPRO, we have a team of highly trained, IICRC-certified technicians who can relieve you of that stress. SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals will use room measurements, temperature, and relative humidity to determine the optimal number of air movers and dehumidifiers to dry your home or business. We’ll carefully monitor the progress using moisture meters until the materials return to acceptable drying goals. Industrial-grade dehumidifiers help prevent secondary water damage like swelling and warping of floors, walls, and furniture. The industrial-grade dehumidifiers SERVPRO of Dane County Uses can remove hundreds of pints of water per day depending on the room’s relative humidity. High-speed air movers create airflow across walls, carpets, pads, and furniture, which cause moisture to evaporate at a faster pace. After protecting and securing the structure, professionals at SERVPRO of Dane County West can begin the restoration process. Your home or business may need reconstruction work to get your property back to its preloss condition. Water, Flood, Fire or Mold Damage? A roof leaking water into your structure’s interior walls, ceilings and floors is not a pretty picture. Ice dams are a leading culprit for water leaks during the winter season. They form when heated air melts roof snow above and behind the dammed up ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run off the roof, it can backflow under the roof's shingles and into the structure's interior areas. SERVPRO of Dane County West can help mitigate water damage caused by ice dams and help you get your structure back to preloss condition. Prevent Ice Dams from forming on your roof in the first place. Start by just removing the offending culprit in the first place. Shovel or use a snow rake to remove the snow from your roof. Make sure your attic and rafter space is adequately insulated. Insulation is a first line of defense consideration. Make sure your attic and crawl spaces are well ventilated. Buildup of warm air in open areas above the layer of insulation is what causes snow on the roof to melt then freeze into ice dams in the first place. Make sure exhaust fans, plumbing vents recessed ceiling fans and anything penetrating through your roof are sealed and insulated. Add properly installed heat tape to the lower few feet of roof in areas where ice dams are likely to occur. Recessed lighting in a ceiling such as in an attic, truss cavity or soffits can create a tremendous amount of heat that rises and melts snow on the roof. Recessed lights are seldom insulated and sealed properly. Replacing heat-generating incandescent and halogen bulbs with compact florescent or LED bulbs is an easy way to reduce the amount of unwanted heat in your attic or truss cavities. Try to keep vaulted ceilings cooler than the rest of the home if possible. When should I be concerned about water coming inside my structure? Icicles forming on the edge of your roof are the most obvious indicator of ice dams and possible water invasion. If ice accumulates even higher than just the edge of the roof, over the gutters or up onto the roof itself; be aware. If ice forms underneath the soffits through the vents, on the wall or under windows that is a pretty good sign water is invading your structure. What do I do if I think I have water damage? When winter strikes, call SERVPRO of Dane County West to strike back. SERVPRO of Dane County West wishes you a safe and happy holiday season! Pipes can freeze and eventually burst in below freezing temperatures. Water has a unique property of expanding as it freezes causing pipes to crack and then burst. The ensuing rush of water can cause considerable damage to your property if not addressed quickly. SERVPRO of Dane County West is faster to any size disaster, bringing the latest equipment and training to help make your water damage "Like it never even happened." Take a few simple steps now to prevent suffering and grief down the road. Inspect outdoor faucets . Now. Find the indoor shut off valve for the outdoor faucet in basement or crawl space and shut it off. Then open the outdoor faucet to help ensure it relieves pressure and drains completely. Second, make sure that your heating system is checked regularly. Also, inspect the insulation on all of your plumbing as well as your cold water tank. Units located in the attic and other vulnerable locations should be protected with insulated sleeves. During severe cold snaps, open cabinets where pipes are located so warm air can circulate. Third, keep your heat on throughout the winter months. During harsh, cold months, the chances of your pipes freezing get greater as the temperature plummets. Turn on your faucets and allow them to drip slowly. Moving water will prevent freezing. Open cabinet doors below sinks. It will help allow warm air to circulate. Drain your water system if you’re away for an extended time. Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or with heating tape. What do you do if you have water damage? If you have water damage, please call SERVPRO of Dane County West first! These Emergency Tips will assist you in taking the proper action until your SERVPRO Professional arrives. Please follow these DOs and DON'Ts to help reduce damage and increase the chances of a successful restoration. Do shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source. Do turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock. Do wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items. Do remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying. Do place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpeting. Do remove to safe, dry place any paintings, art objects, computers, documents and other materials that are valuable or sensitive to moisture. Do use wooden clothespins to keep furniture skirting off damp floors. Do hang draperies with coated hangers to avoid contact with wet carpeting on floors. Do hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature. Do avoid all contact with sewage items contaminated by sewage. Do wash your hands thoroughly after contact with contaminated items. Don't enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist. Don't enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards. Don't leave books, newspapers, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors to cause staining. Don't leave Oriental rugs or other colored rugs on wet carpets to cause staining. Don't use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner. Don't use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially not on wet concrete floors. Don't spread contaminated water by walking unnecessarily on damaged or wet areas. Don't turn on the HVAC system if there is a possibility of spreading contaminated air. Don't use household fans to dry the structure and spread contaminants. Don't use products for personal hygiene and cleanliness if exposed to the contaminated areas. The key to avoiding costly future restoration is to handle every water problem as a real threat to your property. SERVPRO® Dane County West has the equipment, training and experience to find and dry unseen water before secondary damages occur. The proper equipment makes a measurable difference in reducing the damage expense during a fire or water loss. When time matters, technology and equipment must be counted on to perform. SERVPRO® Dane County West will answer your call with fast action and a full arsenal of drying equipment. Here are a few of the tools used by your local SERVPRO® Dane County West. Moisture Meters are used to determine the actual moisture content of various materials. The moisture tester provides accurate readings, allowing SERVPRO® Dane County West to monitor the drying process. Thermohygrometers measure temperature and relative humidity. When armed with this information, SERVPRO® Dane County West can calculate and create an environment most conclusive to drying. When facing a contaminated water loss, it is not only important to dry the structure, but the structure must also be disinfected and often deodorized. Ultra Low-Volume Foggers will atomize liquid deodorizing agents, producing a fine mist that can easily penetrate the site where odor-causing residues may accumulate. This device can also be used to inject fungicides and disinfectants into wall cavities and other hard-to-reach areas. The bottom line? Your local SERVPRO® Franchise Professionals have the training and equipment to help make it "Like it never even happened." There are three types of water. Clean water is water from a broken pipe, or other water source; rainwater is also considered clean. The term gray water is used to classify slightly contaminated water. Clean water becomes gray water when it is left untreated allowing bacteria and other contaminants to begin growing, making the water hazardous. Black water is highly contaminated and filled with fungi, bacteria, chemicals and more. Black water is typically caused by sewage damage, flooding or any type of natural disaster. Black water should always be handled by trained professionals. Shut off the water source if possible or contact a qualified professional to do so. SERVPRO Professionals make fire and water damage "Like it never even happened." Professional Uniformed Technicians from SERVPRO® of Dane County West offer a variety of services, such as smoke and soot removal, restoration, water removal and dehumidification to help restore your customers’ homes to preloss condition when possible. Proper remediation of fire, smoke, soot and water damage can help prevent further damage such as lingering odors, mold growth and permanent discoloration of items. SERVPRO of Dane County West specializes in the cleanup and restoration of commercial and residential property after a water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. At SERVPRO of Dane County West we utilize the latest in drying technologies to restore damaged materials instead of replacing. This saves everyone time and money. One great example of this is the floor drying system we use to save hardwood floors after a water loss. The attached photo is from a home in Madison, WI that had a water loss from a second floor sink overflow. We were able to save their hardwood floors using our floor drying system. Needless to say the customers were very happy they didn't need to spend thousands of dollars to replace their floors! SERVPRO of Dane County West Professionals have the training and equipment to help make it "Like it never even happened." Spring snowmelt often leads to flooding conditions in Wisconsin. This year’s snowfall could make the spring thaw very wet. The following tips will help reduce the impact spring floods have on you and your property. Prepare in advance with a SERVPRO® Emergency Ready Profile® (ERP). Our convenient mobile app stores all your utility and emergency response information in one place, so you can access this information from your smartphone or computer. Look for places around your property where water pools and channel it away from buildings. Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear of debris so they can direct water as intended. Homeowners insurance will not cover floods; you must purchase a separate policy for flood protection. When all else fails, flood insurance will provide you the means to respond to a catastrophic flooding event. A frozen pipe can burst at the point where the ice blockage inside the pipe is located, but typically the rupture is caused by the backflow pressure between the water source and the blockage. A burst pipe can cause considerable damage to your property if not addressed quickly. SERVPRO of Dane County West is faster to any size disaster, bringing the latest equipment and training to help make your water damage "Like it never even happened." Ice dams can be a major problem during the winter season. They form when heated air melts roof snow downward into water dammed behind still-frozen ice. When the trapped water cannot safely flow or run into the gutter system, it can backflow under the roof's shingles and into the structure's interior areas. SERVPRO of Dane County West can help mitigate water damage caused by ice dams and help you get your structure back to preloss condition. Moisture Meters are used to determine the actual moisture content of various materials. The moisture tester provides accurate moisture readings that enable SERVPRO of Dane County West to monitor the drying process. Thermohygrometers measure both temperature and relative humidity. Capturing these two readings, a SERVPRO of Dane County West Professional using a psychrometric chart can calculate specific humidity, dew point and vapor pressure. When fire and water take control of your life, we help you take it back. Our goal is to make it...Like it never even happened. Do: Avoid all contact with sewage and items contaminated by sewage. Do: Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with contaminated items. Do: Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life-threatening. Do: Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated. Don't: Spread contaminated water by walking unnecessarily on damaged or wet areas. Don't: Turn on the HVAC system if there is a possibility of spreading contaminated air. Don't: Use household fans to dry the structure and spread the contaminants. Don't: Use products for personal hygiene and cleanliness if exposed to the contaminated areas. Don't: Attempt cleanup of any kind. Don't: Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids. Do: Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source. Do: Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock. Do: Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items. Do: Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying. Do: Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpet. Do: Remove to a safe, dry place any paintings, art objects computers, documents and other materials that are valuable or sensitive to moisture. Do: Hang draperies with coated hangers to avoid contact with wet carpeting or floors. Do: Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature. Don't: Enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist. Don't: Enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water. Always avoid electrical shock hazards. Don't: Leave books, newspapers, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors to cause staining. Don't: Use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner. Don't: Use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially not on wet concrete floors. Don't: Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet or enter rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water. 1/24/2019 - Why are Frozen Water Pipes Dangerous? 2/14/2018 - Why Are Frozen Pipes Dangerous? 9/22/2017 - What do you do if you have water damage? 5/30/2017 - SERVPRO Professionals make fire and water damage "Like it never even happened."

