Energy, Sustainability and Society
Local power and land use: spatial implications for local energy development
Cheryl de Boer1Email author,
Richard Hewitt2,
Hans Bressers1,
Patricia Martinez Alonso2,
Verónica Hernández Jiménez2,
Jaime Díaz Pacheco2 and
Lara Román Bermejo2
Energy, Sustainability and Society20155:31
© de Boer et al. 2015
Published: 7 October 2015
The decentralised and private nature of small-scale renewable energy development does not fit traditional models of government planning and oversight. The land use impacts related to these developments are not well understood and data is lacking related to the environmental, social and economic impacts that can occur under various scenarios.
This research note provides a literature review of the scarce information available about the spatial impacts of small-scale renewable energy and outlines the current stream of research being undertaken to address this knowledge gap. The preliminary case studies in Overijssel, the Netherlands and Navarre, Spain provide the background for understanding this complex issue, and a new integrated policy and land use model is introduced in order to combine qualitative and qualitative data that is important for understanding the dynamics of this growing field.
The main difficulties in moving forward in planning for the decentralised renewable energytransition are the variation of perspectives on the attractiveness and appropriateness of urban renewableenergy (RE) development, differences in implementation processes and incentives, the dynamic nature ofthe relevant technologies and the lack of up to date information on land use.
Multi-functional land use is a key strategy for increasing the uptake of small-scale renewable energy but little to no data is available regarding it in European land use literature and policy. This needs to be addressed in order to enable pragmatic policies that will enable effective implementation of renewable energy.
Land use impacts
Integrated modelling
Decentralised and smaller-scale approaches to renewable energy may facilitate or accelerate implementation under certain conditions. Key elements supporting this hypothesis are (1) larger projects have more visible spatial impacts and projects with high spatial impacts are slow to develop in places with strict planning regulations and where land use changes are open to public debate1 and (2) larger projects require large investment of capital which developers may be unwilling to outlay when economic or legislative changes generate instability in the sector [1].
Some articles exist with respect to the spatial implications of land-based photovoltaic energy (PV) installations [2–4] and the landscape impacts and related implementation issues of wind turbines [5–8]. However, there are few local or sub-regional scale studies on implementation or land planning conflicts specifically due to displacement or incompatibility of uses with the development of renewable energy-related landscape features (RELF). RELF are the physical structures necessary for the deployment of renewable energy (RE). This is an important area of study since there has been a relatively recent emergence of local RE developments aligned with the transition to a more decentralised energy model. Often due to the smaller impact per installation, the typical environmental impact assessment (EIA) or related planning instruments do not apply and installations can go “unnoticed” from a planning perspective2. We focus principally on wind and PV developments since they can be achieved through both large- and small-scale activities, which are important for increasing the resilience of the energy supply in a given region or locality.
This research note corresponds to research being undertaken as part of the EU FP7 funded project COMPLEX: Knowledge Based Climate Mitigation Systems for a Low Carbon Economy. The efforts involve better understanding how contextual (qualitative and quantitative) data can be used to understand land use patterns and possible future scenarios of local renewable energy in the Netherlands and Spain. We provide here the results of our literature review of the available knowledge on spatial impacts of RE and a summary of what this means for researchers attempting to understand this dynamic field. Our main research in this project is related to the relationships between land use change, renewable energy development and policy. We dedicate this research note to increasing the visibility of how current data is limiting us in understanding this dynamic and important relationship. Secondly, we introduce very briefly the model being developed to help us understand these relationships and relevant case studies that we are applying it to in order to advance future studies in understanding the spatial impacts of RE. As such, this research will support future efforts in the fields of land use change modelling and those involved in areas of public administration research-related policy implementation.
Literature review of the spatial impacts of RE
The spatial impacts of implementing various renewable energies (RE) are complex and dependent on the technology as well as the particular context in which RELF are implemented. They may be visual, physical, functional, long-term, short-term, easily reversible or not, etc. Spatial impacts are related to the topography of the landscape, the area of land physically covered by RELF, the current land use and geography, the distance from areas of natural beauty or sensitive ecosystems and biodiversity [9]. Full attribution of spatial impacts of RELF requires an understanding of the entire implementation and usage process chain; impacts may include changes to existing infrastructure, land conversion and agricultural productivity impacts, ecosystem modifications and habitat and biodiversity reduction, aesthetic changes and adjustments to recreational potential. Some spatial impacts, such as the negative impacts of wind turbines on bird populations (ecological impacts), landscape visual quality (aesthetic impacts) and disruption to food supply from transforming agricultural land to biofuels (direct land use impacts) are widely known. Other related aspects, such as land use intensity, indirect land use change and land multi-functionality have received less attention in the literature. In the following paragraphs, we provide a review of the literature relevant to the question of spatial impacts associated with solar PV and wind energy implementation and then include a more detailed discussion of land use, the key focus of this paper. Much literature relevant to the potential spatial impacts of RE development was identified; however, significant gaps do exist. The spatial impacts of solar energy installations are generally less well studied than for other RE types. The impact of solar thermic (ST) energy is likely to be minimal, since this is mostly associated with heating systems added to buildings [2], but the spatial impact on the territory of PV installations may be quite substantial. In addition, though the literature on wind energy is abundant, few studies seem to relate to the direct land use impacts of wind installations, a key concern of our research. Overall, precise assessment of expected and real impacts was generally sparse for all RE types. One exception to this is that spatial impacts due to land use transformation from food to biofuel have been deeply studied; however, the focus on RELF requires information on the location of these “crop installations”. Gathering the information related to this is seen as a particular issue in and of itself as crops for biofuels are not distinguishable from regular crops from a land use perspective. As such, we have chosen not to include biomass-related RE in this research.
Direct land use impacts
Alterations to land use can be expected to occur for all new RE installations. PV installations and wind turbines that are not located on top of already existing infrastructure will reduce the ability to use the land for other activities, though to different degrees based on the previous land uses and the type of project implemented. While for example, it could be expected that much agricultural land would be too valuable to turn into PV fields3, new standards requiring a percentage of utility supplied power to come from renewable sources is resulting in large-scale PV projects expanding into a wide range of locations and ecosystems that were once considered uneconomic. The potential land use issues and concepts related to PV and wind installations found in the literature are highlighted below.
Construction phase impacts are relevant to the installation of PV or wind installations [3]. Large-scale wind installations together with their associated access roads and electricity supply infrastructure have major direct impacts and are compatible only with some existing uses (e.g. forestry, pasture). Literature relating to impacts of wind turbines however mostly deals with issues around ecological or visual impact of the erected turbines. Research with stakeholders to estimate the social cost of wind farm developments in Saragossa (Spain) identified loss of natural areas and the impact of access road construction as key impacts [5]. In this work, stakeholders consulted in the Spanish region of Navarre noted that the impact of access construction was one of the factors that provoked public controversy when the first wind farms were developed in the 1990s (Martínez Alonso P, Hewitt R, Pacheco JD, Román L, Hernández Jiménez V, Bressers H and de Boer C: Losing the roadmap: Renewable energy paralysis in Spain and its implications for the EU low-carbon economy, Submitted). A lack of assessment procedures established at an international level for PV is also contributing to this gap [3].
The concept of land use intensity is important when addressing the land use impacts from installation and operation of large-scale PV plants [4]. Land use intensity is a metric that expresses the quantity of land transformed relative to power output or unit of electricity generated. The land occupation relative to the time the power plant is in use is also important and should take into account the time required for the land to recover following use. While land use intensity for large-scale solar installations and coal plants was comparable in the short-term over the long-term PV installations required lower land areas for equivalent energy generation capacity [4]. These authors found that recent commercial PV power plants in the USA covered an average of 25 km2/GWp. They estimated also that in cases where the PV systems were installed in forest areas that recovery of the forest requires an average of 10 years. Additionally, they calculate that a 30-year-old PV plant occupies ~15 % less land than a coal power plant of the same age. The study of overall land coverage of PV panels that has increased due to legislative incentives in Italy quantified the future potential impact with an assumption that between 7 and 10 m2 of surface area is necessary to generate 1 kWp [3]. A continuing increase in the installed capacity of 10 MWp per month would then result in between 80,000 and 100,000 m2 of additional PV land cover per month.
These studies are surprising since they challenge two key popular assumptions: (1) that solar installations always occupy far less land than coal plants—in fact, their impact is initially comparable and only begins to show advantage after ~25 years—and (2) energy generation capacity of solar is per se less intense than all fossil fuels—something that can be seen to be untrue if intensity is measured over the lifetime of the plant [4]. These impacts are related to land-based PV, not those that are implemented on top of existing infrastructure.
More generally, the available literature suggests that, besides the various negative impacts, there may be a number of potential land use benefits of PV systems. PV projects can be used to reclaim degraded land and reduce requirements of transmission lines of electricity grids, be used in scenic areas and National Parks, where the avoidance of pylons and wires is a major advantage, can be integrated into the façades of buildings, used as a cladding material for commercial buildings and provide shading and heat extraction [2]. Additionally, greater multi-functionality is generally more possible than with many other energy technologies. Placing PV panels on top of existing infrastructures rather than on forested or farmland can also prevent biodiversity loss [4]. The main negative land use impacts related to PV systems are the loss of amenity; the implementation of a PV system in once cultivable land limits the soil productivity in that area [2]. The electricity output in this case is then competing with food production and as such is similar to the dilemmas faced by energy crops [3]. Some negative visual aspects have also been noted, but there is little certainty about how these impacts are experienced.
