Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word (Middle English pophyn) for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters. The Atlantic puffin acquired the name much later, possibly because of its similar nesting habits.
On Skomer
Recording from Skomer Island, Wales
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Order: Procellariiformes
Family: Procellariidae
Genus: Puffinus
P. puffinus
Puffinus puffinus
(Brünnich, 1764)
Breeding colonies
Non-breeding visitor
(ranges are approximate)
Procellaria puffinus Brünnich, 1764
2.1 Voice
3 Distribution and habitat
4 Behaviour
4.1 Breeding
4.2 Food and feeding
4.3 Rafting
5 Predators and parasites
7 In culture
TaxonomyEdit
The shearwaters form part of the family Procellariidae, a widespread group containing nearly 100 species of medium to large seabirds. They have long, narrow wings and the characteristic “tube nose”.[2] The large genus Puffinus includes several species formerly considered to be subspecies of the Manx shearwater, including the yelkouan shearwater, Balearic shearwater, Hutton's shearwater, black-vented shearwater, fluttering shearwater,[3] Townsend's shearwater and the Hawaiian shearwater.[4][5] Of these, the Hawaiian and possibly Townsend's shearwaters seem to be most closely related to the Manx shearwater.[4]
Three extinct species appear to be closely related to the Manx shearwater, the lava shearwater,[6] the dune shearwater and Scarlett's shearwater.[7][8] DNA recovered from the lava shearwater of the Canary Islands suggests that it is the Manx shearwater's sister species despite being significantly smaller.[9]
The Manx shearwater was first described by Danish zoologist Morten Thrane Brünnich as Procellaria puffinus in 1764.[3][10] The current scientific name Puffinus derives from "puffin" and its variants, such as poffin, pophyn, and puffing,[11] which referred to the cured carcass of the fat nestling of the shearwater, a former delicacy.[12] The original usage dates from at least 1337, but from as early as 1678, the term gradually came to be used for another seabird, the Atlantic puffin.[11] The current English name was first recorded in 1835 and refers to the former nesting of this species on the Isle of Man.[13]
DescriptionEdit
Flying in Iceland
The Manx shearwater is 30–38 cm (12–15 in) with a 76–89 cm (30–35 in) wingspan and weighs 350–575 g (12.3–20.3 oz).[3] It has the typically "shearing" flight of the genus, dipping from side to side on stiff wings with few wingbeats, the wingtips almost touching the water. This bird looks like a flying cross, with its wings held at right angles to the body, and it changes from black to white as the black upper parts and white under sides are alternately exposed as it travels low over the sea.
VoiceEdit
This shearwater is mainly silent at sea, even when birds are gathered off the breeding colonies. It calls on its nocturnal visits to the nesting burrows in flight, on the ground, and in the burrows, although moonlight depresses the amount of calling. The vocalisations largely consists of a raucous series of croons, howls, and screams, typically in groups of a few syllables, which become weaker and throatier. The male has some clear ringing and shrieking tones absent from the harsher repertoire of the female, the difference being obvious when a pair duets. Females can recognise the voice of their mates, but not of their young.[3][14] They do not provide postnesting care, and a chick in their burrow is likely their own, so voice identification is not needed.[15]
VisionEdit
Each retina of the Manx shearwater has one fovea and an elongated strip of high photoreceptor density. The pecten has many blood vessels and appears to keep the retina supplied with nutrients.[16]
The vision of the Manx shearwater has a number of adaptations to its way of life. Like other tube-nosed seabirds, it has a long, narrow area of visual sensitivity containing the fovea across the retina of the eye.[17] This region is characterised by the presence of ganglion cells that are regularly arrayed and larger than those found in the rest of the retina. This feature helps in the detection of items in a small area projecting below and around the bill. It may assist in the detection of prey near the sea surface as a bird flies low over it.[18]
Since it visits its breeding colony at night, a shearwater has adaptations for nocturnal vision, too. In the shearwater's eyes, the lens does most of the bending of light necessary to produce a focused image on the retina. The cornea, the outer covering of the eye, is relative flat, so of low refractive power. In a diurnal bird like a pigeon, the reverse is true; the cornea is highly curved and is the principal refractive component. The ratio of refraction by the lens to that by the cornea is 1.6 for the shearwater and 0.4 for the pigeon. The shorter focal length of shearwater eyes give them a smaller, but brighter, image than is the case for pigeons. Although the Manx shearwater has adaptations for night vision, the effect is small, and these birds likely also use smell and hearing to locate their nests.[19]
Distribution and habitatEdit
The Manx shearwater is entirely marine, typically flying within 10 m (30 ft) of the sea surface. It nests in burrows on small islands, which it visits only at night.[20] Its nesting colonies are in the north Atlantic Ocean in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, France, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Azores, Canary Islands, and Madeira. The most important colonies, with a total of more than 300,000 pairs, are on islands off Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Three-quarters of the British and Irish birds breed on just three islands; Skomer, Skokholm, and Rùm. Around 7000–9000 pairs breed in Iceland, with at least 15,000 pairs on the Faeroes. Other populations are of at most a few hundred pairs. The northeast of North America has recently been colonised from Newfoundland and Labrador to Massachusetts; although breeding was first recorded in 1973, populations remain small. Records in the northeast Pacific are increasing, and breeding has been suspected in British Columbia and Alaska.[3][21]
During the breeding season birds regularly commute between their colony and offshore feeding grounds that can be up to 1,500 km away.[22] For example, adult Manx shearwaters rearing their chick on the west coast of Ireland have been observed to travel all the way to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to feed when the conditions are right.[22]
The breeding colonies are deserted from July to March, when the birds migrate to the South Atlantic, wintering mainly off Brazil and Argentina, with smaller numbers off southwest South Africa.[23] The journey south can be over 10,000 km (6,000 mi),[24] so a 50-year-old bird has probably covered over a million km (600,000 mi) on migration alone. The migration also appears to be quite complex, containing many stopovers and foraging zones throughout the Atlantic Ocean.[25] Ornithologist Chris Mead estimated that a bird ringed in 1957 when aged about 5 years and still breeding on Bardsey Island off Wales in April 2002 had flown over 8 million km (5 million mi) in total during its 50-year life.[26]
Manx shearwaters are able to fly directly back to their burrows when released hundreds of kilometres away, even inland.[27]
BehaviourEdit
Manx shearwaters are long-lived birds. A Manx shearwater breeding on Copeland Island, Northern Ireland, was as of 2003/04, the oldest known living wild bird in the world: ringed as an adult (at least 5 years old) in July 1953, it was retrapped in July 2003, at least 55 years old.[28]
This is a gregarious species, which can be seen in large numbers from boats or headlands, especially on migration in autumn. It is silent at sea, but at night, the breeding colonies are alive with raucous cackling calls.