2019-04-21T14:16:26Z

https://www.servprodanecountywest.com/blog/water-damage-restoration

Descriptions of the End Times are full of violent imagery, of mass destruction through earthquakes, tidal waves, fire and ice. These images are written deeply into our culture through the book of Revelation, but are by no means limited to the Christian imagination. Often, our idea of modern millennial groups is informed by images of violent confrontations between them and the state, for example at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, or of mass suicide, such as with Heaven’s Gate or the People’s Temple at Jonestown. Are we right to connect millennialism and violence? Are these groups typical, or rare exceptions, magnified out of proportion by the lens of the media – and scholarship? How do we account for the popularity of millennialism outside of religious traditions, new, extreme or otherwise? This audio/visual episode was produced in collaboration with CenSAMM, the Centre for the Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements. You can download this interview, and subscribe to receive our weekly podcast, on iTunes. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to rate us. And remember, you can use our Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, or Amazon.ca links to support us at no additional cost when buying academic texts, pretzels, and more. Podcast with Eileen Barker, Moojan Momen, Joseph Webster and Tristan Sturm (22 May 2017). Transcript available CenSAMM conference – Millennialism and Violence 1.1. David Robertson (DR): Welcome to the Religious Studies Project. I’m here today, in the grounds of the Panacea Museum in sunny Bedford, for the inaugural CenSAMM conference on the subject of Millenarian Groups and Violence. I’m joined today by Moojan Momen, by Joseph Webster, by Eileen Barker and by Tristan Sturm. And we’re going to discuss the issues around millenarianism, millennialism and violence. And all of the talks from this conference have been streamed and there’ll be a link to that below. But just to get the ball rolling, I’m going to ask: what is it we’re talking about? I mean “millenarianism”, “millennialism”, “apocalypticism”: are these different terms? What do they mean? Joe, maybe you could get the ball rolling on that? Joseph Webster (JW): OK, yes. It’s an interesting question. I’m not so sure that I have a clear answer, possibly because a clear answer doesn’t exist. I think these terms have been used for a very long time, interchangeably. Sometimes, that’s because of potentially sloppy scholarship on behalf of those who are using the terms. On the other hand, part of the answer might be that these terms – particularly millenarianism and millennialism – have been, to some extent, interchangeable. The OED – which isn’t the final word on these conversations but still, nevertheless – the OED does define these terms as synonyms. The way that millenarianism is used in anthropology – the discipline that I come from – tends to see millennialism as more distinctly Christian than millenarianism; millenarianism being treated as a broader term that has resonances with the Cargo Cult literature and the Ghost Dance literature. However, again, that’s not universally true. Some scholars within anthropology do use millennialism as a way to refer to Cargo Cults and the Ghost Dance. So, whilst I don’t think there’s any clear definitional answer, my assumption would be that the best way to proceed is how the groups themselves use these terms. And they don’t, actually, tend to use of either of those terms for themselves. So let’s take it from there. Tristan Sturm (TS): I would add to that “apocalypticism”. And I think we can think about apocalypticism versus millennialism – which is the distinction I would use – as two sides of the same coin. The Apocalypse or apocalypticism, meaning unveiling, happens before the Millennium: 1000 years, or a period of time after which the world ends. So, I would understand it that way; I would teach that to my students. I would say apocalypticism is the events before the sort-of Revelation – or the end of the world – and the Renewal is the Millennium. That’s how I would understand it. And I think, using apocalypticism versus millennialism is important in certain cases. Apocalypticism is useful, of course, for various secular movements who don’t believe in a Renewal, a new world, right? Whether that would come from climate change; Trumpism – potentially – for some individuals; and for others, equally, Barrack Obama, right? That doesn’t have, necessarily, a Christian or any religious overlay over it. We can still use the term apocalypticism – and I think many social theorists do – to talk about things like climate change and the severity of the series of events that would happen from that. DR: We’re often, when we hear about apocalypticism, millennialism, we’re often hearing about these cults, these controversial new religious movements. Eileen, maybe you’d speak to this? Is there some necessary connection between new religious movements and apocalyptic millennial thinking? DR: Then why is it so often connected in the public mind? EB: Well, it’s quite frequent that millennial groups, or millenarian groups or apocalyptic groups will be termed cults. And cults, sort-of technically, usually means some kind of religious or non-religious movement that’s in tension with society in some ways. There’s a sort-of classic division between the cult and the sect, which are in tension with society and a denomination of the church, which aren’t. But, technically, that’s one thing. But just generally, in popular parlance, to say something is a cult means: “it’s a religion I don’t like”. And it’s not really very much more than that. (5:00) I mean, I often get asked: “Is it a real religion, a genuine religion, or is it a cult?” And you’ve just got to say, “Well, what do you mean by a cult?” and one man’s, or one woman’s cult is a another person’s religion. Nobody says, “I belong to a cult.” Not seriously. They might say it as a joke, or in self-defence. Now, some of these movements on which people put the label of cult are millenarian, but most of them are not. Well, I wouldn’t like to say how many are and how many aren’t, but the two don’t necessarily go together – except that it’s more likely that the millenarian groups are a sub-group of cult. But you get millenarianism in denominations and in church – if you’re just looking at the tension with society – so it goes either way. You’ve got to be terribly clear what you’re talking about. And sometimes such categories are useful, but quite often they just obscure. EB: So, say what you’re talking about! Moojan Momen (MM): And I think we need to bear in mind that, even Christianity itself , when it first arose – if you read the Gospels – you’ll see there that they are talking about how Christianity is fulfilling prophecy. So Christianity is, therefore, a millenarian movement in Judaism and was probably regarded as a cult by other Jews. So, we’re talking about a history of religion developing gradually from being a cult, to being a sect, to being a religion. DR: And how important is prophecy? Is this an essential aspect here? EB: I think so, almost by definition. Because you’re expecting something to happen. So you have some kind of knowledge that’s come from somewhere. Now it might just be in your own little brain, but usually there’s somebody who says . . . or a book or something that can be read as saying . . . . So, there’s some sort of “saying” what’s going to happen in the future. It’s future-oriented. DR: Yes. But it’s not entirely about the future? EB: Oh no. No, I’m not saying that. It’s necessary but not sufficient. DR: It’s a good in. JW: Yes, I think that’s right. I think one of the key aspects to whether we’re talking about millenarian movements, or apocalyptic movements, or millennialism, is the way in which temporality and time are really central to what’s going on. And crucially, I think, the way in which parts of time, which we customarily think of as very distinct, actually end up collapsing into each other and becoming conflated. So: the present being seen as a very unique moment when prophecy is being fulfilled; when things that were said of the future are coming to pass right now; but also that the present is seen as deeply resonant with an ancient past. Look at the way in which the Christian groups, for instance, that are most dispensational – groups like the Brethren, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, some Baptist groups – certainly look at today’s age as morally bankrupt and immediately reach back into the Old Testament past for examples of the same: Sodom and Gomorrah, the days of Noah, the days of the Tower of Babel. And, immediately, what that does is it transforms the present into something that is not only future-oriented, but is deeply indebted to, and is seen as a replaying of ancient past Biblical events. EB: Of course the Abrahamic faiths, Islam, Christianity and Judaism, have a linear view of history: that there’s a past, we’re in present and there is a future. And they’re promising something about the future. But we should remember that a lot of new religions, cults, sects, traditional religions, are cyclical. And they see time in this sort-of birth, death, rebirth etc. Now, sometimes it’s an upwards spiral. Sometimes you go through various ages. But they’re not just sort-of straight lineal like they are in the Abrahamic [faiths], which lend themselves more to apocalyptic visions because there’s something happening. But within Hinduism you can get different ages, which can be very different. And the New Age, indeed. There’s something very fundamental that’s changing in society, which is what’s expected in these kind of movements. TS: I would agree, but I also think, prior to say the Enlightenment, prior to Hobbes or someone like that, you would see, I think, a cyclical idea within Christianity, still. (10:00) I’m taking this from Reinhart Koselleck and he says, you know, the ideas of the Apocalypse didn’t really emerge in the everyday life of Christians until, really, the period of the Enlightenment, with the idea of progress, and the Kantian idea that because the past is different, the future must also be different. And so we get this idea that the Apocalypse isn’t part of a cycle, a scaled-up everyday cycle of seasons, that we would see with a lot of individuals. So, I think there is a change actually happening around the end of the 16th century, where we’re moving even out of a Christian cyclicalism to a more linear idea of the future. And I would add to that that I think now the future is becoming more important. And it’s been studied I think, even across disciplines, it’s becoming this tag term, that we’re trying to theorise now. And I think here of Susan Harding, for example, who talks about “memories of the future”. And she talks about, you know, that the future is a kind of memory. We have an idea of the past and those are kind-of memories as well, outside of history. We’re selective about the memories that we want to bring to the present and give continuity to the way things are. In the same way, we do that with the future. We kind-of know how the future’s going to play out. We have a sort of selectivity of ideas. There are certain paths that we’re pretty sure are more likely to happen that others. And we go down those paths. And prophecy functions in a similar way. It tries to close off the way the future could go. It sort-of says, “Well, this is the likely space that the future will go.” And so it’s closing off of the future. And we have a kind of memory of the future. We re-member ideas from the future. And we all do this. We do this with our jobs, how we foresee our lives are going to go. And they more-or-less do take place the way we probably thought that they would, given a certain level of difference there. And so, I would say that about time. And I also . . . and there’s a book that I really like. It’s called “The Past is a Foreign Country” and he says that we’re selective about our pasts. But I would say that the future is also a foreign country where we’re selective about the future that we want to bring, to give meaning to our present. And, you know, St Augustine said this as well. He said that there’s no such thing as the past or the future. There’s only the present past, the present present, and the present future. And he’s referring to that kind of presentism, I think, that exists across religions and everyday life. And that’s really where we only exist. DR: Well, I think an interesting and very important part of millennial thinking and prophetic thinking is that it places the individual right at this axis point of history. As you say, you know, it’s the memories of history: a narrative construction, leading to this point and you have various futures branching out. And something about apocalyptic and millennialism, when it becomes involved in violence particularly, is that sometimes it’s seen that in order for the future to go one way there has to be some sort of violent or cataclysmic change; which brings us to the issue of violence, then. Is there a necessary connection between millenarianism and violence? Or is that only in the popular imagination? JW: I couldn’t agree more. I see nothing within millenarianism that makes it essentially violent. And I think the other important point to make is that not only do we “other” millenarian groups, by often assuming that they are violent, but we normalise ourselves – the secular, the non-religious, the mainstream – as something that is somehow essentially non-violent. So we make cults and sects and millenarianism essentially violent and we make the mainstream somehow essentially non-violent. And I think both are completely false. The evidence just does not stack up. MM: And, of course, we’re sitting here at the Panacea Society, which was a millenarian movement that was not at all violent, so . . . . And, in fact, probably the vast majority of millenarian movements are not violent. It requires a certain set of circumstances to lead a millenarian movement to violence. And the vast majority of them don’t have that set of circumstances. TS: Can I add to that? TS: I guess I’m interested in the way we’re using the word “violence”, here. I think we’re talking about overt, coercive types of violence. But I think discourse or language can be violent as well. (15:00) I think certain other, “small v” forms of violence take place as well. And they take place outside of . . . they’re not exclusive or endemic to millennial movements, they happen in everyday life. I’m speaking here of a kind of power that we exact on all sorts of things. And millennial movements, apocalyptic movements are a different kind of normative discourse and they challenge the dominant normative discourses that Joe was just talking about, right? In a sense they’re kind-of doing a violence: they’re trying to change the way we think about the world. Our normative way that we think about the world is not the right way, it’s not the absolute truth. It’s truth because more people believe it than often the millennial and apocalyptic movements. That doesn’t mean there’s not a kind of violence that’s going on there: there is. EB: I’d like to add that a lot of the movements are actually pacifist and they work hard for pacifism. And it’s very interesting that today, while this is being recorded – April 6th – the Jehovah’s Witnesses are – perhaps it’s already happened – being threatened with entire extinction from Russia, because they are absolutely non-violent. They’re in prison in places like South Korea because they’re conscientious objectors. They won’t kill. They’re prepared to be killed. They were killed in Auschwitz, for example. Unlike the Jews and the homosexuals and the Gypsies, who were going to suffer anyway, the Jehovah’s Witnesses could have said, “No, we’ll obey the state”, and they didn’t. They preferred to be killed rather than this. EB: Because they just refused to do certain things. And the group that you were talking about today, also tried to be pacifist. And so it’s not just that they’re not violent. They will work against sometimes. But of course, some are violent with a capital V. MM: Yes, the group that I was talking about today was historically the Bábis of Iran. They were a precurser of what is today the Bahai faith. But in mid-19th century Iran they were a group that became very popular, spread very rapidly. And the leader of this group worked very hard to diffuse the violent possibilities, because he claimed to be the Mahdi – and people were expecting the Mahdi to come and lead an army to victory. So they were expecting a violent result from Mahdi coming, and the Báb worked very hard to diffuse that potential for violence. And, really, one of the main factors that eventually did lead to violence, as a result of this movement, was the fact that the Báb was removed from his ability to lead his followers. Because he was imprisoned in a fortress, right up in the northwest corner of the country, and therefore cut off from his followers and prevented from leading his followers in the way that he wanted to. DR: Did you want to add something there, Joe? JW: Well, this is an issue that we’ve been discussing throughout the day. I think, when we speak about violence, when we speak about the way in which pacifism within new religious movements is often ignored . . . EB: Or, seen as dangerous and violent! JW: Indeed. . . where the refusal to fight becomes a type of extremism. I think, connected to this, is the way in which, in some cases scholars, and in other cases political entities – governmental agents – try and explain away millenarian movements rather than explain them. And, I guess, by that I mean that they have a tendency to look for external causes of behaviour: explanations which, wholesale, refuse to countenance the possibility that the local native account – emerging from within the religious movement in question – might have something to contribute to an understanding of why that movement is doing what it’s doing; or in some cases, not doing what it’s not doing, for instance, fighting. So if we try, as scholars, to begin to break down the idea that religious movements are saying and doing one thing and on the other hand our job is to analyse them in ways that are alien to that movement and external to that movement; if we begin to break down that process of explanation, I think we might begin to have a more fertile understanding of what new religious movements are, or what millennial movements are. Because we can learn things from them in ways that very often we simply refuse to acknowledge. DR: Absolutely. (20:00) And that’s something I talk about a lot, especially. . . . It’s part of the heritage of Religious Studies to be talking about beliefs, and particularly about deviant beliefs, and sometimes going as far as pathologising these kind of ways of viewing the world. But your work, I know, is talking about things that are very relevant to today: you mentioned Trump earlier on. And when these political movements, for instance, suddenly start to engage with other millenarian kind-of ideas, I think it shocks people when they actually realise, “ well, maybe this is more normal” than they perhaps realised. TS: I think there’s a couple of things going on here, right? Let’s start with Trump. One of Trump’s main security advisers, Steve Bannon, has his own millennial perspective: something he calls the Fourth Turning. He gets this from a series of books on generations, which is a kind of secular apocalypse: that the world is getting bad, capitalism is being destroyed, traditional culture is being broken down, and he needs to take action to do something about that. In other ways, some millennial groups align themselves with political groups, right? And maybe their action is something as simple and normative as voting. It’s not really taking action. In fact, many of the groups that I study – Christian Zionists [for example] – are fatalistic. They’re pacifists, in the sense that they don’t actually take any kind of physical action, but they might vote. But we might even argue that doing nothing sometimes is still taking a side, right? So the groups that I study, the Pilgrims – the Christian Zionist programmes from the United States, going to Israel and Palestine – they’re not doing anything to contribute to the conflicts that I write about, directly. But indirectly they are, insofar as they support a tourism industry; they support a particular political ideology, both in Israel and America that might actually take physical violence, or take the form of physical violence. So, in a sense, they’re pacifists but they’re still involved, or part of the assemblage of violence, I would argue. DR: So when violence does arise, then, what is difference? What happens there? What is the process by which a group minority or majority becomes violent? I mean, there are well-known cases, obviously: Waco seems to be the sort of paradigmatic account today, at the conference; but Heavens Gate as well; Jonestown. What is it that causes violence in these unusual cases? EB: Well, they’re all different. Part of our job, as scholars, is to look at the particulars in order to try and compare them, in order to see the similarities and differences, and pull out some of the threads and similarities. But there aren’t a certain number of similarities, and the other things are different: there are groups; there are categories; there are clusters; bundles of things that seem to go together; and the sort of tension that Joe was talking about earlier between the internal reasons and the external reasons – and Stuart Wright had a paper, today, which talked about this – and the importance of seeing the interaction between the two. And you can’t predict by doing one or the other: it’s seeing how the two react on each other. And these can lead to spirals of what criminologists call “deviance amplification”: each side does something that’s slightly bad in the other side’s view and gives the other side permission to be slightly worse. And so it grows. . . and then – wham! And Waco is an example of that. But Waco is very, very unusual, thank goodness! There are cases where you can see this writ large – and they’re easy to see – and therefore we focus on them, because they give us a kind of template, or an idea, against which we can measure the other movements which are not like that. And I think it’s very important that we keep remembering that they’re not like that, and that we look at the other ones and take those into our calculation, as well. I think that’s important. I think the reason why Waco – or perhaps another example would be Aum Shinrikyo – becomes paradigmatic is because, there is some sense in which we’ve already come to the study of Millenarian movements having decided that they are somehow profoundly different to religions at large. And therefore, by a process of scholarly selection by us, we simply focus on those cases which fit the paradigm. (25:00) This is the classic case of “normal science”: that we simply look for evidence which fits pre-existing paradigms and conveniently – or, in some cases, very inconveniently – ignore all the other counter examples; and the theories – or, in some cases, prejudices – that we have of these groups are wrongly reinforced. And another consequence of this is, as Eileen says: many of the groups that are committed to non-violence – or don’t even feel the need to commit themselves to non-violence because they are so inherently non-violent that that commitment doesn’t need to made – that those groups are simply ignored. Many people don’t focus on those groups because they simply don’t fit the prejudices that we seem to have within the scholarship. EB: I think we have to make the distinction between the violence that is done to a group and violence that the group does. And nearly all the violence is done – again with a capital V – is done to their own members. Some are done to people that they know, personally, who they don’t like. And very, very few are done to strangers: Aum Shinrikyo is an example, but one of the very few; the Manson family is another one. But, mostly, the harm is internal rather than externally directed. Most of them expect that God, or something, will happen: the Apocalypse or Armageddon will happen. Now, they might have to be the midwife – and that’s another quite interesting question that we haven’t touched on yet, is: what happens when prophecy fails, when they expect this great big change? But I think it’s important to remember that very, very few go around killing people. That tends to be the traditional major religions – the churches and the denominations – who’ve got the money and the armies. Now, of course, it might be different if they get hold of sarin gas or something, but this happened very much . . . . DR: This ties into what you were saying before, about the importance . . . . We have to generalise, to some degree, to make cross-comparisons, but we have to remain aware of the important differences all the time. And, a lot of the time, these groups that we’re comparing – the actual violence that we’re talking about is very, very different. And you also have cases like Heaven’s Gate, where there’s very little evidence of coercion there. I mean, if you watch the exit videos that the members shot, for instance, they’re going quite happily into that situation with their eyes fully open. It’s only from our external point of view that it can be described as violence at all – largely because of going into it, or looking at it, with this kind of brainwashing mentality that earlier discourses on new religions bought into, which is very much discredited now. EB: And they were only harming themselves. EB: And Joe ought to jump down on me immediately, because they didn’t see themselves as harming . . . . EB: They saw themselves as being ‘transitionised”, or whatever the word was? JW: Going to the level above the human, TELAH. Yes, I think that’s a really interesting point: that what he have here is – to bring it back to your question about failed prophecy, and this does link to violence . . . . Whether or not we can genuinely point to groups like Heaven’s Gate; or classic historical case studies like the Millerites; or Festinger’s famous book about cognitive dissonance, using the Seekers – even if we leave violence in the equation, or if we take it out – there is still the enduring question about: does prophecy for these groups ever fail at all? JW: Well see, I’m not so sure about that. When I think about Heaven’s Gate I think about the fact that they ended their lives and – as far as we’re aware, as far as they’re aware – made a successful journey to where they were going. The same, I think, can be said with the Seekers and Mrs Keech: the idea that the prophecy did not fail, the flood didn’t fail to arrive, it wasn’t a failure, it was them successfully spreading enough light to call the floods off. The Seventh Day Adventists did not explain away a failure of Millerite prophecy. It seems to me that Ellen White simply realised that Miller’s prophecy was correct but that the revolution began in heaven, not on earth. So, I’m intrigued to hear your pushback on that. In what cases does prophecy really fail? EB: Well there are some groups that have said, “Oops, we got it wrong!” (30:00) I can’t remember his name. The man who – it was May sometime about 4 or 5 years ago – Radio something . . . EB: Now, he said . . . DR: After a couple of events, yes! EB: And, at that time, he said “God got it wrong”, according a newspaper headline! DR: Which is one of the techniques mentioned in Festinger’s books, actually: that the transmission was garbled and – reception issues. EB: You can get the reception wrong; you can have it happening in the spirit world – like with Joanna Southcott and lots of others; you can have people saying, “Well, because we did this, we stopped the terrible thing happening”; or you can say, “Because they didn’t do this, God didn’t come yet. We weren’t ready. We didn’t listen to the Messiah, telling us what to do.” There are a whole lot of different ways out. But there are those that . . . . There was a chap – again, I can’t remember, I want to say Garland – he was a Chinese chap in America. And he said, “I’ll come out and apologise if nothing’s happened.” And he came out and apologised. This was about ten years ago. He was Chinese, or he was Oriental of some kind. DR: Well, hopefully, one of the listeners can tell us who it is in the comments. EB: I’m sure they will. And provide other examples. DR: I hope they do. TS: I want to add to this conversation about “small v” versus “big V” violence. I think, one way in which small v violence takes place is . . . Harold Camping is a good example. A lot of people – thousands of people – sold their houses, they went into debt; they expected this to happen. That had a tremendous amount of violence on their families and their lives. They moved into forests, they bought bunkers. This is a form of violence, right? I think another form of violence, that wasn’t really talked about in the conference, is spatial violence: the way that these groups imagine spaces in particular ways; homogenised spaces; map spaces; understand whole groups of people in homogenised ways and treat them in certain ways. And some of these groups are aligned with state power. Sometimes the state see them as a threat, and disciplines them with large V Violence. And sometimes they align themselves with the state: with large V Violence; by their voting for them; by their interests. We’re seeing this at the moment with Donald Trump – he’s doing all sorts of violence to homosexuals, to women’s rights over their body, these sorts of things – aligning themselves with larger Christian movements like Christian Zionists, like pre-millennial dispensationalist, right. . . that are doing violence to all sorts of other people within the electorate. And also, in terms of foreign policy, the way that Americans understand Muslims, the war in Iraq, right? These are all contributing factors. I think maybe the mistake, then, is to look at just the millennial movement. You have to see the effects that they have outside of their movement, right? Their social effects. Look at Marxism, for example. This is a good example . . . . Or another point, maybe, I want to make is the difference between belief and practice. So, we have textual beliefs – we have written documents, for a lot of these groups – and then we have the way people actually act, which are two different things. You know, would someone say that Stalin was a true Communist – a true Marxist – who murdered millions of people? Is that an example? Marxism is a form of millennialism: it’s clearly interpreted and was influenced by Jewish and Christian thought, in the way that there is a kind of . . . . Capitalism kind-of reaches a point where it can’t abide, it fails, and then we have a kind of proletariat millennialism afterwards. So the practice and belief is also a discussion that we need to have, within these discussions. DR: Unfortunately, I’m going to have to do small v violence to the conversation and to return to the subject of time! We have been talking about this all day. We could continue to talk about it all evening, and we will be talking about it again, tomorrow. For the viewer and listener I urge you to check out the millennialism, on new religious movements, on violence and these kind of issues. Other than that, I would like to thank all of our participants for taking part. And thanks for watching. https://i0.wp.com/www.religiousstudiesproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/End-Is-Near-Hollywood-Apocalypse-Sign-T-Shirt-500.jpeg?fit=460%2C326&ssl=1 326 460 Thomas Coleman III https://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/logo.png Thomas Coleman III2017-05-22 09:00:372017-05-25 07:58:59Millennialism and Violence?

2019-04-22T00:05:13Z

https://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/podcast/millennialism-and-violence/

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I respect their effort to meet time commitments but, in hindsight, I would have preferred to hear that the work would take longer but would be done right. We ended up spending extra time cleaning things up. The key is to give Onit Digital clear requirements and allow them to own the project. On some occasions, our internal people worked with their team. While this model worked, Onit Digital was more effective when they owned bigger pieces of the project. Overall Score They have strong talent. There were some small defects in their work due to rushed deadlines. Onit Digital implemented a substantial e-commerce redesign hosted on Magento. Developers built a new shopping cart and several marketing sites. Email campaigns and landing pages aimed to improve SEO results. Improved SEO, navigation, and checkout increased retention rates and traffic. Onit Digital couples sophisticated business acumen with innovative design and technical proficiency. The team’s dedication far exceeded the technical scope. They intuitively grasped and accomplished each objective. I’m the former VP of e-commerce for Cenveo, a $2-billion-in-sales multiregional organization. We needed to increase our client engagement and popularize our products and services. Customers had been dropping off inexplicably as they browsed our online store. Our previous e-commerce site had been built internally. It required significant frontend and backend improvements. Our strategy focused on professionalizing the design and improving the scalability, aesthetic, and workflow. Onit Digital executed a complete redesign of our substantial e-commerce platform. We used a collaborative in-depth process to define the scope. They considered our requirements from both a design and functionality perspective. The designers created different skin options and used wireframes to simulate and refine the product’s flow. After finalizing the layout, we progressed to the technical parts of the site. The team also executes all of our digital marketing. They built five additional websites and several landing pages. SEO and search engine marketing (SEM) efforts included email campaigns for three of our four distinct brands. Marc [CEO, Onit Digital] was our primary contact on a daily basis. I’ve also worked with the development team and 10 additional resources. My highly-respected former business partner gave me a referral and I trust her judgment. I interviewed 12 firms during my search. We requested work samples from each candidate. Onit Digital’s creativity was clearly apparent from their first design submission. Their effort and talent went well beyond any other firm in consideration. I was impressed by their CEO’s business acumen. He clearly understood our technical and digital marketing needs. They had strong references and offered a full breadth of services. We spent over $3 million on their services. We started working with Onit Digital in 2012. The engagement continued after I left the company in 2015. Since then, Cenveo has brought much of that work in-house. Onit Digital improved our workflow tremendously. An effective SEO strategy significantly bolstered site traffic. Retention rates improved across all our digital marketing campaigns. The new e-commerce site effectively links our specific products with the inventory. This critical attribution indicates which items are available for purchase. A significantly improved shopping cart and checkout process drastically increased click-through rates. The streamlined search feature lets users easily locate what they’re looking for. Products are clearly organized and easy to sort. Cenvo has multiple operational sites. The sales, e-commerce, manufacturing and IT teams are all located in different offices. Onit Digital mastered the difficult task of coordination. They gathered technical and user requirements from each department and disseminated information as needed. The team managed the entire process, including user testing and the eventual product launch. Our company’s sheer size made it challenging to reach a consensus. Nonetheless, they did an outstanding job. Onit Digital fostered a deep understanding of our company, industry, and objectives. Their involvement went beyond simply providing technical deliverables. Business-minded digital agencies are few and far between. They’re highly proficient in both fields. We’ve hired them for countless projects, and I’ve referred them to several new clients. I wouldn’t continue hiring and recommending Onit Digital to new clients if I wasn’t completely satisfied. My advice to potential clients would be to go for it. I’ve never had a bad experience with Onit Digital. They’re thoughtful and willing to go the extra mile. Those are important qualities to look for in a business partner. Overall Score This is the third company at which I've hired them, so my experience has obviously been very good. Onit Digital is a deadline-driven organization. They’ve always been able to work within our schedule. Their prices are reasonable for the amount of effort and number of resources involved. They’ve delivered some of the best work I’ve ever seen come out of an agency. I have done so on multiple occasions. Onit Digital assisted the creation of digital assets for a marketing campaign. This included designing the campaign’s central website and consulting on strategically effective advertising materials. Executive-level engagement positively influences project strategy. They’re undeterred by challenges and persistently contribute value to initiatives large or small. Functioning better as partners than vendors, Onit Digital utilizes advanced technology to simplify complex procedures. I’m the former chief strategy officer of IPG Beauty Village. We were working on a corporate communications project that’s purpose was to inspire young girls to pursue careers centered on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). We had a team of brand creatives in-house but lacked a robust digital production department. Onit Digital worked collaboratively with our existing creative team to produce digital assets for the campaign. Before bringing in Onit Digital, we conducted market research to discover what motivated the target demographic and I created a strategy document based on the findings. Marc (CEO, Onit Digital, Inc.) was involved early in the ideation process and helped with content strategy. We collaborated to come up with experience ideas that could feasibly be implemented from a utility and technology point of view. Marc had input into what was involved from a labor, cost, and even an infrastructure perspective. He also advised best practices for producing designs and gave feedback on information architecture. Working alongside our creative team, Onit designed the campaign’s destination website and created advertising materials to drive traffic. They utilized advanced technology to streamline processes whenever possible. For example, they automatically resized creative designs for various purposes. This was much more efficient than having to resize everything manually. I worked directly with Marc and a lead executive producer. Once the project went into the development stage, I didn’t interact with Onit’s project managers or designers. I considered an internal agency and one other outside vendor. However, I hired Onit Digital because of my familiarity with Marc. I’ve known Marc since 2000 when I interviewed and hired him for another company. I knew he’d deliver results and reflect well on me. This project took place from January 2013–December 2015. I left the agency before the project was complete, so I wasn’t involved in post-launch analytics. Onit Digital strategically developed assets to inspire and be positively attributed to the brand. Marc provided significant input on creating utility components that would constitute success. Unfortunately, I wasn’t there to see everything fully executed. Marc was very involved and really cared about the success of the project. He efficiently utilizes forms and templates to facilitate smooth processes. Our team has never seen such a multitude of templates be employed effectively. The amount we communicated varied relative to the needs of the project as most of my oversight involved strategy. Sometimes we spoke every day while other times he’d work directly with our team. They were always available for troubleshooting. We had team members that weren’t as experienced in technology and digital production, but Marc never made anyone feel stupid. He’s very easy to work with and has a positive attitude. Optimistic perhaps to a fault, he wouldn’t let barriers hold him back from contributing ideas. Don’t treat them like a vendor. That’s not the best way to optimize working with Marc because he’s got an array of expertise at his disposal. He’s solutions-oriented and can be a valuable contributor. No one can estimate timelines like them. They delivered on time, within budget, and to specifications. I have no hesitation recommending Marc. "Investing $1,000 in Onit Digital is worth $10,000 to our company." Onit Digital modernized an obsolete HTML site and transitioned the backend to an agile CMS. Microsites and landing pages support corporate engagements. Critical safeguards for ADA compliance preempt liability. The site’s mobile optimization and easily customizable platform maximized ROI. A targeted SEO keyword strategy and sophisticated copywriting bolstered organic traffic and visibility. Talented principals and project managers maximized the team’s development skills and responsive communication style. I'm the senior director of digital marketing for an online regionally accredited university. We offer degrees at the bachelor’s, master's, and Ph.D. levels. We wanted to modernize our standard HTML site. It wasn’t mobile optimized and the outdated layout was below current standards. It required a dedicated technical resource for support and maintenance. Our previous agency used a laborious process that hampered our efficiency. We’d been paying them for countless hours of work we could handle internally. Onit Digital was a flexible and affordable alternative. We knew it was time for a change so we hired them to execute a complete redesign. During our interview, Onit Digital assessed our existing site in the context of the current education industry. Our five-year plan necessitated an easily modifiable platform. They built an autonomous, mobile responsive site that lets us independently add plugins. We considered a variety of platforms like Drupal but decided WordPress was the best option. The redesign streamlined cumbersome navigation and improved the overall aesthetic. A flexible new backend system replaced the old site’s ineffective CMS. The developers also built independent microsites for our partnership agreements. These contracts provide education services to corporate employees. We crafted the proposal using ADA compliance as our development baseline. Using a research perspective, they pinpointed potential liabilities. It involved significantly more factors than general maintenance. Many organizations and schools never really consider ADA policy. Education is a highly regulated environment in terms of accessibility. This significant scrutiny made it critical to develop a strategy to preempt lawsuits. We needed to have numerous controls in place to react quickly to change. As a small university with limited resources, many of our competitors have much larger budgets. Bolstering web traffic and visibility is one of our primary objectives. A targeted campaign used impactful keywords to expand our reach and become more Google-friendly. The copywriters had a challenging task. Writing sophisticated copy for a university is quite different than automotive site content. The team’s SEO services included link building, writing articles, and managing several landing and partner support pages. They host our site on their multiple servers with redundancies for backup purposes. Multiple microsites are driving our current goal to improve our .edu site's Google ranking. We've worked with a talented primary project manager for several years, and our technical lead is extremely skilled. They give clients invaluable access to their executive leadership. Mark (CEO, Onit Digital) is a jack of all trades who can accomplish virtually anything. It's not uncommon for me to call him on a Sunday about pressing issues. He'll immediately turn on his computer and fix them. We started off with a large development team. It’s much smaller now that we've taken most web efforts in-house. They work directly with our user experience and copywriting staff. More resources are dedicated to SEO because it's a sophisticated, important, and demanding daily effort. That team of 5-6 members includes copywriters and overarching management that provide strategic perspective. Using a relatively streamlined team keeps the cost down and maximizes our efficiency. Onit Digital had built websites, developed digital strategies, and consulted for three companies where I'd previously worked. We sent out an RFP to several agencies, held interviews, and requested quotes. Ultimately, we selected them based on cost, background, history, and ability. We've spent a little under $100,000 on their services. We've been working together for four years and have an ongoing web support and maintenance agreement. Investing $1,000 in Onit Digital is worth $10,000 to our company. The value they offer goes above and beyond just delivering a product. With a different agency, that same $1,000 might only yield a $1,200 value. They've come up with daring ideas most people would turn down. Taking those risks helped us achieve major success. The new site keeps our costs stabilized. We can make changes quickly and easily, which used to take weeks of effort and incremental hourly fees. Mobile optimization has improved the uptime, visit length, and lead conversion rates. Our SEO strategy bolstered organic traffic and doubled our visibility scores in several categories, notably the military demographic. The beauty of working with Onit Digital is their strong baseline of support. I can rely on them 24 hours a day. The process was fantastic. Mark and I develop new strategies and statements of work, and he takes an active role in our long-term strategy discussions. We've had the same two project managers since we've launched the new site, which is a sign of success. I work with them both daily. The entire team is highly responsive and has built a great relationship with our staff. The quality of their service means they never get questioned like our other vendors. Our technical lead has been on our account for four years now. I recently turned site management over to an internal team member. She works with him on a regular basis and has never had any complaints. Our vice president of IT actually relies on Onit Digital's team to support our backend. Their speed is definitely their best asset. They rapidly isolate and resolve problems. Onit Digital is reliable, responsive, and communicates positively. When a project requires additional hours, they’ll often move things around to accommodate our budget. We rarely see unexpected charges. Working with their decision makers and leadership has been excellent. Both Mark and his partner are extremely knowledgeable and supportive. They excelled at their main task, making me and my team look great for our clients. The team’s flexibility, knowledge, and quality of service are second to none. That's why I’ve brought them in to work with three different companies. As with most agencies, there's always the opportunity for more micromanagement and ideas. I'd love for them to pitch new items to improve the mobile site's look and feel. Since we do much design internally now, they often focus exclusively on the technical aspect. It's always nice to have another set of eyes, so I welcome their creative input. Onit Digital is highly communicative and never sells me smoke and mirrors. They speak the truth and live by their word. There’s a trickle-down effect from their amazing leadership. Avoid second-guessing their recommendations for your site rebuild. I rarely need to adjust their direction. The team is a talented and well-oiled machine that excels at their job. I know our schedules can be really tough and sometimes even unreasonable with limited resources. Their prices are a bit higher than some competitors, but are relatively close to our budget almost every time. The proof is in the product. We've had nothing but good luck with the site's uptime and quality. It met every single one of our objectives. I've referred them many times. They work with many organizations I'm connected to now, and have continued with several I used to work for.