Aesthetic impacts
The literature on aesthetic or visual landscape impacts resulting from RE installations relates mostly to wind energy as widespread deployment of wind turbines has taken place over the last 2 or 3 decades. Since this literature is extensive, the following summary is intended to be illustrative rather than comprehensive. Generally, the research on the aesthetic impacts of solar is based on solar cells that are not added to previous infrastructures. This needs to be considered when determining the relevance of these impacts to the context at hand.
“One of the most difficult-to-quantify…environmental costs is visual impacts, whether from wind, solar or hydropower developments” [5]. These authors used choice modelling techniques based on stakeholder interviews to estimate the social cost of wind farm developments in Saragossa, Spain. Respondents tended to value impacts on flora and fauna more highly than impacts to the visual landscape or to the area’s rare geological heritage. This study is notable in that it recognises that wind farm developments have significant social costs and that these costs can be assessed through engagement with local stakeholders. In a study of annoyance due to wind turbine noise in Sweden, it was found that interviewees in a municipality in the south of Sweden were more likely to report annoyance due to turbine noise if they felt that turbines negatively impacted the visual landscape [10]. In general, respondents accepted the necessity of wind turbines but felt that their contribution to the landscape scenery was negative. Further, a 2007 study of renewable energy planning in the Netherlands, found the visual evaluation of the impact of wind power on landscape values to be the most dominant factor in community acceptance of such schemes [11].
Although there seems to be broad general consensus about the importance of visual impact of wind energy developments, not all authors explicitly consider it [12].
Stakeholders interviewed in this study’s Navarre case considered that public controversy related to installation of wind farms in the 1990s had now mostly been resolved [13] thanks to public information campaigns and growing general awareness of environmental issues. Other parts of Spain have seen political disagreement between autonomous communities (e.g. between Castille and Leon and Cantabria) over the visual impact of wind energy installations in border areas of landscape beauty [13].
For solar energy installations [14], the aesthetic impacts of PV installations can be quantified based on four criteria: visibility, colour, fractality and concurrence between fixed and mobile panels. This study determined the overall impact by expert opinion through a Delphi procedure. Different impacts were generated by different types of plants in different types of landscapes. The proximity to urban or recreational areas was however not taken into account, and so this study can better be seen as potential aesthetic impact since frequency of impact was not considered. Analysing subjective reactions requires a cognitive study of people’s preferences for PV power plants. There is yet no psychological research specific to PV power plants in the literature according to [14], and this would be extremely important for highlighting successful opportunities for implementing these projects in urban and semi-urban areas. The only empirical result related to land use impacts was that differences in size were important in the overall impact of the subjects and that both objective variables and subjective feelings were taken into account when making their judgments. A scoping survey completed in the province of Overijssel found that among those (N = 15) that completed the survey, the landscape implications were of lower importance in the development of PV energy than other factors such as importance for the environment and economic benefits.
Recreational impacts
Implementation of RELF may also imply changes to the land as a public amenity. Metrics for the impacts of RE installations on recreational resources have not been developed but would likely be similar to the aesthetic impacts mentioned earlier [4]. However, additional factors may need to be considered such as loss of public access. While wind farms may be accessible to the public, in most cases, PV arrays are not.
Ecological impacts
Ecological impacts relate to habitat loss or damage, such as insect and bird death from intense light generated by solar installations or wind turbines, and increased use of resources such as water. The impact of wind turbines on birds has been widely studied, e.g. [6–8], and the importance of this aspect for assessing the environmental impact of windfarms is well-recognised. In the previously mentioned study, stakeholders in Saragossa valued impacts to flora and fauna more highly than other landscape impacts [5]. The authors include resource depletion in their list of environmental impacts of PV systems, since their manufacture required scarce materials (In/Te/Ga). A 2009 study of the territorial and landscape impacts of PV systems identifies impacts from landscape fragmentation, vegetation degradation, interference with flora and fauna as well as microclimatic change caused by the daytime warming of the surface of the solar array [3]. Concerns have also been noted about impacts to wildlife, which may prohibit solar development on large areas of desert land in California [4].
In terms of habitat and biodiversity impacts, research continues on measuring habitat fragmentation and risk assessment of complex ecosystem collapse. Land use intensity is often used as a proxy for assessment of impacts on biodiversity [4]. However, biodiversity can be directly measured by species density (recorded in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment), and PV installations can be sited accordingly in less biodiverse areas. The water needed for cleaning solar panels is approximated at 500–1000 gallons per MWp of panels per year [4]. The hydrological footprint of large solar arrays, particularly in arid or semi-arid environments, is likely to be considerable.
The term energy sprawl addresses the varying spatial extents of different energy production techniques [9]. It is the product of the total quantity of energy produced annually (e.g. TW h/year) and the land use intensity of production (e.g. km2 of habitat per TW h/year). This is used to address the potential habitat effects of energy sprawl and to show that more compact energy generation does not necessarily reduce damage to biodiversity. Particularly important is that energy production techniques can have multiple effects on biodiversity, which “operate at different spatial and temporal scales. Biodiversity impacts that are likely to scale with real impact include habitat replacement and habitat fragmentation. Further, the longevity of the impacts… also… varies” ([9]; p3).
Spatial planning for RE impacts
Spatial impacts of different types of RELF can be assessed, but no simple calculation will enable the right technology to be selected to ensure maximum capacity for minimum spatial impact. Instead impacts should be determined based on the particular characteristics of the area in question. Many different criteria for siting of RE installations need to be balanced to take into account the various types of impact from each technology. For example, while the elevation of the wind turbines increases the area of aesthetic land use impact compared to PV, the actual area occupied by PV is the main intrusion into the landscape due to their low elevation and wide expanse.
Reversibility
Some impacts resulting from installation of RELF are quickly reversible through the removal of the relevant installations, such as solar panels or wind turbines. In other cases, previous or alternative uses will only return once the previous state has been regained. Clearly, installations in urban areas on rooftops are nearly completely reversible, but large-scale land clearance for wind farms or PV arrays may take decades or centuries to recover. In general, spatial planning procedures do not deal well with the issue of reversibility, often because high value land uses such as urban development or mining are irreversible on a human time scale.
Large-scale wind and solar developments in the EU require an EIA, which includes a visual impact analysis. Though there do not seem to be many published examples (EIA studies are mainly an annex to the project itself), a GIS-based visibility catchment (viewshed) analysis would be an appropriate starting point for evaluation of visual impact. Published research exists on the environmental impacts from the manufacturing and decommissioning phases of PV power equipment; however, more studies are needed about the installation and operation phase.
Local communities can experience difficulty in deciding the siting of PV installations [3]. Innovative approaches involving participatory cartography are one way to address these difficulties [13, 15, 16]. Modelling approaches directed at RE installation location, such as multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) procedures [17] or optimal site potential models [18], are beginning to emerge and are likely to offer a way forward with respect to the spatial allocation of RELF in line with environmental criteria. This section provides an overview of the two case studies used in this research to understand how local RE development is taking place and particularly what elements of spatial issues are developing alongside it that should be considered.
The study of local renewable energy development from a spatial perspective is a relatively new field of study. Two cases were chosen with different spatial contexts in order to develop understandings of relationships that take place in both space-scarce (the Netherlands) and space-abundant (Spain) areas. In the Netherlands, locally based solar implementation is increasing exponentially. Collective purchasing, crowd-sourcing and small-scale solar farms are becoming commonplace. The highly regulative nature of Dutch spatial planning could be used to reduce the changes seen due to solar energy. Currently, this is only being done in cases where the scale is considered to be industrial and not for personal or community use. Discussions are being held at the provincial level about how to incorporate medium-size solar installations in the landscape, but no final decisions have been made. Wind energy is highly regulated and has not achieved much in comparison to other countries in Europe. In Spain, previous advancements made through large-scale wind and solar installations have come to a standstill due to an altered funding environment at the national level. Current developments are considered to be more modest or small scale and need to address more local issues due to the lack of support from higher levels.
Connecting the types of local RE projects and the resulting implementation processes and land use impacts that have taken place in these two cases is desired in order to provide us with the necessary preliminary data to simulate and model these relationships. What is missing from the available literature is how qualitative and quantitative social factors increase or decrease the likelihood of implementation of renewable energy in different cases. In this ongoing research, we are using a specially developed integrated participatory land use model APOLUS—actor and policy land use simulator.
APOLUS is articulated as two model blocks (see Fig. 1): land demand and land use allocation are connected by a feedback loop. The land demand model block determines the amount of land to be changed or combined with RE uses which is then allocated in the land use allocation model block. Land demand is initially determined for each scenario on the basis of factors exogenous to the land allocation block, but land allocation outcomes are fed back into the demand block so that the system is modified dynamically as RE implementation progresses. To produce simulations of land use and RELF at future dates (e.g. 2020, 2050), the storyline and simulation approach is employed [19]. Storylines are developed through the participatory process and the model represents them. This enables the contextual factors related to the implementation process to be introduced into the model. Determination of RE demand for each scenario is a key challenge. As noted above, the demand model block also needs to consider multi-functionality, enabling the allocation of new RELF in existing land areas. It is anticipated that more multi-functionality of land use will take place in the Netherlands area than in Spain, so some difference in the operation of the system across the two areas is anticipated.
Fig. 1 Conceptual Model for APOLUS: Actor and POlicy Land Use Simulator

As such, the differences and similarities between the chosen case studies will give us a perspective on different European approaches to land use and renewable energy. The model enables us to incorporate geographical, social and economic factors into the development of future scenarios with the help of expert and local stakeholder input. Doing so at a regional/local scale in our two case studies will provide direction as to what type of spatial land use data is necessary for understanding land use changes associated with local renewable energy development.