BreedingEdit
Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden
Although shearwaters return to the breeding colonies from March onwards, the females often then leave again for 2–3 weeks before egg-laying in early May. Males return to the colonies in which they were hatched, but up to half of females may move elsewhere. The nest is a burrow, often previously excavated by a European rabbit, although shearwaters can dig their own holes. Suitable holes under rocks may also be used. The burrows may be reused in subsequent years.[3]
The single white egg averages 61 x 42 mm (2.4 x 1.7 in) and weighs 57 g (2.0 oz) of which 7% is shell.[29]
Food and feedingEdit
The Manx shearwater feeds on small fish (herrings, sprats, and sand eels), crustaceans, cephalopods, and surface offal. The bird catches food off the surface or by pursuit diving, and forages alone or in small flocks. It can be attracted by feeding cetaceans, but rarely follows boats or associates with other shearwater species.[3]
Tube-nosed seabirds can detect food items at a distance of several tens of kilometres using their sense of smell to detect offal and compounds such as dimethyl sulfoxide produced when phytoplankton is consumed by krill. They track across the wind until they find a scent and then follow it upwind to its origin.[30]
Rafting, a common behaviour in shearwaters
RaftingEdit
Manx shearwaters engage in a behaviour termed "rafting", where birds sit, often in large groups of more than 10,000, on the water adjacent to their Skomer Island, breeding colony before and after visiting their chicks. Rafts move closer to the island during the night and further away in the morning which produces a "halo" effect - where no birds are found close to the island during daylight. These day-night cycles of rafting distributions are prominent for Manx shearwaters around Skomer Island and might provide a way of waiting for dusk that reduces predation risk.[31]
Predators and parasitesEdit
Because of their lack of mobility on land, Manx shearwaters are vulnerable to attack by large gulls, such as the great black-backed gull,[32] and great skua.[33] Birds of prey such as the peregrine falcon and golden eagle are also recorded as killing adult birds.[34]
Rats and cats are a serious problem where they are present; the large shearwater colony on the Calf of Man was destroyed by rats that arrived from a shipwreck in the late 18th century.[35] European hedgehogs eat the eggs of nesting seabirds where they have been introduced.[33] Red deer have been recorded killing and eating young shearwaters on at least Foula, Skokholm, and Rùm; on the latter island, 4% of the chicks are killed by deer, and sheep have also been involved.[36] The reason for the carnivorous behaviour is thought to be a need for extra calcium.[37]
Manx shearwaters frequently carry feather lice (Mallophaga) most of which are either the feather-eaters in the groups Ischnocera, or Amblycera, which also consume blood. The most common are the ischnocerans Halipeurus diversus and Trabeculus aviator. The nests of breeding birds frequently contain the shearwater flea; Ornithopsylla laetitiae is also commonly present, which shares a common ancestry with North American rabbit fleas.[38] Where their burrows are near those of Atlantic puffins, the tick Ixodes uriae is common.[39] The mite Neotrombicula autumnalis is often present, and has been implicated in spreading puffinosis.[39] Puffinosis is a viral disease of in which young birds get blisters on their feet, conjunctivitis, and problems with movement. The death rate can reach 70% in infected birds.[40][41] Internal parasites include the tapeworm Tetrabothrius cylindricus.[42]
StatusEdit
The European population of the Manx shearwater has been estimated at 350,000–390,000 breeding pairs or 1,050,000–1,700,000 individual birds, and makes up 95% of the world total numbers. Although this species' population now appears to be declining, the decrease is not rapid or large enough to trigger conservation vulnerability criteria. Given its high numbers, this shearwater is therefore classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being of least concern.[1]
In the north of its range, numbers are stable and the range is expanding, but human activities are affecting populations in the Macaronesian islands in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. These include birds stranded when dazzled by artificial lighting. As with other shearwaters and petrels, newly fledged Manx shearwaters are susceptible to grounding in built-up areas due to artificial light. The moon cycle and strong onshore winds largely influence grounding events in west Scotland, and visibility conditions to a lesser extent.[43] Around 1000–5000 chicks a year are legally taken for food in the Faroes. Introduced mammals are a problem, although populations can recover when rats and cats are removed from islands. Rabbits may try to occupy burrows, but also dig new tunnels.[3]
In cultureEdit
The large chicks of the Manx shearwater are very rich in oil from their fish diet and have been eaten since prehistoric times. They are easily extricated from their burrows, and the annual crop from the Calf of Man may have been as high as 10,000 birds per year in the 17th century. The young birds were also eaten in Ireland, Scotland, and the Scottish islands.[44]
The eerie, nocturnal cries of nesting shearwaters and petrels has led to associations with the supernatural. The breeding colonies at Trollaval on Rùm and Trøllanes and Trøllhøvdi in the Faroe Islands are believed to have acquired their troll associations from the night-time clamour.[45]
^ a b BirdLife International (2012). "Puffinus puffinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013. old-form url
^ Hoyo, Josep del; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David A; de Juana, Eduardo, eds. (2013). "Procellariidae: Petrels, Shearwaters". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 14 December 2014. (subscription required)
^ a b c d e f g h Hoyo, Josep del; Elliott, Andrew; Sargatal, Jordi; Christie, David A; de Juana, Eduardo, eds. (2013). "Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 11 October 2014. (subscription required)
^ a b Austin, Jeremy J; Bretagnolle, Vincent; Pasquet, Eric (2004). "A global molecular phylogeny of the small Puffinus shearwaters and implications for systematics of the Little-Audubon's Shearwater complex" (PDF). Auk. 121 (3): 847–864. doi:10.2307/4090321. JSTOR 4090321.
^ Murphy, Robert Cushman (1952). "The Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, as a species of world-wide distribution" (PDF). American Museum Novitates. 1586: 1–21.
^ Rando, J C; Alcover, J A (2008). "Evidence for a second western Palaearctic seabird extinction during the last Millennium: the Lava Shearwater Puffinus olsoni". Ibis. 150 (1): 188–192. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2007.00741.x. hdl:10261/85855.
^ Rando, Juan Carlos & Alcover, Josep Antoni (2009). "On the extinction of the Dune Shearwater (Puffinus holeae) from the Canary Islands". Journal of Ornithology. 151 (2): 365–369. doi:10.1007/s10336-009-0463-6.
^ Holdaway, R N; Worthy, T H (1994). "A new fossil species of shearwater Puffinus from the Late Quaternary of the South Island, New Zealand, and notes on the biogeography and evolution of the Puffinus gavia superspecies". Emu. 94 (3): 201–215. doi:10.1071/mu9940201.
^ Ramirez, O; Illera, J C; Rando, J C; Gonzalez-Solis, J; Alcover, J A; Lalueza-Fox, C (2010). "Ancient DNA of the extinct Lava Shearwater (Puffinus olsoni) from the Canary Islands reveals incipient differentiation within the P. puffinus complex". PLoS ONE. 5 (12): e16072. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016072. PMC 3013140. PMID 21209838.
^ Brunnich, Morten Thrane (1764). Ornithologia Borealis (in Latin). Hafniae. p. 29.
^ a b "Puffin". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 December 2014. (subscription required)
^ Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4. p. 323.
^ "Manx". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 December 2014. (subscription required)
^ Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-854099-1.
^ Brooke, Michael (2010). The Manx Shearwater. Poyser Monographs. London. ISBN 978-1408137536. p. 195.
^ Schematic diagram of retina of right eye, loosely based on Sturkie (1998) p. 6.
^ Güntürkün, Onur, "Structure and functions of the eye" in Sturkie (1998) pp. 1–18.
^ Hayes, Brian (1991). "Novel area serving binocular vision in the retinae of procellariiform seabirds". Brain, Behavior and Evolution. 37 (2): 79–84. doi:10.1159/000114348. PMID 2054586.
^ Martin, Graham R; Brooke, M de L (1991). "The eye of a procellariiform seabird, the Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus: Visual fields and optical structure". Brain, Behavior and Evolution. 37 (2): 65–78. doi:10.1159/000114347. PMID 2054585.
^ Snow, David; Perrins, Christopher M., eds. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic concise edition (2 volumes). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-854099-1. pp. 51–52.
^ Goettel, Beth (8 September 2009). "Manx Shearwaters decide National Wildlife Refuge is perfect place to raise a chick". U S Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
^ a b Wischnewski, Saskia; Arneill, Gavin E.; Bennison, Ashley W.; Dillane, Eileen; Poupart, Timothée A.; Hinde, Camilla A.; Jessopp, Mark J.; Quinn, John L. (2019-05-01). "Variation in foraging strategies over a large spatial scale reduces parent–offspring conflict in Manx shearwaters". Animal Behaviour. 151: 165–176. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.014. ISSN 0003-3472.
^ Onley, Derek; Scofield, Paul (2007). Albatrosses, Petrels and Shearwaters of the World (Helm Field Guides). London: Christopher Helm. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-7136-4332-9. pp. 202–203.
^ Guilford, T G; Meade, J; Willis, J; Phillips, R A; Boyle, D; Roberts, S; Collett, M; Freeman, R; Perrins, C M (2009). "Migration and stopover in a small pelagic seabird, the Manx shearwater Puffinus puffinus: insights from machine learning". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 276 (1660): 1215–1223. doi:10.1098/rspb.2008.1577. PMC 2660961. PMID 19141421.
^ Freeman, R.; Dean, B.; Kirk, H.; Leonard, K.; Phillips, R. A.; Perrins, C. M.; Guilford, T. (2013). "Predictive ethoinformatics reveals the complex migratory behaviour of a pelagic seabird, the Manx Shearwater". Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 10 (84): 20130279. doi:10.1098/rsif.2013.0279. PMC 3673166. PMID 23635496.
^ "Oldest bird clocks 5 million miles". CNN.com. 18 April 2002. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
^ Birkhead (2012) pp. 168–172.
^ Jacquie A. Clark; Robert A. Robinson; Dawn E. Balmer; Sue Y. Adams; Mark P. Collier; Mark J. Grantham; Jeremy R. Blackburn & Bridget M. Griffin (2004). "Bird ringing in Britain and Ireland in 2003". Ringing and Migration. 22 (2): 114. doi:10.1080/03078698.2004.9674318.
^ "Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus [Brünnich, 1764]". BirdFacts. British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Retrieved 17 January 2015.
^ Richards, Cerren; Padget, Oliver; Guilford, Tim; Bates, Amanda E. (2019-10-21). "Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) rafting behaviour revealed by GPS tracking and behavioural observations". PeerJ. 7: e7863. doi:10.7717/peerj.7863. ISSN 2167-8359. PMID 31656697.
^ "Skomer Island: Manx Shearwater Factsheet" (PDF). The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
^ a b Heaney, V; Ratcliffe, N; Brown, A; Robinson, P J; Lock, L (2002). "The status and distribution of European storm-petrels Hydrobates pelagicus and Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus on the isles of Scilly" (PDF). Atlantic Seabirds. 4 (1): 1–15.