2019-04-19T22:28:53Z

https://clutch.co/profile/onit-digital

A system and method for dynamic receive diversity allocation. A communications device comprises a first physical layer (PHY) unit, a second PHY unit, a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, a switchable signal path coupled to a second antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and the second PHY unit, and a switch control unit coupled to the second antenna. The switch control unit dynamically generates a control signal used to switchably couple the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. The second antenna may be used to provided a needed transmit or receive antenna or an extra antenna for use in increasing diversity. Switching antennas reduces the total number of antennas and support hardware, such as digital processing hardware, for wireless communications standards having a high ratio of idle to busy time. 5557603 September 1996 Barlett et al. 6560443 May 2003 Vaisanen et al. 6870815 March 2005 McFarland et al. 7190974 March 2007 Efland et al. 7251459 July 2007 McFarland et al. 2004/0198420 October 2004 He et al. Attorney, Agent or Firm: Slater & Matsil, L.L.P. This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/048,385, entitled "System and Method for Dynamic Receive Diversity Allocation," filed on Mar. 14, 2008, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 1. A communications device comprising: a first physical layer (PHY) unit, the first PHY unit configured to transmit or receive data based on a first wireless communications specification; a second PHY unit, the second PHY unit configured to transmit or receive data based on a second wireless communications specification; a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, the first signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the first signal path; a second signal path coupled to a second antenna and to the second PHY unit, the second signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the second signal path; and a switchable signal path coupled to a third antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and to the second PHY unit, the switchable signal path configured to perform processing on a signal in the switchable signal path and to switchably couple the third antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY, wherein the first PHY, the second PHY, the first signal path, the second signal path, and the switchable signal path are disposed in the communications device. 2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communications specification and the second wireless communications specification comprise one wireless communications specification utilizing different frequency bands. 3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the first signal path comprises a first analog hardware unit to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the first signal path. 4. The communications device of claim 3, wherein the first signal path further comprises a first digital hardware unit to perform digital signal processing on the signal in the first signal path. 5. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the switchable signal path comprises a multi-function analog hardware unit coupled to the third antenna, the multi-function analog hardware unit configured to perform analog signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path according to either the first wireless communications specification or the second wireless communications specification. 6. The communications device of claim 5, wherein the switchable signal path further comprises a multi-function digital hardware unit coupled to the multi-function analog hardware unit, the multi-function digital hardware unit configured to perform digital signal processing on the signal in the switchable signal path according to either the first wireless communications specification or the second wireless communications specification. 7. The communications device of claim 1, wherein communications device is configurable to support the first wireless communications specification according to the following technique: three independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, or two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams with one antenna for diversity, or one spatial or time multiplexed data stream with one antenna for diversity and one spatial or time multiplexed data stream, or one spatial or time multiplexed data stream with two antennas for diversity, or one spatial or time multiplexed data stream, or two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, and wherein the communications device is configurable to support the second wireless communications specification according to following techniques: two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, or one spatial or time multiplexed data stream with one antenna for diversity, or one spatial or time multiplexed data stream. 8. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communications device is configured to dynamically switch the switchable signal path based on detected parameters related to an operation mode of the communications device. 9. The communications device of claim 1, further comprising a switch control unit coupled to the third antenna, the switch control unit configured to generate a control signal for coupling of the third antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. 10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the switchable signal path comprises a first switchable signal path and a second switchable signal path, the first switchable signal path coupled between the third antenna and the first PHY unit and the second switchable signal path coupled between the third antenna and the second PHY unit. 11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises an access point. 12. An access point comprising: a first physical layer (PHY) unit configured to transmit or receive data over a first wireless communications network; a first antenna connected to the first PHY unit; a second PHY unit different from the first PHY unit and configured to transmit or receive data over a second wireless communications network; a second antenna connected to the second PHY unit; and a switchable antenna connected either to the first PHY or the second PHY, the switchable antenna configured to transmit or receive data according to the first wireless communications network or the second wireless communications network, wherein the access point is a single device configured to be operated in a network. 13. The access point of claim 12, wherein the first antenna comprises a plurality of first antennas. 14. The access point of claim 13, wherein the second antenna comprises a plurality of second antennas. 15. The access point of claim 12, wherein the switchable antenna comprises a plurality of switchable antennas. 16. The access point of claim 12, further comprising a processor coupled to the first PHY unit, and to the second PHY unit, the processor configured to process information to be transmitted or information received and to assign the switchable antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit, the processor comprising a switch control unit coupled to the switchable antenna, the switch control unit configured to generate a control signal to specify the coupling of the switchable antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. 17. The access point of claim 12, further comprising a first signal path between the first antenna and the first PHY unit, and a second signal path between the second antenna and the second PHY unit, the first signal path configured to perform first analog and digital processing on a signal in the first signal path and the second signal path configured to perform second analog and digital processing on a signal in the first signal path. 18. The access point of claim 17, further comprising a switchable signal path between the first PHY and switchable antenna or the second PHY and the switchable antenna. 19. The access point of claim 18, wherein the switchable signal path includes a multi-function digital hardware unit and a multi-function RF unit. 20. The access point of claim 18, wherein the switchable signal path includes a multi-function digital hardware unit and separate RF units. 21. The access point of claim 18, wherein the switchable signal path includes separate digital hardware units and separate RF units. 22. An access point comprising: a plurality of different physical layer (PHY) units, each PHY unit configured to be in a listen mode, a receive mode, or a transmit mode; a plurality of antennas, each PHY unit connected to an antenna of the plurality of antennas; a switchable antenna, the switchable antenna switchably connected to the plurality of PHY units; and a processor unit configured to determine an operation mode of each PHY unit and configured to connect a selected PHY unit to the switchable antenna, wherein the selected PHY unit is selected in response to determining that, the selected PHY unit is in the receive mode and the selected PHY unit requires the switchable antenna, or the selected PHY unit is in the transmit mode and the selected PHY unit has been assigned the switchable antenna, or another PHY unit is in the transmit mode and the selected PHY unit has not been assigned the switchable antenna, or another PHY unit is in the receive mode and the other PHY unit does not require the switchable antenna, or the selected PHY unit is in the listen mode, wherein the access point is a single device configured to be operated in a network. 23. The access point of claim 22, wherein the processor unit is configured to select a default PHY unit prior to determine the operating mode. 24. The access point of claim 23, wherein the default PHY unit is selected based on a series of criteria, and wherein the series of criteria includes one or more of the following: quality of service restrictions, traffic priority, traffic type, received signal strength, expected performance, data modulation-coding scheme, and performance history. 25. The access point of claim 22, wherein the processor unit is configured to repeat a selection and an application each time the selected PHY unit or the another PHY unit transmits or receives. 26. A communication network comprising: a first communication device; a second communication device; and an access point being a single device in the communication network, the access point comprising: a first physical layer (PHY) unit configured to transmit or receive data over a first wireless communication network; a first antenna connected to the first PHY unit; a second PHY unit configured to transmit or receive data over a second wireless communication network; a second antenna connected to the second PHY unit; and a switchable antenna connected either to the first PHY or the second PHY, the switchable antenna configured to transmit or receive data according to the first wireless communication network or the second wireless communication network. 27. The communication network of claim 26, wherein the first wireless communication network is configured to operate in a first multiple input multiple output (MIMO) mode and wherein the second wireless communication network is configured to operate in a second MIMO mode. The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for wireless communications, and more particularly to a system and a method for dynamic receive diversity allocation. In an attempt to increase overall functionality, there may be a desire to implement a wireless communications device capable of transmitting and receiving using multiple wireless communications standards or a single wireless communications standard that transmits and receives over several different frequency bands. Such a wireless communications device may enable communications with a larger number of communications devices. The use of multiple frequency ranges may also lead to fewer conflicts (e.g., transmission collisions) due to a spreading of transmissions over the multiple frequency range. Each wireless communications standard supported by the wireless communications device may require its own set of hardware and software. Furthermore, the use of multiple frequency bands may further increase hardware requirements. To increase the data rate of wireless communications devices, some wireless communications standards may allow for the transmitting and receiving of multiple independent data streams, with each independent data stream requiring its own antenna. For example, a wireless communications device transmitting and receiving three independent data streams will require at least three transmit antennas and three receive antennas. Additionally, some wireless communications devices may make use of what is known as transmit and/or receive diversity. Transmit and/or receive diversity is when more antennas than needed are used to transmit and/or receive independent data streams. For example, a wireless transmitter may use three transmit antennas to transmit two independent data streams, where the wireless transmitter is required to use only two transmit antennas to transmit the two independent data streams. A wireless receiver may use two receive antennas to receive one data stream, where the receiver is required to use only one receive antenna to receive one data stream. A communications device may be referred to as an N.times.M communications device, wherein N is the number of transmit antennas and M is the number of receive antennas, with N and M being integer numbers ranging from one (1) and up. When both N and M are greater than one (1), the communications device may be referred to as being a multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) communications device. MIMO communications systems are one example of wireless communications systems implementing both transmit and receive diversity. Therefore, a communications device that is compliant to two or more wireless communications standards, each potentially capable of communicating using multiple independent data streams as well as transmit and/or receive diversity and over multiple frequency bands, may have a significant amount of hardware that may greatly increase its size, complexity, and cost. FIG. 1 illustrates a communications network 100 including an access point 105, a first communications device "communications device 1" 110, a second communications device "communications device 2" 115, and a third communications device "communications device 3" 120. The access point 105 may be a special form of communications device, providing other communications device connectivity to other network resources, such as the Internet, proprietary networks, data servers, multimedia servers, and so forth. The access point 105 may be capable of communicating using several different wireless communications standards. For example, the access point 105 may communicate with the first communications device 110 using a first wireless communications standard, the second communications device 115 using a second wireless communications standard, and the third communications device 120 using a third wireless communications standard. The first wireless communications standard and the third wireless communications standard may be compatible wireless communications standards and the access point 105, the first communications device 110, and the third communications device 120 may form a first wireless network 125. The second wireless communications standard may be incompatible with either the first wireless communications standard or the third communications standard and therefore, the access point 105 and the second communications device 115 may form a second wireless network 130 that is incompatible with the first wireless network 125. Alternatively, the first wireless communications standard, the second wireless communications standard, and the third communications standard may be compatible with each other, but the first wireless communications standard and the third wireless communications standard transmits and receives over a first frequency band, while the second wireless communications standard transmits and receives over a second frequency band. If the first wireless network 125 and the second wireless network 130 operate on different operating frequencies, then the access point 105 may not be able to share components, such as filters, switches, and so forth. Antennas may be shared but a more expensive antenna may be required. These and other problems are generally solved or circumvented, and technical advantages are generally achieved, by preferred embodiments which provide a system and method for dynamic receive diversity allocation. In accordance with an embodiment, a communications device is provided. The communications device includes a first physical layer (PHY) unit, a second PHY unit, a first signal path coupled to a first antenna and to the first PHY unit, a switchable signal path coupled to a second antenna and switchably coupled to the first PHY unit and to the second PHY unit, and a switch control unit coupled to the second antenna. The first PHY unit encodes, transmits, and receives data based on a first wireless communications specification, and the second PHY unit encodes, transmits, and receives data based on a second wireless communications specification. The first signal path performs processing on a signal in the first signal path, and the switchable signal path performs processing on a signal in the switchable signal path and switchably couples the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit based on a control signal. The switch control unit generates the control signal to specify the coupling of the second antenna to either the first PHY unit or the second PHY unit. The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the embodiments in order that the detailed description of the embodiments that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the embodiments will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures or processes for carrying out the same purposes of the invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the embodiments as set forth in the appended claims. FIG. 5 is a diagram of a transmission burst. The present invention will be described with respect to preferred embodiments in a specific context, namely an access point used to allow communication devices to communicate to other communications devices as well as access network resources, wherein the access point is compliant to two wireless communications standards or one wireless communications standard capable of communicating over two different frequency bands. According to an embodiment, the wireless communications standards are WLAN (wireless local area network) standards or WLAN sub standards such as IEEE 802.11a, b, g, n or different operation modes described in these standards. For example, according to one embodiment, the device may operate according to IEEE 802.11n in a 2.4 GHz frequency band (in a legacy mode) and may simultaneously operate in the IEEE 802.11n 5 GHz frequency band (in a MIMO mode). Furthermore, according to one embodiment the two different communications "standards" may be a legacy transmission mode (standard) such as IEEE 802.11a/b and a non-legacy "standard" such as IEEE 802.11n. The invention may also be applied to other devices, for example access points that are compliant with more than two wireless communications standards. In general, the invention may be applied to communications devices that are compliant with two or more wireless communications standards or one wireless communications standard utilizing two or more different frequency bands. In general, to provide single antenna diversity to a communications device capable of communicating using two wireless communications standards, the communications device may need Nss1+1 antennas for a first wireless communications standard and Nss2+1 antennas for a second wireless communications standard, where Nss1 is a maximum number of independent data streams used in the first wireless communications standard and Nss2 is a maximum number of independent data streams used in the second wireless communications standard, or a total of Nss1+Nss2+2 antenna. For example, if Nss1=3 and Nss2=2, then the communications device may require seven (7) antennas. Although the discussion focuses on a communications device capable of communicating using two wireless communications standards and uses a single antenna to provide diversity, the embodiments may be applicable to communications devices capable of communicating using more than two wireless communications standards and providing more than one antenna for diversity. Alternatively, the embodiments may also be applicable to communications devices capable of communicating using a single wireless communications standard that communicates over more than one different frequency band and provides one or more antennas for diversity. Therefore, the discussion of two wireless communications standards and single antenna for diversity should not be construed as being limiting to either the scope or the spirit of the embodiments. With reference now to FIG. 2a, there is shown a diagram that illustrates a high-level view of a communications device 200, wherein the communications device 200 makes use of a shared antenna to reduce hardware requirements while providing compliance with wireless communications standards. The communications device 200 includes several physical (PHY) units, such as a first physical layer "PHY 1" unit 205 and a second physical layer "PHY 2" unit 206, implementing a first wireless communications standard and a second communications standard. In general, a PHY unit may process, such as filter, encode, decode, error detect, error correct, and so forth, data to be transmitted and/or received data. Although the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may implement different wireless communications standards, the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may also be used to enable communications using a single wireless communications standard over different frequency bands. The communications device 200 also includes several antennas, such as antenna 210, antenna 211, and antenna 212. Some of the antennas may be dedicated for use with a given wireless communications standard, such as the antenna 210, which may be dedicated to the first wireless communications standard while other antennas, such as the antenna 212, may be used by more than one wireless communications standard. The antenna 212 may be referred to as being a shared antenna and may be shared between more than one PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, through the use of configurable switches, for example. The switching may be performed in hardware or software or combination of both. The communications device 200 further includes a media access control (MAC) controller 215 that implements a first MAC "MAC 1" unit 216 and a second MAC "MAC 2" unit 217. Collectively, the first PHY unit 205 and the first MAC unit 216 may implement a first wireless communications standard, while the second PHY unit 206 and the second MAC unit 217 may implement a second wireless communications standard. Between the antenna, such as the antenna 210, and a PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 205, there may be a combination of digital and analog hardware. Analog hardware, shown in FIG. 2 as a first radio frequency (RF) "RF 1" unit 220, may include analog circuit components, such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, analog-to-digital converters, and so forth. Digital hardware, shown in FIG. 2 as a first digital hardware "DIGITAL HW 1" unit 225, may include digital circuit components such as filters, amplifiers, transforms (for example, Fourier transforms), digital-to-analog converters, and so forth. According to embodiments, the first digital hardware unit 225 may be a digital modulation unit provided to perform digital modulation functions for the receive and transmit signals such as a frequency-time (or time-frequency) conversion such as an inverse fast Fourier transform (iFFT) or a fast Fourier transform (FFT) circuit. Logically, it may be possible to include some or all of the above listed digital circuit components in the PHY unit. The first RF unit 220 and the first digital hardware unit 225 may include signal paths for signals leaving the communications device 200 (transmit signal path) and arriving at the communications device 200 (receive signal path). If the communications device 200 has more than one antenna dedicated to the first PHY unit 205, then the first RF unit 220 and the first digital hardware unit 225 may be replicated for each additional antenna dedicated to the first PHY unit 205. Due to potential differences in wireless communications standards and/or frequency bands, such as operating frequency, signal power levels, coding schemes, signaling schemes, and so forth, analog hardware and/or digital hardware associated with the different wireless communications standards and/or frequency bands may be different. Therefore, a second RF unit 221 and a second digital hardware unit 226 may be different from the first RF unit 220 and the first digital hardware unit 225. According to embodiments, the second digital hardware unit 226 may be a digital modulation unit provided to perform digital modulation functions for the receiving and transmitting of signals such as a frequency-time (or time-frequency) conversion, such as an iFFT or a FFT circuit. For an antenna shared between different PHY units, such as the antenna 212, a switchable signal path may be used to couple the antenna 212 to the different PHY units. For example, a switchable signal path 230 may be used to couple the antenna 212 selectively to the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206. The switchable signal path 230 may include a switchable digital hardware unit 231 to selectively change or adapt functions provided by the digital hardware unit 231 in the signal path and a switchable RF unit 232 to selectively change or adapt functions provided by the RF unit 232 in the signal path. The switchable digital hardware unit 231 may include separate digital circuit components that may be selectively coupled to the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206 or it may contain multi-function digital hardware that may be usable or reconfigured for use with either PHY unit. Similarly, the switchable RF unit 232 may contain separate analog circuit components that may be selectively coupled to the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206 or it may contain multi-function RF circuit components that may be usable or reconfigured for use with ether PHY unit. The switchable signal path 230 may make use of hardware switches or software switches to enable the sharing of the antenna 212 between the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, for example. The switching of the hardware switches or the software switches in the switchable signal path 230 may occur dynamically, enabling the coupling of the antenna 212 to either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206 on a transmission burst (or finer) level. For example, upon a detection of a transmission or a reception by one of the two PHY units, the antenna 212 may be coupled to the PHY unit by switches in the switchable signal path 230. Alternatively, the coupling of the antenna 212 may be performed on an as needed basis, which may enable the coupling and decoupling of the antenna 212 during a transmission or reception. The dynamic switching of the switchable signal path 230 may enable the sharing of the antenna 212 between multiple PHY units. The communications device 200 also includes a processor 240 that may be used for processing of information to be transmitted or information received over the air. Alternatively, a state machine may be used to perform the processing of the information. The processor 240 includes a switch control unit 242 that may be used to generate control signals or control values that may be used to control the switching of the switchable signal path 230. Depending on the value of the control signals or control values generated by the switch control unit 242, the switchable signal path 230 may couple the antenna 212 to either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206, for example. The communications device 200 may also include a memory 245 for storing information as well as application programs and a hardware interface 250 that may allow for communications with other hardware contained in or attached to the communications device 200. The antennas 210, operating with the antenna 212, may enable the first PHY unit 205 to support a wireless communications standard permitting the transmission of up to three independent data streams and the receiving of up to three independent data streams (i.e., a 3.times.3 wireless communications standard). The second PHY unit 206 may support a wireless communications standard permitting the transmission of up to two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams and the receiving of up to two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams (i.e., wireless 2.times.2 MIMO communications) using the antenna 211 and the antenna 212. If fewer than three (two) independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams are used, then fewer than three (two) antennas may be used. However, if more antennas are used than independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, the additional antennas may transmit or receive independently faded versions of some (or all) of the independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams. For example, if three antennas are used to transmit two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, then the one additional antenna may provide single antenna diversity. If two additional antennas are used, then the two additional antennas may provide two antenna diversity. Therefore, the communications device 200 may be able to support the first wireless communications standard transmitting/receiving three independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams with single antenna diversity, one data stream with two antenna diversity, two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, or one data stream with single antenna diversity. The communications device 200 may also be able to support the second wireless communications standard transmitting/receiving up to two independent spatial or time multiplexed data streams, one data stream with single antenna diversity, or one data stream. It is to be noted that a sum of the number of antennas used by the first wireless communications standard and the second wireless communications standard may add up to be less than or equal to the total number of antennas available in the communications device 200. Each of signal paths coupling the antennas 210-211 to the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may require its own RF unit, such as the first RF unit 220 and the second RF unit 221, and digital hardware unit, such as the first digital hardware unit 225 and the second digital hardware unit 226. Furthermore, the signal paths coupling the antenna 212 to both the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may require copies of both RF units (the first RF unit 220 and the second RF unit 221) as well as both digital hardware units (the first digital hardware unit 225 and the second digital hardware unit 226) or multi-function digital hardware and RF circuit components. It may be possible to alter the amount of hardware needed in a communications device that is capable of communicating using a number of wireless communications standards by changing a point in the communications device's signal path where a switching occurs for the sharing of a common antenna by different PHY units. For example, digital hardware may have a high level of flexibility that may enable a