Implementation of local RE installations, as with any change to local resources or amenities, is more effectively accomplished if it is community driven and if both costs and benefits are shared across different members of society. As seen in Spain, a success story can turn into failure overnight if implementation is excessively reliant on top-down mechanisms such as legislative support and subsidy regimes. Conversely, even if a considerable amount of general support for renewable energy policy exists, at a local level, many residents feel that a renewable energy system may limit their quality of life [3]. A number of important points emerged from the preliminary case study work that need to be addressed in the spatially focused simulation model that has been developed to study these implementation processes. These are as follows:
Multi-functionality: No clear distinction was identified between wind and PV energy with respect to multi-functionality of use. In the opinion of Spanish stakeholders, PV energy installation development implies loss of the previous land use, while wind energy was regarded as compatible with other uses. This is quite different to the current situation in the Netherlands where there is strong resistance to wind energy because it is viewed as incompatible with the landscape, yet PV on roof tops is generally accepted. Since multiple land uses are not recorded under Corine land cover data, it is not possible to verify whether there were good examples of compatibility of land use from the maps. It is very important that the simulation model take multi-functionality into account since under some circumstances, RE must be incorporated into the existing land uses without taking them over.
Temporal resolution of innovations: Another challenging aspect of this research is the speed at which changes are taking place and the minimal level of oversight which can occur. This is particularly visible for the diffusion of PV panels in the Netherlands. An underlying hypothesis is that new projects are influenced by the presence (or lack) of other PV panels in the area. Detecting the presence of any causal aspects to this relationship implies a need for data on a highly detailed temporal scale. However, since this level of detail is not present in the available open data, the model will be tasked with simulating this process. By generating plausible outcomes from multiple model runs, the simulation model serves as a virtual laboratory for exploring the spatial and temporal diffusion of these processes.
Path dependency: A further challenge to the successful development of future scenarios is the underlying assumption that the past land use relationships will hold in the future (path dependency). Using past land use changes relationships as the basis for the scenarios has a number of issues. As technologies change, the underlying characteristics of RELF also change. This is true particularly with respect to the footprint and aesthetic impacts that are related to a technology. To address this, we include a certain amount of randomness into the development of scenarios and will also include the changes in potentially influential contextual factors as variables in the model. The spatial allocation component of the model and the cellular automata model of White and collaborators [20] is especially suitable for this kind of work, since small changes to model parameters can produce highly divergent outcomes as the simulation progresses, a feature known as bifurcation. Model results are thus not limited to a few scenarios (e.g. business as usual, renewables super development, continued fossil fuel dependence, etc.), but instead produce a broad range of possible options based on the various bifurcations from each scenario path. Multiple model runs can be used to assess the probability of the various outcomes. Model results can assist policymakers in assessing the likelihood of the developments having an impact in their particular area based on the timespan over which they expect their policies and plans to be relevant.
The need for additional and interdisciplinary studies related to the development of local renewable energy is clear. The multiple types of RELF possible will have significant and varying impacts on the speed and success of the energy transition in various places. The increasingly private and local nature of renewable energy development increases the complexity of monitoring and understanding these processes. We aim for this study to provide some insight into the gaps and lack of information available for policymakers and planners in preparing, supporting and steering the local, decentral renewable energy transition.
The exception to this is the case where changes are required for flood safety, in which case the high level of public acceptance can slightly speed up the necessary processes.
Recently, Spain approved a new law on EIA (Law 21/2013, 9th of December, of Env. Impac. Asses.) relaxing these instruments further: photovoltaic installations under 10 ha. Do not require study as well as those dedicated to self-consumption under 100 kW.
See results of the land use analysis for the Navarre case study, end of Section 4.2.
RELF:
renewable energy landscape features
The research presented in this paper is conducted and funded from the EU FP7 project number 308601—COMPLEX. Further detailed information is available on the project website.
CDB coordinated the development of the paper, contributed to the Dutch research and text of the paper. RH coordinated the team in Spain, contributed to the research, contributed to the text of the paper and revised the manuscript. HB contributed to the Dutch research and to the text of the paper. PMA carried out the research work in Spain, contributed to the text of the paper and revised the manuscript. VHJ, LRB and JDP contributed to the research and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Authors’ information
This team of authors have grouped themselves together based on their collective work and interest in the effects of social factors in land use change. CDB is currently a senior researcher appointed jointly to two departments of the University of Twente—PGM (Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management) and CSTM (Department of Governance and Technology for Sustainability) at the University of Twente (UT). Her research focuses on connecting land use data and knowledge with policy relevant instruments and planning. The largest support for the land use change mapping and modelling component comes from the expertise of RH, based on his experience in participatory modelling, land use modelling and software. VHJ has a lengthy profile in community engagement and modelling which has helped to determine the stakeholder participation elements of the research. Both RH and VHJ are members of OCT (Observatory for a Culture of the Territory). The other authors (HB, VHJ, PMA, LRB, JDP) are also affiliated with these two institutions (OCT and UT) and provide expertise on policy implementation, GIS and modelling and land use change and impacts of development.
CSTM/ITC, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, the Netherlands
Observatory for a Culture of the Territory (OCT), C/ Duque Fernán Nuñez, 2 – 1º, 28012 Madrid, Spain
De Boer C, Hewitt R, Bressers H, Verónica Hernández J, Martínez Alonso P, Warbroek B (2014) Stakeholder input and feedback on model development of PLUS4-CMP. Project Report for EU FP7 Programme COMPLEX ProjectGoogle Scholar
Tsoutsos T, Frantzeskaki N, Gekas V (2005) Environmental impacts from the solar energy technologies. Energy Policy 33(2005):289–296View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Chiabrando R, Fabrizio E, Garnero G (2009) The territorial and landscape impacts of photovoltaic systems: definition of impacts and assessment of the glare risk. Renew Sust Energ Rev 13(2009):2441–2451View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Turney D, Fthenakis V (2011) Environmental impacts from the installation and operation of large scale solar power plants. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 15(2011):3261–3270View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Álvarez-Farizo B, Hanley N (2002) Using conjoint analysis to quantify public preferences over the environmental impacts of wind farms. An example from Spain. Energy Policy 30(2):107–116View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Drewitt AL, Langston RH (2006) Assessing the impacts of wind farms on birds. Ibis 148(s1):29–42View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Fox AD, Desholm M, Kahlert J, Christensen TK, Krag Petersen IB (2006) Information needs to support environmental impact assessment of the effects of European marine offshore wind farms on birds. Ibis 148(s1):129–144View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Stewart GB, Pullin AS, Coles CF (2007) Poor evidence-base for assessment of windfarm impacts on birds. Environ Conserv 34(01):1–11View ArticleGoogle Scholar
McDonald RI, Fargione J, Kiesecker J, Miller WM, Powell J (2009) Energy sprawl or energy efficiency: climate policy impacts on natural habitat for the United States of America. PLoS One 4(8), e6802. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006802 View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Pedersen E, Persson Waye K (2004) Perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise—a dose-response relationship. J Acoust Soc Am 116(6):3460–3470View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Wolsink M (2007) Planning of renewables schemes: deliberative and fair decision-making on landscape issues instead of reproachful accusations of non-cooperation. Energy Policy 35(2007):2692–2704View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Aydin NY, Kentel E, Duzgun S (2010) GIS-based environmental assessment of wind energy systems for spatial planning: a case study from Western Turkey. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 14(1):364–373View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Martínez Alonso P, Hewitt R, Vicente Guillén J, Román L, Hernández Jiménez V, Pacheco JD (2013) Climate Related Energy Developments in Spain, COMPLEX FP7 project report., Available on line at: http://www.complex.ac.uk/outreach/publications/reports/OCT-COMPLEX_Deliverable31_26122013.pdf Google Scholar
Torres-Sibille AC, Cloquell-Ballester VA, Artacho Ramirez MA. (2009) Aesthetic impact assessment of solar power plants: an objective and a subjective approach. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 13(2009):986–999View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Lange E, Sigrid Hehl-Lange S (2005) Combining a participatory planning approach with a virtual landscape model for the siting of wind turbines. J Environ Plan Manag 48(6):833–852View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Van Hoesen J, Letendre S (2010) Evaluating potential renewable energy resources in Poultney, Vermont: a GIS-based approach to supporting rural community energy planning. Renew Energy 35(9):2114–2122View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Aydin NY, Kentel E, Sebnem Duzgun H (2013) GIS-based site selection methodology for hybrid renewable energy systems: a case study from western Turkey. Energy Convers Manage 70:90–106View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Yeo I, Yee JJ (2014) A proposal for a site location planning model of environmentally friendly urban energy supply plants using an environment and energy geographical information system (E-GIS) database (DB) and an artificial neural network (ANN). Applied Energy 119:99–117View ArticleGoogle Scholar
White R, Engelen G, Uljee I (1997) The use of constrained cellular automata for high-resolution modelling of urban land-use dynamics. Environment and planning B 24:323–344View ArticleGoogle Scholar
Alcamo J (2008) The SAS approach: combining qualitative and quantitative knowledge in environmental scenarios. Environmental futures: The practice of environmental scenario analysis 2:123–150Google Scholar
In these collections
Cape Forum on Green and Smart Transitions in Cities and Regions: Technic...
Submission enquiries: marie.canama@springernature.com


Parton visits TV to push live disc
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 – Dolly Parton is pushing her just released "An Evening with... Dolly," a DVD/CD set available exclusively at all Cracker Barrel, on TV. The double-disc set includes live performances of Dolly's biggest hits, including 9 to 5, Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You, among others.