^ Wormell, P (1965). "Manx Shearwaters and other sea-birds as prey of Peregrines and Golden Eagles" (PDF). British Birds. 58 (4): 149.
^ "Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
^ Brooke (2010) p. ix.
^ Furness, R W (1988). "Predation on ground-nesting seabirds by island populations of red deer Cervus elaphus and sheep Ovis". Journal of Zoology. 216 (3): 565–573. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1988.tb02451.x.
^ Rothschild & Clay (1957) p. 63.
^ a b Brooke (2010) pp. 16–17.
^ Harris, M P (1965). "Puffinosis among Manx Shearwaters on Skokholm" (PDF). British Birds. 58 (10): 426–434.
^ Macdonald, J W; McMartin, D A; Walker, K G; Carins, M; Dennis, R H (1967). "Puffinosis in Fulmars in Orkney and Shetland" (PDF). British Birds. 60 (9): 356–360.
^ Rothschild, Miriam; Clay, Theresa (1957). Fleas, Flukes and Cuckoos. A study of bird parasites. New York: Macmillan. p. 197.
^ Syposz, M.; Gonçalves, F.; Carty, M.; Hoppitt, W.; Manco, F. (2018). "Factors influencing Manx Shearwater grounding on the west coast of Scotland" (PDF). Ibis. 160 (4): 846–854. doi:10.1111/ibi.12594.
^ Cocker, Mark; Mabey, Richard (2005). Birds Britannica. Chatto & Windus. ISBN 978-0-7011-6907-7. pp. 21–24.
^ Cocker, Mark; Tipling, David (2013). Birds and People. London =: :Jonathan Cape=. ISBN 978-0224081740. pp. 104–106.
Sturkie, P D (1998). Sturkie's Avian Physiology. 5th Edition. Academic Press, San Diego. ISBN 978-0-12-747605-6. OCLC 162128712.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Puffinus puffinus.
BTO BirdFacts – Manx shearwater
for the Copeland bird ringed in 1953:
Copeland Bird Observatory
for the Bardsey Island bird ringed in 1957:
Bardsey Island Bird Observatory
Wildlife Britain news
Song of the Manx shearwater – a British Library sound recording.
Flickr Field Guide Birds of the World Photographs
VIREO images
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Manx_shearwater&oldid=932549204"


Big govt, International, Politics
Mexico Plans “Free Zones” To Stop Illegal Immigration
Newly inaugurated Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has a plan to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, and it doesn’t include a border wall. Rather, he intends to declare certain areas that are “no man’s land” as economic “free zones.” The goal for these 15-mile wide, 2,000-mile zones is to help reduce the incentive for Mexicans to emigrate to the U.S. The higher price point for goods and services in this zone could also make the trek less feasible for Central American would-be illegal immigrants. It’s an interesting theory. We’ll see how that works out.
Here’s more from The Daily Wire…
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has unveiled a new plan to curtail illegal immigration to the United States by focusing on creating economic “free zones” along the U.S.-Mexico border.
López Obrador, a leftist, announced the Tax Incentive Decree for the Northern Border Region which will create free zones near the border that are over 15 miles wide and will reportedly encompass approximately 2,000 miles. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the free zones will:
reduce income taxes from 30 percent to 20 percent
slash the Value Added Tax for goods coming into the country from 16 percent to 8 percent
boost the minimum wage 100 percent to 176 pesos ($8.80), and
make fuel prices the same as those in the the U.S.
Big govt, International, Issues, War on Terror
Enforcing Immigration Laws Decimating MS-13
Long Island law enforcement is reporting that its war against MS-13 is making meaningful gains thanks in no small part to community policing and support from the federal government. According to a Newsday report, only four homicides tied to MS-13 were reported in 2018 compared with a staggering 14 in the previous calendar year. “Suffolk County has waged war against MS-13, and our comprehensive strategy to eradicate this violent gang from Long Island is working,” reported New York’s Suffolk County Police Department. “This dramatic reduction is a result of great policing, expanded community outreach and leveraging governmental partnerships to bring in additional resources to combat gang violence.” Read more..
Here’s more from Fox News…
The ongoing state and Trump administration crackdown against MS-13 in one of their most infamous strongholds has taken such a toll on the gang that they’ve only been linked to a single murder in the area during 2018.
Police in Long Island – a part of New York that has been a hotbed for violent crime at the hands of MS-13 – told Newsday that four homicides recorded there in 2018 appeared to be linked to the gang, down from 14 the year prior. Yet only one of those murders is said to have occurred this year. The other three cases were killings believed to have happened in 2015 and 2017, but they were counted in 2018 totals since the bodies were found within the past 12 months.
“Suffolk County has waged war against MS-13 and our comprehensive strategy to eradicate this violent gang from Long Island is working,” the Suffolk County Police Department told Fox News in a statement Monday. “This dramatic reduction is a result of great policing, expanded community outreach and leveraging governmental partnerships to bring in additional resources to combat gang violence.”
Oakland Mayor Foils ICE Raid, Insists She “Did the Right Thing”
Recall when Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf gained notoriety early in 2018 for warning illegal immigrants in California about a scheduled ICE raid. In a recent Buzzfeed interview, Schaaf reported that she has “no regrets” over her stunt and blasted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for going “astray.” Due to Schaaf’s revelation, more than 900 illegal immigrants remained “at large in the community” according to follow-up reports from ICE. At the time, Schaaf defended her actions, arguing, “How could I live with myself if it came to be that my sharing this information could have kept a family together?” Read more…
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf — who once warned Northern California residents about an impending ICE raid — said she has “no regrets” for her actions and said the federal immigration agency “has gone astray.”
“I have no regrets, none. The more time goes by, the more certain I feel that I did the right thing in standing up for our community and pointing out our values are not aligned with our laws,” Schaff told BuzzFeed in an interview. “That’s hopefully the message that is sent out.”
“I have no regrets, none. The more time goes by, the more certain I feel that I did the right thing in standing up for our community and pointing out our values are not aligned with our laws.”
— Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
Big govt, International, Issues, Politics
The Generosity of Americans
Nine days ago (at this writing), Iraq War veteran and triple amputee Brian Kolfage launched a GoFundMe page to help build the wall on the United States southern border with Mexico. In a week and a half, Kolfage has raised over $17 million (toward his stated goal of $1 billion) with gifts from over 285,000 people.
The explosion of support for Kolfage’s grassroots fundraising has gotten a great deal of attention, not all of it positive, needless to say. On my own Facebook and Twitter feeds, I read many snarky posts to the effect of, “Oh, sure — these people can give money for a wall but can’t donate funds to help (veterans/the poor/the disabled/fill in your cause of choice here).”
This — like so many pronouncements on the shortcomings of Americans these days — is not just false but a staggering distortion of reality. Perhaps because I teach entrepreneurship, I am well aware of America’s long history of philanthropy. America’s entrepreneurs have always been generous with their wealth — and we have countless universities, civic institutions and medical facilities as proof. Americans as a rule are among the most generous people on Earth, giving to support hundreds and thousands of causes each year — a fact that the esteemed Smithsonian noted when it launched its Philanthropy Initiative in 2015, by which its curators sought “to document, preserve, interpret, and exhibit … the role of philanthropy in American history, as well as the role of Americans in encouraging and using philanthropy throughout the world.”
According to the Giving USA Foundation, which publishes an annual report of charitable giving, Americans gave over $410 billion in 2017, 2.1 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. This was a record-breaking amount — the first time that annual charitable giving crossed the $400 billion mark — and substantially in excess of the $389 billion record set in 2016.
The report reveals other important data about Americans’ charitable inclinations and debunks popular myths propagated by those whose political machinations depend upon characterizing Americans as “selfish” and “greedy.” For example, individuals — not foundations or even corporations — constitute the largest number of givers, representing 70 percent of all gifts. Individual gifts increased by 5.2 percent in 2017 to an estimated $286.65 billion. That said, corporate giving increased by 8 percent to an estimated $20.77 billion, and $405 million of those funds was earmarked for victims of natural and manmade disasters.
Furthermore, Americans’ generosity is directed to an extraordinarily broad spectrum of causes. Eight of the nine types of charitable subsectors tracked by the Giving USA Foundation saw substantial increases in 2017: religious charities (up 2.9 percent), education (up 6.2 percent), human services (up 5.1 percent), health organizations (up 7.3 percent), public-society benefit organizations (up 7.8 percent), organizations that promote the arts, humanities and culture (up 8.7 percent), environmental and animal welfare organizations (up 7.2 percent) and foundations (up 15.5 percent).