single set of digital hardware to be shared by different PHY units implementing different wireless communications standards. Similarly, analog hardware may be shared by different PHY units. Therefore, if the switching occurs at a first point in the signal path of the communications device, it may be possible to share a single set of digital hardware and/or RF unit between the different PHY units, while if the switching occurs at a second point in the signal path, each PHY unit may require its own set of digital hardware and RF unit, thereby potentially significantly increasing the hardware requirement of the communications device. FIG. 2b illustrates a detailed view of a portion of a communications device, wherein multiple PHY units share an antenna. FIG. 2b illustrates the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 sharing the antenna 212 through switchable signal path 230. The switchable signal path 230 includes a multi-function RF unit 255 and a multi-function digital hardware unit 256. The use of the multi-function RF unit 255 and the multi-function digital hardware unit 256 may enable the use of a single RF unit and digital hardware unit to provide RF and digital functionality. The use of the multi-function RF unit 255 and the multi-function digital hardware unit 256 may allow for the switching of the switchable signal path 230 to occur at a late point in the switchable signal path 230, for example, such as at an output of a unit performing a time-frequency (or frequency time) transformation such as a Fourier (or inverse Fourier) transformation located in the multi-function digital hardware unit 256. The switching performed in the switchable signal path 230 (in the multi-function digital hardware unit 256) may be controlled by a single control signal or set of control signals. FIG. 2c illustrates a detailed view of a portion of a communications device, wherein multiple PHY units share an antenna. FIG. 2c illustrates the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 sharing the antenna 212 through switchable signal path 230. The switchable signal path 230 includes a multi-function digital hardware unit 256. The switchable signal path 230 also includes separate RF units 260 and 261, corresponding to the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206. The use of separate RF units 260 and 261 may enable the use of specifically designed RF circuits, potentially resulting in improved performance, lower power consumption, smaller overall size, and so forth. The switchable signal path 230 further includes an RF switch "RF SW" 265. The RF switch 265 may selectively couple the antenna 212 to either of the separate RF units 260 and 261. The switching performed in the switchable signal path 230, including the RF switch 265 and the multi-function digital hardware unit 256, may be controlled by a single control signal or set of control signals. FIG. 2d illustrates a detailed view of a portion of a communications device, wherein multiple PHY units share an antenna. FIG. 2d illustrates the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 sharing the antenna 212 through switchable signal path 230. The switchable signal path 230 includes separate RF units 260 and 261, as well as separate digital hardware units 270 and 271. The RF units 260 and 261 and the digital hardware units 270 and 271 correspond to the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, respectively. The use of separate RF units 260 and 261 as well as separate digital hardware units 270 and 271 may enable the use of specifically designed circuits. The switchable signal path 230 also includes the RF switch 265 that may selectively couple the antenna 212 to either of the separate RF units and digital hardware units. The switching performed in the switchable signal path 230 (the RF switch 265) may be controlled by a single control signal or set of control signals. FIG. 2e illustrates a detailed view of a portion of a communications device, wherein multiple PHY units share multiple antennas. FIG. 2e illustrates the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 sharing multiple antennas 212 through switchable signal path 230. The switchable path 230 may allow for the coupling of the multiple antennas 212 to a single PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206. Each of the multiple antennas 212 may have a separate RF unit 260 and 261 to enable simultaneous transmitting and/or receiving of information over the multiple antennas 212. The multi-function digital hardware unit 256 may perform necessary switching to couple the multiple antennas 212 to either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206. The switching performed in the switchable signal path 230 (in the multi-function digital hardware unit 256) may be controlled by a single control signal or set of control signals. FIG. 2f illustrates a detailed view of a portion of a communications device, wherein multiple PHY units share multiple antennas. FIG. 2f illustrates the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 sharing multiple antennas 212 through switchable signal path 230. The switchable path 230 may allow for the coupling of the multiple antennas 212 to a single PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206. The switchable signal path 230 includes separate digital hardware units 270 and 271 to separately process signals to be transmitted on and/or received from the multiple antennas 212. The switchable signal path 230 also includes a switch 280. The switch 280 may be used to couple the multiple antennas 212 to either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206. The switching performed in the switchable signal path 230 (the switch 280) may be controlled by a single control signal or a set of control signals. Additionally, rapid switching between different PHY units may be able to reduce a total number of antennas used in the communications device 200. For wireless communications standards wherein there is a high ratio of idle (or listening) time compared to active (or actual transmitting/receiving) time, rapid switching may significantly reduce a total number of antennas needed by the different PHY units, especially when more than two different wireless communications standards (or a single wireless communications standard using more than one frequency band) are in use. FIG. 3a illustrates a communications device 300, wherein the communications device 300 shares an antenna to reduce hardware requirements while providing compatibility with several wireless communications standards. The communications device 300 includes several antennas that may be logically grouped into several different antenna types. The antennas may be physically different or similar, but they may serve different functions. A first antenna may be an antenna(s) dedicated for use by the first PHY unit 205, such as antenna 210. A second antenna may be an antenna(s) dedicated for use by the second PHY unit 206, such as antenna 211. A third antenna may be an antenna(s) that may be used by either or both the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, such as antenna 212. The first PHY unit 205 operating in conjunction with a MAC controller 215 implementing a first MAC unit 216 may implement a first wireless communications standard. Similarly, the second PHY unit 206 operating in conjunction with the MAC controller 215 implementing a second MAC unit 217 may implement a second wireless communications standard. Alternatively, the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may implement one wireless communications standard operating in different frequency bands. Coupled in between the antenna 210 and the first PHY unit 205 may be a combination of analog hardware, such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, analog-to-digital converters, and so forth, contained in a first RF "RF 1" unit 220, and digital hardware, such as filters, amplifiers, Fourier transforms, digital-to-analog converters, and so forth, contained in a first digital hardware "DIGITAL HW 1" unit 225. Likewise, coupled in between the antenna 211 and the second physical unit 206 may be a combination of analog hardware, such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, analog-to-digital converters, and so forth, contained in a second RF "RF 2" unit 221, and digital hardware, such as filters, amplifiers, Fourier transforms, digital-to-analog converters, and so forth, contained in a second digital hardware "DIGITAL HW 2" unit 226. FIG. 3b illustrates a detailed view of a digital hardware unit, such as the first digital hardware unit 225. The first digital hardware unit 225 includes a Fourier unit 360 that may include a Fourier transform unit 362 and an inverse Fourier transform unit 364. Although shown as having the Fourier unit 360, the digital hardware unit 225 may include other digital circuits. It may also be possible to include the digital hardware unit 225 in a PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 205. FIG. 3c illustrates a detailed view of a RF unit, such as the first RF unit 220. The first RF unit 220 includes a radio 370 capable of sending and receiving RF signals according to a wireless communications standard. The first RF unit 220 also includes an analog to digital converter 375 and a digital to analog converter 377 to convert signals between digital and analog domains. Turning back to FIG. 3a, coupled in between the antenna 212 and the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may be analog and digital hardware contained in the switchable signal path 230. Examples of analog hardware may include filters, amplifiers, mixers, analog-to-digital converters, and so forth. The analog hardware may be contained in a third RF unit 305 to perform analog signal processing on radio frequency signals from or to the first PHY unit 205. The analog signal processing in the third RF unit 305 may be similar to the analog signal processing performed in the first RF unit 220 and may be a replication of the analog hardware contained in the first RF unit 220. A fourth RF unit 306, coupled in between the antenna 212 and the second PHY unit 206, may be used to perform analog signal processing on radio frequency signals from or to the second PHY unit 206. The analog signal processing in the fourth RF unit 306 may be similar to the analog signal processing performed in the second RF unit 221 and may be a replication of the analog hardware contained in the second RF unit 221. An RF switch 315 may couple the third RF unit 305 or the fourth RF unit 306 to the antenna 212 based on a state of a control signal or control signals. In an alternative embodiment, the RF switch 315 may have a third state wherein the RF switch 315 may couple neither the third RF unit 305 nor the fourth RF unit 306 to the antenna 212. The RF switch 315 may be controlled by a control signal(s), specifying a state of the RF switch 315. A diplexer may be used in place of the RF switch 315. Also coupled in between the antenna 212 and the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206 may be digital hardware, such as filters, amplifiers, Fourier transforms, digital-to-analog converters, and so forth, contained in a multi-function digital hardware "M-F DIGITAL HW" unit 310. The multi-function digital hardware unit 310 may provide digital signal processing of signals from either the third RF unit 305 or the fourth RF unit 306. The digital hardware contained in the multi-function digital hardware unit 310 may be substantially similar to the digital hardware contained in the first digital hardware unit 225 and the second digital hardware unit 226. Additional switches, such as switch 320 and switch 321, may be used to couple an output from either the third RF unit 305 or the fourth RF unit 306 to the multi-function digital hardware unit 310 and couple an output of the multifunction digital hardware unit 310 to either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206. In an alternative embodiment, the switches 320-321 may have an additional state that may allow the coupling of the multi-function digital hardware unit 310 to neither the third RF unit 305, the fourth RF unit 306, the first PHY unit 205, nor the second PHY unit 206. The switches 320-321 may be controlled by the same control signal(s) used to control the RF switch 315. The use of the RF switch 315 and the switches 320-321 may enable the sharing of more than just the antenna 212 between the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206. The multi-function digital hardware unit 310 may also be shared. This may substantially reduce the amount of hardware needed with increased antenna usage, diversity, or wireless communications standards. The configuration of the switchable signal path 230 as shown in FIG. 3a is substantially similar to the configuration shown in FIG. 2c. The other configurations of the switchable signal path 230 shown in FIGS. 2b, 2d, 2e, and 2f, along with other configurations not shown may be used in its place. The illustration and the discussion of the configuration of the switchable signal path 230 as shown in FIG. 3a and FIG. 2c should not be construed as being limiting to either the scope or the spirit of the embodiments. The communications device 300 also includes a processor 240 that may be used for processing of information to be transmitted or information received over the air. The communications device 300 may also include a memory 245 for storing information as well as application programs and a hardware interface 250 that may allow for communications with other hardware contained in or attached to the communications device 300. The processor 240 may also be used to determine the value of the control signal used to control the state of the RF switch 315 and the switches 320-321. The processor 240 includes a switch control unit 242 that may be used to generate the control signal(s) to set the state of the RF switch 315 as well as the switches 320-321. The switch control unit 242 may generate the control signal on burst-by-burst basis. For example, the switch control unit 242 may generate the control signal(s) to select either the first PHY unit 205 or the second PHY unit 206 to the antenna 212 depending on which PHY unit is going to transmit or receive information. The generation of the control signal(s) on the burst-by-burst basis in combination with wireless communications standards with a high idle-to-active ratio may enable the effective sharing of antennas across multiple wireless communications standards. FIG. 4a illustrates a high-level view of an algorithm 400 for use in determining and setting a value of a control signal(s) used to set the state of switches to couple antennas to PHY units. The algorithm 400 may be used to determine and set the value of the control signal(s) that may be used to set the state of switches, such as the RF switch 315 and the switches 320-321, used to couple antennas, such as antenna 212, to PHY units, such as the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206. The same control signal(s) may be used to set the state of each switch or different combinations of switches may be controlled by different control signals. The algorithm 400 may execute in a processor, such as the processor 240, or a state machine, of a communications device, such as the communications device 300. More specifically, the algorithm 400 may execute in a switch control unit, such as the switch control unit 242, of the processor 240. The switch control unit 242 may continuously execute the algorithm 400 while the communications device 300 is in a normal operating mode, where the communications device 300 may be transmitting and/or receiving information. The determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) used to set the state of the switches to couple antennas to PHY units for use in receiving transmissions transmitted to the communications device 300 may be based on the operating mode of various PHY units in the communications device 300. Therefore, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may begin with a determining of the operating mode of the PHY units in the communications device 300 (block 405). In general, a PHY unit, such as the first PHY unit 305 or the second PHY unit 306, may be in one of several operating modes at a given moment of time. This may include a first mode that may be a LISTEN mode wherein the PHY unit may check a communications medium (electromagnetic spectrum or air interface in this case, but other communications media may also be used) for transmissions intended for the PHY unit. Depending on the wireless communications standard, a PHY unit may be in LISTEN mode if it detects a transmission of any type, even if the transmission is not intended for the PHY unit. In LISTEN mode, the PHY unit is basically idle, not transmitting or receiving. A second mode may be a TRANSMIT mode wherein the PHY unit is actively transmitting information. A third mode may be a RECEIVE mode wherein the PHY unit is actively receiving information. In some wireless communications standards, when the PHY unit is in the TRANSMIT or the RECEIVE mode, the PHY unit is busy and the number of antennas being used by the PHY unit should not be changed. However, in other wireless communications standards, it may be possible to add additional antennas or remove antennas while the PHY unit is in the TRANSMIT or the RECEIVE mode. After the operating mode of the PHY units has been determined, a PHY unit may be selected for coupling to an antenna, such as the antenna 212 (block 407). The selection of the PHY unit may be based on the operating modes of all of the PHY units in the communications device 300, as well as other criteria, such as quality of service restrictions (QoS), traffic priority, traffic type (video, audio, telemetry information, data, and so forth), received signal strength, expected performance, data modulation-coding scheme used in respective PHY units, performance history of respective PHY units, and so forth. Once the PHY unit has been selected, the control signal may be set to a value that results in the switches being configured so that the PHY unit is coupled to the antenna 212 (block 409). Although the discussion focuses on the coupling of a single antenna to the PHY units, the embodiments may be readily extended to multiple antennas with minor modification. Therefore, the discussion of a single antenna should not be construed as being limiting to either the scope or the spirit of the embodiments. FIG. 4b illustrates an algorithm 420 for use in determining and setting a value of a control signal(s) used to set the state of switches to couple antennas to PHY units. The algorithm 420 may be an implementation of the algorithm 400 shown in FIG. 4a. As discussed previously, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) used to set the state of the switches to couple antennas to PHY units for use in receiving transmissions transmitted to the communications device 300 may be based on the operating mode of various PHY units in the communications device 300. Therefore, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal may be based on an operating mode of various PHY units in the communications device 300. The discussion herein focuses on the communications device 300 having two PHY units, the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, and a single antenna that may be switched between the two PHY units, the antenna 212. However, the embodiments may be applicable to communications devices having more than two PHY units and more than one antenna that may be switched between the PHY units. The extension of the embodiments to more than two PHY units and more than one antenna that may be switched between the PHY units is considered to be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art of the invention and will not be discussed in detail herein. The determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may begin by assigning the antenna 212 to a default PHY unit (block 425). The default PHY unit may be a PHY unit of a communications device selected for assignment in situations wherein no antenna assignment has been made. The default PHY unit may be selected a priori, but may be changed based on factors such as data type and priority, signal strength, operating conditions, and so forth. With the default PHY unit selected, if the antenna 212 is not specifically assigned to a PHY unit, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the default PHY unit. For example, the default PHY unit may be the first PHY unit 205. With the assignment of the default PHY unit made, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until a transmission burst has been detected at the second PHY unit 206 (block 427). A transmission burst may comprise a PHY unit, such as the second PHY unit 206, preparing to transmit information. Alternatively, a transmission burst may comprise the second PHY unit 206 detecting a transmission on a communications medium (whether or not the transmission is intended for the second PHY unit 206). Until a transmission burst has been detected at the second PHY unit 206, there may not be a need to change the assignment of the antenna 212. When the second PHY unit 206 detects a transmission burst, several checks may be made to determine the assignment of the antenna 212. A first check may be to determine if the first PHY unit 205 (or the default PHY unit assignment) is operating in RECEIVE mode and requires the antenna 212 (block 429). If the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and requires the antenna 212 to provide antenna diversity or to receive an independently faded transmission, for example, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 425). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212, then a second check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is required to transmit an independent data stream (block 431). If the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is required to transmit an independent data stream, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 425). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required to transmit an independent data stream, then a third check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required (block 433). If the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 435). After assigning the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, a check may be made to determine if the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 has ended (block 437). If the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 has ended, then the antenna 212 may be reassigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 425). If the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 205 has not ended, then another check may be made to determine if a transmission burst has been detected at the first PHY unit 205 (block 439). If a transmission burst has not been detected at the first PHY unit 205, then the antenna 212 may remain assigned to the second PHY unit 206. However, if a transmission burst has been detected at the first PHY unit 205, then it may be necessary to reassign the antenna 212 based on factors such as data type and priority, signal strength, operating conditions, and so forth. The necessity of reassigning the antenna 212 may be determined by re-executing a series of checks to determine the assignment of the antenna 212. This may be accomplished by returning to block 429. The reassignment of the antenna 212 may result in the removal or addition of the antenna 212 to a PHY unit that may be actively receiving or transmitting. In general, it may be easier to remove the antenna 212 from a PHY unit that is actively receiving. Removing or adding the antenna 212 for a PHY unit that is actively transmitting or adding the antenna 212 for a PHY unit that is actively receiving may require additional processes, since changing the number of antennas may require a retraining of circuitry used in the transmitting or receiving. For example, in wireless communications standards that do not require training or trains frequently, the changing the number of antennas may be as simple as changing the number of antennas or waiting until a training period occurs and then changing the number of antennas prior to the training period. FIG. 5 illustrates a high-level view of a transmission burst 500 of an IEEE 802.11N compliant wireless communications network. The transmission burst 500 of an IEEE 802.11N compliant wireless communications network comprises four units: a first unit 505 contains short training fields, a second unit 510 contains long training fields, a third unit 515 contains signal fields, and a fourth unit 520 contains any remaining information. The short training fields contained in the first unit 505 may be used to train receiver gain and the long training fields contained in the second unit 510 may be used to compute an estimate of the communications channel. The signal fields in the third unit 515 contain modulation and coding information and may be used to allow the receiver to determine modulation-coding scheme used in the transmission burst 500. After having received the first unit 505(shown as point "A") the receiver may be able to determine a measure of the signal quality of the transmission burst 500. After having received the third unit 515 (shown as point "B") the receiver may be able to determine a modulation-coding scheme used in the transmission burst 500. Turning back to FIG. 4b, if the first PHY unit 205 is not in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 has not been assigned to the first PHY unit 205, then a fourth check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212 (block 441). If the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 435). After the assignment of the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 completes (block 437) with checks for the detection of a transmission burst at the first PHY unit 205 (block 439). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in RECEIVE mode and the first PHY unit 205 does not require the antenna 212, then the first PHY unit is in LISTEN mode (block 443) and does not need the antenna 212. Therefore, the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 435). After the assignment of the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 completes (block 437) with checks for the detection of a transmission burst at the first PHY unit 205 (block 439). The algorithm 420 may specify the assignment of the antenna 212 on a change in operating mode of PHY units, meaning that it may be possible to reassign the antenna 212 in the middle of a transmission burst. It may be possible to simplify the assignment of the antenna 212 by restricting changes to the assignment of the antenna 212 to occur at the beginning and/or end of transmission bursts. FIG. 4c illustrates an algorithm 460 for use in determining and setting a value of a control signal(s) used to set the state of switches to couple antennas to PHY units, wherein the algorithm 460 restricts the setting of the value of the control signal(s) to occur at the beginning and/or end of transmission bursts. The algorithm 420 may be an implementation of the algorithm 400 shown in FIG. 4a. The discussion herein focuses on the communications device 300 having two PHY units, the first PHY unit 205 and the second PHY unit 206, and a single antenna that may be switched between the two PHY units, the antenna 212. However, the embodiments may be applicable to communications devices having more than two PHY units and more than one antenna that may be switched between the PHY units. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be extended to more than two PHY units and/or more than one antenna that may be switched between the PHY units which will not be further discussed in detail herein. The determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may begin by assigning the antenna 212 to a default PHY unit assignment (block 465). To help simplify the assignment of the antenna 212, a default PHY unit assignment may be made. With the default PHY unit assignment, if the antenna 212 is not specifically assigned to a PHY unit, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to a default PHY unit. For example, the default PHY unit may be the first PHY unit 205. The default PHY unit may be assigned a priori, but may be changed based on factors such as data type and priority, signal strength, operating conditions, and so forth. With the default PHY unit assignment made, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until a transmission burst has been detected at the second PHY unit 206 (block 467). A transmission burst may comprise a PHY unit, such as the second PHY unit 206, preparing to transmit information. Alternatively, a transmission burst may comprise the second PHY unit 206 detecting a transmission on a communications medium (whether or not the transmission is intended for the second PHY unit 206). Until a transmission burst has been detected at the second PHY unit 206, there may not be a need to change the assignment of the antenna 212. When the second PHY unit 206 detects a transmission burst, several checks may be made to determine the assignment of the antenna 212. A first check may be to determine if the first PHY unit 205 (or the default PHY unit assignment) is operating in RECEIVE mode and requires the antenna 212 (block 469). If the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and requires the antenna 212 to provide antenna diversity or to receive an independently faded transmission, for example, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 465). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212, then a second check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is required to transmit an independent data stream (block 471). If the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is required to transmit an independent data stream, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 465). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required to transmit an independent data stream, then a third check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required (block 473). If the first PHY unit 205 is in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 is not required, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 475). After assigning the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, a check may be made to determine if the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 has ended (block 477). If the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 has ended, then the antenna 212 may be reassigned to the first PHY unit 205 (block 465). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in TRANSMIT mode and the antenna 212 has not been assigned to the first PHY unit 205, then a fourth check may be performed to determine if the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212 (block 480). If the first PHY unit 205 is in RECEIVE mode and does not require the antenna 212, then the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 475). After the assignment of the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 completes (block 477). If the first PHY unit 205 is not in RECEIVE mode and the first PHY unit 205 does not require the antenna 212, then the first PHY unit is in LISTEN mode (block 483) and does not need the antenna 212. Therefore, the antenna 212 may be assigned to the second PHY unit 206 (block 475). After the assignment of the antenna 212 to the second PHY unit 206, the determining and setting of the value of the control signal(s) may wait until the transmission burst at the second PHY unit 206 completes (block 477). While herein the term access point is used, it is to be noted that this term is not intended to be restricted to pure WLAN access points but also other base stations of other communication techniques and modes. Although the embodiments have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