Parton Dolly will appear tomorrow on Nightline on ABC during their Playlist segment as well as Inside Edition. On Friday, Parton engages in a one-on-one question and answer session with Billboard.com and the entertainment news magazine show EXTRA! On Saturday, Parton sits down with Rebecca Jarvis on CBS This Morning and Katie Cook for CMT Insider.
The PR effort continues next week as well. On Wednesday, April 11, Parton will be featured on the mid-day syndicated The Better Show. On Saturday, April 14, she talks with Gov. Mike Huckabee for Fox News Channel's HUCKABEE. The show will re-air on Sunday, April 15.
More news for Dolly Parton
03/01/18: Parton presents milestone book to Library of Congress
08/15/17: Parton unveils first children's release
10/04/16: Parton wins CMA honor
08/30/16: Parton debuts atop Billboard
08/19/16: Parton tops new releases
07/07/16: Parton keeps it "Simple" with Sony
07/05/16: Parton backs off Clinton endorsement, or was it?
04/25/16: Parton keeps it Pure & Simple
CD reviews for Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is no stranger to flash. Even before our modern country era, where many of the most successful artists rival contemporary pop stars for high profile image manipulation, Parton had the city girl look down pat (alas, without ever denying her Appalachian roots). However, this master songwriter has simply given us an album about as close to purity as one can get. The incredibly bright Parton is far from simple, however, so the "simple" in this album's title solely refers »»»
Of all the songs you never expected Dolly Parton to cover, Bon Jovi's "Lay Your Hands on Me" has got to be near the top of the list. Although by the time Miley Cyrus's godmother gets through personalizing the song there's not enough of the original left to call it a cover - just a word or two here and there and the chorus, which for those of you who have forgotten this masterpiece of 80's hair metal is just the title of the song repeated almost enough times to make a »»»
If Dolly Parton were to host a summer replacement daytime TV show, her new record album could very well be the soundtrack. It is so totally Dolly - an hour's worth of can-do, I'm-country-gol'-dang-it-but-don't-forget-I'm-Hollywood, yet never abandoning the singer-songwriter that's been her overriding trademark. It gets a little silly, which you expect from Dolly. In fact, the song she co-wrote with Mac Davis, Country Is as Country Does - gets a lot silly. »»»


These free speech lawsuits won't scare Donald Trump. But they give me chills
Lawsuits against Donald Trump and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio could test the nation's long-standing commitment to free speech.
These free speech lawsuits won't scare Donald Trump. But they give me chills Lawsuits against Donald Trump and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio could test the nation's long-standing commitment to free speech. Check out this story on azcentral.com: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/lindavaldez/2018/10/17/donald-trump-first-amendment-lawsuit-joe-arpaio-new-york-times/1673686002/
Linda Valdez, Arizona Republic Published 6:07 p.m. MT Oct. 17, 2018
Opinion: Lawsuits against the president and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio could test the nation's long-standing commitment to free speech.
President Donald Trump walks to Marine One on Oct. 12, 2018.(Photo: Susan Walsh/AP)
A First Amendment lawsuit against Donald Trump won’t spark fear in the president’s heart.
But it ought to give you a chill.
It is one of a series of current events that shows the vulnerability of the free press is in our allegedly free society.
There is also $147.5 million lawsuit by Arizona’s own Joe Arpaio against The New York Times and one of its opinion writers over a column the former Maricopa County sheriff didn't like. Brought by a conservative group that aspires to “bring this 'failing newspaper' to its knees,” it may represent the belief that a Trump-influenced Supreme Court will roll back long-honored press freedoms.
There is Trump’s smiley-face, paternalistic treatment of the Saudis after the presumed murder of a U.S.-resident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was last seen entering a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The coddling of Saudi Arabia despite suspicions about its role Khashoggi's disappearance is welcome news to all despots who know a journalist they'd like to see disappear.
Criticizing the press is fine. This is not
In this context, the First Amendment lawsuit against Trump offers a few good reasons why all Americans – across the political spectrum – should shudder at thought of rolling back press freedom.
“President Trump has First Amendment rights and is free to criticize the press vehemently, but he is not free to use the power and authority of the United States government to punish and stifle it,” says the lawsuit that was filed Tuesday by the nonpartisan group Protect Democracy on behalf of the PEN American Center, Inc.
It cites examples of retaliation:
Threatening online retailer Amazon, owned by Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post – a relentless Trump critic. Trump “personally directed U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan to double the rate the Postal Service charges Amazon and other firms to ship packages,” according to the suit.
Another relentless Trump critic is CNN, owned by Time Warner, whose planned merger with AT&T was challenged by the Trump Justice Department – something candidate Trump “publicly threatened” to do, according to the suit. Time Warner won, but incurred costs that continue as the administration appeals.
Trump has threatened to pull White House press credentials of reporters he doesn’t like.
Trump threatened the broadcast licenses of NBC and other television stations “in retaliation for coverage he disliked,” the suit says.
Trump’s “use of the power and machinery of government to punish his media critics creates an atmosphere in which journalists must work under the threat of government retaliation,” says the lawsuit.
Supporters of the president may enjoy his chest-beating posture toward the press.
Courts have long protected free speech
But an attempt by any president to intimidate and silence journalists represents a terrifying lack of appreciation of the role of a free press.
It also shows a disrespect for America’s long, long tradition of protecting a free press.
According to the lawsuit:
Benjamin Franklin defended freedom of speech as the “principal pillar” of a free society and said a leader who had “the power to punish for words would be armed with a weapon the most destructive and terrible.”
In 1936, the U.S. Supreme Court said: “newspapers, magazines, and other journals of the country . . . have shed . . . more light on the public and business affairs of the nation than any other instrumentality of publicity; and since informed public opinion is the most potent of all restraints upon misgovernment, the suppression or abridgement of the publicity afforded by a free press cannot be regarded otherwise than with grave concern.”
In 1964, the Supreme Court said the First Amendment represents “a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.”
In 1972, the Supreme Court said it is “well established that the Constitution protects the right to receive information and ideas.”
In 2012, the Supreme Court said the government cannot “orchestrate public discussion through content-based mandates.”
What will a Trump-influenced Supreme Court say?
Don't miss the point of the First Amendment
If the Free Speech lawsuit against Trump makes it that far, this could be another chance for the highest court in the land to speak up for a free press.
But Arpaio’s suit may represent the hopes of those who want to curb speech a politician doesn't like. It could become a vehicle to allow a more conservative high court to start rolling back America's press freedoms.
Trump supporters who see that as a good thing are missing the point of the First Amendment.
It wasn't written to protect journalists. It was written to protect free people.
Reach Valdez at linda.valdez@arizonarepublic.com.
MORE FROM VALDEZ:
Tucson woman wants to make sure deported parents don't lose their kids
Arizona Supreme Court blames the domestic violence victim, takes the kids
Secretary of State candidate says LGBT workers don't need law to protect them
Want more opinions? Subscribe to azcentral.com.
Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/lindavaldez/2018/10/17/donald-trump-first-amendment-lawsuit-joe-arpaio-new-york-times/1673686002/
Dump #DumpStarbucks over Tempe cops incident
Do Democrats even want to win in 2020?
Why our schools are crushing this national test
What? Did Gov. Ducey wear Nikes on July 4th?
Diane Douglas's latest rant is just sick
Why did Gov. Ducey channel Trump over Nike?


Critique of a Yellowish Piece of “Journalistic”-Trash
Northeast / New York 1 week ago 40 Views
Jul 05, 2019EditorialComments Off on Critique of a Yellowish Piece of “Journalistic”-Trash
Op-ed by Howard Eagle –
Howard Eagle
That’s right, I’m referring to City Newspaper’s so-called ‘Highlights from an early summer primary‘, as representing “journalistic”-trash, which are very strong words, and which I should either be able to validate, or I should apologize. So, examine my critique (below), and you decide whether or not I owe the three different “news” reporters (truly amazing) who compiled the article an apology, or not.
The very first fact that should be emphasized is super-“low 14 percent Democratic [voter] turnout,” which City pundits attempted to minimize by, for no logically or relevant reason, mentioning that it “was slightly higher than four years ago”. How pitiful is that? Next, let’s be clear that the majority of those who did turnout to vote were mainly middle and upper class white folks who would not dream of sending their own children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. to Rochester City School District (RCSD) schools, period. So, most have no skin in the game. The 86% (the overwhelming majority of whom are poor and Black, and have the most skin in the game) stayed home, as usual.
As noted, “voters returned incumbents Beatriz LeBron (whom many believe is devilish) and Willa Powell (the 20-plus-years-know-nothing, or at least, know-little about urban, public education)
and elected newcomers Amy Maloy and Ricardo Adams”—all of whom are recipients of benefits that flowed from thousands upon thousands of dollars spent by New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), Rochester Teachers Association (RTA), and other racist unions, in order to ensure victory of the so-called Powell Adams LeBron Maloy Slate. They are all definitely beholding to the man who many refer to as ‘the real RCSD superintendent,’ Mister Adam Urbanski.
Now here’s where their “journalistic”-rubish starts to get really yellowish and trashy. They claim that “it’s hard to draw an overarching conclusion”\.Really? Well it was quite easy for me to do so. The bottom line is that old, entrenched, status-quo-based, white, minority-rule, continues firmly intact in slave-town-U.S.A. Additionally, they actually had the intestinal fortitude, raw audacity, unmitigated gall to attempt to convince you and me that “the election results don’t seem to indicate a particular dissatisfaction with the school board.” They have got to be kidding. A full 86% of the electorate did not bother to show up (as most haven’t for decades). Yet, “the election results don’t seem to indicate a particular dissatisfaction with the school board?” WHAT? Even in the face of clear reality, the pundits still tried to make the case that “people did care enough about the district and the school board to show up and vote.” Well, we know (for sure) which “people” they’re talking about (the mainly white, middle and upper class minority-majority; along with some middle and upper class Blacks and other people of color, many of whom exhibit “Negropean” tendencies, and therefore (obviously) vote similar to, or just like their white counterparts, and a smattering of ordinary poor and working people. The fact that “the top vote-getters were incumbents LeBron and Powell” is an absolute affirmation that old, deeply-entrenched status-quo reigns.