Experts quoted by Giving USA cited the booming economy as a primary reason for the increase in giving in 2017 and predicted that the tax cuts that went into effect in 2017 would have a multiplier effect on giving in 2018 as well. Dr. Amir Pasic, the Eugene R. Tempel dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPIU, said, “Some of our most fortunate citizens are using their wealth to make some significant contributions to the common good.” In fact, 91 percent of high net worth individuals gave to charity last year — at an average of over $25,509 per household.
This flies in the face of the popular sloganeering that Americans who benefit from tax cuts are greedy and want those less fortunate to suffer. Increased prosperity in the United States results in increased generosity. (It’s worth mentioning here that while corporate pre-tax profits rose by 4.1 percent in 2017, corporate charitable giving rose by nearly double that percentage.)
But it is not only wealthy individuals and families who give generously; middle-class and lower-income Americans do as well. Average household giving among middle- and lower-income families was over $2,200 last year — another record. Nor is it a white phenomenon: African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and other minorities have a strong history of philanthropy in this country.
Keep in mind that the $410 billion figure cited above is for one year. Americans have given over $350 billion a year every year since 2014, over $300 billion a year since 2005 and over $200 billion since 2000, according to Giving USA. In other words, Americans have given over $5 trillion in charitable donations just since the year 2000.
Nor is it simply a matter of money. Last year, 63 million Americans — 25 percent of the adult population — donated their time, talents and energy by volunteering for one or more charitable organizations of their choice. This, too, is a distinctly American tradition going back to the country’s founding (as author Alexis de Tocqueville famously observed in his book “Democracy in America,” published in two volumes between 1835 and 1840).
It should therefore be unsurprising that hundreds of thousands of Americans are willing to pony up for something as important as border security — and further, that this priority does not come at the expense of support for people’s many other needs.
2018 has been a tumultuous year, filled with propaganda and polemic. As the year comes to a close, look at your neighbors and countrymen through a kinder lens; we are much more generous than we give one another credit for.
To find out more about Laura Hollis and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Border Wall GoFundMe Reaches 16M
Not to be out down in crowdfunding, open borders activists started their very own campaign to aid to abet illegal immigration into the U.S. Transgender Army veteran and human rights activist Charlotte Clymer launched a GoFundMe entitled “Ladders to Get Over Trump’s Wall” which has received about $130,000 in donations so far. However, this is a meager collection compared to the GoFundMe “We The People Will Fund The Wall” launched by Brian Kolfage, a triple amputee and Air Force Veteran, which has brought in a staggering $16 million in just six days. The average donation is just over $60 with about 260,000 individuals making contributions toward the $1 billion goal. Read more…
You gotta give it to liberals: They not only oppose building a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border to keep foreigners from illegally entering America, they actively want to encourage them to do so.
A GoFundMe campaign, titled “We The People Will Fund The Wall,” is closing in on $16 million in just six days. Some 259,936 have donated $15,828,419 toward a $1 billion goal, making the average donation just over $60. The page was created by Brian Kolfage, a triple amputee Air Force veteran.
“It’s time we uphold our laws, and get this wall BUILT! It’s up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling,” Kolfage wrote on the page.
But now a new page has popped up to compete with the wall page. Charlotte Clymer, a transgender Army veteran and human rights activist from Texas, has launched a page titled “Ladders to Get Over Trump’s Wall.”
Mexico Shutting Its Border…With Guatemala
New Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador appears to be on a charm offensive with the Trump administration and is now working to secure his nation’s southern border with Guatemala to stop any future caravan stunts from Central Americans. From the Washington Times: Interior Secretary Olga Sanchez Cordero says Mexico will end the practice of undocumented or illegal crossings over the Suchiate River, which marks much of the border between the two countries. It is as yet unclear how Mexico will secure its border, whether with manpower or by building its own “wall.” Read more…
Here’s more from Hot Air…
The new Mexican government of incoming president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (or “AMLO”) continues to pleasantly surprise me. Not only have we seen increased cooperation with Mexican law enforcement on our own southern border, but he seems to be serious about attacking the illegal immigration problem at its source. The latest announcement coming from Mexico City indicates that they’re seeking to shut off the flow of migrants and caravans by cracking down on their own southern border.
Mexico’s top security official says the government will effectively close off illegal entry at its southern border with Guatemala.
Interior Secretary Olga Sanchez Cordero says Mexico will end the practice of undocumented or illegal crossings over the Suchiate River, which marks much of the border between the two countries.
International, Issues, Politics
Migrants Give Ultimatum: Let Us In Or Give Us 50Gs To Turn Around
Two organized groups from the Central American caravan marched on the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana with no less than a demand for reparations for “everything the United States has stolen from Honduras” to the tune of $50,000. They say let them in or give them the cash to take home with them. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, they also demanded a halt in deportations and faster processing. “It may seem like a lot of money to you,” organizer Alfonsa Guerreo Ulloa told the paper, “but it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras. “Another said, “We thought they would let us in, but Trump sent the military instead of social workers. “They “generously” gave the consulate 72 hours to think about it and respond.
Two groups of Central American migrants marched to the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana on Tuesday with a list of demands, with one group delivering an ultimatum to the Trump administration: either let them in the U.S. or pay them $50,000 each to go home, a report said.
Among other demands were that deportations be halted and that asylum seekers be processed faster and in greater numbers, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
The first group of caravan members, which included about 100 migrants, arrived at the consulate around 11 a.m. Alfonso Guerreo Ulloa, an organizer from Honduras, said the $50,000 figure was chosen as a group.
“It may seem like a lot of money to you,” Ulloa told the paper. “But it is a small sum compared to everything the United States has stolen from Honduras.”
International, Issues
Border Patrol Arrests MS-13 Gang Member of Caravan
President Trump was proven right when in his claim that among the 6,000 “asylum” seekers amassing at our southern border would be MS-13, terrorists, and non-Central Americans. So far U.S. Border Patrol agents have arrested a member of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang, who admitted to authorities that he was acting as an opportunist in attempting to enter the United States. Common tactics include posing as an unaccompanied minor. Last week the Department of Homeland Security warned that roughly 500 MS-13 gangbangers were among the Central American caravan. Read more…
“You’re going to find MS-13, you’re going to find Middle Eastern, you’re going to find everything,” President Trump said in one of his much-criticized statements about the kinds of people included among the thousands of caravan migrants amassing at the U.S. southern border.
While the president has taken heat for describing the migrants as including criminals, the Mexican government has confirmed that to be the case, announcing last week that they are in the process of deporting hundreds of the migrants for criminal behavior at the border near Tijuana. Trump’s reference to MS-13 has also been proved correct, as a recent U.S. border patrol arrest reveals.
“U.S. Border Patrol agents have arrested a member of the infamous Salvadoran MS-13 gang who admitted to authorities that he traveled with a caravan of Central American migrants who were hoping to qualify for asylum in America,” National Review’s Mairead McArdle reports.
Rock-Throwing Migrant Mob Used Women and Children as Human Shields
U.S. Border Patrol is confirming what we all suspected: that the Central American migrants who threw rocks at our agents shoved women and children to the front to use as human shields and no doubt as photo props convenient to their open borders ambitions. “What we saw over and over yesterday was that the group – the caravan, as we call them – would push women and children to the front, and then begin, basically, rocking our agents,” Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott told CNN. Separately, National Border Patrol Council president Brandon Judd told Fox News that “They pushed women and children up front. And then behind those women and children, they started throwing rocks, cement bricks, they started throwing bottles at our Border Patrol agents.” Read more…
The U.S. Border Patrol’s top San Diego agent says violent migrants who stormed the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday shoved women and children to the front of the mob to use as human shields.
“What we saw over and over yesterday was that the group – the caravan, as we call them – would push women and children to the front, and then begin, basically, rocking our agents,” Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott said in a CNN interview.
“Several agents were actually struck by rocks,” Scott said, noting that three were injured.
National Border Patrol Council president Brandon Judd backed up Scott’s assertion, saying male migrants used women and children as shields as they threw rocks at U.S. border agents.
“They pushed women and children up front. And then behind those women and children, they started throwing rocks, cement bricks, they started throwing bottles at our Border Patrol agents,” Judd said in a Fox News interview.
Big govt, International, Issues
Trump Threatens Border Breachers: “We Will Close the Border Permanently”
President Trump is doubling down on his commitment to securing the U.S.-Mexico border, warning that “we will close the Border permanently if need be” after a wave of Central American caravan migrants tried to overwhelm the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, even throwing rocks at U.S. authorities. Trump tweeted: “Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!” President Trump has additionally threatened a government shutdown if Congress does not act to help secure the border that now has some 6,000 Central Americans camping out in Tijuana. Read more…
After chaos at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday forced U.S. authorities to fire tear gas into a violent crowd of angry migrants seeking to enter the United States, President Trump on Monday warned that “we will close the Border permanently if need be.”