2019-04-25T11:50:27Z

http://patents.com/us-8755359.html

This roll has been collated with the corresponding Originalia Roll for this regnal year, E 371/1B, and all additional information taken from this roll is noted below. Those entries which are not listed in the originalia are specified by a footnote, while the annotations beside each entry in that roll are placed after each affected entry here in square brackets. For a fuller discussion of these annotations and the relationship between the Fine and Originalia rolls see the Introduction to this volume. The marginalia concerning this entry are illegible in the originalia roll, m. 9. The marginalia concerning this entry are illegible in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. The note about the corresponding entry in the Patent Roll may have been entered in a different hand at a later date, the ink being somewhat darker than the remainder of the entry. See PR 1225–32, p. 87. The marginalia in the originalia, E 371/1B, m. 9, are illegible but it appears that the annotation ‘in the Roll’ does apply to it. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. Entry cancelled because last above. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. 10 Nov. Westminster. For the abbot of Malmesbury . The abbot of Malmesbury has made fine with the king by 20 m. so that the sheriff of Wiltshire or his bailiffs are not to enter into his hundreds of Malmesbury, Startley and Chedglow for up to two years next following Michaelmas in the tenth year. Order to all, both knights and free tenants and others of the aforesaid hundreds, to be intendant and respondent in the meantime to the abbot in all that pertains to the sheriff. 1 Witness J. bishop of Bath. Concerning the lands of Peter de Maulnay. The king has committed the land of Peter de Maulnay to Alexander of Dorset to keep for as long as etc., so that he answers the king for the issues of the same land. Order to the sheriff of Suffolk to cause Alexander to have full seisin of the land with the appurtenances that Peter had in his bailiwick. Witness as above. 12 Nov. Wallingford. Concerning respite of a demand. Order to the barons of the Exchequer to place in respite, until 15 days from Hilary in the eleventh year, the demand of £25 that they make by summons of the Exchequer for a fine that he (sic.) made with the king for G. earl of Gloucester for the son and heir of Hugh Poinz. 1 Witness the king. By the king’s writ under the seal of the justiciar. Henceforth, all writs are witnessed by the king again unless otherwise stated. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. 19 Nov. Westminster. Concerning the chattels of John of Mickleham. Order to the sheriff of Bedfordshire to take into the king’s hand all chattels formerly of John of Mickleham in Hardwick for the debts that he owed the king. Witness J. bishop of Bath. Date of witness corrected from ‘1 Nov.’ Henceforth, all writs are witnessed by the king again unless otherwise stated. 2 Dec. Westminster. Concerning the hundred of Braunton and the manor of Alphington. Order to the sheriff of Devon to take into the king’s hand his hundred of Braunton , which was in the hand of William Brewer by bail of the king, and deliver it to Thomas of Cirencester, to whom the king has committed it to keep for as long as it pleases him. Concerning the hundred of Braunton and the manor of Alphington. It is written in the same manner to the same sheriff, concerning taking the manor of Alphington with appurtenances, which is a demesne manor of the king that Payn de Chaworth held by bail of King John, father of the king, into the king’s hand and delivering it to the same Thomas. Concerning the land of Payn de Chaworth. Order to the sheriff of Gloucestershire to take into the king’s hand the land of Payn de Chaworth in his bailiwick, with all chattels, rents and corn found therein, and hand it over to four law-worthy men together with Adam de Chaworth, servant of the aforesaid Payn, to keep, harvest and sow with the corn of the same Payn. He is also to cause the same chattels, rent and corn to be safely kept until the king orders otherwise, saving reasonable costs incurred in sowing and harvesting that land. If anything has been removed, he is to cause it to be handed over to the aforesaid men and Adam to keep safely. Concerning the land of Payn de Chaworth. It is written in the same manner to the sheriff of Wiltshire. This entry does not appear to be in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. ‘Windsor’ corrected from ‘Westminster’ in the witness clause. This entry is marked with a small circle in the margin. For Robert de Ros (sic). To the sheriff of Lincolnshire. The king has granted that, of the £51 6s. 8d. which Robert Marmion junior owes him and which he exacts from him by summons of the Exchequer, he is to render a moiety at Easter in the eleventh year and the other moiety at Michaelmas next following in the same year. Order that, having accepted security from him for rendering the aforesaid monies at the abovesaid terms, as aforesaid, he is to permit him to have peace in the meantime. Marginalia recte ‘Norfolk’? See PR 1225–32, p. 154. 5 Jan. Woodstock. Northumberland. Robert of Cambo 1 gives half a mark for having a pone against Wymarc’ of Eachwick, concerning customs etc. Camhode were paid into the Wardrobe. ‘… and Wymarc’ of Eachwich’ crossed through. Entry heavily galled though legible. Entry heavily galled though legible. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 9. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. 12 Jan. Reading. Concerning respite of a demand. Order to the sheriff of Somerset to place in respite the demand of 100s. that he makes by summons of the Exchequer from the men of Phillip d’Aubigny of Chewton for the escape of a certain thief, until Michaelmas in the eleventh year. Entry cancelled because otherwise below. See 86 below. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. 28 Jan. Westminster. For the archbishop of York (sic.). The king has granted to S. archbishop of Canterbury that he may hold the manors of Walden and Debden, from which he was accustomed to receive £100 each year for the debt that William de Mandeville, former earl of Essex, owed the same archbishop, and of which the earl was accustomed to receive a surplus, in his hand for as long as it pleases the king, receiving £100 each year, as he used to receive from the aforesaid manors in the time of the earl, and he will answer the king for the surplus of the aforesaid manors at the Exchequer. Order to the sheriff of Essex to permit the archbishop to hold the aforesaid manors in peace. For William of Lathom. To the keeper of the bishopric of Durham . William of Lathom has made fine with the king for £16 of the fine made with King John, the king’s father, and for £4 of the debt of the Jews, rendering 100s. per annum at Easter in the eleventh year, 100s. at Michaelmas in the same year, 100s. at Easter following, and 100s. at Michaelmas in the same year. Order that, having accepted security from him for keeping the aforesaid terms, he is to permit him to have peace. Each fine for confimation of any kind down to entry 121 below is marked in the margin with a symbol resembling the mathematical division symbol. Entry marked in the margin with a symbol resembling the mathematical division symbol. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. What follows appears to have been added by a different hand and in a darker ink. It is squeezed in before the following entry. Entry marked with a small circle in the margin. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. The terms – ‘300 m. of which are to be rendered at Easter in the eleventh year and 100 m. at St. John the Baptist’ – have been crossed through. Entry marked in the margin with a symbol resembling the mathematical division symbol. Term clearly added later on in a different hand. Entry marked in the margin with a symbol resembling the mathematical division symbol. See C. Ch. R. 1226–57, p. 2. Corrected from ‘for having a charter of King Henry’. Entry cancelled because above. See 105 above. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. References to the abbot in this entry are interlined. The entry ended here initially with the term of the fine, which is now crossed through. Corrected from ‘... King Henry, his founder’. Corrected from ‘… while he is at the king’s faith’. 5 March. Westminster. Concerning a demand to be placed in respite. The king has given respite to Baldwin de Redvers, until Mid-Lent forthcoming in the eleventh year, from the demand that he makes from him by summons of the Exchequer, for the debt that he owes the king for the custody of the honour of Boulogne . Order to the keeper of the honour of Boulogne to permit him to have that respite, as aforesaid. 1 Witness J. bishop of Bath. By the king’s writ under the seal of the justiciar. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 7. Concerning the lands formerly of Arnald of Diss. To the sheriff of Suffolk. Order to cause the 15 messuages and three mills with appurtenances in Dunwich formerly of Arnald of Diss to be handed over to Robert, William and Richard, sons of Henry son of Godwin, who, as is said, are the heirs of Arnald, so that they answer the king whenever he orders. He is also to cause the chattels formerly of the same Arnald to be valued by trustworthy and law-worthy men and to deliver them to Robert, William and Richard to answer the king similarly for the value whenever he orders. From this point on the ink is much lighter in tone. Term entered in an ink similarly as dark as the first half of this entry. The remainder of this entry is written an ink similarly as dark as that in 134 above. Entry cancelled. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 8. 17 March. Westminster. For Godfrey de Aulnay. The king has taken the homage of Godfrey de Aulnay for the lands that Fulk de Aulnay, his father, whose heir he is, held of the king in chief. Order to the sheriff of Wiltshire to take security from him for the £10 by which he made fine with the king for his relief and to cause him to have full seisin of all lands formerly of Fulk, of which he died seised. For the abbot of Croxton . Order to the sheriff of Northamptonshire to take the 100 solidates of land, which were assigned to the abbot and canons of Croxton in Finedon for the soul of King John, 1 into the king’s hand and to keep them safely, saving to the same abbot and canons their chattels that they had in the abovesaid land. ‘... the king has granted them 100s. per annum to be received at the Exchequer …’ is erroneously entered here and has been underscored and cancelled. Entry cancelled. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B., m. 7. For Margaret de Redvers. To the sheriff of Oxfordshire. At this Mid-Lent Margaret de Redvers rendered £200 to the king of her arrears of the last year from the fine that she made with the king for the debts of Falkes de Bréauté. Order that if Margaret will give him good and sufficient surety by good and safe pledges that she will render £100 to the king of the same fine at the Close of Easter forthcoming, and that henceforth she will observe the set terms until the aforesaid fine has been paid, then he is to cause her to have full seisin of her lands and chattels that he took into the king’s hand by his order. When he has received the aforesaid security from Margaret, he is to signify this to the sheriffs of Yorkshire, Wiltshire and Essex and Hertfordshire, whom the king has commanded that when he will signify this to them by his letters, they are to cause Margaret to have full seisin of her lands and chattels which they took into the king’s hand by his order. [No date]. For Fulk d’Oyry. Fulk d’Oyry gives 25 m. for having confirmation of two charters of King John that he made concerning his market at Gedney and his fair there, and his other liberties, as the charter that he has more fully testifies. Corrected from ‘H. of Audley and John Bonet’. These entries are not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 7. Despite the marginal note, this entry does not otherwise appeared to have been cancelled. However, it is not recorded in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 7. 28 March. Westminster. For the abbot of Grace Dieu . To the sheriff of Herefordshire. Of the 400 m. that the abbot of Grace Dieu owes the king, of which he ought to have rendered 300 m. at Easter forthcoming in the eleventh year, the king has granted to him that he may render 200 m. by his hand at the same term, 100 m. at St. John the Baptist in the same year, and 100 m. at Michaelmas in the same year. Order to permit him to render the aforesaid 400 m. by his hand, as aforesaid. 30 March. Westminster. For Hugh Peverel. Hugh Peverel gives half a mark for having a pone against William of Rowden and his wife, concerning a tenement in Okeford. Order to the sheriff of Dorset etc. C. Ch. R. 1226–57, p. 30. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 6. 17 April. Westminster. For the abbot of Waltham . The king has granted to the abbot of Waltham that, of the fine of 30 m. which he made with him for the liberties that he has granted to them, he may render 15 m. at the forthcoming Close of Easter in the eleventh year and 15 m. at Trinity next following. Order to the sheriff of Essex to permit him to render the aforesaid 30 m., as aforesaid. Entry cancelled. It is not in the originalia roll E 371/1B, m. 6. For Fulk of Montgomery. Order to the keeper of the honour of Boulogne to place in respite, until the king orders otherwise, the demand he makes from Fulk of Montgomery by summons of the Exchequer for the scutage of Poitou from the land formerly of William de Caen, which Fulk holds by bail of the king for as long as it pleases the king. 20 April. Westminster. Concerning the manor of Cheshunt, committed to the bishop of Carlisle. The king has committed the manor of Cheshunt to the bishop of Carlisle, so that he answers him at the Exchequer for the farm of the same manor for as long as it pleases the king. Order to the sheriff of Hertfordshire to cause him to have full seisin, as aforesaid. Concerning the tallage of Marlborough. It is written in the same manner to Geoffrey Savage, Master H. of Cerne and the sheriff of Wiltshire, concerning the tallage assessed by order of the king upon the vill of Marlborough, up to 30 m. of which has been pardoned and for the rest of which he has given respite, namely one moiety to be rendered at St. John in the eleventh year and the other moiety at Michaelmas in the same year. Order to them that, having accepted security etc. for the aforesaid 30 m., they are to cause the aforesaid to be assessed so that paupers etc. For William de Ferrers. To the sheriff of Northamptonshire. Order to place in respite the demand he makes from the king’s beloved and faithful William de Ferrers by summons of the Exchequer for the debt he owes the king, until 15 days after St. John the Baptist in the eleventh year. For William de Cantilupe. To the sheriff of Bedfordshire. Order to place in respite the demand for 5 m. that he makes by summons of the Exchequer from William de Cantilupe junior, until Michaelmas in the eleventh year. Entry cancelled because in the Close Roll, and apparently unfinished. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 6. 4 May. Mortlake. For the abbot of Grace Dieu . The king has granted that, of the 400 m. which the abbot of Grace Dieu owes him of the fine that he made with him, he may render 60 m. at St. John the Baptist in the eleventh year, 60 m. at Michaelmas in the same year, 50 m. in the octaves of Hilary next following in the twelfth year, 50 m. at the Close of Easter next following in the same year, 50 m. at St. John the Baptist in the same year, 50 m. at Michaelmas in the same year, 40 m. in the octaves of Hilary in the thirteenth year, and 40 m. at the Close of Easter in the same year. Order to the barons of the Exchequer to cause it to be enrolled and observed thus. 1 Witness the king. Henceforth, all writs are witnessed by the king again unless otherwise stated. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 6. C. Ch. R. 1226–57, p. 39. Corrected from ‘Cecilia de Clera’. Concerning land to be taken into the king’s hand. Order to the sheriff of Yorkshire to take into the king’s hand the land that Ralph de Killingthorp held in Etton by knight service, and to keep it safely until the king orders otherwise. ‘...for having ... Roger de Neville’ interlined. ‘... and his other markets’ crossed through. In the originalia roll (E 371/1B, m. 5) the following is added ‘… after the king’s first coronation and that the charter of the same made for the said bishop that no market is to be established or held to the harm of his markets after the king’s first coronation may be removed from his liberties, so that henceforth nothing is to be established or held, and that the bishop and his successors may henceforth have and hold, without contradiction, their markets of Thorney and Biggleswade , which King John gave to them and confirmed this by charter, and which the bishop has held in peace. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 5. For Josceus de Plukenay. Order to the sheriff of Berkshire to permit Josceus de Plukenay to have peace from the demand he makes from him by summons of the Exchequer for a debt of the Jews and a debt of Hugh, his father, until 15 days from Michaelmas in the eleventh year. 3 June. Merton. For John fitz Geoffrey. John fitz Geoffrey has made fine with the king by 300 m. for having seisin of the lands formerly of Geoffrey fitz Peter, formerly earl of Essex, his father, which fall to him by inheritance and of which W. earl of Essex, brother of the same John, later had seisin and died seised, and the king has taken his homage. Order to the sheriff of Buckinghamshire to cause John to have full seisin of all lands that the abovesaid G. had in his bailiwick and of which Earl W. later died seised, as aforesaid. Because H. de Burgh etc. has mainperned for John before the king that he will find security within a month after he will have seisin of the aforesaid lands for rendering the aforesaid 300 m. to the king, he is to demise the ploughs that Earl W. had in the aforesaid lands, which the king ordered to be retained to his use, to John by the same value at which they were valued to the king’s use, having accepted security that he will answer the executors of the testament of Earl W. for the same value in order to execute his testament. For John fitz Geoffrey. It is written in the same manner to the sheriffs of Essex, Huntingdonshire , Wiltshire , Devon . Corrected from ‘Somerset and Dorset’. This entry appears to supercede an entry that has been erased, although is still partly legible. This and the following entry are inserted in the margin. For John fitz Geoffrey. It is written in the same manner to the sheriff of Norfolk, concerning 100s. of rent with appurtenances in Massingham. 6 June. Merton. For Robert de Meysey. Order to the sheriff of Norfolk to place in respite the demand he makes by summons of the Exchequer from Robert de Meysey for the custody of Richmond , until upon his next account at the Exchequer, having accepted security from him that he will satisfy the king then. 11 June. Westminster. For the men of John le Scot. Order to the sheriff of Huntingdon to place in respite, until Michaelmas in the eleventh year, the demand he makes from the men of John le Scot in his bailiwick for the promise of 40 m. that the men of his county made to the king, so that the perambulation of their county made between those parts that were to be disafforested etc. might stand, as it had been made by them, to which promise the aforesaid men did not consent, as they say. Witness E. bishop of London, treasurer. For the earl of Chester. The king has given respite to R. earl of Chester and Lincoln, until the octaves of Michaelmas in the eleventh year, from the debts that he owes the king, which are exacted from him by summons of the Exchequer. Order to the barons of the Exchequer to permit him to have that respite. Witness as above. 13 June. Westminster. Concerning the lands and fees of Count Robert de Dreux. The king has committed to Ralph Hareng all lands and fees of Count Robert de Dreux to keep for as long as it pleases the king, so that he answers the king at the Exchequer for the issues arising therefrom. Order to the sheriff of Sussex to cause him to have full seisin of the aforesaid lands and fees, as aforesaid. Also, if he has taken anything from the aforesaid lands and fees since he took them into the king’s hand, he is to render them. 1 Witness the king. Concerning the lands and fees of Count Robert de Dreux. It is written in the same manner to the sheriffs of Middlesex, Berkshire , and Oxfordshire except for the manor of Easthall . Concerning the lands and fees of Count Robert de Dreux. Order to the same Ralph that once he has that seisin, he is to certify the king as to the state in which he received it and how the woods and parks were kept after they were in the king’s hand, and also for what and for how much each sheriff in whose bailiwick the aforesaid earl had lands and fees answered him for the issues of those lands arising after the king ordered them to be taken into his hand. The tallage of 30 m. from Marlborough is pardoned up to 20 m. The entries now begin on membrane 4. There is an erasure at this point. No sum to be pardoned is given. The following final entry is the first on membrane 3 of the originalia roll. On the dorse of the originalia roll (E 371/1B, m. 5d.) it is recorded that ‘The Tteasurer received this roll on Monday before the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 11 Henry III [21 June 1227]’. An erasure reading ‘Ducentas marcas de …’ appears at the beginning of this entry. 21 June. Westminster. Concerning the tallage of Sunderland. The king has granted respite to the men of Sunderland from their tallage until Michaelmas in the eleventh year. Order to the sheriff of Northumberland to permit the aforesaid men to have that respite. Witness J. bishop of Bath. By writ of the justiciar. Concerning land to be taken into the king’s hand. Order to the sheriff of Hampshire to take into the king’s hand the land of Margaret de Vernun in Freshwater, which William Bozun held, with all things found therein, and to remove William, if he will be found therein, and all his men. Also, if anything has been taken by William of Margaret’s chattels from the aforesaid land, he is to inquire diligently where they are deposited and to cause them to be recovered. He is also to find everything necessary for Margaret from the aforesaid land until the king orders otherwise. Witness as above. Concerning respite of tallage. Order to the sheriff of Northumberland to permit the men of Bamburgh to have the respite that the king gave them from rendering of a moiety of their tallage until Michaelmas in the eleventh year. Witness as above. Entry cancelled because last above. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 3. ‘Teste ut supra’ entered here. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 3. It could be that this entry is unfinished. 14 July. Westminster. Concerning land to be taken into the king’s hand. Order to the sheriff (sic.) to take into the king’s hand the land formerly of Albrea, daughter of Ralph de la Fenne, in his bailiwick, which she held of the count of Brittany, and to keep it safely until the king orders otherwise. On the dorse of the originalia roll (E 371/1B, m. 3d.) it is recorded that ‘The treasurer received this roll on the eve of St. Margaret the Virgin, 11 Henry III [19 July 1227]’. 20 July. Westminster. Concerning the stock of Berkhamsted. Order to Thomas of Cirencester to cause the king’s ploughs and his stock of Berkhamsted to be valued by the view and testimony of trustworthy and law-worthy men, to cause Reymund de Burgh to have them by the same value, and to cause the barons of the Exchequer to know the aforesaid value. Once he will have caused them to be delivered, he is to cause this to be distinctly and openly recorded in writing, so that he has one part thereof and Reymund has the other. 20 July. Westminster. For Robert of Dean. Order to the sheriff of Sussex that if Robert of Dean will give him surety that he will satisfy the king upon his next account of the 40 m. that are exacted from him by summons of the Exchequer, then is to permit him to have peace. [No date]. For the men of Carmarthen. The men of Carmarthen give one palfrey for having a certain charter of the king concerning liberties, as is more fully contained in the Charter Roll. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 2. Corrected from ‘by summons of the Exchequer’. For the abbot of St. Agatha . Order to the sheriff of Yorkshire that, having accepted security from the abbot of St. Agatha that, of the 100 m. in which he was amerced before the justices last itinerant in that county, he may render 50 m. to the king at Michaelmas in the eleventh year and another 50 m. at Easter next following in the twelfth year, then he is to permit him to have peace. ‘Teste ut supra’ entered here. What follows is therefore a later addition. [No date]. For the earl of Ferrers. The king has granted to W. earl of Ferrers that, of the debt that he owes him and that is exacted from him for Robert de Ferrers, his brother, whose heir he is, for the fine that Robert made with King John for having his wife, he may render 10 m. to the king each year until the aforesaid debt is paid, namely a moiety at Michaelmas and the other moiety at Easter. 9 Aug. Northampton. Concerning the chattels of fugitives, to be delivered to Ralph Gernon to answer for. Order to the sheriff of Berkshire to cause the chattels formerly of Richard Selwin and Henry son of Geoffrey, who have fled the king’s land for the death of Gilbert le Bor, of which they were indicted, to be valued by the view of the coroners and to be delivered by the same value to Ralph Gernon, having accepted security from him that he will answer for that value at the Exchequer at the summons of the same Exchequer. Concerning the testament of Hugh de Verly. To the sheriff of Yorkshire. Order to take into the king’s hand all chattels formerly of Hugh de Verly in his bailiwick and, afterwards, cause the executors of his testament to have them in order to execute it, saving to the king the debt that Hugh owed him. Concerning the testament of Hugh de Verly. It is written in the same manner to the sheriff of Lincolnshire. 11 Aug. Northampton. For the abbot of Grace Dieu . To the barons of the Exchequer. The king has granted that, of the debt that the abbot of Grace Dieu 1 owes him of the fine that he made with him for having land with the wood of Penyard, he may render £100 per annum to the king at the Exchequer, namely 50 m. at Michaelmas in the eleventh year, 50 m. at Easter in the twelfth year, and 50 m. at St. John the Baptist in the same year, and thus £100 from year to year at the same terms until the aforesaid debt is paid to the king. Order to cause it to be done and enrolled thus. 2 Before the justiciar. Corrected from ‘ Vaudey ’ – Valle Dei. 13 Aug. Brackley. Concerning arresting the corn of Peter de Crabbeden’. Order to the sheriff of Leicestershire to cause the corn that Peter de Crabbeden’ has in his land of Kirby to be arrested for the debt that he owes the king of the amercement made before the justices who were last itinerant in those parts, for which Robert of Chalcombe was his pledge, so that the king need not betake himself to the same Robert for the aforesaid debt as long as his corn will suffice. 15 Aug. Woodstock. Concerning corn to be stacked. Order to the sheriff of Leicestershire to cause the corn in the land which Walter de St. Ouen had by bail of King John etc., and which Nicholas of Narford had by bail of the king after Walter’s death, and which the king afterwards committed to John of Narford, his brother, 1 to be stacked by the view of trustworthy men of the same fee and to be safely stored in the buildings formerly of the same Walter in the same land, so that nothing is removed until the king orders otherwise. Concerning corn to be stacked. Order to the sheriff of Leicestershire to cause the corn in the land of Robert son of William in Wymeswold to be stacked by the view of trustworthy men of the same fee and to be safely stored in the buildings of the same Robert, so that nothing is removed until the king orders otherwise. For the dean and chapter of Rouen. The king has granted to the dean and chapter of Rouen that, of the 200 m. which they owe him of the fine they made with him for having his charter concerning the wood of Wittingley , they may render 50 m. at the Exchequer of Michaelmas in the eleventh year, 50 m. at the Exchequer of Easter in the twelfth year, 50 m. at the Exchequer of Michaelmas in the same year, and 50 m. at the Exchequer of Easter next following, until the aforesaid 200 m. are paid to the king. Order to the sheriff of Hampshire to permit the dean and chapter to have that respite. Entry cancelled because in the Close Roll. See RLC, II, p. 197. It is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 2. 21 Aug. Abingdon. Concerning the county of Rutland, committed to R. earl of Cornwall. The king has committed to R. earl of Cornwall, his brother, all lands that Queen I., his mother, held in dower, in order to sustain him etc. for as long etc. Order to the sheriff of Rutland to cause him to have full seisin of the county of Rutland with appurtenances, saving to the king his debts for which he is bound to answer at the Exchequer. [No date]. Concerning the chattels of one who has been killed. To the sheriff of Hampshire. The king is given to understand that because Richard Red killed Robert of Harefield, Robert’s chattels have been taken into the king’s hand together with Richard’s chattels. Because, if this is true, the king has no right in Robert’s chattels, taken into his hand, unless Robert is bound to him in any debt, order to cause the aforesaid chattels to be delivered to the heir and the closer friends of the same Robert (propinquioribus amicis ipsius Roberti) to be distributed for his soul, and to cause the aforesaid heir to have the land of the same taken into the king’s hand for this reason. Concerning the chattels formerly of Hugh de Verly. The king has granted to W. archbishop of York that he may render by his hand, from the chattels formerly of Hugh de Verly, the debt that Hugh owed the king for Michaelmas term in the eleventh year, if Hugh had those terms. He is to deliver the rest of the chattels to the executors of Hugh’s testament in order to make execution of his testament. Order to the sheriff of Lincolnshire to permit this to be done to the archbishop concerning the aforesaid chattels, notwithstanding the first command concerning them. For John of Monmouth. Order to the sheriff of Hertfordshire to cause John of Monmouth to have peace, until 15 days from Michaelmas in the eleventh year, from the 100 m. which he exacts from him by summons of the Exchequer for pledging Thomas of Erdington, so that he is then able to make fine with the king. Concerning a demand to be placed in respite. Order to the sheriff of Oxfordshire to place in respite, until Easter in the twelfth year, the demand he makes by summons of the Exchequer from Hawise de Gray, mother of W. archbishop of York, for the £70 that are exacted for scutage from the land of Oliver Deyncourt 1 from the time when that land was in the custody of John de Gray, formerly bishop of Norwich. Concerning taking the land of Roger of Heyford and Thomas de Periton into the king’s hand. To the sheriff of Warwickshire. Order to take into the king’s hand 1 the land formerly of Thomas de Periton in his bailiwick and to keep it safely with all chattels found therein until the king orders otherwise. Concerning the issues of the manors of Swaffham and Wissett. Order to the sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk to cause Jollan Balu to have all issues that he [the sheriff] received from the manors of Swaffham and Wissett, formerly of the count of Brittany, while those manors were in his custody by the king’s order before he had committed those manors to Jollan, so that he then answers for them at the Exchequer. 15 Sept. Windsor. For William de Neville. The king has committed to William de Neville, associate of Henry de Trubleville, that land which Peter, count of Brittany, held in Hinton with its appurtenances, in order to sustain him etc. Order to Jollan Balu to cause him to have full seisin without delay, saving to the king the corn and chattels that he has in the same land. Concerning respite of a demand. Order to the sheriff of Surrey to place in respite the demand he makes from the abbot of Chertsey for several scutages, until he has command otherwise, so that in the meantime the king may inquire whether he ought to be quit of the aforesaid scutages or ought to render them. This entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 1. Concerning respite of tallage. The king has given respite to the men of Havering from rendering their tallage last assessed in that vill, until Hilary in the twelfth year. Order to the sheriff of Essex to permit them to have that respite, having accepted security from them that they will render that tallage then. Concerning respite of tallage. It is written in the same manner to the sheriff of Hampshire for the men of Alton, concerning their tallage. Concerning the tallage of Cheltenham and Corneburg’. Order to the sheriff of Gloucestershire that if the men of Cheltenham find him surety that they will render the tallage last assessed in that manor upon his account, then he is to cause their livestock taken for that reason to be delivered to them. 10 Oct. Westminster. Concerning the tallage of Cheltenham and Corneburg’. The king has pardoned the men of the vill of Corneburg’ 20 m. of the tallage of the same vill, which was tallaged at 40 m. Order to the sheriff of Norfolk that if he receives 20 m. of the aforesaid tallage, he is then to permit the men of the vill to have peace from the 20 m. which are in arrears. For Waleran Teutonicus. Order to Jollan Balu, who was the steward of the count of Brittany, to cause the corn and oxen that the king has in the manors of Wuka and Frampton, which he has committed to Waleran Teutonicus to sustain him in his service for as long as it pleases the king, to be valued by the oath of trustworthy and law-worthy men, and to deliver them to Waleran by the same value. [No date]. [Concerning the manor] of Havering. To the sheriff of Essex. Order that, having taken with him Henry son of Aucher and Richard son of William and other trustworthy and law-worthy men of the neighbourhood of Havering, he is to go in person to Havering and cause it to be diligently inquired by trustworthy and law-worthy men what lands the king’s men of Havering hold of the will and surrender of either the king’s bailiffs or of those of those of any of his predecessors in Havering, and what without warrant, and he is to take into the king’s hand all those lands, whether in purprestures or other things, which they find in the hands of the aforesaid men, of whichever commitment, and to hand them over to Henry, to whom the king has committed the aforesaid manor to keep to as long as it pleases the king. He is also to cause it to be diligently inquired with what stock, and in what manner, the aforesaid men received the aforesaid manor and to cause them to be delivered to the aforesaid Henry. [No date]. Essex. Ralph son of Osmund gives the king 1 m. for having a writ to attaint the twelve jurors of an assize of novel disseisin against Henry de Cramaville and Robert of Bollington, concerning a tenement in Rainham. Order to the sheriff of Essex to take etc. Thisa entry is not in the originalia roll, E 371/1B, m. 1. A fourteenth century archival note at the foot of the membrane reads FINES DE ANNO REGIS HENRICI UNDECIMO XJ° XJ°.