It’s very interesting, if not amazing that three different journalists (collectively) can’t keep the story straight. For example, they claimed that “Anthony Hall and Robert Hoggard campaigned independently,” but those of us who were on the ground know that Hall and Hoggard were supposedly part of a slate that included Lebron and Adams. Thus, two were used solely to siphon off votes, and the other two were anointed by RTA’s racist ‘czar,’ along with two white women (one of whom has presided over chaos and dysfunction for more than two decades). Yes, that’s really what happened.
Not only is their political ineptness, less than stellar research skills, and hegemonic tendencies on full display, but they are actually distorting the truth. For example they claimed that Rochester Board of Education Commissioner Judith Davis “abdicated one of her most important jobs as a board member, refusing to take part in the selection of a new superintendent because she disagreed with the process.” That’s a straight-up distorted, convoluted, conflated, twisted lie. She did in fact participate in all of the initial interviews, and definitely voted, but at the same time, she also publicly criticized the exclusionary (of parents, families and community), illegitimate, rigged process, which has absolutely nothing to do with so-called “abdicating” anything at all. Instead, the pundits obviously do not recognize critically important, necessary interruption of the entrenched status-quo when they see it. Perhaps that’s because they are such a vital part of it.
They tried to make a big deal out of the fact that “the current board has already committed to the professional development that Aquino recommended.” Yet they had nothing to say about the specific nature of what was, and was not recommended and why, e.g., one of Dr. Aquino’s most important findings is that “the Board acknowledges that there is a need to minimize the underlying racial tension that exists among the group and has engaged in two retreats to begin to address these issues” (Finding #4, p.16). However, one of the few shortfalls of the Report is that it contains no specific recommendations for conclusively addressing/resolving this fundamentally vital issue, which we can be certain did not get resolved via two so-called “retreats.” In the final analysis, the journalistic-pundits are merely spewing status-quo-supporting rhetoric.
Lastly, they claim that “if the June and August graduation rates continue to improve, and parents and teachers like what they see in new superintendent Terry Dade, voters may be reluctant to support the [State] takeover.” It’s most interesting that they would mention “graduation rates” and “new superintendent Terry Dade” in the same sentence, especially when considering that Superintendent Dade expressed to members of our Coalition (https://www.facebook.com/tidpc/) when we met with him on June 26th that he has been wondering about something that we believe is very, very important; something that we have also pondered for years. “How can we have a 60% graduation rate when proficiency rates are in the low teens?” Is anyone willing to try to provide a credible, rational, informed, valid answer? Don’t ask the pundits because they are guaranteed to steer you wrong.
Howard Eagle is a longtime educator and local anti-racism advocate, known for his campaigns for the Rochester school board and prolific political and social commentary. Eagle taught social studies in the RCSD for 23 years, before retiring in 2010, and is now an adjunct professor in the Department of African American Studies at SUNY Brockport.
Click HERE to comment on this article from our Facebook page
Previous PostSupreme Court Sends Mixed Civil Rights Signals As America Celebrates July 4th Next PostEast's Shaun Nelms Leads ROC the Future Convener Board
Another Call to Action: Come Out On March 30TH
An Open Letter to Tim Louis Macaluso, City Newspaper
Jim Ryan, Who Specifically is the “We” in Your Article?
Minority Reporter
Why Dem. Senators Richard Pan and Steven Glazer Are Holding Out Their Votes on Ethnic Studies Bill


Do You Own Anything You're Wearing?
With a queen's ransom of loaner gowns, jewelry, and heels at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, the CFDA Fashion Awards, and the Emmy Awards, we wondered which items actually belonged to the celebrities wearing them.
The 8 Best Beauty Looks From the 2014 Emmy Awards
The 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles were nothing short of spectacular. As our favorite actresses accepted their statues (and cracked up at some of the funniest people in the world), we rounded up our favorite hair and makeup looks of the night. Take a peek at the top beauty moments that truly impressed us.
Today's Alluring Links
All the looks (good and bad) from the Billboard Music Awards red carpet, what Julianna Margulies and Chrissy Teigen have in common, and some high-stakes nose strips in today's Alluring Links....
9 Celebrities Talk About Dating
Bad-date horror story? You're not alone. Take solace in the fact that even celebrities have been there, too.
Celebrity Hairstylist Chris McMillan on Prepping Julianna Margulies for the Golden Globes
I've been doing Julianna Margulies's hair all week (I also helped her get ready for the People's Choice Awards and the AFI luncheon) and she is such a pleasure to work with. She says...
The Best Beauty Looks of the 2014 Golden Globes
Some of the events at this year's Golden Globes were expected—Tina Fey and Amy Poehler killed it, Lena Dunham wore canary yellow, and Jennifer Lawrence won an award. What surprised us? Emma Thompson threw off her shoes, everyone was pregnant, and the hair and makeup was stunning across the board. We recap our favorites of the night.
Julianna Margulies Named the Face of L'Oréal's Women of Worth
I love it when a company makes good products and tries to do some good as well. In 2006, L'Oréal launched its Women of Worth program, which recognizes women who are making a big difference...
Hair Idea: Red Carpet Ponytails
A My Little Pony Obsession has officially hit the red carpet, and this time, the evening ponytail trend transcends age—worn by teen stars like Shailene Woodley as well as over-40 actresses like Diane Lane (who...
On Location With The Good Wife
We recently dropped in on a taping of CBS TV's legal drama, The Good Wife. Two of the stars—Julianna Margulies, who plays Alicia, and Josh Charles, who plays Will—along with the rest of the crew,...


SFWS Seminar Series – Dr. Ilari Filpponen
September 19, 2018 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
« AUsome Amphibians and Reptiles
AUsome Amphibians and Reptiles »
Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Fall Seminar Series Presents:
Dr. Ilari Filpponen, Assistant Research Professor, Alabama Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, at Auburn University who will give a talk entitled, Tailoring the surface wettability of cellulose-based paper/nanopaper via novel photo-induced thiol-ene and thiol-yne reactions: Towards electronic and microfluidic applications.
Seminar is held at 11 a.m. in Conference Room 1101 in the SFWS Building, 602 Duncan Drive, Auburn, AL.
Faculty, students and the public are invited to attend this free program.
Complimentary cookies and coffee will be served.
CFEs are available by request.
Advanced registration is not required.
Parking is available on the 3rd and 4th floors of the South Quad parking deck on Duncan Drive, directly across from the SFWS Building. See Parking Services on Level 3 to obtain a visitor pass.
Films prepared from cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) have recently been considered as promising substrates for the utilization in electronic devices including displays, transistors, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), touchscreens, lithium ion batteries, solar cells, transparent conductive electrodes and antennas. However, a significant drawback for the use of CNF films in such applications is their high sensitivity to moisture. In this work, a novel and facile process to tailor the wettability of CNF film was developed. Firstly, transparent and reactive porous silicone brush-like nanolayers were introduced onto the CNF film surface by polycondensation of trichlorovinylsilane. Next, the pre-modified CNF films were converted superhydrophobic by introducing low surface tension thiolated fluorine and alkyl molecules via thiol-ene chemistry. Water contact angles (WCA) of 167° and WCA hysteresis < 3° were determined and found to change little after extensive rubbing cycles.
Moreover, it is demonstrated that the micropatterning of cellulose paper/nanopaper can be achieved by using a novel and highly-effective thiol-yne click reaction. Firstly, the paper/nanopaper was functionalized with 4-pentynoic acid via well-known and scalable esterification procedure. Degrees of substitution (DO) of 0.2 and 0.3 were obtained for the paper and nanopaper, respectively. Next, the alkyne-bearing cellulose substrate was subjected to photo-induced click reactions with various thiol-containing molecules to yield either hydrophobic or hydrophilic cellulose surfaces. Finally, micropatterning of the cellulose surfaces was demonstrated by using a photomask-assisted approach. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements (CAM) and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to characterize the main morphological and chemical features of the produced materials. Main results and possible applications for such systems will be discussed.
Dr. Ilari Filpponen gained his Master’s degree (2003) from University of Helsinki, Finland majoring in organic chemistry, and his PhD degree (2009) from North Carolina State University (NCSU) with research on production and chemical modifications of cellulose nanocrystals. In 2009-2010 he conducted postdoctoral studies at the NCSU after which he joined the Department of Forest Products Technology, Aalto University, Finland. In 2016, he started as an assistant research professor at Auburn University (joint appointment between SFWS & CHEN). He is currently performing research on chemical functionalization of cellulosic substrates by using different chemistries, with special emphasis on Click chemistry based approaches. His research targets on developing value-added products from renewable woody biomass. To date, he has authored and co-authored 40+ peer-reviewed publications and delivered 30+ presentations in domestic and international conferences.
Events, Main Calendar
Dr. Brenda Allen
allenbm@auburn.edu
Auburn, AL 36849 United States + Google Map
Page Last Updated: Sep 12, 2018 @ 5:17 pm


Jerry Buss (1933-2013): Greatest U.S. sports team owner ever!
When ranking the sports team owners in American professional sports, it is not much of a contest, because Jerry Buss, who recently passed away, has every other owner beat by a mile, including New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who passed away in 2010.