The president also said that many of the so-called migrants now gathered at the U.S.-Mexico border are “stone cold criminals” and urged Mexico to send them back to their homes “anyway you want.”
“Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL!


Today's Google Doodle Celebrates Charles Perrault — A Writer Every Child Grew Up Reading
By Kathleen Wong
Tuesday's Google Doodles depict familiar scenes. One is a horse-drawn carriage in front of a majestical castle, flocked by a princess in a ballgown and a glass slipper. The imagery is straight out of the classic fairytale Cinderella. The other two doodles — Sleeping Beauty and Puss in Boots — are equally recognizable. The three doodles celebrate the author of that folklore and more to recognize Charles Perrault's 388th birthday.
Perrault was born on January 12, 1628 in Paris, according to the Telegraph. He began his life as a lawyer on the court for Louis XIV before penning Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and Mother Goose, and essentially pioneering the genre of fairytales, the Guardian reported.
"The backbone of these fairy tales persist within contemporary novels and movies, making our reading or cinema-going a fundamentally optimistic venture: When we hear 'once upon a time,' we've come to expect — and anxiously await — a 'happily ever after,'" Google wrote, adding that Perrault created the "standard" for the fairytale as we know it.
Most people attribute the creation of fairytales to the Brothers Grimm, who wrote the long-haired Rapunzel, but Perrault had already written Cinderella many years before, in 1697, the Telegraph reported.
Using oral folklore, those classic opening lines and a humble moral, Perrault was able to develop the format of the modern fairytale, many of which would last his lifetime a few times over, according to Google.
Many of Perrault's stories have been converted into children's movies, and also watered down. His versions were darker and more explicit, the Telegraph reported. For example, his Sleeping Beauty was to warn girls that being curious would lead to sin, the Independent reported.


. "Rita Johnston". The Canadian Encyclopedia, 07 March 2014, Historica Canada. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/rita-johnston. Accessed 17 January 2020.
Rita Johnston (2014). In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/rita-johnston
"Rita Johnston". In The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published June 27, 2010; Last Edited March 07, 2014. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/rita-johnston
. The Canadian Encyclopedia, s.v. "Rita Johnston", Last Edited March 07, 2014, https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/rita-johnston
Rita Johnston
Published Online June 27, 2010
Rita Margaret Johnston, née Leichert, politician, premier of British Columbia (b at Melville, Sask 22 April 1935).
Johnston, Rita Margaret
Rita Margaret Johnston, née Leichert, politician, premier of British Columbia (b at Melville, Sask 22 April 1935). Johnson's political career began when she was elected alderman in Surrey, BC, in 1970, a position that she held continuously until 1983, when she was elected to the provincial assembly as a Social Credit member. From 1970 to 1975 she served on the council of Mayor William VANDER ZALM. When Premier William BENNETT retired in 1986 Johnston helped to persuade Vander Zalm to run for the leadership and she worked on his successful campaign. In Aug 1986 she joined Vander Zalm's Cabinet as minister of municipal affairs and transit.
Re-elected in 1986 she remained loyal to the premier amid almost continuous controversy surrounding him and she moved to one Cabinet position after another as the Cabinet was torn by resignations, scandals and defections. Finally in 1990 Vander Zalm made her deputy premier, and when he resigned on 2 April 1991 she became premier, the province's 29th and the first woman to serve as premier in Canada. On 20 July her leadership was narrowly confirmed at a party convention, but her efforts to dissociate herself from the discredited former premier brought her and her party to defeat at the hands of the NDP on 17 October 1991. She lost her own seat in the process and retired from public office.
Marc-Adélard Tremblay
Helen Mussallem
Raymond Collishaw


47 Degrees welcomes new team members
team• news
Last year was a period of growth for the 47 Degrees’ family. We brought on a handful of new members, welcomed a couple of future programmers to the world, and opened a new office in London. We’re pleased to say, 2017 is shaping up to be pretty similar. This Month, we welcome three new (and one semi-new) awesome individuals to our team!
Welcome (back) Peter Neyens
As some of you know, we were lucky to have an extremely bright and hardworking intern this fall. Peter Neyens spent three months with us at our Spain office working on a variety of our open source projects, including Scala Exercises.
We were so impressed with Peter’s skills and work ethic that we knew we needed to hold onto him. We’re happy to announce he accepted our full-time offer and is now working out of our London office.
For more on Peter and why he’s an awesome addition to our team, check out his intern welcome
Find him here:
Welcome Ernesto Periñan
Ernesto graduated as a Technical Engineer in Computer Systems and obtained the honor qualification for his final degree project from the Universidad de Cádiz in 2011.
After graduating, he spent four years as a full-stack developer before moving into backend, Dev-Ops, and finally becoming a front-end developer specializing primarily in Python, PHP, AngularJS, ReactJS, Javascript, HTML/SASS/CSS, AWS (Amazon Web Services), Bash, etc.
He loves all aspects of software development, but after he attended a training class we hosted in Cadiz, Fast Track to Scala, he fell in love with functional programming. (We LOVE to hear that). He now spends his time working on Scala, Akka, Kafka, and related technologies.
When he’s not programming, Ernesto enjoys traveling around Spain and exploring other countries. He’s one of those active guys that plays every sport under the sun including football, Padel (I had to Google this one), and table tennis and enjoys running, cycling, and training at the gym. Despite his healthy lifestyle, he also enjoys indulging in life’s simple pleasures like good-tasting (bad for you) food and beer.
Welcome Antonio “Paolo” Mateo
Antonio, better known as Paolo, studied as a C.F.G.S Senior computer application technician at San Jose School in 2003 in San Fernando. He went on to work at the SDS company in Puerto de Santa María from 2008 to 2013. During that time, he participated in several projects for different organizations such as the Junta de Andalucía, Endesa, and Diputación de Cádiz.
He utilizes a variety of programming languages including Java, PL / SQL, Abap IV, and of course Scala. While many people might say that programming is stressful, Paolo finds it relaxes him and allows him to disconnect a little. He’s in his element when he’s able to solve problems and help out his colleagues.
When he’s not programming, Paolo enjoys spending time with his two children and playing music. He’s the singer and guitarist of an awesome rock band called Champagne, check them out, you won’t be sorry! We’re hoping we can add him to our 47’er supergroup (album dropping soon).
Welcome Juan Valencia Calvellido
Juan comes to us with a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the Universidad de Cádiz. During his days at University, he studied for a year in Germany. Before joining the 47 team, his trajectory included a mix of private and public infrastructures including Cern, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
His passion for development is focused on human-machine interactions and trying to find the best ways to build and improve the relationship through JavaScript. He’s also a committed Open Source software advocate (so he’ll fit in quite nicely here).
As part of his open course contributions, he’s happy to have submitted code to Fedora and EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux) repositories, a volunteer-based community effort to create a repository of add-on packages that complement the Fedora-based Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and its compatible spinoffs, such as CentOS and Scientific Linux.
Juan believes frontend development is more exciting than ever with the ultimate web development goal heading towards a modular, standardized, interoperable ecosystem of encapsulated components.
In his free time, when he’s not recovering from Js fatigue, you will most likely find Juan reading sci-fi books, listening to punk rock, or more likely at the moment, glued to his Nintendo Switch playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
We hope you’ll join us in welcoming these new 47’ers! Remember you can always connect with us @47deg.


Reforming Government Bill Introduced
View this article online at https://www.fedsmith.com/2018/09/17/reforming-government-bill-introduced/ and visit FedSmith.com to sign up for free news updates
By	Ralph R. Smith	on	September 17, 2018	in	Agency News	with	0 Comments
Congressman Jody Hice (R-GA)
As outlined in several recent articles published by FedSmith, the White House has a plan to reorganize and restructure the federal government. These published articles have been careful to note that some of the proposals require Congressional approval.
The Reforming Government Act of 2018
The “Reforming Government Act of 2018” would make it easier to enact the proposals to restructure the federal government as outlined by the White House.
The ‘‘Reforming Government Act of 2018’’ (S 3137) was introduced in June by Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI) and James Lankford (R-OK). The bill would create a legal path for making the changes outlined by the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney. The bill introduced by Senator Johnson would make it possible for President Trump to start the process of implementing the government reorganization plan more quickly than would be possible under existing legislation.
House Bill to Complement Reforming Government Act
A companion bill has now been introduced in the House by Jody Hice (R-GA). Congressman Hice is the Vice Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations.
Congressman Hice has introduced (H.R. 6787), which is called the Reforming Government Act. Like the Senate bill, this new legislation would provide President Trump with the authority to submit plans to Congress to reorganize the federal government and enables the Legislative Branch to consider those plans expeditiously.