2019-04-19T06:39:22Z

https://frh3.org.uk/content/calendar/roll_025.html

« Did McNally Inflate One Football in the Washroom? This entry was written by Stephen McIntyre, posted on Sep 1, 2015 at 10:44 AM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged brady. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed. Did Dr Marlow ever respond to your letter sent on August 8th? Steve: no. A friend of mine in the Princeton Physics department talked to him and apparently he said that he would respond, but he didnt. I followed up twice and no response. I provided him with a draft of the Op Ed asking for comment or correction and no response. I remember when this used to be a “Climate Science” blog. I’ll get back to regular programming soon. It’s a bit hard to be interested in some of the climate stuff these days. Stephen has earned his reputation in climate research, doesn’t need to do more though we hope he does, some of his forensics efforts must be distasteful, besides it is his blog. The football fiasco resembles much climate science – people stumbling around, people with inadequate knowledge of physics, supposed experts who don’t do thorough work, …. A scrum, and the climate is slippery. Sandi, near as I can tell this blog has always been about our good host taking pleasure in mathematical excursions of all types. And fortunately so, because his mathemagical adventure rides are almost always interesting mystery tours, regardless of where the voyage might lead us. Me, I jump on every train that comes past this particular station, and I haven’t been disappointed yet. But if you don’t enjoy a particular ride, don’t worry … another train will be along in a bit whose direction might be more pleasing to you. This is very relevant to climate science. First you have the climate affecting the pressure of the footballs. Beyond that, you have Bill Nye taking the opposite side, allowing people to evaluate the credibility and competence of both sides of the global warming debate. He’s one of the the people advising our president. The biggest scandal here is that Nye got the ideal gas law wrong: Although he remembered that temperature has to be measured relative to absolute 0, he forgot that pressure must also be measured relative to a total vacuum. Since atmospheric pressure is about 14.7 psi, we are talking about 1.6 psi or so out of (12.5 + 14.7) or about 6%, not 13%, even before considering the wet bulb effect, relaxation of the leather jacket from wetness, or condensation of moisture inside the ball. Then, he “measured” the pressure of balls he had experimentally refrigerated by squeezing them. While the balls were cooling, he confirmed his science “credentials” with a diatribe against CO2 while mugging into the camera. Bill Nye the Science Quack. As for the NFL, if ball pressure is such a big deal, why doesn’t the NFL just provide the balls? It doesn’t let each team select the referees who will officiate when they have the ball in possession! If players prefer seasoned balls to brand new balls, they can simply reuse the balls from previous games, allowing each team before the game to veto say two balls from the pool that they find inappropriate. The quarterbacks are kings in the NFL Hugh, Right or wrong. Steve’s stance on deflate-gate is not seeing the forest for the trees. The idea that Brady knew nothing knew nothing and had no influence on the condition of the balls is absurd. He hasn’t been forthcoming and at the very least tried to get the balls as close to the 12 psi limit as possible. IMO, whatever punishment the commissioner decided on is appropriate and the judge reversing the decision damages the integrity of the game. I’d like to second/third/whatever the request for Steve to move on from what is an exercise in mathematical pedantry. (a)The limit is 12.5 psi. (b)It seems that you are suggesting that Brady should be punished even for this “very least”, that is, operating within the rules. Is that correct? OK. A little elaboration that is hardly difficult given the text messages. It’s very clear that Tom Brady wanted the balls very low on the psi scale and Mcnally/Jastermski had to do some very difficult work to get the balls low, but not high enough to have the refs inflate them further. Jastremski’s job depended on getting that “right” according to Tom’s wishes. After deflate-gate hits the news Tom claims ignorance regarding the inflation of the balls. That’s a lawyer influenced statement/position if there ever was one. Is that operating within the rules? Tom doesn’t want to fill any blanks in this picture because there is no way this looks good for him, the equipment people or the patriots. IMO, the league which is supposed to protect the integrity of the game is perfectly able to draw conclusions in this case. Tom should be punished for his “ignorance” to send a message to other players in the league and the fans that breaking or skirting of the rules won’t be tolerated in the slightest. I actually enjoy football and think that the League should be providing the balls to prevent problems like these. The emphasis on protecting quarterbacks and the passing game is ruining the game. That being said there is no evidence that Brady wanted the balls inflated below the legal limit as you seem to imply. And as Steve has shown there is very little evidence that the balls were ever deflated. You may worry about the rules being strictly enforced for the integrity of the game but for most fans this issue is simply amusing. Here in Minnesota we once had a pitcher get caught with a emory board falling out of his pocket. The story went national and David Letterman even picked it up. There were a few “integrity of the game” police then too. But most got a good laugh out of it and baseball went on just fine. “Is that operating within the rules?” If the pressure was set no lower than 12.5 psi, yes. I don’t see those texts as indicating in any way that there was an attempt to go beyond 12.5 psi. Somehow you are inferring that. Perhaps you can respond more directly to my previous question: *If* the pressure was set to 12.5 psi, do you think that Brady (more generally, the Patriots) should be punished? Your question is out of context of the bigger picture, but I’ll give you what you want. *IF* all the balls were set to 12.5 psi or slightly above *and* there were no doctoring of the ball after the refs checked them *and* a valid explanation for the balls being under-inflated was presented *and* Brady and the equipment managers testified fully about the events, then sure, everyone should go home with a lollipop. Happy? Did you read the texts? You think that the officials inflated the balls because they were at just the right psi? Do you think Brady didn’t care about what psi the balls were at on game day and any old psi in the limit was OK? Your position is laughable in the context of the text information. Eric…Read more carefully. I never said that Brady was not concerned about the PSI level. I said that there is no evidence that he wanted it below the regulation level. Can you point out the text that shows that he did? Have you read any of these threads on the balls PSI at halftime? The temp, the gauges, the wet balls? Think more carefully. You think it was just an accident that the balls were below regulation level and had to be inflated by the officials? Steve: It is blog policy to treat to stick to issues that are as narrow as possible, as that seems to me to be the best way to analyse things. I’ve tried to focus as much as possible on the statistical issues on deflation and prefer that people discuss such issues, as more progress can be made there. I’m aware of the texts. However, I believe that it is important that the scientific points which can be made precise be made precise before speculating too much on the interpretation of the texts. Eric, this is not the proper blog for partisan and disgruntled fans. You apparently cannot comprehend the science that has been done here. If you did, you would know that the conclusion that the balls had been deflated does not stand. If you two can’t comprehend the below, i’ll just assume you two are trolls. Anyone who thinks about this for 10 seconds can figure this stuff out. On Oct. 17, 2014, after Brady had complained angrily, the men exchanged these texts, the report says. Steve: we are all aware of the texts. Do you have any comment on the scientific points? I will humbly admit that you have proved that Brady didn’t want the balls inflated to 16 PSI. You win. No I don’t and I’m sorry I’ve run afoul of blog policy. I think the focus is too narrow and the context of the texts makes the scientific issue nearly moot. It’s your blog, but the contrast between the subjects of climate change and deflate-gate is very stark in terms of societal import. short memory or wrong blog then Sandi – Steve has covered other topics when interested. more to the point/post – I can’t seem to open the FP link (from the UK) ? One of the many amazing aspects of this whole frame-up is the inability for whatever reason of Brady’s high-priced law firm to absorb Steve’s and others’ criticisms of the Wells report and use them to destroy it in court. Surely if someone charges who knows how many hundreds of dollars an hour to plead your case, they’ll bring every possible bit of evidence to bear on your behalf – no? Maybe I assume too much. Weird that this lawyer doesn’t use Steve’s ammunition; is it ego, stubbornness or what? Well, I don’t really watch sport too much – not even UK football, much less American football. But I’ve quite enjoyed watching Steve’s excursion into the sporting arena here. You have to hand it to Steve though, he knows how to pick his subjects. A highly emotionally charged topic, in which people choose their teams from a very young age, then stay loyal to that team year upon year, through thick and thin, rain or shine. No matter how the results turn out, they stay true to that team, never waivering in support. But that’s enough about climate, there’s football to talk about as well now. I can’t say I find the subject interesting, but congratulations on getting this piece published. I think it should get a lot of people to pay attention to what appears to be a serious problem they wouldn’t have paid attention to otherwise. I live close to Boston and I am fan of the Patriots, though not fanatical. I have found Steve’s analysis illuminating to no end. After the evidence indicated that there was no average deflation of 2 psi, I knew that the actual level of deflation was (a) likely natural and (b) made little sense if it was supposed to give an edge. If I was an Intro Stats professor I would be using this as a case study – except if I was teaching in Indianapolis or Seattle or New York. Is it really appropriate to make statements this definite about the average deflation, when this depends on guesses about what temperatures the balls had reached prior to measurement? I wonder if Judge Berman has read through some of Steve’s analysis before his decision, expected to be handed down this week? Is he more interested in the facts, or the process? The counsel for the NFLPA may have dropped the ball by not taking these points up with the court. I feel strongly that a simple demonstration could be devised that would refute utterly any idea that the Exponent study had conclusive merit. In fact, I believe that it could easily be shown that it was just plain wrong. If the Exponent “science” is overturned, then there is no basis for assuming that the balls had been deflated. No crime, no criminal. I have in mind some simple demonstrations that could be done in the courtroom to great visual effect. In the worst way, the legal team needs to add a scientist who is conversant with the science issues and of plausible demeanor. Brady can’t argue the facts of the case in court. Legally, the arbitrator having poor analysis of facts doesn’t mean anything to getting arbitration overturned. It must be overturned on procedural issues. This is all about whether Goodell had the authority by the CBA, and whether the punishments met the CBA negotiated standards. The time for facts was at the arbitration appeal, but I believe Steve had only started on this, and Brady’s team was only given a few hours to present a case. They had to cover lots of things, and explaining in depth statistics so everyone understood would have likely taken the whole time if not more. There’s also little indication Goodell would have cared anyway. The Judge could vacate the suspension and send it back to arbitration where Brady would go to arguing facts (and have time to do so). If so, I would not be surprised if Steve’s analysis is presented. It is a matter of the legal team getting their head screwed on straight and realizing that the cause turns on the science and taking appropriate measures to expose the faulty analysis of Exponent. The whole case against Brady rests on Exponent’s prejudicial assumptions. These must be tackled head on by the same sort of simulations conducted by Exponent but with different assumptions. They then could present the court with data that refutes the Exponent analysis. A statistical critique of Exponent’s methods would not be as demonstrative. They need their own set of data. The judge may say there was no “arbitration.” Also may say there was no “arbitrator,” or the persons posited as “arbitrators” were improper. The NFL is going to be conducting a study throughout the upcoming season with its random testing of footballs. I suspect they will realize the weather effects and will quietly not report they got it wrong. Another theme that the legal team needs to exploit is the testimony of the Exponent witness who confessed that he had followed orders to disregard the case of referee Anderson using the Logo gauge to gauge the Patriot balls before the game. Anderson said that he thinks he did use that gauge. Ball pressures at halftime indicate that he did. The Exponent analysis was just a cover. Accusations of cheating were just an excuse for the League (actually the majority of other owners) to get some parity of results. The Patriots have won too much for their liking and parity is a foundational principle of the NFL. I find it ironic the League itself is cheating in a sense by imposing a draconian penalty without sufficient proof of a crime in order to achieve what it cannot do through the competition committee. And it appears Brady was victimized, deliberately. Funny, before deflategate, I never gave a hoot about Brady nor the NE Patriots. I have never been within a thousand miles of Boston. Now I feel great disgust toward Goodell and his sordid machinations. With the 0.60 over reconciliation plausibly being the h/t IGL reinflation + other allowances? It does seem to be what is being said, but if when measured at halftime, the balls were in the process of warming up from 48 F to 72 F, then I have no idea how anybody thinks they know exactly what temperature they were when they were weighed and hence how much IGL deflation there was. Unaware of the defective Logo Gauge as they were, they would have had no reason to pay attention to which gauge they were using. Same for referee Anderson in his pre-game pressure measurements. A permutation-combination analysis would show slim chance that the deflation margin was due to any factor other than Anderson’s use of the Logo gauge for the underrated balls, I imagine. As far as capricious and arbitrary go, this is an excellent point. The gauges that were used by the NFL official are available on Amazon for $22. Except for the fact that they indicate pressure to hundredth of a PSI as opposed to the tenth, they are indistinguishable from a tire gauge that is also available. I suspect they are no more accurate. The retrospective performance validation notwithstanding, the bent stems indicate a lack of interest in their condition. Furthermore, the whole ball pressure measuring excercise is conducted without a formal procedure and traceable documentation. Nevertheless fines were levied, draft picks were taken, a player was suspended (and two other employees) was suspended. To justify this action again Brady and the Patriots the NFL commissioned an expensive study which relied on a high quality gauge that’s available from Omega for around $1,000. This literally and retrospectively changed the standard to which they hold teams and themselves accountable. – adopting procedures and forms for recording game day pressure readings. You know, I like this comment a lot. You have outlined both the difference between precision and accuracy that regularly escapes the notice and understanding of the population at large. Certainly the morons who ruled on this subject seemed to miss it as though the issue hardly existed. It also makes the point that I noticed early on in Steve’s threads that these instruments are hardly scientific grade and on a pressure measurement which is apparently WAY critical to someones thinking. When people can be hammered with multi- ten million dollar costs (draft picks, suspensions, game loss due to key players missing), a basic calibration process and decent instruments wouldn’t get past even the lowest level of industrial quality audit. Rock bottom teenie tiny companies do better than this with critical measurements on a regular basis. It is a truly ridiculous moment in NFL history. It makes me wonder how different officials determine whether hockey ice is up to spec. I have my suspicions about the games played with that particular sport as well. In hockey, both teams play on the same ice with the same pucks, although hockey sticks are personalized to the players specifications within league rules. In baseball the situation is equivalent. The NFL could avoid the whole problem by making both teams use the same footballs that had been prepared by the officials in the same way baseball umpires prepare baseballs before games. Or it could say football condition is trivial, like ankle-taping or hair-length and let teams do whatever they want. More contests are decided by referee calls than by inflation psi. A description of the NFL rule changes can be found here. Sure, there’s methods to measure balls, cleat spikes, pads, helmets, first down markers etc. to high accuracy and precision. Most of those things are largely more important than football pressure. First downs are still measured by the ref eye balling the down spot and then measuring with a chain from where he previously eye balled the down spot. That measure surely effects nearly every game in a real way despite being lazy and imprecise. Ball pressure doesn’t as far as anyone can show. But I think the bottom line isn’t that such precision is possible, but is it useful? It appears the NFL never cared before, balls would have ranged from 8-16 psi depending on conditions. Nobody before cared, in fact by the NFL’s admission they didn’t even know about natural pressure changes. For the last 70+ years these balls moved around wildly and nobody seemed to even notice. The process of measuring precisely is only useful in maintaining the farce that precision is meaningful, or even possible once the balls meet the outside elements. To me, adding new standards is just ad hoc justification for their stupidity. .2 psi became really important when they wanted to punish someone, so now they must pretend it’s important. It just isn’t, it never was, and they would make everyone’s life easier if they just admitted from the beginning it isn’t important. Football will go on being exactly the same as it always was whether, measured with laboratory accuracy, or cheap gauges. You have put your finger on the very essence of the matter. This ball pressure business is Goodell’s self justification. IMO Goodell is of no help in the NFL’s quest for a better public image, although he might make a good deputy sheriff. At what pressure reading either higher or lower than 12.5 psi do the footballs provide one team an unfair advantage over their opponent? The teams use thier own balls, but you’re correct that the “advantage” that’s been touted is made up. Sportscience did some research on this and it was basically nothing. A couple psi less and you could in theory get like a fraction of a mm more grip, but the ball would travel a mm less over 20 yards when thrown at the lower pressure. There is no difference that anyone can point to that is measurable in football games, and if there is any evidence of a possibility than its a negative advantage to throwing. There are a lot of ball control issues that arise with over and under inflated balls. This is especially true is in soccer, volleyball, basketball. The ability to grip the ball, the ability to catch the ball, etc changes as the ball gets harder (Higher psi) gets softer (lower psi). There is a reason players B____ about the inflation levels of balls. Inflation levels for balls used for the kicking game are outside the teams control for a reason. The inflation level significantly affects distance. It highly doubtful that that a couple of psi is only going to affect the distance by a few mm. In summary, dont place too much credibility in the SportScience research. You are giving examples of balls that are struck where pressure is a factor in how it absorbs the strike. This is about a football thrown. Pressure will primarily effect it by stretching the skin and effecting the aerodynamics. But the difference between a 10, 11, 14 psi ball on the container is minute. The other factor claimed is the issue of grip. If someone can deform the ball while holding it they could get a better grip. But again, this is minimal in the pressure talked about. An 11psi ball feels rock hard, it will barely deform from a hand grip. If sports science is wrong then present some idea why. Steve: the issue isn’t the impact of 2 psi, but, at most, of 0.2-0.4 psi. It could be there is a tipping point, below which football becomes very easy. Then even .2 PSI would be enough to have a big change in the game outcome. (Well) More than half of all outdoor football games are played with footballs which are out of specifications. Somewhere around 1 in 10 outdoor games are played with footballs which are at least 2 PSI low, which is more than any of the balls in question were in the AFC CG using the correct gauge. This includes an averaging of Jacksonville, and teams like Green Bay, and Pittsburgh (5 games per year at least 1.6 PSI low). …and the variance from ball to ball from wetness alone is between 0.0 to 0.5 PSI according to the Wells report (if you look at the graphs and ignore what they don’t say), if you spritz a football (they apparently only tested this on one football) with water and then immediately wipe it dry a few times. Thanks JeffID and Haroldw. I work in an industry where this sort of thing is routine. The overhead cost is very low. The procedures and forms are readily available online for free. The NFL could and should do better if they really intend to enforce this rule with the sort of penalties levied against Brady and the Patriots. Consider the changes that are listed in the link provided by HaroldW. This rule change does little to ensure that other teams won’t be unfairly sanctioned. Indeed if those are the only changes then we are assured that the sort of rule breaking that the Patriots have been accused of will regularly occur. In addition to the recommendations that I made above I would add that the officials ought to be recording the ID of the gauge being used and the barometric pressure at the time they are recording the ball pressure. On game day, January 18, the pressure in the region (Norwood – see related comment in the first CA post on this topic) fell about 0.1 PSI during the game. This probably means very little in regards to how the ball feels but it’s significant compared to the allowed range (1 PSI) according to the rule. Larger barometric pressure changes are certainly possible during a 3 hour time span. This sort of change in barometric pressure is enough to render a previously tested football illegal. Let’s go high-tech and embed pressure sensors in the footballs that transmit the pressure ten time per second to a feed for the tv networks to display in the game data window. Could be very interesting and open up a whole new prop bet area. Undoubtedly there are people who think like that. I don’t think the ball pressure matters that much. But the NFL needs to behave in a consistent manner. Judge just ruled in Brady’s favor. any link to the actual opinion/ruling. Curious what was the legal rationale. procedures, fairness/unfairness or lack of scientific evidence. Appears to be overturning NFL on procedural issues. See p. 7 of the ruling where Berman emphasizes that the Wells Report admits the science isn’t definitive for culpability. Thanks, Steve. Perhaps you had something to do w/Brady’s exoneration. I’m not a Patriots (or really even football) fan, but it was simply that the basic physics from the start didn’t add up. My first reaction was that the whole affair seemed manufactured, as just in a general scenario, if balls are inflated to the min allowed pressure at 70F, the pressures would certainly be “illegal” after being out in the cold/wet for awhile. Thanks, Steve. Perhaps you had something to do w/Brady’s exoneration. That’s my picture and I’m sticking with it. Next up, the judges in the Mann/Steyn trialathon. Tom Brady is not exonerated but still may be “wrongly smeared”. To win exoneration he must use Goodell, NFL. If he does not, the assumption is that he was indeed “generally aware” hence culpable. Not use, _sue_, as in suit. A standard of “generally aware”? How does one disprove that? (Although the Wells report comes close in regards the team and coaches). Even if you could, when has that been a standard for NFL punishment? I don’t recall punishment