Many people say that the Yankees are the premiere team in American sports, mostly because their history of greatness dates back to the early 1900s, but in the modern era it is not even close. The Lakers, mostly because of the vision of Buss, has been the greatest franchise in any sport.
Since Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979, the Lakers have made it to the NBA Finals 16 times, which is nearly half of the years that Buss owned the team. They won the title 10 times, more than any other American professional sports team over that time period. Under Steinbrenner, who owned the Yankees from 1973 until his passing, the ball club won seven World Series titles in 11 appearances.
Buss took a team that was one of the better teams in the NBA and turned them into the greatest pro team in the nation. When he took over the Lakers were not even the best team in town. Los Angeles was a Dodgers town. USC football and UCLA basketball were a lot more popular, as the Lakers had lost seven times in the NBA Finals from the time that they moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in 1960 until Buss bought the team. All of those losses came against the Celtics, and the Lakers had only won the NBA title once over that time period, in 1972.
When Buss took over the Celtics had 13 NBA titles compared to the Lakers six (five of those won in Minneapolis), and it did not seem like any team would ever come close to catching them. But since Buss took over the Lakers have defeated the Celtics three times in the NBA Finals, won 10 overall, and now they are only behind the Celtics by one championship (17-16).
Former Laker Tommy Hawkins remembers the Dodgers receiving a parade in Downtown when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958, but when the Lakers showed up two years later, they came in on a bus through San Bernadino and nobody knew who they were.
Before Buss bought the team the Lakers were always lost in the shuffle of the Los Angeles sporting scene. But he instantly changed that.
Buss' first move was to create Showtime, and that was not just on the court. He understood that in Los Angeles, just watching a game would not be enough to captivate people who are in the "Entertainment Capitol of the World." Buss created an environment that the Hollywood stars wanted to be at. Laker games were the place to be, not just for celebrities, but for the masses.
Buss created a show, but at the same time, that was not going to hold people's attention for long. Laker great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pointed out that dancing girls were not going to win games. The show was not just during timeouts, or before and after the game. The main attraction was the players, and Buss stopped at nothing to get the best.
One thing that separated Buss from other owners who will stop at nothing to win was that Buss knew his role, and he let others do their jobs. Bill Sharman and Jerry West built the rosters that became Showtime. They surrounded Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar with other star players. They took the risk on drafting James Worthy over Dominique Wilkins. They took the risk to trade Norm Nixon in order to draft Byron Scott. And to trade Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant, who was right out of high school. That was a major risk because Shaquille O'Neal had not signed with the team at that point, and there was no telling if he would come to Los Angeles.
Buss also allowed O'Neal to be traded, and he convinced Bryant that he should be a Laker forever, which resulted into two more championships.
Buss' efforts and his visions have given Los Angeles fans the best team in the modern era of sports. The only thing that it looks like Buss will miss out on is when the Lakers finally catch, and pass, the Celtics in total titles.


Table of Contents » Gretna
Gretna, Town of
County of Pittsylvania
History of incorporation
Formerly the Town of Elba.
Elba charter, 1901, c. 19, incorporation and charter; repealed 1916, c. 223.
Elba, 1914, c. 167, name changed to Gretna.
Gretna charter, 1916, c. 223; repealed 1979, c. 308.
Current charter
Charter, 1979, c. 308.
Amendments to current charter
1980, c. 70 (§ 4)
2003, cc. 659, 672 (§ 4)
2010, c. 173 (§ 4)
§ 1. Style of corporation.
The inhabitants of the territory in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, comprised within the present limits of the town of Gretna, as such limitations are now or may hereinafter be altered and established by law, shall constitute and continue a body, politic and corporate, to be known and designated as the town of Gretna, and as such shall have and may exercise all powers which are now or hereafter may be conferred upon or delegated to towns under the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, as fully and completely as though such powers were specifically enumerated herein, and no enumeration of particular powers by this charter shall be held to be exclusive, and shall have, exercise and enjoy all rights, immunities, powers and privileges and be subject to all the duties and obligations now appertaining to and incumbent on the town as a municipal corporation, and the town of Gretna, as such, shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with, and may have a corporate seal, which it may alter, renew or amend at its pleasure by proper ordinance. (1979, c. 308)
§ 2. Town boundaries.
The territory and limits of the town shall embrace and extend one-half mile in every direction from the marker indicating the site of the chimney of the Southern Railway depot. (1979, c. 308)
§ 3. Powers generally.
In addition to the powers elsewhere mentioned in this charter and powers conferred by general law, and the Constitution, the town of Gretna shall have specifically, but not limited to, all powers set forth in §§ 15.1-837 through 15.1-915.1, inclusive, of the Code of Virginia. (1979, c. 308)
§ 4. Administration and government.
A. The administration and government of the Town of Gretna shall be vested in one body, to be called the council of the Town of Gretna, which shall consist of seven members, six of whom shall be known as councilmen and one to be known as mayor, all of whom shall be residents and qualified voters of the town. The council of the town shall have power to elect or appoint such other officers as it may deem necessary, and to define their duties, including a town manager, who shall, under the control of the council, have the general charge and management of the administrative affairs and work of the town, and who shall perform such other duties as may be required of him by the council. The manager shall receive a salary as shall be allowed him by the council, and may be dismissed at any time by the council. The council may create, appoint, or elect such other departments, bodies, boards, and other officers as are hereinafter provided for, or as are permitted or required by law to be appointed by the council.
B. The present mayor and council of the Town of Gretna shall continue in office until the expiration of the term for which they were respectively elected, or until their successors are duly elected and qualified.
C. The mayor and the six councilmen shall constitute the Town Council of Gretna.
In the year 2010, and every two years thereafter, the mayor shall be elected at large by the qualified voters of the Town of Gretna at a municipal election to be held in November. The mayor shall be elected for a term of two years beginning on the January 1 next following his election and shall serve until his successor shall have been elected and qualified.
In the year 2010, and every four years thereafter, three councilmen shall be elected at large by the qualified voters of the Town of Gretna at a regular municipal election to be held in November for four-year terms beginning on the January 1 next following their election and shall serve until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.
The council shall be a continuing body, and no measure pending before such body shall abate or be discontinued by reason of expiration of the term of office or removal of the members of such body or any of them. Every person elected shall take an oath faithfully to execute and discharge the duties of his office to the best of his judgment, and the mayor shall take an oath prescribed by law for State officers. The failure of any person elected or appointed under the provisions of this charter to qualify or to take the oath required, within the time prescribed for entering upon the discharge of the duties of the office to which he is elected or appointed, shall vacate the office, and the council shall proceed and are hereby vested with power to fill such vacancy in the manner herein prescribed.
Any vacancy occurring during the term of any member of the council shall be filled by the council by the appointment of anyone eligible to such office. A vacancy in the office of mayor shall be filled by the council from the electors of the town as soon as possible.
D. For the transaction of business by the council, four members, of whom the mayor may be counted as one, shall constitute a quorum.
E. Each member of the council may receive a salary to be fixed by the council, payable at such times, and in such manner, as the council may direct. The mayor may receive a salary to be fixed by the council, payable in such manner and at such times as the council may direct. No increase in salary of a council member or the mayor shall take effect during the incumbent council member's or mayor's term of office.
F. The mayor shall preside at the meetings of the council and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by this charter and by general law, and such as may be imposed by the council, consistent with his office. The mayor shall have no right to vote in the council, except that in case of a tie vote then the mayor shall vote.
G. The council shall, as soon as practicable, after qualification, choose one of its members as vice mayor. The vice mayor shall perform the duties of the mayor during his absence or disability, and in event of a vacancy for any reason in the office of mayor, he shall serve until a mayor is duly appointed by the council or is elected. The vice mayor shall continue to have all rights, privileges, powers, duties, and obligations of a councilman while performing the duties of mayor, during the absence or disability of the mayor of the town. In the absence of the mayor or vice mayor, the mayor may designate a member of the council to perform his duties.
H. The council shall, by ordinance, fix the time for their meetings, but shall have at least one meeting each month. Special meetings shall be called by the clerk at the instance of the mayor or any three members of the council, in writing; no business shall be transacted at a special meeting but that for which it shall be called, unless the council be unanimous. The meetings of the council shall be open to the public, except such meetings as may be permitted by general law to be closed.
I. The council shall keep a minute book, in which the clerk shall note the proceeding of the council, and shall record proceedings at large on the minute book and keep the same properly indexed.
J. The council may adopt rules for regulating its proceedings, but no tax shall be levied or corporate debt contracted, except by a vote of two-thirds of the council, four votes being counted as two-thirds, which vote shall be taken by "Yeas" and "Nays," and recorded in the minute book. It may appoint such committees as may be deemed proper for the transaction of business, and may compel attendance of absent members.
K. The council may require the mayor to communicate to it annually as soon after the close of the fiscal year, or more often, if necessary a general statement of the condition of the town in relation to its government, finances and improvements, with such recommendations as he may deem proper. He shall exercise a constant supervision over the conduct of all subordinate officers, have power and authority to investigate their acts, have access to all books and documents in their offices, and may examine such officer on oath. He shall have power to suspend all officers appointed by the council until the next regular meeting of the council, but such suspension shall, in all cases, be for misconduct in office or neglect of duty, to be specified in the order of suspension. In case of suspension of any officer, the mayor shall submit a written report of the same to the council at its next regular meeting, or any meeting called for that purpose, specifically designating the charge against the officer and reasons for dismissal, and in case of suspension by the mayor, he shall have power to appoint some other person in his place to hold such office and perform the duties thereof until the next regular meeting of the council.