In a press release released by the Congressman’s office, Hice is quoted as follows:
For decades, the federal government has operated under conditions that would be unacceptable in any other line of work. Bureaucracy is out of control, and efficiency is nearly nonexistent. My bill would unlock a mechanism for the Trump Administration to present plans to restructure our outdated system of federal agencies to Congress. In order to streamline our government and save valuable taxpayer dollars, we must enable a system of good governance focused on results rather than the same burdensome, ineffective approach.
Status of the Senate Bill
Senate Bill 3137 is currently before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. With the companion bill in the House now before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, it is possible there will be movement in Congress to move these bills forward quickly.
With mid-term elections looming in November, the primary interest of Congress will be ensuring their re-election. If the bill does not move forward quickly and get passed by Congress, which is unlikely, the ultimate fate of these bills may hinge on mid-term election results.
© 2020 Ralph R. Smith. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced without express written consent from Ralph R. Smith.
Tags: Jody Hice • Reorganization
Ralph Smith has several decades of experience working with federal human resources issues. He has written extensively on a full range of human resources topics in books and newsletters and is a co-founder of two companies and several newsletters on federal human resources. Follow Ralph on Twitter: @RalphSmith47
Creating Path for Restructuring Federal Government
Analyzing and Reorganizing Federal Agencies
Proposal to Revamp OPM, Labor and Education Department
Executive Order Aims to Eliminate Unnecessary Federal Agencies
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1.10.010 Designation and citation of code.
1.10.020 Definitions and rules of construction.
1.10.030 Catchlines or headings of sections.
1.10.040 Parenthetical and reference matter.
1.10.050 Amendments to code.
1.10.060 Supplementation of code.
1.10.070 General penalty – Continuing violations.
1.10.080 Severability of parts of code.
1.10.090 Miscellaneous ordinances not affected by code.
1.10.100 Provisions considered as continuation of existing ordinances.
1.10.110 Code does not affect prior offenses, rights, etc.
The ordinances embraced in the following chapters, articles and sections shall constitute and be designated as “the code of the city of Topeka, Kansas” and may be so cited. (Code 1981 § 1-1. Code 1995 § 1-1.)
State Law References: Compilation, revision and codification of ordinances, K.S.A. 12-3014 – 12-3016.
In the construction of this code and of all ordinances and resolutions passed by the city council, the rules set out in this section shall be observed and the definitions prescribed in this section shall apply, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the city council.
Advisory Board of Health. The words “advisory board of health” shall mean the city-county advisory board of health.
Bond. When a bond is required, an undertaking in writing shall be sufficient.
City. The words “the city” or “this city” shall mean the city of Topeka, in the county of Shawnee, in the state of Kansas.
City Officers, Departments, Etc. Whenever reference is made to an officer, department, council or other agency, the same shall be construed as if followed by the words “of the city of Topeka, Kansas.”
Code. The term “code” or “this code” shall mean the code of the city of Topeka.
Computation of Time. The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day; and if the last day is Sunday, that day shall be excluded.
County. The words “the county” mean the county of Shawnee, in the state of Kansas.
Gender. Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter.
Governing Body. The words “governing body” mean the mayor and city council of the city.
Health Agency. The words “health agency” shall mean the Topeka-Shawnee County health agency.
Health Officer. The words “health officer” shall mean the director of the Topeka-Shawnee County health agency.
In the City. The words “in the city” mean and include any territory within the corporate limits of the city of Topeka, Kansas, and the police jurisdiction thereof, and any other territory over which regulatory power has been conferred on the city by general or special act, except as otherwise specified.
Joint Authority. All words giving a joint authority to three or more persons or officers shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such persons or officers.
K.S.A. The abbreviation “K.S.A.” shall mean the Kansas Statutes Annotated, as amended.
Number. Words used in the singular include the plural, and words used in the plural include the singular.
Oath. The word “oath” includes an affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in such cases the words “swear” and “sworn” are equivalent to the words “affirm” and “affirmed.”
Or, And. The word “or” may be read as “and,” and the word “and” as “or,” where the sense requires it.
Owner. The word “owner” applied to a building or land shall include not only the owner of the whole, but any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common or joint tenant of the whole or a part of such building or land.
Parkings. The word “parkings” or “parking” shall mean the area between the roadway and right-of-way line.
Person. The word “person” includes a firm, partnership, association of persons, corporation, organization or any other group acting as a unit, as well as an individual.
Personal Property. The words “personal property” include every species of property, except real property.
Preceding, Following. The words “preceding” and “following” mean next before and next after, respectively.
Property. The word “property” includes real, personal and mixed property.
Real Property. The words “real property” include lands, tenements and hereditaments.
Sidewalk. The word “sidewalk” means any portion of a street between the curbline and the adjacent property line intended for the use of pedestrians.
State. The words “the state” or “this state” mean the state of Kansas.
Street. The word “street” means and includes public streets, avenues, boulevards, highways, roads, alleys, lanes, viaducts, bridges and the approaches thereto and all other public thoroughfares in the city.
Tenant, Occupant. The words “tenant” and “occupant,” applied to a building or land, mean any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.
Writing, Written. The words “writing” and “written” include typewriting, printing on paper and any other mode of representing words and letters. (Code 1981 § 1-23. Code 1995 § 1-2.)
The catchlines or headings of the sections of this code printed in boldface type are intended as mere words to indicate the contents of the sections and shall not be deemed or taken to be titles of such sections, nor as any part of any section, nor, unless expressly so provided, shall they be so deemed when any section, including its catchline, is amended or reenacted. (Code 1981 § 1-26. Code 1995 § 1-3.)
The matter in parentheses at the ends of sections is not a part of the code but is designed to show the source and legislative history, and the text may or may not be changed by this code. Reference matter not in parentheses is for information only and is not a part of the code. (Code 1981 § 1-25. Code 1995 § 1-4.)
(a) Amendments to any of the provisions of this code shall be made by amending such provisions by specific reference to the section number of this code in the following language: “That section ________ of The Code of the City of Topeka, Kansas, is hereby amended to read as follows: ....” The section, as amended, shall then be set out in full.
(b) If a new section not then existing in the code is to be added, the following language shall be used: “That The Code of the City of Topeka, Kansas, is hereby amended by adding a section, to be numbered ________, which said section reads as follows: ....” The new section shall then be set out in full.
(c) A section of this code shall be repealed by the repealing ordinance in language substantially as follows: “That section ________ of The Code of the City of Topeka, Kansas, is hereby repealed.” (Code 1981 § 1-3. Code 1995 § 1-5.)
State Law References: Amendments to looseleaf codes, K.S.A. 12-3015.
(a) By contract or by city personnel, supplements to this code shall be prepared and printed whenever authorized or directed by the city council. A supplement to the code shall include all substantive permanent and general parts of ordinances passed by the council or adopted by initiative and referendum during the period covered by the supplement and all changes made thereby in the code. The pages of a supplement shall be so numbered that they will fit properly into the code and will, where necessary, replace pages which have become obsolete or partially obsolete, and the new pages shall be so prepared that, when they have been inserted, the code will be current through the date of adoption of the latest ordinance included in the supplement.
(b) In preparing a supplement to this code, all portions of the code which have been repealed shall be excluded from the code by the omission thereof from reprinted pages.
(c) When preparing a supplement to this code, the codifier (meaning the person authorized to prepare the supplement) may make formal, nonsubstantive changes in ordinances and parts of ordinances included in the supplement, insofar as it is necessary to do so to embody them into a unified code. For example, the codifier may:
(1) Organize the ordinance material into appropriate subdivisions;
(2) Provide appropriate catchlines, headings and titles for sections and other subdivisions of the code printed in the supplement, and make changes in such catchlines, headings and titles;
(3) Assign appropriate numbers to sections and other subdivisions to be inserted in the code and, where necessary to accommodate new material, change existing section or other subdivision numbers;
(4) Change the words “this ordinance” or words of the same meaning to “this title,” “this division,” “this chapter,” “this article,” etc., as the case may be, or to “TMC ________ to ________” (inserting section numbers to indicate the sections of the code which embody the substantive sections of the ordinance incorporated into the code); and
(5) Make other nonsubstantive changes necessary to preserve the original meaning of ordinance sections inserted into the code; but in no case shall the codifier make any change in the meaning or effect of ordinance material included in the supplement or already embodied in the code. (Code 1981 § 1-4. Code 1995 § 1-6.)
(a) The doing of any of the acts or things prohibited, made unlawful or a misdemeanor, or the failing to do any of the things commanded to be done, as specified and set forth in this code or in any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this code, within the jurisdictional limits of the city, shall be deemed an offense against the good order, public peace, morals, health, proper government and welfare of the city.
(b) Whenever any offense is declared by any provision of this code, absent a specific or unique punishment prescribed, the offender shall be punished in accordance with this section:
(1) Fine. A fine of not less than $1.00 or more than $499.00; or
(2) Imprisonment. Imprisonment in the city jail for not more than 179 days; or
(3) Both Fine and Imprisonment. Both fine and imprisonment not to exceed subsections (b)(1) and (2) of this section.