of the other guys in the locker room when one guy is found to be taking PEDs. The Berman decision http://t.co/n0UwrK7xsm is very strongly against the NFL. While the decision was entirely on procedural grounds, my guess is that Berman would have had a view on the substantive technical issues, though he didn’t reference them. A wise lawyer friend of mine told me many years ago that judges like to decide technically, but also like to assure themselves that there is no injustice on the substance – so arguments on substance are not generally wasted. Berman appears to have clearly understood that there was hair on the NFL’s technical case, though I doubt that he considered this beyond generalities. A procedural issue not directly argued by Brady, but which seems increasingly relevant to me, is that the NFL withheld the measurement data during the original investigation, so that Brady was unable to contest Exponent’s interpretation prior to the NFL’s original decision. The arguments later made before Goodell ought to have been front and center in arriving at the original decision. Because the appeal period was so compressed and the data had been withheld, there wasn’t much time to analyze the data – especially when Exponent didn’t publish all their results. For example, some of the key analysis presented at this blog took time to think about and wasn’t available for the appeal, even if the Brady lawyers had been interested in it. Steve, as you know, I disagree with you on the strength of some of your conclusions. But I think you are resting on your experience from the mining industry, where statistical models work well because the underlying physical processes of the Earth are more or less invariant, which is a vary different scenario than atmospheric measurements. I think this bias is betrayed by your interest in seeing if somebody could model the effect of evaporative cooling, rather than in seeing it measured correctly (it was done badly wrong by the Exponent group). I think if you did any repeat measures here, you’d find that the conditions under which the football was being tested to have a much larger variation than you assume in your modeling. My guess is if we did it a little “less wrong”, we’d find the conclusions would flip from what you are finding, but if we did it actually “right”, we’d find that the halftime measurements by themselves tell us virtually nothing, and that the Exponent report, other than the one sentence summary of plausibility is nearly worthless. The assumption of an underlying invariant model (so that statistical models are a good fit) is a pretty common failing that I deal with from Earth Science people (seismologists more frequently because it’s closer to the type of atmospheric data I study). The atmosphere is highly variable, there are multiple processes by which heat energy can be exchanged (convection, radiation and conduction, roughly in that order of importance). Convection in particular depends on the location of heat sources, on the geometry of the room, and yes, even the time of day or night. From my experience, you simply need to incorporate a lot more physics into the models if you want to use them to rule out a particular scenario (deflation of the Patriots footballs in this case). As I mentioned, the Sun heats the top of buildings in the daytime, typically resulting in a near neutral daytime profile in the interior. At night, with the absence of solar heating, the top of the building cools rapidly, creating a large negative (unstable) temperature gradient. Although this is well understood physics, the Exponent group showed virtually no awareness of the physics processes involved in the warming of the footballs after they were placed in the locker room. In particular their use of an environmental chamber, is a complete cosmic joke on them, and is such a bad error, I truthfully think the NFL should be refunded their money. At the minimum, the room where the original data were taken should have been analyzed, and pressure/air speed data for similar weather conditions should have been collected using several 3-axis ultrasonic anemometers (this is not as complicated as it sounds). I have to emphasizethough that I think the warming data published in the Exponent report is totally useless, unless by some bizarre coincidence the balance of the physical processes involved in heat energy exchange are nearly identical in the locker room as in the environmental chamber. It’s also my belief that if you bracket the uncertainty in the measurement conditions, you are left with “plausibly the balls could have been deflated, but there’s no way to rule out tampering.” I also don’t think you could prove that tampering occurred beyond any reasonable doubt. As I mentioned on a previous thread, based on press reports, the Patriots football skins were treated more heavily than the Indy footballs, and quite plausibly did not absorb as much moisture in their skin. If the press reports, of course this works the wrong way for your scenario that the differences could be explained by evaporative cooling (it makes the difference worse of course). It’s why I suspect that if we did the physical tests a little “less wrong”, we’d come to the opposite (but I think still not valid) conclusion that the footballs were deflated beyond any reasonable doubt. One thing I’m pretty sure we’ll agree on is the lack of access to the investigative file by Brady’s team, in particular the data and access to the scientific research group. We both probably agree that the decision by Goodell and especially the punishment were handled in an arbitrary and even capricious manner. If reports that Goodell stuck to the four game suspension due to the desire of other team owners to see Brady punished, it’s hard to see Goodell’s behavior as other than purely capricious. I’m glad that Brady can go back to his life now. And while we disagree on some of the physics here, I think the NFL and Goodell owe him an apology for their treatment of him. Steve: Based on past experience, we probably agree on most things. I definitely endorse your last couple of paragraphs. I’ve paid close attention to your physics comments, even if I’ve taken a different line from time to time. My closing take on your physics observations was that the data did not permit one to exclude the possibility of deflation, but it seems to me that this falls short of showing that the deflation was more probable than not. But we’ve been round this bush and I think that we understand one another’s points. I suggest that you re-read Steve’s previous posts on the issue and strive for better comprehension. You do not know what you are talking about. Earth’s processes are not “invariant”, not a bit. “As I mentioned, the Sun heats the top of buildings in the daytime, typically resulting in a near neutral daytime profile in the interior. At night, with the absence of solar heating, the top of the building cools rapidly, creating a large negative (unstable) temperature gradient. Only if you pretend the building had no HVAC. In fact, it is quite plausible that the Patriot’s balls did not warm. I believe that a simulation would show that they did not warm before being tested. This is a joke, right? Measure wind speed inside the the officials room? Please tell us that you are joking. I’m afraid you’re mistaken on all accounts here. Over the time scale that people do their measurements, the Earth processes are typically considered invariant. Seismologists spend quite a bit of time mapping out the arrival pattern where a new seismometer has been placed. Over the period of a few hours the atmosphere can change radically enough that the physics that drives heating/cooling processes can also change radically. You don’t see effects like this with the Earth. Unlike the Earth, the heating or cooling of an object in a room influences the air flow in it. This is one way of many ways that convection is nonlinear. The atmosphere is very messy different ways than seismologists typically deal with (temporal variations large enough to completely change the physics model you use is not something that seismologists typically have to deal with). As it happens, I’ve characterized it in my laboratory where I have my calibration equipment and can confirm it is a real effect. Unless you had a very specialized HVAC system, the temperature gradients will follow the pattern I’ve described. How do you suppose that, if we have the types of vertical thermal forcing that I’ve described, that vertical gradients wouldn’t get established? Fans tend to homogenize a room, but unless most dwellings don’t have the amount of circulation needed before you could ignore the types of effects I’ve described. This is by the way why a room gets stuffy on a hot afternoon even with working A/C and why it gets drafty at night on a cold winter night. And as it happens the locker room where the measurements were taken had no HVAC equipment. No it’s not a joke to use a high-resolution sonic anemometer such as the Gill R3 or the Campbell Scientific CSAT3 to measure room circulation patterns and its turbulence spectra in the inertial subrange. I think, Carrick, that what you are trying to say is that the dynamics of the atmosphere are different from the dynamics of the earth and geologic processes. That I will agree to. But, believe me, geologic processes are not “invariant”, not in the sense that they lack variation. A clearer style of commenting would benefit you. But you seem to be saying that Steve’s approach is faulty, without giving any specifics: “fantasy football physics”.This is no contribution, but only a type of juvenile egoism based on put-downs of the the Poster. In fact, Steve has convincingly shown that Exponent’s analysis is not only faulty, but also partly a misrepresentation. You agree, do you not? Is it not the case that dinking around with things like airflow, etc, would only change the estimated rate of warming, not the starting point or ending point? Regardless of your HVAC system if the room is 72 degrees the ball ain’t gonna get warmer than that. Isn’t there already huge uncertainty as to the precise point on the transient that the balls would have reached? I think I was plenty clear enough for anybody who wasn’t just looking for a fight. Careful how you frame this. Steve is rather prone to this turn of phrase himself (his titles are rife with similar wit). I bet he wishes he’d used this himself in reference to the Exponent’s group work, and would have if he had thought of it. The way I’d put this is reality isn’t a democracy, so my opinion isn’t very valuable here. The Exponent analysis did what ever it did regardless of whether Steve has persuaded him, you or anybody else. What is important for me is what the Exponent group says in response. They should phrase a response that explains either that they made an error, or explain how Steve was wrong. Yes it is possible that Steve is wrong. I am the first to be aware of the potential for error and mistake and try to avoid over-stating. I tried diligently to get Daniel Marlow of Princeton to look at the apparent misrepresentation. By coincidence, I have a (very eminent) friend in the Princeton Physics department and, despite being uninterested in football, he asked Marlow to respond, Marlow said that he would, but didn’t. My friend is quite disappointed at the lack of response. BTW I think that Carrick expresses himself well. I seldom have difficulty understanding his points (which I value) and, if there are points of misunderstanding, they are usually easy to clear up. It doesn’t mean that I always agree with him. While the lack of response can be due to other reasons, it increases, rather than decreases, my confidence in the point being right. >This is a joke, right? Measure wind speed inside the the officials room? The report looks like they were trying to think up more tests to earn more money. I suspect they’d have done it if aware. Carrick, do you agree that there would be a 1.5C increase in temperature inside the football when the referee reinflated? I am basing this on the formula for adiabatic expansion. If the judge really thinks the Patriots are innocent, I hope somebody’s going to do something for the ‘little fish’ McNally and Jastremski who have been punished much more severely and can afford it much less. MacNally and Jastremski were both fired by the Patriots just after May 6, I believe, at the release of the Wells Report. Of course, Jastremski had nothing to do with taking the balls into the bathroom, but he was fired. I have a feeling that we will hear more about this. MacNally, too, will want some justice. However, all depends on whether these people wise up to the job done on them by Exponent. Another issue: what about the $ million fine levied on the Patriots and their loss of draft picks? That still stands, it seems. This is another venue for getting the Exponent crowd, Marlow, Goodell, etc. before the bar. The Patriots chose not to appeal. According to this report, the two have been reinstated, with restrictions on their roles. Chris Simms believes this is evidence of Brady’s guilt. The only reason the Exponent simulation (with ref’s recollected gauge) produced a higher pressure than the game-day Patriots’ balls was that the simulation freely exposed the footballs to air to warm up faster. Had the simulation been true to game-day events (balls kept in a bag), the simulation would have vindicated the Patriots. The issue was referenced by Professor Robert Blecker in his 8/31 op-ed that linked to http://www.BetterDialogue.com/Deflategate for the proof using Exponent’s own data and words. Please contact me at Robert.Young@BetterDialogue.com to discuss. Carrick, we are here to help you out of your confusion. Brady has a contract with the New England Patriots, with contractual obligations toward them. Likewise, the Patriots have contractual obligations toward Brady, spelled out in that contract. Brady, as a member of the NFLPA, is subject to the CBA. Likewise, the NFL is subject to the CBA. To say that Brady has a contract with the NFL, with contractual obligations toward the NFL, is to say the converse, i.e., that the NFL has a contract with the players with contractual obligations toward them. Think about it. It shouldn’t be too difficult to understand the subtleties. Now, neither the NFL nor the NFLPA, nor did Judge Berman speak of violations of contract, or contracts, or contractual obligations, nor did anyone else in the media speak of Brady’s “contractual obligations” toward the NFL. That confused mental twist is yours and yours alone. PS: The only *apparently* credible reason for rejecting the ref’s recollection of the gauge used pre-game was that of all the gauges tested, only the ref’s logo gauge had the 3% bias. Thus if the gauge was highly unusual, it’s unlikely both Colts and Patriots had one like that, so since the ref’s gauge agreed with Patriots and Colts, one would question the ref’s recollection. The trick there was that Exponent acquired and tested only gauges identical to the one the ref said he did NOT use. Just like Honda’s had odometers that over-read by 2% and nobody noticed for a long time, it’s likely that the design of the logo gauge had a built-in 3% bias. Had exponent acquired only logo gauges, the non-logo gauge would likely have looked like the unusual one. I read it. First thought, it contains a lot of NFL history via legal cases and the conduct of Taglibue–who is played out to be wise and reasonable, implicitly reflecting negatively on Gooddell. 2nd, the judge refers to the seemingly obvious conflict of interest of the NFL lawyers under the guise of inadequate documents production. I suppose that is a subtle twist of the verbal knife. The bottom line is I don’t think Roger would have changed his mind if you were in there. He had his mind made up and that was that. Perhaps if it was before the original suspension but certainly not after. And Berman couldn’t rule on facts. He stayed in his decision he accepted Roger’s take on the facts. It’s my guess that the original punishment and the refusal to reduce it are both political decisions on Goodell’s part. This goes back to my comment of what I view as capricious behavior on the part of the NFL. I recall that most of your criticism was directed at Brady on your presumption of his guilt and you accused him of violating his “contractual” obligations to the NFL, something that you simply made up. I never assumed Brady’s guilt, and his contractual requirement to cooperate with the investigation is neither made up nor was it in dispute in the court hearings. Carrick, your notion of contractual requirement by Brady toward the NFL is invented by you, purely and simply. Not even the NFL referred to contractual obligations by Brady. Judge Berman specifically cited in his ruling the NFL’s stance on the cooperation issue. He ruled against the NFL and in favor of Brady. I would suggest that if you improve your commenting style and tone down your polemics, you would greatly enhance your credibility. Counsel Jeff Pash; and (C) denial of equal access to investigative files, including witness interview notes. Nowhere is it contested that players are bound by the CBA to cooperate with NFL investigations. In December 2010, the NFL fined Brett Favre $50,000- but did not suspend him- for obstruction of a League sexual harassment investigation. Although not entirely comparable to the present matter, this illustrates the NFL’s practice offining, not suspending a player, for serious violations of this type. Nowhere in his finding does the Judge question the legally of fining a player for obstruction. Further we have Brady himself acknowledging a failure to cooperate and admitting this to be an error. It’s generally accepted that Article 46 of the CBA regarding the integrity of the game compels players cooperate with NFL investigations, because a failure to cooperate clearly is damages the integrity of the game. You don’t have to enumerate every possible way that somebody could undermine the integrity of the game, before that person can be held accountable for their actions. Brady knows this and admits to his error. The problem as the Judge frames it was that the fine was way in excess of what was warranted based on similar infractions, and because Brady was denied due process, rather arguing that an infraction never occurred. Carrick,show the contract that you referred to by your statement “his contractual requirement to cooperate”. Do you imagine that your verbose deflection will fool others? CBA 46 is a contractual requirement. Stop being a New England Patriots fanboy. CBAs are regulations that govern the relationship between employer and employee. So in which Patriots fanboy universe isn’t compliance with the CBA part of an NFL players contractual responsibilities? Don’t bother answering, I’ve lost interest. My interest is in rigorous science and clear thinking. Never lose interest. Your “fanboy” epithet misses by a wide margin. Article 46 of the CBA deals with discipline by the Commissioner, not player conduct. I see nothing in it that says a player must cooperate with an investigation. “Player recognizes the detriment to the League and professional football that would result from impairment of public confidence in the honest and orderly conduct of NFL games or the integrity and good character of NFL players. To Carrick this means hand over your phone. As a contractual obligation, no less. 1) McIntyre clearly shows (though I haven’t independently verified this, but the reasoning looks correct) that there was a scenario under which environmental factors could explain the pressure drop. He is right that Exponent should admit this, and retract any statements to the contrary. It is a disgrace that they have not. 2) But he then takes it a step further and de facto argues for Brady’s innocence on the grounds that this scenario is the “most plausible”. That seems much more questionable. His scenario is the NFL used the biased-high gauge just for the Patriots prior to the game, and not for the Colts. Exponent rejected this for several dumb reasons but the one that is hard to argue with is that the measured Patriot results apparently match those obtained by the Patriots themselves, meaning that for this scenario to hold the Patriots would have to be using a gauge with a similar bias. Given that he argues against intentional deflation on the grounds that it is unlikely the Patriots “conspired to deflate balls by an amount exactly equal to the intergauge bias” it seems equally unlikely that they just so happened to have a gauge that had the exact same bias as the Logo gauge. I note that if they did use such a gauge, then they did, in fact, provide balls that were out of compliance pre-game and the officials didn’t notice because their gauge was biased high. He comes several times back to the point of the unlikeliness that they deflated by exactly the intergauge bias, and that seems weak to me too, because it assumes that we know both that bias and the temperature the balls were measured to an implausible degree of precision. Maybe I’m wrong on this because I haven’t run the numbers, but if that gauge bias is determined by comparing the two ref’s halftime readings then it varied by as much as 0.15 psi just during that series of measurements alone. Finally if we’re actually arguing for the Patriot’s innocence then all the other non-scientific evidence comes in too, which is what the Wells Report really spent its time discussing. Maybe they should have had the CSI team investigate the bathroom to find out if McNally in fact made use of the facilities while he was in there. Couldn’t have cost more resources than have already been spent on this. Not quite. The Exponent report already acknowledge that they can’t demonstrate that the footballs were deflated beyond any reasonable doubt. The existence of a scenario where the footballs were deflated does tell us anything new in that case, so there’s nothing to retract. I’d go as far to say that Steve’s physical assumptions are wrong. I called them “fantasy football physics” on another thread. To be fair, Steve appears to be basing his physics assumptions on the Exponential report. But given that e goes on to criticize the Exponent report as badly done, it’s frankly bizarre that Steve’s going to base his physics models on the Exponential report. This all goes back to the issue between plausibility vs implausibility: Badly done measurements are much less likely to rule out a particular hypothesis than well done ones. As Steve showed, Exponent faulty transient regarding ball initialization with the Logo gauge requires a corrigendum and conclusions based on that faulty curve need to be retracted. Here you seem to be indulging your penchant for extravagant statement. I think that if you have greater comprehension skills and less egoism, you would not make such statements. ?? Steve did not perform any simulations. He criticized Exponents methods assumptions, and conclusions in their simulations and demonstrated their faults. Carrick, that’s a key point and obviously one that I emphasized. You can complain about “fantasy” physics, but that doesn’t justify Exponent’s misrepresentation of their “Logo” simulation. As I pointed out, if they had done the simulation that they claimed to have done, the transients would have been lower and the contradiction disappeared. In my Op Ed as submitted, I used strongly language than the final publication e.g. misrepresentation, but the newspaper asked that the language be made less accusatory and I agreed. Surely, you can agree on the narrow point that Exponent misrepresented the simulations in Figures 26, 27 and 30 (not argued in my Op Ed but in prior CA posts) and that they ought to have issued a corrigendum. I’ve speculated that such a corrigendum from Exponent would have made the entire controversy disappear. The more water under the bridge, the more embarrassing the mistake. To be fair the “fantasy football physics” was initiated by the Exponent report. I do feel that their failure to respond to pertinent criticisms undermines their credibility, regardless of any legal requirements that JD brings up. Carrick, I didn’t actually base my final position on the Exponent simulations other than their estimate of the differential between wet and dry balls at halftime. I used Colt balls (placed late in the intermission) to benchmark and made no use of information from the simulations. I don’t think that this approach is as unreasonable as you argue. I would have used their work as a baseline for what to expect. But I think it’s a mistake to assume the Indy and Patriot footballs would absorb the same amount of moisture in their skins, based on what is commonly known about the differences in the way the footballs are treated by the two teams. I’m aware of this issue and didn’t discuss in the op ed because of space reasons. I was at word limit and couldn’t deal with some issues that I wanted to. The point has been discussed on a number of occasions and was discussed in more detail in my letter to Marlow. Exponent’s case on this point was based on the apparent matching of pregame measurements of both Patriots and Colts. However, if Anderson switched gauges between PAtriot and Colt balls, then Colt match is irrelevant and it is only the Patriot match that matters. We know that Anderson’s older gauge had gone out of compliance over time. Could the same thing have happened with the Patriot gauge? Seems entirely possible to me. The logical thing would have been to test the Patriot gauge, which was in the possession of the NFL at halftime. The NFL seems to have lost or misplaced the gauge subsequently. The Wells Report went to great pains to avoid the slightest criticism of the NFL and did not raise this