L. Every ordinance passed by the council for the violation of which a penalty is imposed shall be published in such a way as the council may order, so as to give general publicity thereto, and no order may become effective until so published, either by handbills posted in at least two public places, or in a newspaper published and having general circulation in the town, except in the case of an emergency, in which instance the ordinance shall so state and shall become effective immediately upon its passage. If published by handbill, a certification of the posting thereof shall be made by the clerk or sergeant as to the time and place where the ordinance is recorded; provided, however, that after the expiration of six months from date of the passage of any ordinance, its publication shall not be questioned, or its validity affected by any failure to publish the same.
M. The council may, in addition to a town manager, appoint a town sergeant, a clerk and a treasurer. Such officers shall qualify and give bond, if any be required, in such amount as council may deem proper. Such officers shall perform those duties as council, from time to time, may prescribe by ordinance not inconsistent with the Constitution and general laws of this Commonwealth. The clerk of the council and the treasurer may be one and the same person in the discretion of the council.
N. The council may add penalties and interest, in an amount not to exceed that provided for, if any, by State law, for failure of any person or firm or corporation to pay taxes or licenses at the time provided for by ordinances of the council, and there shall be a lien for all taxes assessed which may be enforced as provided by general law of the Commonwealth.
O. The council shall issue no bonds or certificates of debt, except in anticipation of current revenue, until it shall have first submitted to the qualified voters of the town by a court ordered election on the question of whether or not such bonds shall be issued and a majority of the qualified voters voting at any election held for such purpose shall have voted for such issue. Such election shall be held as provided for by general laws of this Commonwealth including, specifically, § 24.1-165. A copy of the court order shall be published at least five days before the election in some newspaper published in the town or having general circulation therein. The publisher of the newspaper shall certify to the publication thereof, which certification shall be recorded in the minute book of the town.
P. The council may provide for a sinking fund for the purpose of paying off as it matures, any indebtedness of the town and may make an additional levy therefor, such sinking fund to be set aside and invested as provided for hereinafter.
When taxes on real and personal property are collected for the year, the town treasurer shall take therefrom the necessary amount of any additional sum, if any, so set apart, and deposit the same in a separate account to the credit of the sinking fund in such bank or banks as the council may designate.
All sinking funds shall be used exclusively in the payment or purchase and redemption of the outstanding bonds of the town, and when such sinking funds are not required or may not, within a reasonable time, be required for payment of any bond of the town, or cannot be used to advantage in purchase and redemption of any bond of the town, which may be outstanding, the same shall be securely invested in interest bearing municipal, State or U. S. government bonds or obligations, or invested in any security approved by the general laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia for investment of such funds. Such sinking funds may be used in the payment or redemption of all bonds of the town, at the discretion of the council.
The town council shall act as the sinking fund commission or committee and shall provide for the investment, deposit and application of the funds in conformity to the provisions of this charter; and may require any bank or banks receiving on deposit its revenues or any of its sinking fund a fidelity bond or other security.
Q. The council may provide for charging and collecting fees for permits to use public facilities and for public services and privileges. The town shall have the power and right to charge a different rate for any service rendered or convenience furnished to citizens without the corporate limits from the rates charged for similar services to citizens within the corporate limits.
R. The council may establish, regulate and control a department or division of fire.
S. The council may establish, regulate and control a department or division of police. (1979, c. 308; 1980, c. 70; 2003, cc. 659, 672; 2010, c. 173)
§ 5. Fixed term elections or appointments.
Whenever, under the provisions of this charter, any officer of the town or member of any board or commission is elected or appointed for a fixed term, such officer or member shall continue to hold office until his successor is appointed and qualified. (1979, c. 308)
§ 6. Validation of contracts.
All contracts and obligations heretofore or hereafter made by the council of the town of Gretna, while in office, not inconsistent with this charter, or the Constitution, or the general laws of this Commonwealth, shall be, and hereby are declared to be valid and legal. (1979, c. 308)
§ 7. Ordinances to continue in force.
All ordinances now in force in the town of Gretna, not inconsistent with this charter, shall be and remain in full force until altered, amended or repealed by the council of the town. (1979, c. 308)
§ 8. Severability of charter provisions.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this charter shall, for any reason, be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of the charter, but shall be confined in its operations to the clause, sentence, paragraph or part thereof, directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall be rendered. (1979, c. 308)
§ 9. Citation of charter.
This charter may for all purposes, be cited or referred to as the Town of Gretna Charter of 1979. (1979, c. 308)


India | Orissa | Puri
Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary
Nalaban Wildlife Sanctuary
Situated in the districts of Puri, Khordha and Ganjam of Orissa, Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary is known for its immaculate scenic beauty and rich bio-diversity. It is managed by the Forest Department of the Government of Orissa. The sanctuary, spread over an area of 1000 sq km, was established in 1987 with the aim to protect the wildlife in Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon. Due to its rich bio-diversity, the sanctuary is identified as a 'Ramsar Site'(a wetland of international importance).
Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary is a habitat for migratory birds and butterflies and protects endangered species such as blackbuck and spotted deer. Main attractions are lesser flamingos, grey and purple herons, egrets, spoonbills, storks and white ibis. Chilika Lake, Asia�s largest brackish water lake, supports a wide variety of fish, prawn, algae and aquatic plants.
The sanctuary is 50 km away from Puri city and 100 km away from Bhubaneswar. It is well connected to Chennai-Kolkata national highway. Chennai-Kolkata rail line passes along the western side of Chilika.
District: Khordha
Location: Puri


Proposal for H-1B visas to favour advanced US degrees underway
A proposal by the Trump administration to make changes to the current H-1B visa application process has come into the spotlight recently, sparking debate over whether or not it’s a fair move. This proposal is a result of United States President Donald Trump’s direction that urges companies and agencies to adopt a “Buy American, Hire American” strategy.
I wonder if they will get the pre-registration process in place prior to the 2019 H-1B application lottery or not. #H1B #Preregistration https://t.co/iXFYAyweT8
— Immigration Lawyer (@HSDImmigration) December 4, 2018
The H1-B visa, for those who are unaware, is a temporary visa in the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act that allows foreign workers to be employed in the country under a specialty occupation.
Specialty occupations are jobs which commonly require a bachelor’s degree or experience in that particular field. The visa is valid for three years, and then renewable for another three years, thus clearing a path to citizenship, making it most attractive to students intending to make a life for themselves in the United States after graduation.
The H1-B is known among international students in America for being difficult to obtain, as there is a limit to the number of visas given out each year. Therefore, not everyone who qualifies or applies will receive it, even if their employer is willing to sponsor them, and it ultimately comes down to the luck of the draw.
In the past, certain degrees were also favoured, mainly from the tech sector, making the odds even slimmer for those who don’t have degrees in that field. The rationale behind this was to fill the employment gap that employers faced in these fields.
The proposed changes might make it more difficult for tech companies who have relied heavily on filling their workforce with skilled workers from other countries, such as India. Top tech companies such as Google and Facebook hire tens of thousands of foreign workers each year under the H1-B visa. However, this will reduce the likelihood of these workers being underpaid or certain companies hiring unskilled workers, as the new process will make that near impossible.
The new process might negatively affect the tech industry’s workforce. Source: Shutterstock
Currently, the lottery for 20,000 H-1B visas given to advanced degree holders from US institutions are conducted first, then followed by the remaining 65,000 H-1B visas, open to anyone who intended to anyone who holds a bachelor’s degree and intends to take on a specialty occupation.
With the new proposed changes, the process will be changed in an effort to introduce a selection based on merit, according to USCIS. All registrations, including those from people eligible for the advanced degree exemption, will be included in the application pool for the regular cap of 65,000. Following that, USCIS will select from the remaining applicants to fill the degree cap.
What this means is that the number of H1-B holders who have advanced degrees from US universities will have a higher chance of obtaining the visa, potentially increasing the number of H-1B holders with these degrees to 16 percent, ensuring that “more of the best and brightest workers from around the world come to America”, according to CNN Business.
Another big change being proposed is to move the registration process online. Currently, US employers file a full H-1B petition for their applicants before lottery selections, but with the new ruling, employers must first register their applications online with USCIS during a designated registration period. Following this, if their applicants are selected for the visa lottery, they will need to prepare and submit the full application.
It is not clear if the new online system will be implemented before the next round of H-1B visa applications, set to be in April next year. Public comments on the proposed rule can be submitted from December 3 to January 2.
Where are Indian H-1B rejects heading?
Quiz: How well do you know the H-1B visa program?
Topics covered: US visas


Theiapolis > Cinema > Titles > T... > Th... > The... >
The Adventures of Pluto Nash2002
| Gallery | Quotes || The Adventures of Pluto Nash: DVD | Blu-Ray | Collectibles
Directed by Ron Underwood, "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" (also known as "Pluto Nash", "Pluto Nash - Im Kampf gegen die Mondmafia") is a Comedy/Action/Science Fiction film, released on August 16 of 2002 in the USA , starring Eddie Murphy, Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Joe Pantoliano, Jay Mohr and Luis Guzmán.
The Man On The Moon
Who directed "The Adventures of Pluto Nash":
The Adventures of Pluto Nash was directed by Ron Underwood, an American director, writer, and producer.
Before The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Ron Underwood had directed Mighty Joe Young, released in 1998, Speechless (1994), Heart and Souls (1993), City Slickers (1991), Tremors (1990). Since, he directed In the Mix, released in 2005.
When was "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" released:
The Adventures of Pluto Nash was first released on Friday, August 16, 2002, in the United States.. This was sixteen (16) years ago.