(c) Each day any violation of this code continues shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) Any person convicted of violating any of the duties set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and punished in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. (Code 1981 § 1-5. Code 1995 § 1-7.)
Cross References: Court costs and fees, TMC 2.110.010.
If for any reason any title, chapter, article, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this code, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of any remaining title, chapter, article, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this code. (Code 1981 § 1-28. Code 1995 § 1-8.)
Nothing in this code or in the ordinance adopting this code shall be deemed to affect the validity of any of the following when not inconsistent with this code:
(a) Charter ordinances or ordinances published in Appendix A to this code;
(b) Ordinances relating to the purchase and condemnation or appropriation of property for public use;
(c) Ordinances providing for the opening, dedicating, widening, vacating or narrowing of streets, avenues, alleys and boulevards;
(d) Ordinances establishing or changing grades of streets, avenues, alleys and boulevards;
(e) Ordinances naming or changing the names of streets, avenues and boulevards;
(f) Ordinances authorizing or directing public improvements to be made;
(g) Ordinances creating districts for public improvements of whatsoever kind or nature;
(h) Ordinances levying general taxes;
(i) Ordinances levying special assessments or taxes;
(j) Ordinances granting any rights, privileges, easements or franchises therein mentioned to any person;
(k) Ordinances authorizing the issuance of bonds and other instruments of indebtedness by the city;
(l) Ordinances authorizing contracts or contractual services;
(m) Ordinances establishing or changing the limits of the city, or pertaining to consolidations or annexations;
(n) Ordinances relating to the compensation of officials, officers and employees of the city;
(o) Ordinances amending the district map showing zoning within the city;
(p) Any ordinance pertaining to zoning;
provided, that the above enumeration of exceptions shall not be held or deemed to be exclusive, it being the purpose and intention to exempt from repeal any and all ordinances not of a general nature and general ordinances specifically excepted by this section. (Code 1981 § 1-2. Code 1995 § 1-9.)
The provisions appearing in this code, as far as they are the same as those of the ordinances existing at the time of the adoption of this code, shall be considered as a continuation thereof and not as new enactments. (Code 1981 § 1-24. Code 1995 § 1-10.)
Nothing in this code or in the ordinance adopting this code shall affect any offense or act committed or done, or any penalty or forfeiture incurred, or any contract or right established or accruing, before the effective date of this code. (Code 1981 § 1-27. Code 1995 § 1-11.)


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Tag Archives: equity
Leading Futures: Alternative Perspectives on Education Reform and Policy
Posted on May 25, 2016 | 2 comments
Series Editors Alma Harris and Michelle Jones
The global discourse about educational policy and change has narrowed considerably because of a preoccupation with the high performing systems, as defined by large-scale international assessments, and the factors that contribute to their success. Building on Alma Harris and Michelle Jones’ book, Leading Futures: Global Perspectives on Educational Leadership, the Leading Futures series is premised on the contention that more contextual and culturally sensitive accounts of educational change are needed in order to consider broader attributions and explanations of educational performance.
The Leading Futures series provides a platform for sharing different views on the process and practice of changing education systems for the better. Its intention is to open up the contemporary debate on school and system performance through critical policy analysis, empirical enquiry and contextualized accounts of system performance.
This post by Alma Harris, Michelle Jones, Jan Heijmans and Job Christians is the first in the Leading Futures series.
The Dutch Way: Is the Netherlands a best kept educational secret?
Alma Harris, Michelle Jones, Jan Heijmans and Job Christians.
Unlike many other education systems, the Netherlands appears to be delivering both educational quality and equity. So why does the Dutch system do so well? To attribute its success to a handful of structural features or to certain strategies is one way to go. However, accurately identifying causal attributions for better system performance is far from straightforward or fool proof. In complex education systems there are often multiple reasons for better outcomes that interact and intersect.
In this post, we argue that the Dutch system provides an example of “principled educational performance,” combining a focus on democratic values with an approach to policymaking that relies on both collaboration and autonomy.
The Dutch system in context: Educational quality and equity
The global interest in the high performing education systems shows no signs of slowing down. The interest in borrowing from the best has placed the international spotlight on a select group of education systems and not others. Earlier this year, the OECD published “Supporting Teacher Professionalism,” drawing upon the 2013 TALIS survey in order to explore teachers’ and principals’ perceived professionalism. Thirty-four countries were scored on three measures: teachers’ professional knowledge, work autonomy, and access to peer networks. Of all the education systems that scored highest on the index of professionalism, seven were in Europe and the Netherlands placed fourth in this group.
The Dutch education system is not necessarily on the radar of policy makers in search of better performance but a quick look at the Dutch system makes interesting reading. The evidence shows that Dutch students perform very well in international student assessments and as a country, the Netherlands has remained just outside the PISA top ten, for successive rounds. At the primary level, results from both the 2011 TIMSS and PIRLS assessments indicate an exceptionally good performance for Dutch students aged nine to ten. Among all participating countries, in these international assessments, the Netherlands was only outperformed by seven countries in mathematics and science, and by nine countries in reading.
Turning next to the all important PISA scores. In 2012, 15-year-olds in the Netherlands achieved results significantly above the OECD average in the 3 areas tested (mathematics, reading and science). Only two other OECD countries achieved significantly higher performance levels in mathematics. In 2011, the Netherlands had the lowest rate of 15-29 year-olds not in employment, education or training across all OECD countries: 7% compared to an OECD average of 16%. While there are some who argue that above average is not good enough, from different vantage points and using different indicators it would appear that Dutch education system is performing well.
Yet, the Dutch seem to be remarkably quiet about their educational successes and accomplishments. Possibly this is because unlike some of their near European neighbours, they are not among the big hitters in PISA. Yet, they have a track record in educational equity that should be the envy of many countries in Europe and beyond. Take for example the fact that the Netherlands has fewer low performers and more high performers than the OECD average. Significantly fewer Dutch 15-years-olds scored below the PISA performance level 2, which is believed to mark the basic competency which enables active participation in a society. The impact of student socioeconomic background on performance in mathematics was less pronounced in the Netherlands than at the OECD average. The Netherlands also has an above average proportion of resilient students i.e. students who manage to overcome difficult socio-economic circumstances and exceed expectations, when compared to students in other countries.
It is no accident that the Netherlands is one of the OECD’s most devolved education systems, with schools enjoying a high degree of autonomy. This particular brand of autonomy however is not to be confused with increased privatization of schooling or the erosion of local control of schooling. Rather, this particular brand of localalized empowerment is based upon the principle of freedom of education where public and private schools are on an equal footing and all schools receive public funding, provided that they meet the requirements for schools in their sector. In the Netherlands, all teachers receive high quality teacher training at bachelors and masters level plus there is a great emphasis on teacher autonomy and professionalism. The Education Cooperative, which involves over 200,000 teachers, is run by teachers for teachers with the chief aim of safeguarding the quality of the profession.
Before concluding that the Netherlands is some educational utopia where schools and teachers are blissfully free from any interference, think again. The central government sets learning objectives and quality standards that apply to both public and private schools. The Inspectorate of Education monitors school quality and compliance with central rules and regulations. Unlike many other education systems however the Dutch system balances support and pressure in a positive way. While there is a framework of standards, with broadly formulated goals, there are also additional resources and teaching support in schools that need it the most. If schools improve, they are rewarded with more autonomy and freedom to innovate, if they are considered high performing they can apply for Excellent School status.
Of particular note is the fact that the Dutch education system is not overly encumbered with regulation, prescription and standardisation. There is no national curriculum in the Netherlands, however certain learning objectives are stipulated by the Ministry and are expected to be met at the end of primary and lower secondary education. There is testing in the Netherlands and notably, the system stands out internationally for its high-quality standardised assessments. While the issue of testing remains for some Dutch educators somewhat controversial, on balance, the pressure to compete and perform is not as acute as in many other countries. The norms of the Dutch society are collaborative and this threads its way through the very fabric of schooling. Competition hardly plays a role in Dutch educational culture; students are seldom graded against each other or expected to compete against one another.
In terms of equity, the Netherlands is a particularly strong system example. It is the only country participating in PIRLS where all students achieved, at least, the low international benchmark of performance in reading. In addition, 99% of the Dutch students achieved at least the low international benchmark in mathematics and science in TIMSS. Young people in the Netherlands, up to age of 18, must attend school until they attain a basic qualification and there is a strong policy on truancy and absenteeism. The Ministry has signed performance agreements on student dropout with municipalities and schools in 39 regions, which ensures that the most vulnerable young people are supported. In 2006, the government introduced a successful program (Aanval op de uitval) with a regional approach to promote school success and to avoid early school drop outs. A recent OECD report shows that in terms of low-performing students, the Netherlands is far below the OECD average. In the Netherlands, students from low socio-economic backgrounds are 1.72 times more likely to be low performers than their peers with high socio-economic status which is below the OECD average (2.37 times). A higher proportion of Dutch disadvantaged students attend schools with students from better-off backgrounds than the OECD average.