embarrassment. Exponent’s gauge testing program was ludicrous. They acquired numerous copies of new Non-Logo gauges and determined that new Non-Logo gauges were not as off as Anderson’s older Logo gauge. However, the testing program proved nothing about older gauges. Also, Exponent observed that the gauges went further off compliance during the testing program itself. A second issue was Patriot gloving. Exponent convincingly showed that the gloving increased ball temperature and pressure, but that the effect would have worn off by the time that the referees did their measurements. Somewhere in the documents, they mention that they gloved the balls much more intensely on this occasion because of the bad weather – Brady reverting to a practice of Jastemski’s predecessor. While the effect would have worn off by the time that Anderson measured the balls, the report doesn’t say when Patriots measured the balls. If they measured the balls while they were still warm, they could have done so with a correct gauge and got 12.5 psig because the balls were still warm. On this scenario, the underinflation would have been picked up if Anderson had used a correct gauge, but it was a comedy of errors. Once again, counting very strongly against surreptitious washroom deflation in my opinion is the very variability that the Wells Report used to argue for it. The washroom simulations produced twice as much deflation as existed and did not produce the large observed variability. So something else is needed to explain the variability, as I argued here and elsewhere. It’s sitting right next to Brady’s old phone. The name Steve McIntyre is sufficient. “the reduction in pressure of the Patriots game balls cannot be explained completely by basic scientific principles” – they use the weasel word “likely” but “likely” means something different when there is a plausible scenario. IF McIntyre’s calculations are correct, this statement is wholly, black-and-white false, since it does not include any weasel words which allow them to rule out the 71F/Logo Gauge initialization. Again with the weasel word “credible”, but they imply they ruled out 71F/Logo Gauge and they didn’t. This is just in the executive summary, not getting into the Exponent report itself but it is also full of such statements. Finally, McIntyre shows that the simulation they claimed was of Logo Gauge initialization actually wasn’t. That they haven’t either responded or retracted this is a disgrace. You said McIntyre’s physical assumptions were wrong, and I have no clue about that, but so far as I can tell what matters here is him making basically the same assumptions as Exponent and just actually executing the calculations correctly. You’re saying “the physical evidence doesn’t prove innocence”, and I agree, but the report strongly implies that the physical evidence proves guilt and I think that’s not warranted. The largest point I would make is that it is very possible that McNally took the balls to the bathroom and incompetently deflated them. If that happened, it should still be a punishable offense — it would be akin to attempted burglary under criminal law for instance. However, the very strong circumstantial evidence against the Patriots (and by implication Brady) doesn’t matter that much because the NFL bungled the investigation. There was no obligation of rule requiring an official to accompany the ball attendant onto the playing field. MacNally may have confused by the questions, since the interrogator put the question in such a manner as to imply there was such a rule.You seem to be fashioning a hangman’s noose based on MacNally’s trifling inconsistencies. They are huge inconsistencies. Very close to the time an important function of your job was performed, you don’t forget why you did it. It is very plausible that MacNally was thinking of an urgent personal requirement when he took those balls. I think you need to put aside your magnifying glass and reflect a bit. And he forgot about it? Please. JD …could you read us the transcripts of those statements by McNally and the investigators so we could know the context? Steve: we’ve already been over this on another thread. Steve..I know, I was just trying to make a point. A little to cryptically probably. Chuck, I pointed it out in the 1st thread, and I missed it. JD, in my post, I’ve tried to focus attention on a step that Exponent and others omitted: if the Non-Logo gauge was used and McNally deflated the footballs, what is the best estimate of how much deflation actually took place? If one believes that there is evidence of deflation, then it ought to be possible to make this estimate. I’ve tried to estimate this as objectively as I can and my conclusion – as argued in an earlier post and stated in the Op Ed – was that it would be 0.38 psi for the majority of Patriot balls, none for two balls and an inflation of 0.5 psi for one ball. I believe that deflation of (say) 1 psi is contradicted by the information, even though the information is very inadequate (as Carrick reminds us forcefully). Do you have any dispute with my estimates, especially the 0.38 psi number? One of the reasons for quantification is to make analysis more precise and scientific and to see if otherwise plausible positions hold up. Steve, I have no disputes with your estimates per se because it is beyond my expertise and you have always done high quality work. I am simply saying there is an additional perspective to this matter. I’m left wondering what the Report would have said, if jddohio had led the investigation (rather than Wells) & Steve McIntyre had been appointed to look into the science (rather than Exponent). JD, have you given any consideration to the idea that the quotes in question are quotations of notes from an interview, and not direct quotes of McNally? The point of bringing up the work product privilege is that it is part and parcel of a system where expert witnesses are essentially considered employees of the attorney who hires them; the expert is not a completely unbiased source of information. That being the case, you can’t expect the expert to correct any mistakes made without the concurrence of the attorney who hired the expert. The expectation is in personal integrity, as in the case of a university professor who teaches, such as Daniel Marlow. Or credibility, as in adherence to acceptable practices. Exponent, in another case, has defied a court order in a mesothelioma case. This case was touched on here. Also, the notion that a scientist may not be required to reveal sources or methodologies is repugnant. The Illinois judge thought so in the mesothelioma case. JD, a question about work product. The NFL said that the Wells Report was an “independent” report. Presumably, in producing the report, Wells was not acting as “attorney” for the NFL. What impact does that have on privilege attaching to Exponent’s documents? Berman’s judgement, as I understand it, took the position that Brady was entitled to see underlying documents. The irony of the NFL penalizing Brady for supposed non-cooperation while themselves withholding documents from Brady does not seem to have been lost on the judge or on many commenters. Also, aside from civil rules, Exponent, as professional engineers, are governed by a Code of Ethics. 3.Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public. 1.Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty and integrity. a. Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts. If, as I surmise, Exponent’s report contains a misrepresentation of the gauge used in their “Logo” simulations, then their Code of Ethics requires them to have avoided the error in the first place and to acknowledge and the error. You note that Exponent’s duty lies first with its client. Thus, Exponent would presumably be required to first notify Wells of their error. I presume that legal codes of ethics would require Wells to acknowledge the error. If Wells failed to publicly disclose the error, that would leave Exponent in a difficult spot, but it seems to me that they would, at some point, have an obligation to publicly acknowledge the error if Wells persisted in not disclosing it. Steve makes the case very cogently. Do you have any insight into the legal implications of such behavior, JD? I am also interested in the instance of Daniel Marlow, who testified at the Brady appeal before Roger Goodell. Would he have any liabilities in remaining quiet after acknowledging receipt of Steve’s email? Perhaps some University code of conduct applies in his case (he is Professor of Physics at Princeton). I am very doubtful that that would be the case. Marlow is essentially an employee hired by an attorney during litigation. His first duty is to comply with the terms of his engagement by the attorney. It is possible that Princeton may have some rules that would govern his behavior, but I have no idea what they would be. The ability of the University to achieve its purposes depends upon the quality and integrity of the academic work that its faculty, staff, and students perform. Academic freedom can flourish only in a community of scholars which recognizes that intellectual integrity, with its accompanying rights and responsibilities, lies at the heart of its mission. Observing basic honesty in one’s work, words, ideas, and actions is a principle to which all members of the community are required to subscribe. Did Daniel Marlow inform Ted Wells of his email from Steve? Did he communicate his opinion? This is not privilege, since it was an “independent” investigation and Brady is entitled to this information, according to Berman’s ruling, it seems. If Daniel Marlow ignored Steve’s email, is he observing “basic honesty in his work, words, ideas and actions”? I wonder what might be the procedure for filing a complaint at Princeton. jdd, you’re saying he’s an expert witness for one side. But the Wells Report was supposed to be an impartial report, not one side’s brief. Who, then, does have an obligation to fairly evaluate the evidence? But JD, as I understand it, the judge did *not* evaluate the evidence of (a)whether there had been tampering and (b)whether Brady had any involvement in, or awareness of, tampering. He ruled solely on whether the procedure was fatally flawed by the NFL withholding evidence/witnesses from Brady, and whether the punishment was disproportionate to the alleged offense and to previous NFL practice. So nobody fairly evaluated the evidence. It is now rumored that the owners will consider changes to the current disciplinary system, which (based on this case) is well overdue. True. However, if the evidence were to be evaluated, it is the judge’s job to be impartial. It is also the judge’s job to evaluate the procedural questions impartially. Because this is not simple litigation with a plaintiff opposed by a defendant, this is a very subtle question. If truly independent (which is not my sense) then the privilege would be circumscribed. My point is not that Rule 26 absolutely applies but that when you are dealing with experts hired during litigation, the first issue to address is work product, which can be both by rule and by common law. Your point about the Engineer Code of Ethics is very interesting and could lead to a conflict between the work produce rule and the code of ethics. Under the law, an expert cannot lie, but, as can anyone, an expert can make a mistake. If the original mistake was honest, then under the law, the expert and the attorney can state that the original report was made in good faith and we have nothing more to say. Under the law, other than being honest, the expert has no obligation to the public — his duty is to the client and attorney hiring him. (Of course, in practice many attorney hired experts are extremely biased although not technically liars.) From my standpoint, I see no obstacle to whoever enforces the Code of Ethics to apply it an engineer who gave defective testimony. Don’t know to what extent an honest mistake would excuse the engineer. From what you quoted an engineer who gives mistaken testimony as part of legal proceedings, could be between a rock and a hard place. Engineer Code of Ethics? Is this understood to be anything beyond a guideline established in one form or another by various engineering professional societies, NSPE for one? Would a court assume that such a code governed the giving of testimony? How would reference to this Code alter the obligation of a witness providing engineering or technical testimony? Aren’t the ordinary obligations for testimony sufficient? Steve: Exponent’s report to Wells wasn’t “testimony”; it was an engineering report. Engineers are subject to a professional code of conduct, a code that appears to me to be more demanding on misrepresentations than academic codes – you may recall the discussion of “fudging” with Pielke Jr, who observed that it would be well nigh impossible to prove academic misconduct for over-selling one’s findings e.g. by failing to report adverse verification r2 statistics. I do not believe that the same would apply to engineers under their code. I strongly believe that it would be mandatory for a professional engineer to acknowledge error and correct a misrepresentation of the Logo simulations. I agree, if he were aware, or made aware, of the error. But it seems less likely that Exponent will ever be made to answer. I would like to see that, but the main possibility that I see is if Brady sues for defamation, which does not appear likely at this point. I can see one more slim chance of getting this to court.Concerning the sanctions against the Patriots ($ one million fine, loss of two draft picks) Joseph Kraft will probably appeal to the owners at the next meeting, and failing there, might take his grievance to court. “subject to”? How? How are they made subject to this code? I don’t at all doubt that the code of conduct to which you refer is a very good thing, but as far as I can tell it (and similar efforts) are creations of professional societies and may not be binding on anyone not a member of such a society. It is possible to practice engineering, even as a chartered or Professional Engineer without belonging to one of these clubs. I concede that architecture is a somewhat less acute activity than engineering, but in the fourteen states in which I was licensed before i came to my senses, i cannot remember any whose regulations contained a “code of conduct” or anything like it. Maybe one of the many engineers who read here can correct my view on this. I found the professional societies in which I participated to be more directed, as noted by Adam Smith, to conspiring against the common interest – my words, not his. I suppose if you engaged an Engineering firm whose principals were members of the NSPE, National Society of Professional Engineers, you might be able to gain some headway in a dispute if some element of the NSPE Code of Conduct had not been observed, maybe even in court. Could this have been what you were thinking? Steve: good point. I recall the witty Adam Smith quote. I am certainly no expert in this area, but in the law quite often local bar associations are the entities charged with initially investigating and prosecuting legal ethical violations. It is possible that whoever licenses engineers has adopted the Engineering Code of Ethics and that anyone who violated the Code could be subjected to discipline and possibly the loss of an engineering license. You raise some interesting questions. A visit to their website says only that they adhere to ISO 9001, which is a management standard, apparently. However, they are contractors under GSA, (General Services administration), a US Gov. administrative office, registered as Professional Engineering Service. Here you will find the standards that Exponent claims to adhere to, I bet. Or you can email Exponent and simply ask. I have answers to a couple of Steve’s questions, but my reply is in moderation. So would NFL and Wells have obligation to reveal exculpatory evidence to Tom Brady? – Patriots balls were set with logo gauge. Thus, logo gauge at halftime matched gas law. – Colts balls set with non-logo gauge. Thus, non-logo gauge at halftime matched gas law. If that’s all it takes to make sense of things, how can you possibly conclude there is ‘significant’ evidence of tampering? We know Anderson thinks he used the logo gauge on the Pats balls. Since ex-ante no one knew to care about what gauge was used to measure the balls, there is a 50% chance he used the non-logo for colts balls. Exponent concluded that the referees switched gauges based on the measured data. Shouldn’t they conclude that Anderson did so as well? What if you rerun the analysis by assuming there was no switch of gauges by the referees? Then there are two gauges. When measuring the exact same ball, sometimes the first gauge is 0.25 – 0.45 psi higher, and sometimes the other is. Switching gauges seems like a pretty solid deduction. So is the deduction that Anderson switched gauges. There’s not nearly as clear evidence as there is for the gauge switch at halftime, wherein two officials were standing right next to each other testing balls. Consistently, one guy was 0.3-0.4 psi higher than the other, except one time that was reversed. So we conclude they switched gauges. Pre-game Anderson never measured the same ball with both gauges so we have no way to know which one he was using at any given time. Without the data recorded, they would probably have said that there was no way they switched gauges. We have data suggesting a gauge switch by Anderson that was written down, the halftime data. While I would look to credit Steve for the judge’s decision, I suspect the real influence is Bob Kraft. Ever since Goodell upheld Brady’s suspension, Kraft has been at war. Yahoo has been repeatedly posting in favor of the Patriots. A number of people have asked good questions pertaining to the duties of the parties, experts and witnesses that are probably based upon an incorrect premise. NFL v. Brady is purely a private civil dispute between Brady, the NFL and the Player’s Union. It is analogous to 2 parties who are adjoining landowners who go to court over the correct placement of a fence. Their dispute is private, but since it goes to court, the court proceedings are matters of public record that anyone can access through the clerk’s office. NFL v. Brady should be contrasted with matters of public interest involving the government. For instance, in criminal prosecutions, the public has an interest that wrongdoers be punished and that innocent people not be convicted. The government is a party asserting a public interest. The government and government employees primary interest is that justice be done and that the truth come out. In a private case, such as Brady v. NFL each party’s interest is to be victorious. Neither party has a direct interest that the truth prevail, although of course, the party (if there is one) that has truth on its side does want the truth to come out. Truth is not on the side of the Exponent Report, which smacks of a rigged game, believe me. The work that Steve has done on this shows that very well. JD, can you explain the NFL’s basis for bringing the suit, rather than the Players Union? We know the real reason was to stay away from Minnesota, but what is their claimed reason? to get a judgment to enforce the arbitration agreement. It’s not just footballs … Today’s F1 race at Monza ended with some pressing questions. Maybe Steve should join the F1 circuit. My initial reaction to the deflator texts was that they were taking the air out of someone’s tires. Mainly because of ‘Not going to ESPN yet’. Doesn’t make sense he would go to ESPN to report on football deflation. Comparing the two gauges, one is twice as long as the other, which they obscured by moving the ruler. They also put one at an angle so the amount of bend is less visible. Has Michael Mann thought of these? A commenter at backpicks says the Wells Report has the Colts inflating in their stadium 2 days prior. The temperature difference combined with the error in the non-Logo gauge should have led it to read below 13.0 for the Colts balls, and should thus be disqualified. ? At what temperature were the Colts balls inflated? I don’t follow your meaning. Were not the Colt’s balls allowed to equilibrium at the Patriot’s stadium? The Patriots and Colts equipment rooms would have been temperature controlled, and a little warmer than the shower room. The claim is that they inflated in their stadium, then brought the inflated balls. “When [Senator Arlen] Specter pressed Goodell on the speed of the investigation and his decision to destroy evidence, Goodell became “defensive” and had “the overtone of something to hide” according to notes taken by Danny Fisher, a counsel on Sen. Specter’s Judiciary Committee staff and the lead investigator on the Spygate inquiry. “No valid reason to destroy,” Specter wrote in his own notes, which are archived as the Senator Arlen Specter Papers at the University of Pittsburgh. The article marginally helps New England with respect to Deflategate,[by saying that Deflategate punishment was a make up call for the failure to render adequate punishment for Spygate) but in the bigger picture paints New England as a successful cheater mistrusted by many other NFL teams. It also paints Goodell in a very poor light. Steve: I didn’t follow Spygate, but there are some articles that argue that there was no rule against trying to pick up signals and that New England was wrongly punished at the time. Goodell was then fairly new and given more credibility than he appears to deserve. Steph Stradley, a lawyer in Houston who writes a sensible blog, has followed these cases for a long time and believes that the NFL has been unjust at almost every turn, not just or even particularly New England. She says that New Orleans’ Bountygate is just as bad/worse on NFL. I am not defending the NFL. I called them lunkheads previously. However, I feel that what we have here is similar to 2 pigs rolling in the mud. I think there is very substantial evidence that McNally tampered with the balls, but the NFL’s investigation was grossly incompetent. I referred to Spygate in substantial measure to draw attention to Goodell destroying the evidence of the Patriots spying shortly after beginning an investigation. There are very few innocent explanations for this, and his was laughable. Also, I think Goodell’s lifetime ban on players convicted of domestic violence is an invitation to extort NFL players. Any woman can now accuse an NFL player of domestic violence and put millions of dollars of salary at risk. Although domestic violence is a serious issue, there are occasions where most people would agree that it doesn’t merit a life time ban. For instance, Carlos Hyde of OSU missed 2 games several years ago as a result of a small shove of a young woman who was harassing him in a bar. Urban Meyer said that if Hyde had been prosecuted (he wasn’t), Hyde would have been kicked off of the team. Several months ago, J T Barrett of OSU called the police to ask them to evict his ex-girlfriend from his apartment. Several minutes later the girlfriend called 911 alleging that Barrett had hit her. My point in bringing this up is that Goodell is making the players pay for his embarrassing mistake of not assessing a stiff enough penalty on Ray Rice. He has gone way overboard. Regarding Spygate, it escapes me how deciphering opponent’s signals is something punishable or even condemnable. If it were me, I would engage an encypherment specialist to help. And filming the bench of the opposing team is a violation? Baffling, comical, risible. You will never get me to believe that this is not long established standard NFL tactics, to decipher signals from the bench. Should add that I have also stumbled on a recent article where a former NFL official stated that McNally had acted very weirdly and that he (the official) had complained about it. He stated: ““I always thought he was an unusual dude,’’ Baltz said. “Most locker room guys, they sit there and if you need something, they got it for you. When you left the locker room, you’d lock the door and they’d stay right there. The other 31 teams, that’s what they would do. That was his job. This official can be criticized for going public very late in the game. On the other hand his allegations can be verified or disproved by other officials. Steve: again, I haven’t parsed Spygate, but be careful of Wikipedia. There is ongoing dispute over whether the memorandum accurately summarized the rule as it then stood. As I recall, one of the issues was that the rule as it then stood seemed to prohibit use of tapes for the game in progress, but was silent on future games. Taping also seemed to have been pretty standard. Check out the other side. I note that the prohibition on videotaping does not include fans at the stadium, nor could it. That’s what I would do. Enlist a fan. Stupid, unenforceable rule. Goodell is not real bright. I promise you that is what’s being done today in the NFL. Imagine, McNally, running around like a “chicken with his head cut off”, a fellow with his responsibilities! Hmmm. Assume for point of argument that the Wikiquote is correct, and re-read what that memo says….in logical English. This would appear to support the longstanding rule that teams have only very specific access to electronic media during the game, but doesn’t address video used after games – for which there are also longstanding rules requiring the exchange of video of certain minimum standards between teams before and after games, and which don’t exclude showing sideline signaling. Are you really arguing that Spygate was that mangled too?

2019-04-23T02:28:12Z

https://climateaudit.org/2015/09/01/op-ed-on-deflategate/