It has been released on Friday, August 30, 2002 in the United Kingdom; Friday, August 16, 2002 in Canada; Wednesday, August 21, 2002 in France; Thursday, May 22, 2003 in Germany; Friday, November 29, 2002 in Italy; Friday, August 23, 2002 in Spain; Thursday, August 22, 2002 in Australia and on Saturday, May 17, 2003 in Japan.
What is the cast of "The Adventures of Pluto Nash":
At the casting of The Adventures of Pluto Nash we find Eddie Murphy, previously seen in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and Shrek (2001); Randy Quaid (The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000), The Debtors (1999)); Rosario Dawson (Men in Black II (2002), The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest (2002)) [ more... ]
Peter Boyle and John Cleese can be seen in Yellowbeard, released in 1983.
Eddie Murphy and John Cleese also worked together in Shrek 2, released in 2004.
John Cleese and Eddie Murphy can also be seen in Shrek the Third, released in 2007.
What is the Storyline of "The Adventures of Pluto Nash":
In 2080, on a Moon colony called Little America, a retired smuggler called Pluto Nash (Eddie Murphy) buys a nightclub, in an attempt to fulfill a longtime wish of his. Additionally, this prevents the murder by ingestion of battery acid of the club's previous owner, Anthony Frankowski (Jay Mohr) by mobsters Gino (Burt Young) and Larry (Lillo Brancato) whom Anthony owed money to. Seven years later, "Club Pluto" has become a successful business, frequented by many socialites. Its staff consists of Pluto [...]
No message has yet been posted about The Adventures of Pluto Nash.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash ➤ Message Board
Luis Guzmán
The Adventures of Pluto Nash ➤ Cast
New HD Pictures from "The Adventures of Tintin", a film by Steven Spielberg
2 messages - «The Adventures of Tintin» (also known as "De avonturen van Kuifje - Het geheim van de Eenhoorn", "Les aventures de Tintin...
New Photos from "The Adventures of Tintin", a film by Steven Spielberg
1 message - Directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish and Hergé, «The Adventures of Tintin» (also...
Updated HD Gallery for "The Adventures of Tintin", a film by Steven Spielberg
1 message - Starring Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, Cary Elwes, Andy Serkis, Nick Frost and Jamie Bell, «The Adventures of Tintin» (also known as "De...
HD images of "Captain Haddock" from "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011), a film by Steven Spielberg
[PHOTO GALLERY] "The Adventures of Tintin", a film by Steven Spielberg
( 2003 )The Adventures of Ociee Nash
Directed by: K. McGary, starring S. Day, A. P. Rodriguez, B. Butler, K. Carradine...
( 1983 )The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew
Directed by: R. Moranis, D. Thomas, starring D. Thomas, R. Moranis, M. von Sydow, P. Dooley...
The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun
Directed by: P. Jackson
Resources: Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Wikipedia and contributions from movie fans. Anyone can submit additionnal information and corrections, you can post a message into the forum, or you can contact me by e-mail. Information and materials are submitted by users and thus may not always contain up-to-date and correct information, so do not hesite to report mistakes, and submit corrections.Thank you!. Direct editing is no longer available, sorry.
This page includes a "Storyline" from Wikipedia (EN) which is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.


The Other America
A young man, who had emigrated from India, stood up hesitantly, then fearlessly asked the famous author on the stage, “Could you please share some of your experiences and offer advice as to how to transition between Indian and American cultures?” Nilanjana Sudeshna Lahiri, who goes by Jhumpa, smiled at the questioner and her audience before stating that she had grown up American and her experiences of navigating cultures could be found in her stories and writings.
From a hospitably crowded pew in Hendricks Chapel on a cold night on the Syracuse University campus, I thought about the “other America,” the one disparaged for its diversity, by the current U.S. President. Hendricks Chapel that evening was filled to capacity with Americans of every color and shade on the planet. What distinguished this crowd from the America painted by Trump and his ardent supporters was not skin color alone, however, but a curiosity of intellect, a willingness to listen to others, an empathy and understanding of humanity that runs wide and deep. While people’s experiences in the hushed chapel were varied, everyone shared a common concern for the redefinitions of America and Americans under the new president. Even if that concern was quiet and reflective, not posed in anger or vitriol, the Americans in Hendricks Chapel were determined not to let ignorance and fear, bigotry and animosity define them.
We had all arrived at Hendricks to hear Lahiri read from her new work In Other Words and to listen to her speak about language and how it shapes and suggests. We were present for a journey through cultural, philosophical, and intellectual waters all the way to Italy, as Jhumpa recounted her experiments in a language other than English.
Lahiri, who was born in England to parents originally from India, came to America when she was only two years old; she became an American citizen at 18 years. We are fortunate, indeed, to claim her as an American author—this Princeton University professor, winner of the O. Henry Award, the Pen/Hemmingway Award, and nominee for the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize, among many other distinguishing recognitions for her achievements. Lahiri is also, very much, a citizen of the world, living much of the year in Rome, Italy, where she pursues her love of the Italian language and culture that competes and struggles with her love of her American culture and English language.
A young teacher, originally from Cuba, sat to my right, and spoke with me at the end of Lahiri’s discussion about his students who were struggling with a much more basic command of their native language. Beside me sat a dear friend, originally from Ireland, but who had lived in France and knew multiple languages of the world, before coming to America to raise her family and teach American children French. In the pew behind me were Syracuse University students who had come out of curiosity and desire to learn, as much as for their course requirements. Not everyone in the audience could afford to buy Lahiri’s new book, but all of us made the time during the evening to listen and learn.
Driving home from the event with Lahiri’s In Other Words on the passenger seat of my car, I thought about the petulant words of Donald Trump in his tweet to America on the cusp of the New Year, his jeering comment, “including my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do.” It is almost impossible to comprehend an American President claiming openly that more than half of the American electorate are his “enemies.” Needing scapegoats for societal ills, including mechanization and robotics replacing human jobs, Trump and his campaigners found those targets in Mexicans and Muslims, in women and girls, in black Americans and recent immigrants, legal immigrants, as well as those undocumented. Some in Trump’s Cabinet and those closest to his ears also targeted Jews, but more subtly, at first. Trump’s Executive Order on immigration restrictions, banning those from seven countries (but not those predominantly Muslim countries where Trump has business dealings), was dishonorably conceived, inherently unconstitutional, and poorly rolled out. It served, however, to deepen the divide in the United States of America. Of course, the irony is apparent in that Trump’s grandfather was an immigrant. There are no citizens in the United States, except American Indians, who are not the sons and daughters of immigrants a generation or several back. We all came from other shores.
The people gathered at Hendricks Chapel that evening were not elites in the Trump campaign’s sense of the word, regarding class, but they are elite in the meaning of the word that is “the choice, the best” because there were people who were thinkers and doers, thoughtful, tolerant, kind, and generous.
Although the Trump presidency still fills me with dread and discomfort, I left Lahiri’s talk inspired by her bravery, as well as the daring of those other Americans who were recent immigrants. Long after hearing Lahiri’s quiet, lyrical voice and words, I thought about the metaphor of her “black sweater,” comparing that garment to her language, about what a language means to both identity and understanding of others. I may be saddened by the increasingly sharp divide among Americans, yet I remain hopeful that the American ideal is still alive, still inclusive, and even if not exactly exceptional, America, even in her flaws and fallibility, is still preeminent in her peoples who have hailed from all over this Earth.
by Nancy Dafoe
Previous Post: Open Letter to Claudia Tenney
Next Post: Where’d all these elephants come from?


Rodney W. Casler
LOUDONVILLE - Rodney W. Casler, age 49, resident of Loudonville, Ohio, died Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at his home surrounded by his family.
Born February 24, 1970, in Ashland, Ohio, he was the son of Roger E. and Ruth A. (Palser) Casler. Rodney had been a resident of the Loudonville-Perrysville area all his life and was a 1989 graduate of Loudonville High School. He worked at Mohican Reservation and Loudonville Canoe Livery for 15 years, retiring in 2016. He was also the owner/operator of Redbird Country Towing for several years. He was so proud of that wrecker! Rodney was good at working with his hands and could fix just about anything.
Rodney's favorite pastimes were spending time with his wife and family, hunting, fishing and camping. He was a loving, ornery jokester who brightened the lives of his family and friends. He loved buying and selling anything and everything because he was a "Wheeler-Dealer" and smooth talker. He was deeply devoted to his parents, wife, children and grandchildren, and they were devoted to him also.
Rodney is survived by his wife, Sherri J. Brothers Casler, whom he married on November 10, 2001; son, Zachery J. Casler (Bethany M. Miller); daughter-in-law, Christina R. Casler; stepson, William J. (BJ) Mondragon; two daughters, Ruthie M. and Julia R. Casler; two grandchildren, Joseph "Joey" L. Casler and Lillyann V. Blair; mother, Ruth A. Casler; two brothers, Timothy (Kim) Casler and Ronald (Rose) Casler; sister, Trinia K. Casler; aunts, Patricia Ash and Sylvia Hudson; uncles, Bob Palser and John Palser; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Roger E. Casler; father-in-law, Pete (Orman) Brothers; two brothers, Joseph L. Casler and Michael Casler; sister, Larissa Taylor; and grandparents, Rev. Edwin Casler, Edith P. Barrier Casler, Cloyd F. Palser and Ruth Margaret Hively Palser.
There will be no visitation. A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 20, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. at the Perrysville Baptist Church with Rev. Howdie Burnett officiating. The Diamond Street Home of Wappner Funeral Directors is privileged to serve the family.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the family at www.wappner.com