In summary, the Netherlands demonstates a strong comitment to collective and equitable development. As Professor Wilma Vollebergh, University of Utrecht and Netherlands Institute for Social Research reports, it has a social culture and Dutch educational policy-making reflects power-sharing and consenses in decision-making. Such strong cultural norms and values are at the heart of educational practice and largely explain the performance of its education system. The national belief in fairness, equity and justice not only drives the education system but also, at a practical level, translates into a collective effort to ensure success for every child in every setting. A recent study of 200,000 students from 42 countries concluded that Dutch students are happy and have high levels of well-being.
What can we take away from the Dutch approach?
So what can we take away from the Dutch education system? Essentially, there are three things. First, that the Netherlands does not rely on school competition or market forces to secure better educational performance. Conversely, it relies on strong collaboration between teachers and schools to raise achievement and attainment. Second, it does not exclude students from its education system who are disadvantaged, marginalised or are refugees from another country. Instead, it makes every effort to ensure that young people, from all backgrounds, do not leave school early and that they enter the workforce qualified to participate.Third, the Dutch system shows that it is perfectly possible to combine educational equity and quality. While some may argue that there is more work to be done, compared to many other countries the Dutch education system is undoubtedly moving in the right direction.
For those interested in navigating the slopes of quick-fix, high performance, the Netherlands is categorically off-piste. The Dutch way is epitomized by a long history and a proud tradition of building civic society around democratic values that continue to define both an education system and a country. In years to come, when the high-octane remedies for better educational performance have been over-sold to the point where they have lost their lustre and attraction to policy makers, Dutch educators will still be striving, in their quiet but determined way, for educational excellence through equity. With hindsight, it might indeed be the case, that one of our most principled educational performers was there all along.
Notes on Authors
Dr. Alma Harris is Professor of Educational Leadership and Director of the Institute of Educational Leadership at the University of Malaya.
Dr Michelle Jones is Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the Institute of Educational Leadership at the University of Malaya
Dr. J. Heijmans is Chair of the Executive Board KPZ (teacher training Center Zwolle) in the Netherlands.
Job Christians is a former teacher and founder/director of Onderwijs Maak Je Samen (organization for professional development) in the Netherlands.
Posted in Leading Futures Series
Tagged Dutch, education equity, education quality, equity, Leading Futures Series, Netherlands
Scanning the globe
Photo by Dao Ngoc Thach
Several reports over the past month highlight the variety of causes that are blamed for failures to improve educational performance around the world. This short scan of reports focusing on issues like school quality and test-score performance, reveals typical concerns about teacher training and teacher quality, questions about the language of instruction and equality of education, as well as questions about the choices policymakers have made and the “policy churn” that can undermine implementation.
Earlier this year in Sweden, 11,000 students were left without a school to attend when the private education firm that operated it went bankrupt. According to an article published online by Reuters, additional concerns raised about the quality of education in these schools led the opposition Green Party, a long-term proponent of school choice, to issue a public apology in a Swedish newspaper, with the headline: “Forgive us, our policy led our schools astray.”
In Vietnam, concerns have been expressed over the quality of care and education children receive in privately operated preschools. Referring to the government policy to privatize education as a failure, thanhniennews.com writes that limits placed on the growth of public preschool facilities has allowed private preschools “of dubious quality to mushroom.” Another article, posted on Vietnam.net, points out the additional problem of inadequate teacher training in provincial and privately operated preschools.
Test-Score Performance
In Malaysia, we see a debate over the cause of the decline of TIMSS scores. The World Bank released a report that found the decline to be caused by the switch in the language of instruction from Bahasa Malaysia to English. However, an article in The Malay Mail online cites the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), for pointing out that in 2007 (the year scores declined sharply), the students had yet to receive their instruction in English. Instead, PAGE attributed the decline to the poor quality of teachers and insufficient teaching hours. The Education Ministry announced plans to form a panel to investigate Malaysian students’ decline in performance.
Finnbay.com reports that Krista Kiuru, Finland‘s Minister of Education and Science, has allocated €22.5 million in state aid to promote equality in education for the period 2014-2015 to regain Finland’s top seat in PISA. “Success of Finnish education in international comparisons must be regained by having educational equality and non-discrimination,” said Kiuru.
Educational Improvement and “Policy Churn”
Despite declines in New Zealand students’ test scores, The Otago Daily Times reports that Education Minister Hekia Parata will not do anything differently. Parata attributes the slide to 10 years of a changing education system and not its controversial National Standards assessments, or a lack of school funding. According to Parata, Andreas Schleicher, Deputy Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the OECD’s Secretary-General, has assured her that the country is already doing “what they recommend should be done when you want a whole of system change.”
The Nation has reported that the recent political upheaval in Thailand could mean that the sweeping curriculum-based overhaul of the education system might not come to fruition. The country had planned radical changes, such as decreasing the number of school hours for primary students from 800 to 600 per year, and requiring that students learn outside of the classroom for up to 400 hours per year. In addition, the Pheu Thai party’s controversial, yet “much-touted election policy” called the One Tablet PC Per Child Project, might not be implemented. Other policies at risk of being shelved include changes to the university admission system, promotion of vocational education, and the ongoing effort to improve Thailand’s international educational ranking.
Posted in Newspaper Articles
Tagged Education policy, equity, instruction, news scan, political unrest, public schools versus private schools, teacher quality
Equality of access in math and science in Finland, Sweden, and the United State
In a recent paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, “Moving on up? A framework for evaluating equality of access in education, with illustrations from Finland, Sweden and the United States,” Jennifer von Reis Saari shared the results of a study of the ways in which schools in Finland, Sweden, and the United States, track students in math and science. In this post, von Reis Saari briefly describes some of the current concerns about inequality in Sweden and Finland, as well as some of the differences she has documented in the way these countries, and the US, approach tracking.
Jennifer von Reis Saari
The recent riots in Sweden are drawing attention to how the assumption that Nordic countries, as well as their school systems, are equitable is oversimplified. Finland, for example, is often considered untracked. However, visitors to Finland are sometimes surprised that the country has a system of competitive school choice at the upper-secondary level, after age 16. In fact, despite the Finnish Minister of Education, Krista Kiuru’s resistance to the publishing of league tables of individual school performance, savvy students and parents are well aware of school rankings, and lists of upper-secondary school averages on national exams are published at the end of May each year. In addition, there is an increasing appetite for more differentiation and choice. In neighboring Sweden, comparatively liberal school choice policies and the allowance of for-profit, publicly funded schools, have coincided with increasing social disparities in educational outcomes. In a study of student persistence in mathematics and science, I found that students I surveyed and interviewed in both countries experienced ability grouping and tracking in mathematics and science during both compulsory school, and upper-secondary school. To characterize Finnish or Swedish school systems as equal, or un-stratified, obscures the ways these systems react to, and create, inequalities.
A closer look at the experiences of students I interviewed in Finland, Sweden, and the United States, however, highlights how critical aspects of these choice and tracking systems, such as the mechanism for allocation (the how, why, and when students choose, or are selected into, particular schools or tracks), the transparency of the system (how clear the different educational choices and their consequences are), and the permeability (the degree of mobility allowed between tracks and schools), can either promote or obstruct the pathways of students who aspire to careers in mathematics and science related fields. In particular, the Finnish education system can be described as more permeable than either Sweden or the United States; the Finnish secondary school students I studied could more freely choose advanced mathematics and science courses and tracks in contrast to their counterparts in Sweden or the United States. They could make these choices even if they were not in advanced mathematics tracks before they reached the secondary level. This seemed to result in a greater retention of passionate, interested students, particularly young men who may have struggled earlier in their school careers.
Focusing on permeability is important not only from a standpoint of equity, but also in terms of efficiency, for retaining and fostering skilled talent in STEM fields. The lack of permeability of math and science tracks may be a particular concern in the United States, where the high cost of post-secondary education and widening disparities between universities and community colleges, which once served to increase opportunities for mobility, compounds lost opportunities during primary and secondary school. Fostering passion for mathematics and science among students may require structures that respond to increasing commitment and performance by providing clear, built-in pathways for upward mobility.
“Equity trends in the Swedish school system: A quantitative analysis of variation in student performance and equity from a time perspective”
“School choice and its effects in Sweden”
“Middle class children’s choices to avoid local schools”
“Tracking Effects Depend on Tracking Type: An International Comparison of Students’ Mathematics Self-Concept”
Posted in About K-12 International Education News, Global Reports/Studies, Newspaper Articles
Tagged education, equity, Finland, Sweden, tracking
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